Small Board-frons Planthoppers - Tribe Dardini

Family Eurybrachyidae

This page contains pictures and information about Small Board-frons Planthoppers that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.


Newly hatched instars

The Australian Eurybrachyidae are quite distinctive from the world fauna. All Australian species belong to the subfamily Platybrachyinae, most are in tribe Platybrachyini and a few in this tribe Dardini.

Members in this tribe are small in size. They have mottled brown forewings and coloured abdomen, usually brown, red, yellow or orange in colour. All of them have broad frons (front part of head).

They can be found resting on large stems of host plants Acacia. They are not noticeable because of their camouflaged colours. When we come close to them, they will walk to other spots, either up, down or sideway, and stop moving. If we come even closer and try to touch them, they will jump with a 'tick' sound and fly away.

Dardus Wattle Hopper

Dardus abbreviatus, body length 6mm
This Leafhopper is dark brown in colour. Their antenna base is thicken and look like small horn under each eye. Some black ants were constantly visit them for their extracted honey-dew. The nymph also has this two little horns under eyes and with two long tails. They are found on young Black Wattle during late winter in Alexandra Hill. Nymphs and adults can be found on the same plants. More pictures and information please click on here.


Spider-face Wattle Hopper

Gelastopsis insignis, body length adult 9mm, nymph 6mm
This planthopper is a bit smaller than the Platybrachys sp.. They are brown in colour with red abdomen. The brown colours vary from pale brown to dark brown amount individual. The patterns on wings are about the same. There is the eyes-pattern on the front part of their head (frons) mimicking Jumping Spider. More information and pictures please visit this page.

Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 479.
2. Family Eurybrachyidae - Fletcher, M.J. and Larivière, M.-C. (2001 and updates).
3. Genus Platybrachys Stål sensu lato - By Murray J. Fletcher, 08 April 2007.
4. Species of Eurybrachidae known to occur in Australia - By Murray J. Fletcher, 2009.
5. Checklist for Platybrachyini Schmidt, 1908 - Australian Faunal Directory, Australian Biological Resources Study, 2008.
6. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.