Superfamily CERCOPOIDEA Evans, 1946

Museums

Regional Maps

• Cercopoidea Evans, J.W. 1946. A natural classification of leaf-hoppers (Jassoidea, Homoptera). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 96(3): 47-60 [Date published 30.iv.1046] [57].

Introduction

The family level classification of this superfamily has been under study for some time. Evans (1966) recognised three families, the Cercopidae (froghoppers), the Aphrophoridae (spittlebugs) and the Machaerotidae (tube spittlebugs). Hamilton (2001) placed the tube spittlebugs as a subfamily Machaerotinae of the family Clastopteridae and regarded the Aphrophoridae and Cercopidae as subfamilies of the Cercopidae, sensu lato. Cryan & Svenson (2010) undertook a molecular analysis of the higher level classification of the Cercopoidea and this demonstrated that the Machaerotidae are the sister group to all other cercopoids and that the Aphrophoridae (including the Clastopteridae) are the sister group of the Cercopidae. This supports Evans (1966) recognition of all three groups in the Australian fauna as families in their own right although Cryan & Svenson (2010) chose not to make any changes to the classification pending further work including some critical taxa which had been missing from their classification. It is possible, therefore, that the higher classification used here will change once more comprehensive studies have been completed.

Diagnosis

Head with a large, but not necessarily swollen, postclypeus. Anterior arms of tentorium fused with the posterior arms. Hind coxae short, conical, not transversely dilated; hind tibiae with one or two strong spurs, lacking spines, apically with a flared pecten.

ID Keys

https://idtools.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/cercopid/index.html

General References

Cryan, J.R. & Svenson, G.J. 2010. Family-level relationships of the spittlebugs and froghoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cercopoidea). Systematic Entomology 35: 393-415

Evans, J.W. 1966. The leafhoppers and froghoppers of Australia and New Zealand. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 12: 1-347 [309]

Hamilton, K.G.A. 2001. A new family of froghoppers from the American tropics (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Epipygidae). Biodiversity 2(3): 15-22

History of changes