Bocydium globulare

The Brazilian treehopper (Bocydium globulare) is a species of insect[1] belonging to the treehopper family (Membracidae).[2] It has unusual helicopter-like features. While Bocydium can be found throughout the world, they are most prevalent in Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australia.[3] They exhibit limited movement[4][5] and their primary food source is from the underside of leaves. They also exhibit hemimetabolous development.[6]

Bocydium globulare
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Membracidae
Genus: Bocydium
Species:
B. globulare
Binomial name
Bocydium globulare
(Fabricius, 1803)

Diet

The larvae of the Bocydium globulare feed on the underside of leaves. They are deemed "sap sucking" insects because the larvae gets its nutrition from the sap of the leaves.[7]

Life Cycle

Plants are essential for the Brazilian treehopper's life cycle. There are numerous ways that these females can lay there eggs. One common method used is to lay the egg directly inside the tissue of the plant. Some females also will lay the egg on the plant's surface. This species in particular has hemimetabolous development, where they begin as an egg, growing into a nymph, reaching the adult maturation. [7]

Appendages

This species has a very apparent, globular appendages coming out of its thorax. These helicopter-like features is bewildering because its the most unique structure on a normal, solitary insect. Entomologists are still not certain about why these treehoppers have these ornamental appendages, however, it has been proposed that the have adapted them to deter their predators. [8]

References
  1. Gonzalez, Robbie. "The Brazilian Treehopper may be the strangest creature we've ever laid eyes on". io9. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  2. "The Brazilian treehopper is the creepiest, raddest insect you will ever see". Grist. 2013-01-07. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  3. "Brazilian Treehopper – Hannah-Marie Spehar". blogs.lt.vt.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  4. "Treehoppers". The Smaller Majority. 2014-11-01. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  5. "Meet The Brazilian Treehopper - Heads Up by Boys' Life". Heads Up by Boys' Life. 2015-08-14. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  6. "Treehoppers: Aetalionidae, Melizoderidae, and Membracidae (Hemiptera)". treehoppers.insectmuseum.org. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  7. "Brazilian Treehopper – Hannah-Marie Spehar". blogs.lt.vt.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  8. "Meet The Brazilian Treehopper". Heads Up by Boys' Life. 2015-08-14. Retrieved 2020-12-17.


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