I guess many beetle like issids don't pop out but Opthalmosphaerius trilobulus does. It ranges in colour from yellow to red, but the beauty is the pattern: A diagonal line next to a do, resembling some sort of logo; Here are the observations:
Yellow form from China: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/143631517
Orange form from Vietnam: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35651500
Red form from India: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/423022
While most issids seem to blend with tree bark or branches, there are some that take camouflage to the next level - And Issus lauri is the perfect example! It looks like a leaf instead, and is found in Europe. It's small, less then 1.5 cm long, which also lets it drink plant's sap without being noticed by predators easily. But it's camouflage isn't perfect, as the veins on the wings and the legs, head, thorax, abdomen, are coloured peach and eyes dark red in most specimens, there are some exceptions, where the specimens are completely green (except the eyes, which are shaped and coloured like fly eyes).
Many people underestimate issids, but some are too diverse; In fact, they are one of the most overlooked members of the fulgoromorpha, but here's an example of how diverse they can be:
Recently I were checking out issid observations for the next and stumbled stumbled across someissid I just couldn't believe. It's pretty rare (only 2 records are known on iNat) but what made it incredible was it just shows how underestimated those issids are because it had not one but TWO SNOUTS! It's name is bootheca taurus, and it's general colouration is a bright dusky brown.
Many people think about issid planthoppers as boring little guys with small wings which are shaped almost circular (Me too, except hemisphaeriina and the ones featured in the article); But a few species are difficult ignore, like these guys.. and also, this is going to be issid month! So be prepared for lots and lots of issids (and keys for identifying issids) Let's start:
1 ..... Wings formed similar to a beetles cuticle/elytron
1 a ..... Stripes on the snout's ventral part ..... Macrodaruma pertinax
1 b ..... No stripes on the snout's ventral part ..... Choutagus longicephalus
2 ..... Wings not formed similar to a beetles cuticle/elytron
2 a ..... Apical part of the head curved in lateral view. General colouration light brown or pale with pale cyan snout..... Pseudochoutagus curvativus
2 b ..... Apical part of the head straight in lateral view. General colouration reddish brown ..... Pseudochoutagus rubens
2 c ..... Pelicular buffalo like snout with an upward pointing pin-shaped horn; front legs formed into mantis claw like appendages ..... Augilodes binghami
2 d ..... Two snouts ..... Bootheca taurus
2 e ..... Snout varied in size, pin shaped, general colouration green to greenish-yellow ..... Symplana
What I am explaining isn't noted in the article, but p. buomvoi does have weird features:
It's clearly noted that the spots on the corium (The part of the forewings that is halfway from the point where the wings attach to the thorax) are formed into 3 bands; And so does p. spinolae and p. jianfenglingensis have, which is from the candelaria group. But the bumps on the snout are similar to p. ishiharai, this not in the candelaria group. Another feature it shares with p. ishiharai is the slender snout, which doesn't go with the members of the candelaria group. Thus, it's taxonomy is a puzzle.
Sinosurijikocixius is a newly described surijikocixiid, from the middle triassic of China (247 - 235 mya).
The pyrorhynchus group is distinct thanks to the brightly coloured tip on the snout (comes in red, orange, yellow, and white); The snout is robust; The insects are the largest of the genus after sultanus group;
1 ..... Spots not evenly arranged ..... go to 3
2 ..... 4 spots form a line close to the apex (point farthest from the point of attachment to thorax) ..... go to 8
3 ..... Wings transparent ..... P. zephyrius
4 ..... Wings not transparent ..... go to 5
5 ..... Snout tipped red or yellow. Some times yellow ventrally and wings white with black snout ..... P. lathburii
6 ..... Spots formed into bands for the first half of the wings ..... P. intricatus
7 ..... Snout without the 'distinct tip of the snout effect', but a gradation; lacks having spots but has brush like markings like those in P. coelestinus ..... P. dohrni
8 ..... The four spots solid ..... P. pythicus
8.1 ..... Snout tipped yellow, in contrast to the preceeding olive green to blue snout. The apex of the wings rosy red ..... P. p. incertus 1
9 ..... Spots hollowed (outlined) ..... go to 10
10 ..... White wings and snout, spots filled olive, snout tipped orange ..... P. ruelhi
11 ..... Brown snout, snout tipped slightly pale orange or red ..... P. pyrorhynchus
P.astarte is now a synomyn of p. lathburii 2
Fun fact: it is recorded that P. intricatus was tamed by cockroaches in the wild! 3
P. dohrni is provably not a part of the pyrorhynchus group and possibly fits in the oculatus group of the genus pyrops or none of the known species groups under the genus, but still is is a member of the genus, while it is formally included in this group. Also, it doesn't eem to support the features that define this group: Baker, 1925 says the same thing;1
Pyrops pythicus incertus is is the most colourful and vibrant species from the group; it's also my favourite member of the group;
3 Review of the effusus group of the Lanternfly genus Pyrops Spinola, 1839, with one new species and notes on trophobiosis (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae) (scroll towards the bottom of the page, and you will see the photo)
The snout of the members of the polliensis group have inflated snouts, and were once placed in the clavatus group.
1 ..... Wings smoky ..... P. polliensis
2 ..... Wings not smoky ..... P. samaranus
After the effusus group, the clavatus group is the only group with bulbous snout in the genus pyrops;
Snout diagonally pointed and straight, and intensely bulbous at the apex (top of the snout).....Clavatus group
1 ..... Snout bulbous upwards, but remains flat from below. Typically yellow snout and snout not very intensely bulbous at apex ..... P. wantanbei / Wantabei's lanternfly
2 ..... Snout intensely bulbous ..... P. clavatus / P. atroalbus
2.1 ..... Wings with spots that do not merge with each other ..... P. clavatus
2.2 ..... Wings with spots that merge with each other ..... P. atroalbus
This article has been mentioned in:
Identification for the polliensis group of the genus pyrops by Aarav mishra on Fulgoromorpha: The coolest insects!'s journal.
I gave it a try and here is the result.
