We review the world literature on leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) that have probed human skin, update the names presented in those published reports, and sort out which are original accounts and which are citations of previous reports (Table 1). We add 19 new records, representing five subfamilies, and at least 13 genera, all from Panama (Table 2). We speculate as to why these normally phytophagous insects sometimes probe human skin, and provide insight into the possible evolutionary consequences of this behavior.
Access options
Get access to the full article by using one of the access options below.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
AndrewsE. A.1929.Jassidae as blood-sucking insects.The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London4:95–96. [Letter read to assembled members of the society on 16 October 1929, by E. B. Poulton, and published in the proceedings on 31 December 1929]
BequaertJ. C.1926.Medical and economic entomology.Medical Report of the Hamilton Rice Seventh Expedition to the Amazon. Contributions from the Harvard Institute for Tropical Biology and Medicine. Part II. pp.157–257.
BergevinE. de.1925b.Description d’une nouvelle espèce d’Athysanus suceurs de sang humain de l’extrême Sud-Algerien (Hemiptere-Homoptere Jassidae.Archives de l’Institut Pasteur D’Algérie3:42–44.
ChinaW. E.1929.Jassidae as blood-sucking insects.The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London4:96–97. [Note read to assembled members of the society on 16 October 1929, by Edward B. Poulton, and published in the proceedings on 31 December 1929]
CwiklaP. S.1985.Classification of the genusXestocephalus (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) for North and Central America including the West Indies.Brenesia24:175–272.
DegnanP. H.,,BittlestonL. S.,,HansenA. K.,,SabreeZ. L.,,MoranN. A.,, andAlmeidaR. P. P..2011.Origin and examination of a leafhopper facultative endosymbiont.Current Microbiology62:1565–1572.
DietrichC. H., andDmitrievD. A..2006.Review of the New World genera of the leafhopper tribe Erythroneurini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae).Bulletin of the Illinois Natural History Survey37:119–190.
DietrichC. H., andDmitrievD. A..2008.Review of the species of New World Erythroneurini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae). Part II.GenusZyginama. Bulletin of the Illinois Natural History Survey38:129–176.
DonovanC.1920b.A froghopper as a blood sucking insect.The Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene23:212. [Abstracted from the British Medical Journal 3,085:220.]
EmeljanovA. F.1999.A key to the genera of the subfamily Deltocephalinae s.l. (Homoptera,Cicadellidae) from Kazakstan, Middle Asia and Mongolia with description of new genera and subgenera.Entomological Review79:547–562.
FoleyH., andAudouzeD. L..1938.Sur des Hémiptères phytophages pouvant occasionnellement piquer l’homme.Bulletin de la Société d’Histoire Naturelle de l’Afrique du Nord29:525–527.
GhauriM. S. K.1971.Revision of the genusNephotettix Matsumura (Homoptera: Cicadelloidea: Euscelidae) based on the type material.Bulletin of Entomological Research60:481–512.
GhauriM. S. K.1974.Thesolana-group ofEmpoasca Walsh (Homoptera, Cicadelloidea): Its generic status and a new species from pawpaw.Bulletin of Entomological Research63:425–429.
GrandgirardJ.,,HoddleM. S.,,RoderickG. K.,,PetitJ. N.,,PercyD.,,PutoaR.,,GarnierC.,, andDaviesN..2006.Invasion of French Polynesia by the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter,Homalodisca coagulata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): A new threat to the South Pacific.Pacific Science60:429–438.
GuerraV., I.2002.Biología deHortensia similis Walker (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) bajo condiciones de laboratorio. Tesis de licenciatura [Bachelor degree]. Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Panamá. Panama City, Panama. 82 pp. [STRI Library: QL527.C49 G84 2002.]
HermsW. B.1950.Medical Entomology: With Special Reference to the Health and Well-being of Man and Animals.Fourth Edition.The MacMillan Company.New York, USA.634 pp.
HermsW. B.1950.Medical Entomology: With Special Reference to the Health and Well-being of Man and Animals.Fourth Edition.The MacMillan Company.New York, USA.634 pp.)| false
HypsaV., andAksoyS..1997.Phylogenetic characterization of two transovarially transmitted endosymbionts of the bedbugCimex lectularius (Heteroptera: Cimicidae).Insect Molecular Biology6:301–304.
KramerJ. P.1971.North American deltocephaline leafhoppers of the genusPlanicephalus with new generic segregates fromDeltocephalus (Homoptera: Cicadellidae).Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington73:255–268.
KrinskyW.,2002.True Bugs (Hemiptera), pp.67–86.In,MullenG., andDurdenL. A. (Editors).Medical and Veterinary Entomology.Academic Press.Orlando, Florida, USA.597 pp.
MetcalfZ. P.1967a.General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle VI. Cicadelloidea. Part 10. Section I. Euscelidae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service. 1077 pp.
MetcalfZ. P.1967a.General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle VI. Cicadelloidea. Part 10. Section I. Euscelidae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service. 1077 pp.)| false
MetcalfZ. P.1967b.General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle VI. Cicadelloidea. Part 10. Section III. Euscelidae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service. pp.2075–2695.
MetcalfZ. P.1968.General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle VI. Cicadelloidea. Part 17. Cicadellidae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service. 1513 pp.
MetcalfZ. P.1968.General Catalogue of the Homoptera. Fascicle VI. Cicadelloidea. Part 17. Cicadellidae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service. 1513 pp.)| false
PoultonE. B.1929. “Jassidae as blood-sucking insects” refers to a letter from E. A. Andrews and a note from W. E. China (q.v.) that were read by Poulton at the 16 October 1929 meeting of the Entomological Society of London, and published 31 December 1929 in the Proceedings.
RakitovR.,,VillalobosE.,,BrightsmithD.,,DietrichC.,, andDeCarloE.,.2005.Mud-Puddling (Aggregation and Feeding at Moist Ground) in Leafhoppers. pp.3–4.In,PurcellA. (Editor)12th International Auchenorrhyncha Congress Abstracts,Berkeley, CA.
RileyW. A., andJohannsenO. A..1938.Medical Entomology: A Survey of Insects and Allied Forms Which Affect the Health of Man and Animals.Second Edition.McGraw-Hill Book Company,New York, USA.438 pp.
RileyW. A. andJohannsenO. A..1938.Medical Entomology: A Survey of Insects and Allied Forms Which Affect the Health of Man and Animals.Second Edition.McGraw-Hill Book Company,New York, USA.438 pp.)| false
RossH. H.1968.The evolution and dispersal of the grassland leafhopper genusExitianus, with keys to the Old World species (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera).Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology22:1–30.
RyckmanR.E.1979.Host reactions to bug bites (Hemiptera: Homoptera): a literature review and annotated bibliography. Part I.California Vector News26:1–24.
RyckmanR. E., andBentleyD. G..1979.Host reactions to bug bites (Hemiptera, Homoptera): A literature review and annotated bibliography. Part II.California Vector News26:1–49.
SchaeferC. W.,2000.Adventitious Biters-”Nuisance” Bugs. pp.553–559.In,SchaeferC. W., andPanizziA. R. (Editors).Heteroptera of economic importance.CRC Press. Boca Raton,Florida, USA.828 pp.
TakiyaD. M.,,McKameyS. H., andCavichioliR. R..2006.Validity ofHomalodisca and ofH. vitripennis as the name for glassy-winged sharpshooter (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae).Annals of the Entomological Society of America99:648–655.
YoungD. A.1977.Taxonomic Study of the Cicadellinae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Part 2. New World Cicadellini and the genusCicadella.Technical Bulletin of the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station239:1–1135.
We review the world literature on leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) that have probed human skin, update the names presented in those published reports, and sort out which are original accounts and which are citations of previous reports (Table 1). We add 19 new records, representing five subfamilies, and at least 13 genera, all from Panama (Table 2). We speculate as to why these normally phytophagous insects sometimes probe human skin, and provide insight into the possible evolutionary consequences of this behavior.
Title:
Leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) that probe human skin: A review of the world literature and nineteen new records, from Panama
