Figure 4.4. Stem-sucking aphids. Photograph
by Gregory Dimijian.families is the cicadas (Cicadidae), which is more
diverse and abundant in lowland forests than in cloud
forests. In Panama, only one species (Carineta trivit-
tata) was found in cloud forests (2200 m), and seven
species at 1350 m. In contrast, 18 species in nine gen-
era were collected on Barro Colorado Island at 120 m
(Wolda and Ramos 1992). In a Costa Rican cloud for-
est at "Cariblanco" (1500 m), only eight species were
reported (Young 1976).
The only group of Sternorrhyncha that has been
well-inventoried in Costa Rica is the superfamily Psyl-
loidea (see Sec. 4.3.5.), the tropical equivalents of
aphids. The latter are less diverse in the Neotropics
than in the north temperate regions. The most fre-
quently encountered aphid in Monteverde is the bright
yellow Aphis nerii, which feeds on the milkweed,
Asclepias cur ass civic a (Asclepiadaceae; J. Longino,
pers. comm.). Although scale insects (superfamily
Coccoidea) are the least studied group of homopter-
ans in Costa Rica, biological information is available
for at least one species occurring in Monteverde (see
Sec. 4.3.6).43.2. Biology and Diversity of Monteverde's
Spittlebugs and Froghoppers
Daniel C Peck
The spittlebugs and froghoppers of Monteverde are a
diverse group of xylem-sucking insects of the superfam-
ily Cercopoidea. They are among the most conspicuous
insects of the area due to their pest status in dairy pas-
tures (see Peck, "Agroecology of Prosapia," pp. 409-
410). The nymphs (spittlebugs) reside in laboriously
constructed masses of spittle; adults (froghoppers) are
free-living and commonly show warning colors.
In Monteverde, 30 species of Cercopoidea are
known from the areas outside the MCFP: 3 species of
Clastopteridae, 3 species of Aphrophoridae, and 24
species of Cercopidae. This represents 5% of the total
known New-World cercopid diversity and is remark-101 Insects and Spiders