Machaerotidae

rdf:langString Machaerotidae

rdf:langString Stål, 1866

rdf:langString Machaerota ensifera

rdf:langString Machaerotidae

rdf:langString Machaerotidae are a family of bugs in the superfamily Cercopoidea which were formerly grouped with the other cercopids. They are sometimes called as tube-forming spittle-bugs as the nymphs form a calcareous tube within which they live. These bugs are mainly found in the Old World tropics. The adults of many genera have a long, free and spine-like process originating at the scutellum and thus superficially similar to the tree-hoppers, Membracidae. Its tegmen or forewing, like typical bugs of the suborder Heteroptera, always has a distinct, membranous apical area. Like other cercopoids, these are xylem-sap feeders. The nymph extracts calcium from the xylem fluid and constructs a calcareous tube from Malphigian gland secretions on some woody dicotyledons and immerses itself in a rather clear fluid excretion inside the tube. The tube strongly resembles the shell of certain serpulid sea worms or helicoid land snails and contain no less than 75% calcium carbonate. This habit is quite uncommon in the class Insecta and markedly different from that of typical cercopoids or spittlebugs, which make and live in a froth mass either below or above ground. Machaerotids produce foam only when they emerge from the tube to moult. There are about 115 species in 31 genera placed in 4 tribes. The majority of species are found in Southeast Asia with a small number for Africa. They were traditionally separated into two subfamilies Machaerotinae which have the scutellar spine and Enderleiniinae which lack it. A third family, also lacking the spine, Apomachaerotinae, was introduced in 2014. The scutellum has a "tail" or appears raised towards the posterior end. A list of the subfamilies, tribes and genera is as follows: * Apomachaerotinae * Apomachaerota Schmidt, 1907 * Serreia Baker, 1927 * Machaerotinae * Maxudeini * Blastacaen Maa, 1963 * Conditor Distant, 1916 * Maxudea Schmidt, 1907 * Machaerotini * Dianmachaerota Nie & Liang, 2009 * Grypomachaerota Schmidt, 1907 * Irridiculum Hamilton, 2014 * Machaerota Burmeister, 1835 * Platymachaerota Schmidt, 1918 * Romachaeta Maa, 1963 * Sigmasoma Schmidt, 1907 * Tapinacaena Maa, 1963 * Enderleiniinae * Hindoloidini * Aphrosiphon China, 1935 * Hindoloides Distant, 1915 * Kyphomachaerota Bell & Cryan, 2013 * Trigonurella Maa, 1963 * Enderleiniini * Aecalusa Maa, 1963 * Allox Hamilton, 2014 * Chaetophyes Schmidt, 1981 * Enderleinia Schmidt, 1907 * Hindola Kirkaldy, 1900 * Labramachaerota Bell & Cryan, 2013 * Labrosyne Maa, 1963 * Machaeropsis Melichar, 1903 * Makiptyelus Maki, 1914 * Neuroleinia Lallemand, 1936 * Neuromachaerota Schmidt, 1912 * Pectinariophyes Kirkaldy, 1906 * Polychaetophyes Kirkaldy, 1906 * Taihorina Schumacher, 1915