Neophilaenus exclamationis (Thunberg, 1874)
Description & Identification
Adults are typically 4 – 5mm long, females being somewhat larger than males.
As with all froghoppers, they have two stout spines on the outer edge of the hind tibiae, as well as several smaller spines at the tip.
Nymphs are typically pale yellow in colour with distinctive dark patches on the wing buds.
Neophilaenus species can be distinguished as adults from Philaenus spumarius by the more parallel outer edges of the wings when viewed from above (as opposed to the more convex outline of P. spumarius) and their overall pattern of markings. They are much smaller than Aphrophora species. N. exclamationis is easily recognised by the markings along the outer edges of the wings, consisting of a pale line along the basal two-thirds, and a distinctive pale patch towards the tip; together, these resemble an exclamation mark (hence the species’ name). The rest of the wing surface is primarily a dull chestnut- to dark-brown, often with a dark streak towards the apex of the inner wing margins.
(Harkin & Stewart 2019)
Biology & Ecology
Neophilaenus exclamationis is an open grassland species, but
is confined to two sorts of habitat: calcareous grasslands
(both lowland and upland) and upland acid grasslands and
bogs. It feeds on grasses and possibly sedges and rushes.
Females lay eggs singly or in groups inside the plant tissue in
the autumn. On emergence the following spring, nymphs
begin producing the characteristic spittle ‘nests’ which provide protection against predators and desiccation. Spittle can
be seen from April to late June. The nymph moults five times
within the spittle before emerging as a free-living adult.
Adults can be found between June and October. (Harkin & Stewart 2019)
Classification
Synonymy
Aphrophora exclamationis (Thunberg, 1874)
Cercopis exclamationis (Thunberg, 1874)
Cicada exclamationis Thunberg, 1874
Philaenus exclamationis (Thunberg, 1874)
Ptyelus exclamationis (Thunberg, 1874)
Common Names (full list)
Source: Taxon list of Auchenorrhyncha from Germany compiled in the context of the GBOL project
Additional Images
Images provided by GBIF data providers. We cannot verify that identifications are correct.
Worldwide Distribution
Neophilaenus exclamationis is widespread in Britain and Ireland, but is much less common than N. lineatus.
UK Status: Present
Neophilaenus exclamationis is widespread in Britain and Ireland, but is much less common than N. lineatus. (Harkin & Stewart 2019)
Vector Status
As with all froghoppers, N. exclamationis feeds on the liquid contents of the xylem vessels of its host plant. As such, it is a potential vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa which has caused the death of many olive trees in southern Europe, although this disease has not been detected in the UK. (Harkin & Stewart 2019)
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