| Cicadomorpha Temporal range:Upper Permian toHolocene | |
|---|---|
 | |
| AMagicicada species cicada | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Auchenorrhyncha |
| Infraorder: | Cicadomorpha Evans, 1946 |
| Extant superfamilies | |
| Synonyms | |
ClypeorrhynchaSorensenet al., 1995 | |
Cicadomorpha[1] is an infraorder of theinsect orderHemiptera which contains thecicadas,leafhoppers,treehoppers, andspittlebugs. There are approximately 35,000 described species worldwide. Distributed worldwide, all members of this group are plant-feeders, and many produce either audible sounds or substrate vibrations as a form of communication. The earliestfossils of cicadomorphs first appear during theLate Permian. Notable extinct members include the "giant cicadas" belonging toPalaeontinidae.
Some authors use the nameClypeorrhyncha (from theLatinclypeus and theGreekῥύγχοςrhúnkhos, 'shielded nose') as a replacement for the extant Cicadomorpha.[2] Nymphs of many Cicadomorphans coat themselves with secretions from specializedMalphigian tubules. They are never coated with hydrophobic wax as seen in the nymphs ofFulgoromorpha. Most Cicadomorphas have a filter chamber in their mid-gut which helps remove excess water from the xylem or phloem sap that they feed on.[3]
Of the three extant superfamilies within the Cicadomorpha, molecular phylogeny studies have placedMembracoidea as a sister group to a clade containingCicadoidea andCercopoidea. Within these superfamilies, not all deep phylogeny questions have been resolved.[4]
Modified after Szwedo, 2018.[5]
