Family Delphacidae

Subfamily Delphacinae

Tribe Delphacini

Distribution: Pantropical and adjacent temperate regions

Type species (original combination): Delphax furcifera Horvath, 1899

Generic Synonyms

  Sogatodes Fennah, 1963, is a synonym of Sogatella Fennah, 1956 (Synonymy made by Asche and Wilson 1990)

World Species

There are 15 species, plus a subspecies, worldwide, as follow

Sogatella albofimbriata (Muir, 1926)  - South Africa, Ivory Coast, Oman, Mauritius, Senegal, Nigeria
Sogatella camptistylis Fennah, 1963 - Uganda
Sogatella capensis (Muir, 1929) - South Africa
Sogatella colorata nigrior Fennah, 1963 - Mauritius
Sogatella colorata colorata (Distant, 1917) - Seychelles Islands
Sogatella furcifera (Horvath, 1899) -  Widespread and common in the Old World tropics and adjacent temperate regions
Sogatella gemina Fennah, 1963 - Seychelles Islands
Sogatella kolophon (Kirkaldy, 1907) - Widespread and common in both New and Old World
Sogatella krugeri (Muir, 1929) - South Africa, Tanzania, Aldabra
Sogatella manetho Fennah, 1963 - Zimbabwe.
Sogatella molina (Fennah, 1963) - USA: Florida; Mexico, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
Sogatella nigeriensis (Muir, 1920) - Egypt, Nigeria, Madagascar, Azores, Canary Islands, Israel, Madeira, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Aldabra, Ethiopia, Guinea, Iles Glorieuses, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire.

Sogatella nigrigenis (Jacobi, 1917) - East Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Sudan
Sogatella petax Fennah, 1963 - Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Tanzania, Nigeria
Sogatella vibix (Haupt, 1927) - Widespread in Old World Tropics
Sogatella yei Linnavuori, 1973 - Sudan

Recorded hosts

Wheat (Sogatella vibix), Rice (Sogatella furcifera), Maize (Sogatella kolophon, Sogatella vibix).  Asche and Wilson (1990) note that the genus is associated with grasses, but the level of specialization on hosts is unclear.

Economic importance

Sogatella furcifera is the white-backed planthopper (WBPH), and important pest of rice in the Old World. Sogatella furcifera, and other Sogatella are known for migratory habits.

Sogatella furcifera is known to vector Pangola stunt virus (PSV), and Southern Rice Black Streak Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV).  Sogatella kolophon is known to vector Brazilian wheat spike disease (BWSV), Digitaria striate virus (DSV), and Maize sterile stunt virus (MSSV).  Sogatella vibex is known to vector Finger millet mosaic virus (FMMV), Maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV), and Maize sterile stunt virus (MSSV).

Recognition

All species tend to be straw to brown color with a conspicuous pale stripe down the midline of the dorsum.  Recognition of species, particularly when it is unclear whether the species is endemic or potentially invasive, can be challenging.  Color can be both helpful and misleading, particularly since color intensity can vary quite a bit between males and females of the same species and between individuals from different localities. Some species can be very common and can be collected in considerable numbers.  Individuals can travel great distances and may be found well outside their usual range. 

Sogatella kolophon is easily the most abundant New World species of Sogatella

The genus Sogatella is quite similar to Tagosodes (and Sogatellana and to a lesser degree Matutinus).  Males are much preferred for identification.  Females can be difficult to distinguish to genus, and can only be tentatively assigned to species.  These genera can best be separated by the shape of the genital diaphragm of the male - which is broadly "u" shaped in Sogatella versus a rectangular protrusion or raise T-shaped area in Tagosodes.

Sogatella kolophon (photos of specimens by Kimberley Shropshire, University of Delaware, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology)

Note the bifurcate apex of the parameres and the gena ('cheeks') of the face of the male is straw-colored (instead of dark in S. molina).

 

Sogatella molina

Compared to S. kolophon, notice the dark genae ('cheeks' of the face), and the slightly different shape of the parameres.

 

Sogatella furcifera - Does not occur in the New World.  Reports of this species in the New World have been through misidentification (See Asche and Wilson 1990).  (Although I had heard that a population was exterminated in Florida).

Notice the dark face and the different shape of the parameres.

See also http://naturalhistory.museumwales.ac.uk/vectors/browsespecies.php?-recid=630

 

Sogatella vibix - Does not occur in the New World

Notice the pale face and dark genae ('cheeks') compared to S. furcifera and S. kolophon, and the differently shaped paramere compared to S. furcifera.

 

Molecular resources

A considerable variety of molecular resources are available on Genbank for Sogatella furcifera here.  BOLD indicates barcodes are available for Sogatella furcivera and Sogatella vibix (here).  Sogatella molina and S. furcifera were sequenced for 18S, 28S, CO1, WG in Urban et al. (2010).

Selected references

Adjei-Afriyie, F., C.-S. Kim, M. Takemura, M. Ishikawa, and M. Horiike. 2000. Isolation and identification of the probing stimulants in the rice plant for the white-back planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Homoptera: Delphacidae). Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry. 64(2): 443-446.

Ammar, E. D., O. Lamie, and I. A. Khodeir. 1980. Biology of the planthopper Sogatella furcifera Horv. in Egypt. (Hom, Delphacidae). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 27(1-3): 21-27.

Asche, M. and M. R. Wilson. 1990. The delphacid genus Sogatella and related groups: a revision with special reference to rice-associated species (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Systematic Entomology 15: 1-42.

Ballou, J. K., J. H. Tsai and S. W. Wilson. 1987 Delphacid planthoppers Sogatella kolophon and Delphacodes idonea (Homoptera: Delphacidae): Descriptions of immature stages and notes on biology. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 80(2): 312-319.

Cheng, C. H. and J. L. Lu. 1990. Detection of the trans-oceanic immigration of rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens Stal and Sogatella furcifera Horvath to the southwestern Taiwan and their relative weather-conditions. Chinese Journal of Entomology 10(3): 301-324.

Chu, Y. I. and R. Kou. 1983. Bibliography of white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera Horvath. NTU Phytopathologist and Entomologist [National Tawain University] 10: 58-119.

Dung, W .S. 1981. A general survey on seasonal migrations of Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) and Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) by means of airplane collections. Acta Phytophylacica Sinica 8: 73-82. [Chinese, English summary]

Feng, B. C., C. W. Huang, H.D. Wang, Yao-Jing, and L. J. Song. 1985. Influence of temperature on the population dynamics of the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 28(4): 390-397.

Fennah, R. G. 1965. Sogatodes brazilensis (Muir), a new synonym of S. orizicola (Muir) (Fulgoroidea, Delphacidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 56(2): 215-217.

Fennah, R. G. 1963. The Delphacid-species-complex known as Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Bulletin of Entomological Research 54(1): 45-79.

Greber, R. S., D. H. Gowanlock, S. Hicksand D. S. Teakle. 1988. Transmission of pangola stunt virus by Sogatella kolophon. Annals of Applied Biology 113(1): 27-33.

Heinrichs, E. A. and H. R. Rapusas. 1983. Levels of resistance to the whitebacked plant hopper, Sogatella furcifera (Homoptera: Delphacidae), in rice varieties with different resistance genes. Environmental Entomology 12(6): 1793-1797.

Heinrichs, E. A. and H. R. Rapusas. 1985. Levels of resistance to the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Homoptera: Delphacidae) in rice varieties with the same major resistance genes. Environmental Entomology 14(1): 83-86.

Huang, S. H., C. H. Cheng, C.N. Chen, W. J. Wu, and A. Otuka. 2010. Estimating the immigration source of rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) and Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), in Taiwan. Applied Entomology and Zoology 45(3): 521-531.

Kisimoto, R. 1976. Synoptic weather conditions inducing long-distance immigration of planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera Horváth and Nilaparvata lugens Stal. Ecological Entomology 1: 95-109.

Kisimoto, R. and K. Sogawa. 1995. Migration of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens and the white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera in east Asia: the role of weather and climate. In: V.A. Drake and A.G. Gatehouse, (eds.). Insect migration: tracking resources through space and time. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York and Melbourne. 67-91.

Kisimoto, R., J. Hirao, Y. Hirahara, and A. Tanaka. 1982 Synchronization in migratory flight of planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens Stål and Sogatella furcifera Horvath (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in the south-western Japan. Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology 26(2): 112-118.

Koyama, and J. Mitsuhashi. 1980. Rearing of the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera Horvath (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) on a synthetic diet. Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology 24(2): 117-119.

Koyama, K. 1991. Essential vitamins for nymphal growth of white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera Horvath (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology 35(4): 297-301.

Koyama, K. 1992. Essential amino acids for nymphal growth of the white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology 36(3): 177-181.

Koyama, K., J. Mitsuhashi, and S. Nasu. 1981. Rearing of the planthopper, Sogatella longifurcifera Esaki et Ishihara (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology 25(3): 198-200.

Kuoh, C. L. 1977. Three new species of Sogatella from China (Homoptera, Delphacidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica 20(4): 440-444.[Chinese with English summary]

Li, S.G., R.M. Hua, H.F. Lin, H.Q. Cao, J. Hu, and P. Hu. 2010. Control effects of four biological pesticides and two chemical pesticides and their mixtures against mixed population of Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera. Chinese Bulletin of Entomology 47(4): 768-772.

Liu, J.N., F.R. Gui, and Z.Y. Li. 2010. Genetic diversity of the planthopper, Sogatella furcifera in the Greater Mekong Subregion detected by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Journal of Insect Science 10(52): 1-14.

Matsumura, M. 1997. Correlated responses of life history traits, wing length, and flight propensity to wing-form selection in the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Applied Entomology and Zoology 32(3): 437-445

Matsumura, M. 1996. Population dynamics of the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) with special reference to the relationship between its population growth and the growth stage of rice plants. Researches on Population Ecology 38(1): 19-25.

Matsumura, M. 1996. Genetic analysis of a threshold trait: density-dependent wing dimorphism in Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), the whitebacked planthopper. Heredity 76: 229-237.

Matsumura, M. 1997. Population dynamics of the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) with special reference to the relationship between its population growth and the growth stage of rice plants. Researches on Population Ecology 38(1): 19-25.

Matsumura, M. 1997. Seasonal prevalence of ovarian development in macropterous females of whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in paddy fields. Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology 41(2): 75-82.

Matsumura, M. 1996. Genetic analysis of a threshold trait: density-dependent wing dimorphism in Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), the whitebacked planthopper. Heredity 76: 229-37.

Matsumura, M. and Y. Suzuki. 2003. Direct and feeding-induced interactions between two rice planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera and Nilaparvata lugens: effects on dispersal capability and performance. Ecological Entomology 28(2): 174-182.

Mun, J. H., Y. H. Song, K. L. Heong and G K. Roderick. 1999. Genetic variation among Asian populations of rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae): mitochondrial DNA sequences. Bulletin of Entomological Research 89: 245-253

Myint, K.K.M., H. Yasui, M. Takagi, and M. Matsumura. 2009. Virulence of long-term laboratory populations of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), and whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), on rice differential varieties. Applied Entomology and Zoology 44(1): 149-153.

Nakao, T., A. Naoi, N. Kawahara, and K. Hirase. 2010. Mutation of the GABA receptor associated with fipronil resistance in the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 97(3): 262-266.

Otuka, A., M. Matsumura, and T. Watanabe. 2009. The search for domestic migration of the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), in Japan. Applied Entomology and Zoology 44(3): 379-386. pdf

Otuka, A., M. Matsumura, T. Watanabe, and T. Van Dinh. 2008. A migration analysis for rice planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) and Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), emigrating from northern Vietnam from April to May. Applied Entomology and Zoology 43(4): 527-534.

Santhanalakshmi, S., K.K. Shukla, and K.S.J.K. Prince. 2010. Evaluation of resistance of wild rices, Oryza spp., to the whitebacked planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae). Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection 43(11): 1088-1097.

Satoh, M., K.Gomi, M.Matsumura, J.Takabayashi, K.Sasaki, Y.Ohashi, and H. Kanno. 2009.Whitebacked planthopper–induced disease resistance in rice. Pp. 327-340. In: K.L. Heong and B. Hardy, (eds). Planthoppers: new threats to the sustainability of intensive rice production systems in Asia. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines

Win, S.S., R. Muhamad, N.A. Ahmad, Z.A.M. and N.A. Adam. 2009. Life table and population parameter of Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) on rice. Journal of Biological Sciences 9: 904-908.

Zhong, P.S., G.W. Liang, and L. Zeng. 2008. The population dynamics of white back planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) and effects of the natural enemies in organic rice fields. Acta Phytophylacica Sinica 35(4): 351-355.