[ID] Leafhopper: Which Eupteryx?

[Jason Green]

Hi all,

I saw this Eupteryx a few days ago, and have been unable to identify it. Please help! It has a very distinctive yellowed head and pronotum, with strong black markings on the scutellum.

September 2009

Dorsal and facial angles.

Funny, there aren't too many Eupteryx with the same/similar urticae/decemnotata-style wing patterns to choose from! Not sure why this is so difficult. Maybe it's a new one! Only joking... Oh and sorry, these two are literally the only two I've got. Poor light and all that - the others were blurred/deleted. No lateral, either...

Thanks for reading!

Take care,

Jason

[Acutipuerilis]

If it's any consolation, I'm struggling too.

It doesn't match any I'm familiar with, and doesn't seem to key out at all; the closest is perhaps origani, but it would have to be very atypical. The chances are that this is a teneral or oddly marked version of something else. But...

I've actually got photos of this thing myself, from South London, found on nettles. I got it a couple of times, but it has forever remained as "leafhopper indet." If you can find some specimens, grab them. Dissection might prove very interesting indeed!

Joe

[Jason Green]

Ah, yes - very consolating!

Thanks. Yes, nettles here, too. If I see it again, I'll grab one. How would you go about posting one? You know, packaging, etc.?

Oh, and let me know if you dissect one first please... maybe we have both photographed a new UK Eupteryx spp.

[Acutipuerilis]

Whatever works, as long as it doesn't get crushed. Between layers of tissue in a plastic bottle top, for example... (less likely than a specimen pot to come to grief when the postman drops a fridge on top of it ) Be imaginative!

Nettles too, eh? Very interesting. I am intrigued. It's nice when something new turns up about something you'd given up on!

[Acutipuerilis]

...forgot to say, only the males will be useful - so collect any and all that you see, because at this time of year they'll probably be mostly females.

[Jason Green]

Yes, the tissue and bottle top sounds good. So... do you put it in live I presume? Would it survive? Would that not be the point? I'm pretty new to this microscope stuff, though I did de-wing a dead barkfly and managed to nearly get it to species! All I needed was a look at the back-end to seperate two Loensia spp., but couldn't as my camera lens isn't that powerful!!

Thanks

[Acutipuerilis]

Nah, it wouldn't survive, I'm afraid. Best to put it in the freezer for a day before packing it, or use ethyl acetate to kill it first. I really don't like doing this unnecessarily, but there are groups for which there's no alternative.

[tristanba]

where did you find this Joe/Jason? - I will go and check for specimens (if in the London area)

[Acutipuerilis]

Morden Hall Park, as usual, in August to October, so may well still be around. It was probably in the part where you turn right after coming in from Phipps Bridge tram stop, and follow the margin around the edge of the meadow and then into woodland alongside the river. Good luck!