Ancyra (planthopper)
| Ancyra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Head facing left; long filaments on wing tips, giving the appearance of a head facing right with antennae (in Cambodia) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Auchenorrhyncha |
| Infraorder: | Fulgoromorpha |
| Family: | Eurybrachidae |
| Subfamily: | Platybrachinae |
| Tribe: | Ancyrini Schmidt, 1908 |
| Genus: | Ancyra White, 1845 |
| Type species | |
| Ancyra appendiculata White, 1845 | |
Ancyra is a small genus of planthoppers of the family Eurybrachidae and the tribe Ancyrini. Species in this genus occur in South and Southeast Asia.[1]
Description
Members of the genus are well known for having a pair of prolonged filaments at the tips of the forewings that arise near a pair of small glossy spots; this creates the impression of a pair of antennae, with corresponding "eyes" (a remarkable case of automimicry).[2] The "false head" effect is further reinforced by the bugs' habit of walking backwards when it detects movement nearby, so as to misdirect predators to strike at its rear, rather than at its actual head.
Taxonomy
The genus Ancyra was first named in 1845 by Scottish zoologist Adam White.[3] It is one of two genera of the tribe Ancyrini (subfamily Platybrachinae, family Eurybrachidae). The type species is Ancyra appendiculata, the species name meaning bearing appendages.[1][4]
Species
As of 2026, the World Auchenorrhyncha Database lists the following species in the genus Ancyra:[1]
- Ancyra annamensis Schmidt, 1908 – Vietnam
- Ancyra appendiculata White, 1845 – India, through to Myanmar, Cambodia, Hainan Island
- Ancyra histrionica Stål, 1863 – Cambodia, Myanmar
- Ancyra luangana Lallemand, 1928 - after Luang Phabang (Laos), Thailand
- Ancyra nigrifrons Schmidt, 1908 – Malaysia
- Ancyra vicina Lallemand, 1928 – Vietnam
- Ancyra xiengana Lallemand, 1928 - Laos, Vietnam
References
- 1 2 3 World Auchenorrhyncha Database (WAD): Ancyra White, 1845 (retrieved 1 August 2026)
- ↑ Wickler, W. 1968. Mimicry in plants and animals. McGraw-Hill, New York
- ↑ White A. 1845. Descriptions of a new genus and some new species of Homopterous Insects from the East in the collection of the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. London 15: 34-37 [34].
- ↑ Harris, James G.; Harris, Melinda Woolf (2001). Plant identification terminology: an illustrated glossary (Second ed.). Spring Lake, Utah: Spring Lake Pub. ISBN 9780964022164.