Subject: What the heck is this thing?!
Location: Suriname, South America (Amazon)
March 21, 2014 6:15 am
Hi,
My name is Josh Lassiter and my father Terry sent me a picture of a bug that he saw in Suriname, South America. It is CRAZY and I would love to know what it is. Can you all help?
Signature: Whatever is normal
Hi Josh,
This is a Fulgorid Planthopper in the genus Lystra. Pinterest identifies is as a Red Dotted Planthopper, Lystra lanata. According to PBase, it is also called a Waxy Tailed Planthopper. Birdspiders.com posits another species possibility, Lystra strigata, also called a Red Dotted Planthopper, and we would entertain the possibility that the two species might actually represent different taxonomic opinions about the same species. The waxy filaments on the posterior end are a secretion, presumably for protection.
Thank you so much for your quick response! I really appreciate it.