Cicadomorpha
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2008) |
| Cicadomorpha Temporal range: Upper Permian to Holocene
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| A Magicicada species cicada | |
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| Infraorder: | Cicadomorpha
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Cicadomorpha is an infraorder of the insect order Hemiptera which contains the cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, and spittlebugs. There are approximately 35,000 described species worldwide. Distributed worldwide, all members of this group are plant-feeders, and many produce either audible sounds or substrate vibrations as a form of communication. The earliest fossils of cicadomorphs first appear during the Late Permian.
Classification
As mentioned under Auchenorrhyncha, some authors use the name Clypeorrhyncha as a replacement for the Cicadomorpha. Nymphs of many Cicadomorphans coat themselves with secretions from specialized Malphigian tubules. They are never coated with hydrophobic wax as seen in the nymphs of Fulgoromorpha. Most Cicadomorphas have a filter chamber in their mid-gut which helps remove excess water from the xylem or phloem sap that they feed on.[1]
References
- ^ C. H. Dietrich in Resh, V. H. & Carde, R. T. (Eds.) 2003 Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press.