Hoppers of North Carolina

Hoppers of North Carolina:
Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, Treehoppers, and Planthoppers

Family (Alpha):

CICADELLIDAE Members:	NC Records
Gypona melanota - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family: CICADELLIDAE

Subfamily: Iassinae

Tribe: Gyponini

Subgenus: Obtusana

Taxonomic Author: (Spångberg, 1878)

Identification

Online Photographs: BugGuide, GBIF iNaturalist
Description: A sexually dimorphic species in size and color that lacks the numerous wing crossveins found in the similar genus Gyponana (BG); instead, the wing venation is noticeably very simple. Males have a concolorous dark, blackish head, pronotum, and wings, with a pale green underside. The amount of black on the body can vary and, in extreme cases, the male can be colored like the female (AESA). Females are a pale green color with translucent wings and a bluish-green to green thorax and head. Females sometimes have a pair of small black dots on the sides of the pronotum and another pair on the wing hinges (wing bases) (AESA). The female pregenital sternite is broadly excavated on the posterior margin. Adult males are around 9.0 mm long while females are around 11.5 mm (DeLong 1948)

Distribution in North Carolina

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Distribution: Eastern and central North America, as far west as Colorado and Idaho (DeLong 1948)

Abundance: Several records from the mountains and Piedmont, uncommon to rare; likely more abundant in the right habitat.

Seasonal Occurrence

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Has been found in brushy, shrubby field-type habitat; also open woodland.

Plant Associates:

Behavior: Never found in trees or shrub-covered areas (AESA).

Comment: This species is so heavy bodied that it does not fly readily (AESA).

Status: Native

Global and State Rank:

Species Photo Gallery for Gypona melanota No Common Name
	Photo by: Erin Price-Erwin Guilford Co. Comment:	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Alleghany Co. Comment: Spotted on leafy plant in tall grass
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female
	Photo by: John Rosenfeld Out Of State Co. Comment: female	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Alleghany Co. Comment: grassy, shrubby, field-type habitat; a dark male
	Photo by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf Alleghany Co. Comment: Spotted on leafy plant in tall grass

Gypona melanota - No Common Name