Diario del proyecto Fulgoromorpha: The coolest insects!

Pictures: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Pyrops-buomvoi-sp-nov-paratype-RBINS-A-Habitus-ventral-view-B-Habitus-dorsal_fig1_359973157

What I am explaining isn't noted in the article, but p. buomvoi does have weird features:

It's clearly noted that the spots on the corium (The part of the forewings that is halfway from the point where the wings attach to the thorax) are formed into 3 bands; And so does p. spinolae and p. jianfenglingensis have, which is from the candelaria group. But the bumps on the snout are similar to p. ishiharai, this not in the candelaria group. Another feature it shares with p. ishiharai is the slender snout, which doesn't go with the members of the candelaria group. Thus, it's taxonomy is a puzzle.

Many people think about issid planthoppers as boring little guys with small wings which are shaped almost circular (Me too, except hemisphaeriina and the ones featured in the article); But a few species are difficult ignore, like these guys.. and also, this is going to be issid month! So be prepared for lots and lots of issids (and keys for identifying issids) Let's start:

1 ..... Wings formed similar to a beetles cuticle/elytron

1 a ..... Stripes on the snout's ventral part ..... Macrodaruma pertinax

1 b ..... No stripes on the snout's ventral part ..... Choutagus longicephalus

2 ..... Wings not formed similar to a beetles cuticle/elytron

2 a ..... Apical part of the head curved in lateral view. General colouration light brown or pale with pale cyan snout..... Pseudochoutagus curvativus

2 b ..... Apical part of the head straight in lateral view. General colouration reddish brown ..... Pseudochoutagus rubens

2 c ..... Pelicular buffalo like snout with an upward pointing pin-shaped horn; front legs formed into mantis claw like appendages ..... Augilodes binghami

2 d ..... Two snouts ..... Bootheca taurus

2 e ..... Snout varied in size, pin shaped, general colouration green to greenish-yellow ..... Symplana

Many people underestimate issids, but some are too diverse; In fact, they are one of the most overlooked members of the fulgoromorpha, but here's an example of how diverse they can be:

Recently I were checking out issid observations for the next and stumbled stumbled across someissid I just couldn't believe. It's pretty rare (only 2 records are known on iNat) but what made it incredible was it just shows how underestimated those issids are because it had not one but TWO SNOUTS! It's name is bootheca taurus, and it's general colouration is a bright dusky brown.

Mentioned in

Issid month #1 Long-snouted issid planthoppers???

While most issids seem to blend with tree bark or branches, there are some that take camouflage to the next level - And Issus lauri is the perfect example! It looks like a leaf instead, and is found in Europe. It's small, less than 1.5 cm long, which also lets it drink plant's sap without being noticed by predators easily. But it's camouflage isn't perfect, as the veins on the wings and the legs, head, thorax, abdomen, are coloured peach and eyes dark red in most specimens, there are some exceptions, where the specimens are completely green (except the eyes, which are shaped and coloured like fly eyes, and legs, which are peach).

I guess many beetle like issids don't pop out but Opthalmosphaerius trilobulus does. It ranges in colour from yellow to red, but the beauty is the pattern: A diagonal line next to a do, resembling some sort of logo; Here are the observations:

Yellow form from China: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/143631517

Orange form from Vietnam: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35651500

Red form from India: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/423022

I kept on mentioning about Issids with long snouts, but now I came up with something more extreme.

Argepara lyra is an interesting species similar to Hemisphaerius but is more related to issus, but the fronts is extended anteroventrally, making a distinct boar face beetle like appearance.