Ricania speculum

Ricania speculum
Ricania speculum on citrus. Dorsal view
Lateral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha
Infraorder: Fulgoromorpha
Superfamily: Fulgoroidea
Family: Ricaniidae
Genus: Ricania
Species: R. speculum
Binomial name
Ricania speculum
(Walker, 1851)
Synonyms
  • Flatoides perforatus Walker, 1851[1]
  • Flatoides speculum Walker, 1851
  • Ricania malaya Stål, 1854

[1]

Ricania speculum, common name Black planthopper or Ricaniid Planthopper, is a species of planthoppers belonging to the family Ricaniidae.[2]

This species is considered a major agricultural pest for several crops in tropical and subtropical areas (apples, coffee plants, oil palms, Citrus species, etc.).[3][4][5][6]

Distribution and habitat

This species in widespread in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines and Vietnam. Recently has been accidentally introduced in northern Italy, possibly with ornamental plants or crops.[7][8] This species can be found in the low-elevation mountains and prefers dark environments.[9]

Description

Nymph of Ricania speculum

Ricania speculum can reach a length of about 8 millimetres (0.31 in), with a wingspan of about 15 millimetres (0.59 in). These grasshoppers have dark brown wings with central wavy horizontal bands and irregular transparent patches of different sizes.[9][10] The precostal area of the forewings shows dense transverse veinlets and the costal margin is distinctly convex near the base.[4] In males the tip of the abdomen is pointed, while in females is rounded. The final instar larvae are white with dark brown markings and waxy secrections on the abdomen.[11]

Biology

These insects feed on sap that they suck from the leaves of the host plants. Ricania speculum has a single generation per year. The eggs overwinter in the bark of the branches waiting for the spring hatching.

References

  1. ↑ Catalogue of life
  2. ↑ Encyclopedia of life
  3. ↑ Biosecurity Australia (2008) Issues paper for the import risk analysis for fresh apple fruit from the People’s Republic of China Australian Government, Department of Agriculture
  4. 1 2 Cui-Ping Bu and Ai-Ping Liang First Record of the Genus Aprivesa Melichar (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) from South India, with Description of One New Species
  5. ↑ Dennis S. Hill Agricultural Insect Pests of the Tropics and Their Control
  6. ↑ Dennis S. Hil Pests of Crops in Warmer Climates and Their Control
  7. ↑ FLOW Website
  8. ↑ Giuseppe Mazza, Fabrizio Pennacchio, Elisabetta Gargani, Italo Franceschini, Pio Federico Roversi e Fabio Cianferoni First report of Ricania speculum (Walker, 1851) in Europe (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Ricaniidae) Zootaxa, vol. 3861, nº 3, Magnolia Press
  9. 1 2 Ricania speculum at gaga.biodiv.tw
  10. ↑ Project Noah
  11. ↑ E. Rossi, A. Lucchi The Asian planthopper Ricania speculum (Walker) (Homoptera: Ricaniidae) on several crops in Italy
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