Machaerotidae

Machaerotidae are a family of bugs in the superfamily Cercopoidea which were formerly placed within Cercopidae. They are sometimes called tube-forming spittle-bugs as the nymphs form a calcareous tube within which they live. These bugs are mainly found in the Old World tropics. The adults of many genera have a long, free and spine-like process originating from the scutellum and thus superficially similar to the tree-hoppers, Membracidae. The tegmen or forewing, like typical bugs of the suborder Heteroptera, always has a distinct, membranous apical area.

Like other cercopoids, these are xylem-sap feeders.^[1] The nymph extracts calcium from the xylem fluid and constructs a calcareous tube from Malphigian gland secretions.^[2] They typically feed on woody dicots and immerse themselves in a rather clear fluid excretion inside the tube. The tubes strongly resemble the shells of certain serpulid sea worms or helicoid land snails and contain no less than 75% calcium carbonate. This habit is quite uncommon in the class Insecta and markedly different from that of typical spittlebugs, which make and live in a froth mass.^[3] Machaerotids produce foam only when they emerge from the tube to moult. There are about 115 species in 31 genera placed in 4 tribes. The majority of species are found in Southeast Asia with a small number in Africa. They were traditionally separated into two subfamilies; Machaerotinae which have the scutellar spine, and Enderleiniinae which lack it. A third subfamily, also lacking the spine, Apomachaerotinae, was recognized in 2014. The scutellum has a "tail" or appears raised towards the posterior end.^[4]

Membracoidea Cicadoidea Cercopoidea Machaerotidae Clastopteridae Cercopidae Aphrophoridae (including Epipygidae)

Relationships with other groups.[5]

A list of the subfamilies, tribes and genera is as follows:^[4]

• Apomachaerotinae
  • Apomachaerota Schmidt, 1907
  • Serreia Baker, 1927
• Machaerotinae
  • Maxudeini
    • Blastacaen Maa, 1963
    • Conditor Distant, 1916
    • Maxudea Schmidt, 1907
  • Machaerotini
    • Dianmachaerota Nie & Liang, 2009
    • Grypomachaerota Schmidt, 1907
    • Irridiculum Hamilton, 2014
    • Machaerota Burmeister, 1835
    • Platymachaerota Schmidt, 1918
    • Romachaeta Maa, 1963
    • Sigmasoma Schmidt, 1907
    • Tapinacaena Maa, 1963
• Enderleiniinae
  • Hindoloidini
    • Aphrosiphon China, 1935
    • Hindoloides Distant, 1915
    • Kyphomachaerota Bell & Cryan, 2013
    • Trigonurella Maa, 1963
  • Enderleiniini
    • Aecalusa Maa, 1963
    • Allox Hamilton, 2014
    • Chaetophyes Schmidt, 1981
    • Enderleinia Schmidt, 1907
    • Hindola Kirkaldy, 1900
    • Labramachaerota Bell & Cryan, 2013
    • Labrosyne Maa, 1963
    • Machaeropsis Melichar, 1903
    • Makiptyelus Maki, 1914
    • Neuroleinia Lallemand, 1936
    • Neuromachaerota Schmidt, 1912
    • Pectinariophyes Kirkaldy, 1906
    • Polychaetophyes Kirkaldy, 1906
    • Taihorina Schumacher, 1915