Froghopper, Aphrophora sp. ?

Gerel · #1 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 06:35 PM

Found today on willow, possibly fairly newly emerged, the leaves nearby were dotted with exuvia. First impression was A. alni but it lacks the pale wing patches and doesn't look uniformly coloured as A. salicis. Quite a large hopper 10 - 12mm.

Steve

poschiavanus · #2 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:10 PM

Probably A. costalis. Looks very similar to one I had recently. The light flecks about 2/3 way along the wings seem to be characteristic.

Hopefully, Tristan will be along to comment on it soon.

Gerel · #3 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 09:39 PM

Thanks Posch,

not a species I can find much about online but the food plant fits. Was yours IDed on WAB or elsewhere? Searching didn't turn up any threads.

tristanba · #4 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 10:29 PM

I have little experience with this genus and the images/literature I have for A. salicina and A. costalis are not totally consistent. Both species are on sallows unfortunately so this is uninformative. On balance I would say this is costalis (given as forneri in Le Quesne) on the basis of the rounded vertex and wing pattern

Acutipuerilis · #5 (**permalink**) 06-07-2009, 07:48 AM

It does seem to fit all the features for costalis - I can just make out the double row of punctures lining the medial line on the frontoclypeus as well. I think.

Gerel · #6 (**permalink**) 06-07-2009, 06:21 PM

Thanks guys,

Another couple of shots of it,

1. This appears to show some orange/yellow at the base of the wings which I've read is a characteristic of A. costalis.

and

2. A close up of the face.

Steve

Acutipuerilis · #7 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 06:10 AM

Well done Steve - I think this has to be costalis!

tristanba · #8 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 11:50 AM

I think so too - good work!

Gerel · #9 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 04:22 PM

Thanks again chaps

, I think this has got to be the most noteworthy hopper I've found up here so far.

I just looked it up on NBN Gateway, do you think it is really as scarce as that suggests, only recorded at three UK sites, or is it likely that it is more common but generally overlooked.

Steve

Acutipuerilis · #10 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 06:43 PM

Somewhere between the two! The Hemiptera records basically aren't on NBN, so don't go by their maps - often the only data points are a few random records that have crept in through a local scheme, or from an individual. A. costalis is regarded as "local" meaning it's certainly an interesting find, but won't get the National Recorder jumping up and down!