The family Fulgoridae is a large group of hemipteran insects, especially abundant and diverse in the tropics, containing over 125 genera worldwide. They are mostly of moderate to large size, many with a superficial resemblance to Lepidoptera due to their brilliant and varied coloration. Various genera and species are sometimes referred to as lanternflies or lanthorn flies, though they do not emit light.
A planthopper is any insect in the infraorder Fulgoromorpha, in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, a group exceeding 12,500 described species worldwide. The name comes from their remarkable resemblance to leaves and other plants of their environment and that they often "hop" for quick transportation in a similar way to that of grasshoppers. However, planthoppers generally walk very slowly. Distributed worldwide, all members of this group are plant-feeders, though few are considered pests. The infraorder contains 2 superfamily, Fulgoroidea and Delphacoidea. Fulgoroids are most reliably distinguished from the other Auchenorrhyncha by two features; the bifurcate (Y-shaped) anal vein in the forewing, and the thickened, three-segmented antennae, with a generally round or egg-shaped second segment (pedicel) that bears a fine filamentous arista.
Delphacidae is a family of planthoppers containing about 2000 species, distributed worldwide. Delphacids are separated from other "hoppers" by the prominent spur on the tibia of the hindleg.
Ricaniidae is a family of planthopper insects, containing over 400 species worldwide. The highest diversity is in tropical Africa and Asia and in Australia, with a few species occurring in the Palearctic and Neotropical realms. It is one of the smaller families in the planthopper superfamily Fulgoroidea.
The subfamily Aphaeninae is a group of hemipteran insects, especially abundant and diverse in the tropics. They belong to the Fulgoridae (fulgorids), though they are not among the better-known members of that family that are called "lantern bugs" or "lanternflies". In 2009, the first molecular analysis of the Fulgoridae challenged the existing structure of eight currently recognized subfamilies and eleven tribes.
Flatidae are a family of fulgoroid planthoppers. They are cosmopolitan in distribution and are distinguished from others in the superfamily by a combination of characters. Like all other planthoppers, they suck phloem sap of plants. Some species are known to communicate with vibrations through the plant stems. Communication may be with mates, or with ants that tend the nymphs, protecting them and gathering honeydew secretions. Adults of some species have brightly coloured forewings which are tougher and known as tegmina unlike the membranous hindwings which are used for flight. Although a few can be identified by their coloration, most species requires dissection and examination under a microscope with access to literature on already described species.
Issidae is a family of planthoppers described by Spinola in 1839, belonging to the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha superfamily Fulgoroidea.
Nogodinidae is a family of planthoppers. They have membranous wings with delicate venation and can be confused with members of other Fulgoroid families such as the Issidae and Tropiduchidae. Some authors treat it as a subfamily of the Issidae.
Lophopidae is a family of fulgoroid plant-hoppers with most species found in tropical South America and Asia.
Epiricania melanoleuca is a moth in the family Epipyropidae. It was described by Thomas Bainbrigge Fletcher in 1939. It is found in India, where its larvae are external parasitoids of the sugarcane planthopper. It has been used in biological pest control against this pest.
Gergithus is a genus of tropical Asian planthoppers in the family Issidae, erected by Carl Stål in 1870. Like all planthoppers, adults feed on plant sap and are capable of escaping by leaping. The genus like other members in the tribe appears somewhat rounded and beetle-like, in some cases, with a mimetic resemblance to ladybird beetles. Species are mostly distributed in the Indomalayan Realm.
The Elicini are a tribe of planthoppers in the family Tropiduchidae. The type genus is Elica.
Dictyophara is the type genus of planthoppers belonging to the family Dictyopharidae and tribe Dictyopharini, containing five subgenera. The scientific genus name Dictyophara derives from the Greek and can be translated "who wears a net".
The Gengidae are a family of Fulgoromorpha (planthoppers), with species found in South Africa.
Eurybrachys is a genus of bugs in the family Eurybrachidae. First formally named in 1834 by French entomologist Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville, Eurybrachys is the type genus of the family Eurybrachidae. The spelling Eurybrachis, by the author, is considered an unaccepted orthographic variant. Species in this genus occur in Asia.
Pochazia is a genus of true bugs belonging to the family Ricaniidae.
Tambinia is a genus of planthoppers (Hemiptera) in the family Tropiduchidae and typical of the tribe Tambiniini ; species are found in Australia and Southeast Asia.
Tropiduchus is a genus of planthoppers, recorded from Africa and Malesia.
Bladina is a genus of planthoppers found in North and South America.
Platybrachys is a genus of Australian Fulgoromorph planthoppers within the family Eurybrachidae.
