Rank Family | Superfamily Fulgoroidea Higher classification True bugs Order True bugs | |
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Lower classifications | ||
Issidae is a family of planthoppers described by Spinola in 1839, belonging to the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha superfamily Fulgoroidea.
Contents
Distribution
Species of this family are present throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
Description
Issidae are small insects generally with a stocky body, as the wings mainly develop in width. Basic body coloration is not striking, usually shows brownish colors. The head has two ocelli. The forewings have strong pronounced ribs. They wrap the abdomen when the insect is at rest. The family originally included approximately 1000 species with 215 genera, but the systematics of Issidae remains uncertain, with many of the subfamilies having been recently removed to separate families, including Caliscelidae. Nogodinidae, and Tropiduchidae.
In 2013, scientists described a biologically unique set of mechanical gears in an Issus nymph, though identical structures are known in most planthoppers, and were known for decades before the function of the gears was discovered
List of subgroups
The family Issidae was once large and included many groups which are now treated in other families or as families themselves. These groups include the Caliscelidae, Nogodinidae, and Tropiduchidae (e.g., subfamilies Tonginae and Trienopinae). Around 2003, the treatment is in favour of a single subfamily Issinae Spinola, 1839 with five tribes Issini, Parahiraciini, Hemisphaeriini, Thioniini, and Colpopterini.
Genera
Genera within this family include: