Leafhopper - Zygina ordinaria?

[JRsbugs]

Hi,

Taken on 28th October on my wall. It has dark back tarsi, so this should be correct. It's supposed to be rarely recorded but a google brings up a few from parks in Lincoln on flickr. I would have missed it but for my curiosity at checking out what looked from a distance like a dry grass seed!

Janet

[tristanba]

I think this is probably flammigera - we really do need to sort out the Zygina pages as a matter of urgency Joe

[Jason Green]

Evening Janet,

See this related thread: White, red and orange leafhopper

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

Thanks for the link Jason.

Tristan, I'm a little confused as to the reasoning here. Bruce's pics on the thread Jason linked to has one without dark shading down the back but it has white hind tarsi. The one with dark shading does have black tarsi, and if I am reading it correctly, that males of Z. flammigera do have black feet then what is the differnce between it and Z. ordinaria?

Unfortunately the pages for these species are in dire need of updating - male flammigera and angusta do have dark tarsi. It is quite possible that all our Z. ordinaria are in fact flammigera males, we need to revisit this.

As you stated on Bruce's thread Tristan, it would appear that we may not actually have Z. ordinaria here? Mine matches the bottom right pic on the site very well so I think you may be referring to the pics on your site.

[Acutipuerilis]

It's amazing what a mockery can be made of our first understanding of this genus, once armed with a decent key!

Will get onto it this weekend. I have a horrible suspicion, though, that a good ID in some cases is going to need dissection of the apodemes. In general with these, try to get a really clear image of the hind tarsus - there appear to be a lot of subtle characters that might just do the trick. In the meantime, I'll be having a good look in my garden tomorrow for anything that isn't flammigera!

This one, btw, is almost certainly flammigera, as Tristan says - entirely brown scutellum plus white (as opposed to grey) clavus *should be all that's needed* to ID it.

[Acutipuerilis]

Hi Janet. Yes, I now believe the bottom right on our page for ordinaria is indeed a male flammigera. With the eye of... something or other... I'm going to have a good go this weekend with the better references. Watch this space!

[JRsbugs]

Thanks Joe, better you than me! Sounds like a real nightmare....

I also was struggling to find out which part the clavus is, seems to refer to many things! I found a diagram for those interested..

Auchenorrhyncha (Homoptera) Glossary: Insects of West Virginia Website

[Acutipuerilis]

Yep, the clavus is the part of the forewing on the scutellum side of corial-claval suture ("claval suture" in your link). In the case of Zygina, we're talking about the bit between the red zig-zags, effecively.