Xestocephalus fulvocapitatus

Appearance

From "NOTES ON LEAFHOPPERS WITH DESCRIPTIONS (HOMOPTERA: CICADELLIDAE)." DOROTHY J. KNULL

The following is a translation of Provancher's description:
"Length .19 inch. Varied with brown and yellow; the vertex brown with numerous small pale-yellow or white spots, the edge brown with three yellow dots, the front yellow. Prothorax and scutellum brown with yellow dots or small yellow lines, the scutellum bearing four of them, two close to the base and two before the apex. Elytra pale with brown spots, the base with yellow lines in the brown. Below and legs yellow, back of the abdomen brown.—Cap. Rouge. "Its variety of colors gives it an entirely pleasant appearance."

This description applies very aptly to fairly common, well-marked insects, with definite although sometimes faint, markings on vertex, pronotum and scutellum. Provancher's descriprtion applies more fully to males, and Van Duzee's description of fulvocapitatus is very accurate for females.

The inner male genitalia are also distinct in this species; the style has a broad foot, and aedeagus is stout with a long slender pair of processes.
https://kb.osu.edu/bitstream/handle/1811/3428/V44N05_239.pdf;sequence=1

Naming

Deltocephalus superbus Provancher, 1890
Xestocephalus fulvocapitatus Van Duzee, 1894

The taxonomy of the genus is confused. Xestocephalus desertorum (Berg) has been split into X. brunneus Van Duzee, X. fulvocapitatus Van Duzee, X. nigrifrons Osborn, and X. similis Peters. Formerly they were regarded as junior synonyms of X. desertorum.

Behavior

Some Xestocephalus species are said to be myrmecophiles (literally "ant friends", myrmecophiles are organisms, usually animals, that live in association with ants), that live in the tunnels ants excavate and feed on sap from grass roots. This claim is disputed.

Habitat

Disturbed grassy habitats

Reproduction

Females oviposit in dead grass roots. The species is bivoltine in Illinois, with the egg stage overwintering. Like many other leafhoppers, after each molt, both nymphs and adults of Xestocephalus desertorum cover the fresh integument with brochosomes: secretory particles produced in the Malpighian tubules.

Food

Nymphs of Xestocephalus spp. ("Xestocephalus desertorum") feed on grass roots at or just below the soil surface. Adults feed on roots as well as on buds and various green parts of the grass.

Predators

Parasitized by dryinid wasps.