- Sharpshooter (insect)
Taxobox
name = Sharpshooter
image_size = 300px
image_caption = Sharpshooter (Cicadellidae )
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Arthropod a
classis =Insecta
ordo =Hemiptera
familia =Cicadellidae
subfamilia =Cicadellinae
tribus = Proconiini
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Homalodisca "
"Oncometopia "
"Phera "
etc.The name sharpshooter is used to refer to any of various genera and species of large
leafhopper s in the tribe Proconiini of the familyCicadellidae . As with all cicadellids, they have piercing-sucking mouthparts and closely-spaced rows of fine spines on their hind legs. The nymphs feed by inserting their needle-like mouthparts into thexylem of the small stems on the plant where the eggs were deposited; the adults have wings and are highly mobile, and most feed on a variety of different plant species. Both nymphs and adults filter a huge volume of dilute liquid through theirdigestive system to extract the trace nutrients, and much of the water andcarbohydrate s are squirted forcibly away from the body in a fine stream of droplets, thus earning them theircommon name .This group includes a few species which are plant pests, the most serious of which is "
Homalodisca vitripennis " (the "Glassy-winged sharpshooter"). A microbial plant parasite, "Xylella fastidiosa ", is carried by this species, and is linked to many plant diseases, includingphoney peach disease in the southern United States,oleander leaf scorch andPierce's disease in California, andcitrus X disease in Brazil.External Links
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/sharpshooters/sharpshooters.htm sharpshooters] on the
UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/glassywinged_sharpshooter.htm "Homalodisca coagulata ", glassy-winged sharpshooter] on theUF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
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