Scientific name Derbidae Higher classification Planthopper Order True bugs | Superfamily Fulgoroidea Rank Family | |
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Similar Insect, True bugs, Planthopper, Achilidae, Cixiidae | ||
Derbidae is a family of insects in the order Hemiptera, the true bugs. It is one of the largest and most diverse families of planthoppers. It is widely distributed around the world, especially in the tropics, and with many species in subtropical and temperate regions.
Adult derbids feed on plants, and nymphs feed on fungi, Many adults are host-specific, feeding on a single plant species, and hide under leaves.
Many derbids are easily recognized as such by their "unusual" appearance, while others are less distinctive and difficult to identify. The family is characterized by a row of spines on the rear leg and a short segment at the tip of the beak. The head may be quite compressed in shape. The wings are variable. Some species hold their wings outward at rest as moths do, while others keep them parallel to the body. Some have simple wings, and others have very long forewings and short hindwings.
The family Derbidae contains nearly 1700 species in about 159 genera. These are classified in three subfamilies:
