Glossary of terms
The following terms are used in these keys.
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| appendix | A narrow membrane outside the marginal vein of the tegmen beyond the apex of the clavus. |
| clavus | The triangular section of the tegmen closest to the body when the wings are folded, usually separated from the main part of the tegmen by a suture (the claval suture) along which the tegmen can fold. |
| femur | The first long joint in each leg |
| LPP | Lateral pronotal process. In Membracidae (horned treehoppers), the pronotum often bears lateral processes of various shapes. Sometimes these are reduced or entirely absent. In others they are large and of bizarre shape. In most Australian membracids, the LPPs comprise a pair of strong lateral horns. |
| MPP | Median pronotal process. In Membracidae (horned treehoppers), the pronotum extends posteriorly as a long spine-like process. |
| platellae | In planthoppers, the apical row of spines on the hind tarsal segments may include one or more long pale spines. These are termed platellae to differentiate them from the typically black tipped spines that normally make up the apical row. Sometimes the black tipped spine is reduced to a small knob at the base of the platella, or is completely obsolete. |
| tarsus/tarsi | The last section of the leg. The tarsi of leafhoppers and planthoppers are divided into three segments with the last one bearing two claws |
| tarsomere | Any individual segment of the tarsus. |
| tegmen | The forewing. In many species this is coloured or somewhat hardened to help protect the delicate hindwings. |
| tibia | The second long joint in each leg. In most leafhoppers the hind tibia is much longer than the fore or mid tibia and is lined with rows of spines. |