Hebetica sylviae
Hebetica sylviae | |
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Hebetica sylviae in Atlanta, Georgia | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hemiptera |
Suborder: | Auchenorrhyncha |
Family: | Membracidae |
Genus: | Hebetica |
Species: | H. sylviae
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Binomial name | |
Hebetica sylviae McKamey & Sullivan-Beckers, 2019[1]
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Distribution range of Hebetica sylviae Confirmed Unconfirmed |
Hebetica sylviae is a member of the treehopper family
It was serendipitously discovered by
Hebetica sylviae is the sole representative of the genus Hebetica in the
Discovery
Laura Sullivan-Beckers is a professor at Murray State University, with her classes focusing on zoology, ornithology, and human anatomy.[2][3] Sullivan-Beckers serendipitously discovered Hebetica sylviae in 2016 while planting flowers in her backyard in Murray, Kentucky, with her then two-year-old daughter Sylvie.[3][4][5] Her daughter had overwatered the flower bed by accident.[4][6] The treehoppers, underground due to wasps storing them below ground as a food source for their larvae, had floated to the top due to the water-saturated soil.[7]
Initially, Sullivan-Beckers was surprised by seeing the treehoppers there, as they do not live underground.
She confirmed her suspicions that the treehopper she observed was a new species with her doctoral advisor, Rex Cocroft,[9] in addition to experts with the United States Department of Agriculture, who examined differences in wing morphology to come to the conclusion that the treehopper was a new species.[8] Sullivan-Beckers published her discovery in 2019.[10] The confirmation was delayed due to uncertainty as to if the treehopper was a member of the subfamily Darnini, the raindrop treehoppers, that had migrated north or that had become displaced.[8] Sullivan-Beckers and Stuart McKamey published their initial description of H. sylviae in the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington.[2]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Morus_alba_-_Beli_dud_%281%29.jpg/220px-Morus_alba_-_Beli_dud_%281%29.jpg)
Sullivan-Beckers reached out to citizen science website, iNaturalist, to determine H. sylviae's broader distribution. The website allows naturalists to connect with each other and to review wildlife photographs. She cited the lack of resources for finding each instance of H. sylviae on mulberry plants across the United States. A chemistry professor working at Emory University in the city of Atlanta then found individuals of H. sylviae on mulberry plants. Sullivan-Beckers found around a hundred in the following period commonly near mulberry trees.[10] She had previously only found dead individuals from predation by wasps.[8]
Description
Hebetica sylviae is unusual in that adults are green in color when alive, a trait that is uncommon among treehoppers in the United States but is more common among Neotropical treehoppers. Adults are green or pale brown, with the apex darker in color. The legs are pale brown with the exception of the femora being black. Males were between 7.5 millimetres (0.30 in) to 8.2 millimetres (0.32 in) in length, while females were 8.9 millimetres (0.35 in) to 10.0 millimetres (0.39 in) in length.[1] According to Sullivan-Beckers and McKamey, the pronotal length is less than twice width between the humeral angles, which distinguishes it from other members of the genus Hebetica.[1]
Members of the tribe Darnini are referred to as "raindrop treehoppers" due to their broadly rounded
Life history
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/White_Mulberry%2C_Morus_alba%2C_so_sweet._%2845647751371%29.jpg/220px-White_Mulberry%2C_Morus_alba%2C_so_sweet._%2845647751371%29.jpg)
Sullivan-Beckers thought that Hebetica sylviae originally lived on Morus rubra, red mulberry, which is native to North America. However, the treehopper later switched to Morus alba, white mulberry, when it was introduced to the United States in the 1600s.[11]
H. sylviae communicate through vibrational signals during courtship.[11]
Predators
Sullivan-Beckers initially discovered the treehopper being preyed upon by the sphecid wasp Hoplisoides costalis,[1] which would sting the treehopper and bury it underground for the purposes of feeding its larvae.[9][7] Members of the genus Hoplisoides exclusively consume treehoppers and leafhoppers. It was found in addition to 17 other treehopper species within the wasp burrows.[1]
Distribution
According to
Stuart H. McKamey, an
Etymology
Sullivan-Beckers named Hebetica sylviae after her daughter Sylvie,[7][4][10] having specifically requested to name the treehopper after her daughter due to her crucial role in its discovery.[7] Sullivan-Beckers stated: "[She] was at the heart of the discovery, and it's not every day a mother gets the chance to name a species after her child."[9]
See also
- Semachrysa jade, a species of lacewing serendipitously discovered when its discoverer posted a photograph of it on Flickr
References
- ^ from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b Hunter, Bri (28 June 2019). "Biology professor and child discover new species". The Murray State News. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Franklin, Parker. "Biology professor discovers new insect species with help from daughter". issuu. Murray State University. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ Yahoo News. Archivedfrom the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Murray State Prof Discovers New Insect Species With Help From Five-Year-Old Daughter". WLEX-TV. 27 June 2019. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Garcia, Catherine (10 August 2019). "Toddler overwaters flower bed, which leads to the discovery of a new species of bug". The Week. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Kindelan, Katie (10 August 2019). "Mom and daughter discover new bug species when daughter over-waters flower garden". GMA. WFTS-TV. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Farrell, Kelly. "MSU professor, daughter uncover new insect species". The Paducah Sun. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Murray State biology professor discovers new insect species with help from her five-year-old". West Kentucky Journal. MSU Press Release. 27 June 2019. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Murray State biology professor asks public to help map new insect species". Hoptown Chronicle. WKMS-FM. 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Finely, Erinn (25 August 2021). "Professor discovers insect species". The Murray State News. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
External links
- Sullivan-Beckers's iNaturalist project to help find more individuals of H. sylviae
- Sullivan-Beckers's own video of Hoplisoides costalis with buried H. sylviae