Family Tropiduchidae

Subfamily Tambiniinae Kirkaldy, 1907

Gaetuliini Fennah, 1978 (sensu Gnezdilov 2007)

(Note: Historically part of Issidae [e.g., Fennah 1954]; subsequently transferred to Nogodinidae [Fennah 1984], then to Tropiduchidae [Gnezdilov 2007]).

Genus Dyctidea Uhler, 1889.

Type species (in original combination): Dyctidea angustata Uhler, 1889.

Synonyms: 

   = Dictydea Uhler, 1889: 37; missp. by Uhler 1889: 39; Van Duzee 1938: 33; Doering 1938: 449; 1939: 88; O’Brien 1986: 68; 1988a: 868.

Distribution: Western USA (California and Texas).

Recognized species

There are 8 species recognized in the genus:

1 Dyctidea angustata Uhler, 1889 - USA: CA
2 Dyctidea falcata Van Duzee, 1938 - USA: CA
3 Dyctidea intermedia Uhler, 1889 - USA: CA
4 Dyctidea nigrata Doering, 1939 - USA: CA
5 Dyctidea texana O'Brien, 1986 - USA: TX
6 Dyctidea uhleri Doering, 1939 - USA: CA
7 Dyctidea valida Doering, 1939 - USA: CA
8 Dyctidea variegata Van Duzee, 1938 - USA: CA

Economic Importance:

Limited.

Known host plants: 

Dyctidea intermedia - Prunus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) D. Dietr. (hollyleaf cherry, Rosaceae)

Dyctidea texana- Ephedra aspera Engelm. ex S. Watson (rough jointfir, Ephedraceae)

Hosts from Wilson et al. (1994); plant names from USDA PLANTS or Tropicos.

Recognition:

Dyctidea can be recognized among the Gaetuliini by the forewings strap-like (reaching the end of the abdomen) (similar to Danepteryx); vertex much wider than long, head not projecting ; 1-3 lateral spines on hind tibiae (vs. 4 in Danepteryx)

A key to species is given in Doering 1939.

Dyctidea variegata (All photos by Kimberley Shropshire, Department of Entomology, University of Delaware)

Dyctidea prob. variegata

Key from and illustration Doering 1939

Dyctidea is here on Bugguide, and here on Discover Life.

Collecting

Dyctidea is collected by inspecting likely host plants or sweeping.

Molecular resources: As of this writing, no data for Dyctidea is available on Genbank or Barcode of life.

Selected references:

Doering. K. C. 1939. A contribution to the taxonomy of the subfamily Issinae in America north of Mexico (Fulgoroidea: Homoptera. Part III. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 26(2): 83-167.

Fennah, R. G. 1954. The Higher classification of the family Issidae (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea) with descriptions of new species. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 105(19): 455-474.

Fennah, R. G. 1984. Revisionary notes on the classification of the Nogodinidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea), with descriptions of a new genus and a new species. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 120: 81-86.

Gnezdilov, V. M. 2007. On the systematic positions of the Bladinini Kirkaldy, Tonginae Kirkaldy, and Trienopinae Fennah (Homoptera, Fulgoroidea). Zoosystematica Rossica 15: 293-297.

Kirkaldy, G. W. 1907. Leafhoppers supplement (Hemiptera). Bulletin of the Experiment Station of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association, Entomological Series 3:1-186, plus 20 plates.

Kirkaldy, G. W. 1908. A brief note on three (two new) California Fulgoroid Hemiptera. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 2: 22-23.

Melichar, L. 1906. Monographie der Issiden. (Homoptera). Abhandlungen der K. K. Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 3: 1-327.

Metcalf, Z. P. 1958. General catalogue of the Homoptera. Fasc. IV. Fulgoroidea, Part 15. Issidae. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 561 pp.

O'Brien, L. B. 1986. Five new species of Fulgoroidea (Homoptera) from the western United States and Mexico. Southwestern Entomologist 11(2): 67-74. 

O’Brien, L. B. 1988. Taxonomic changes in North American Issidae (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 81: 865-869.

Uhler, P. R. 1889. New genera and species of American Homoptera. Transactions of the Maryland Academy of Sciences 1: 33-44.

Van Duzee, E. P. 1938. Genus Dictydea Uhler (Homoptera, Issidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist 14: 33-35.

Wilson, S. W., C. Mitter, R. F. Denno, and M. R. Wilson. 1994. Evolutionary patterns of host plant use by delphacid planthoppers and their relatives. In: R. F. Denno and T. J. Perfect, (eds.). Planthoppers: Their Ecology and Management. Chapman and Hall, New York. Pp. 7-45 & Appendix.