Treehopper
A plant-feeding insect in the true bug family Membracidae, typically recognized by an enlarged pronotum that often forms elaborate shapes.
Membracidae: A family of sap-feeding true bugs commonly called treehoppers, distinguished by enlarged pronota. Treehopper species belong to this family; its defining pronotum varies widely in form.
Insect exoskeleton: The external skeleton of an insect, composed chiefly of chitin and proteins. The treehopper's ornate pronotum is an outgrowth of this external body covering.
Insect morphology: The study of insect form, including body structure, organs, and external features. Treehopper pronota offer striking examples of evolutionary changes in insect body form.
Umbonia crassicornis: A treehopper species native to the Americas, notable for its tall, thornlike pronotum. Its conspicuous profile exemplifies how the pronotum can dominate a treehopper's appearance.
Hemiptera: An insect order whose members have piercing-sucking mouthparts and include true bugs, aphids, and cicadas. Membracidae is one family within this diverse order.
Plant sap: The fluid transported through plant vascular tissues, including nutrient-rich phloem sap and water-rich xylem sap. Treehoppers tap plant tissues to obtain fluids for food.
Plant-insect interactions: The ecological relationships between plants and insects, including feeding, pollination, and defense. Treehoppers are sap feeders whose effects and fortunes depend on host plants.
Bocydium globulare: A Neotropical treehopper species with distinctive globular projections on its pronotum. Its unusual headlike projections illustrate the family's extraordinary structural diversity.
Pronotum: The dorsal plate of an insect's first thoracic segment. Its enlargement gives treehoppers their characteristic silhouettes.
Phloem: The vascular tissue that transports sugars and other organic nutrients through plants. Many treehoppers feed on phloem, often excreting excess sugary fluid as honeydew.