Tube Spittlebugs (Family Machaerotidae)

Machaerota finitima Jacobi

The machaerotids are called tube spittlebugs because the nymphs live in calcareous tubes attached to the stems of their food plants, which are usually eucalypts. The most common machaerotids in Australia are species of Pectinariophyes and Chaetophyes, which are usually greenish yellow in colour although the males of Chaetophyes compacta are mainly, or entirely, black in colour. Hacker (1922) and Evans (1940a) described the morphology and behaviour of the nymphs which often have an expanded plate on the abdomen which is used as a door to seal the tube.

The fauna in eastern Indonesia is dominated by Machaerotini but few species are known. There are no machaerotids in New Zealand and none is known in PNG either although a few species occur in the western part of New Guinea (Indonesia: W. Papua) and further collecting may reveal more species in New Guinea.

Species of Machaerotidae known to occur in Australia


Tribe HINDOLOIDINI
Genus Hindoloides Distant Hindoloides Distant 1915a: 506
Hindoloides appendiculata (Hacker) Polychaetophyes appendiculata Hacker 1926: 247 Soa tmetoptera Jacobi 1928: 47, synonymised by Maa 1963: 13 Hindoloides appendiculata (Hacker), Evans 1966: 330 Known hosts: Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) (Maa 1963)	Qld, NSW [NSW update: 29.viii.2005]
Tribe ENDERLEINIINI
Genus Chaetophyes Schmidt Chaetophyes Schmidt 1919: 367
Chaetophyes admittens (Walker) Aphrophora admittens Walker 1858a: 345 Chaetophyes admittens (Walker), Maa 1963: 59	NSW, ACT, Qld, Vic, Tas
Chaetophyes compacta (Walker) Aphrophora compacta Walker 1851: 701 Aphrophora bifrons Walker 1851: 702, synonymised by Maa 1963: 61? Lepyronia australiae Walker 1851: 727, synonymised by Kirkaldy 1906: 387 Aphrophora semiflava Walker 1858a: 187, synonymised by Stål 1862: 493 Aphrophora areolata Walker 1858a: 345, synonymised by Kirkaldy 1906: 387 Carystus mutabilis Spångberg 1878: 13, synonymised by Maa 1963: 61 Chaetophyes bicolor Schmidt 1919: 368, synonymised by Maa 1963: 61 Chaetophyes unicolor Schmidt 1919: 369, synonymised by Baker 1927: 544 Polychaetophyes perkinsi Hacker 1926 : 246, synonymised by Baker 1927: 544 Chaetophyes compacta (Walker), Maa 1963: 61 Known hosts: Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) (Maa 1963) Note: The synonymy of Aphrophora bifrons Walker was listed by Maa (1963) without a source. However, the species was listed as a valid species by Metcalf (1960) so it is likely that Maa (1963) was the source of the synonymy even though he did not indicate this.	NSW, Qld, Vic, Tas, SA
Chaetophyes pulcherrima Evans Chaetophyes pulcherrima Evans 1970: 83 [update: added 6.iv.2010]	Qld, NSW
Chaetophyes vicina Lallemand Chaetophyes vicina Lallemand 1927: 99	NSW, Qld, SA, WA
Genus Pectinariophyes Kirkaldy Pectinariophyes Kirkaldy 1906: 386
Pectinariophyes reticulata (Spångberg) Carystus reticulatus Spångberg 1878:12 Pectinariophyes reticulata (Spångberg), Maa 1963: 45	NSW, Qld, WA
Pectinariophyes stalii (Spångberg) Carystus stalii Spångberg 1878: 12 Carystus sororculus Spångberg 1878: 12, synonymised by Maa 1963: 47 Polychaetophyes aequalior Kirkaldy 1906: 385, synonymised by Maa 1963: 47 Pectinariophyes pectinaria Kirkaldy 1906: 386, synonymised by Maa 1963: 47 Pectinariophyes stalii (Spångberg), Maa 1963: 47	NSW, Qld, ACT, Vic, SA, Tas, WA, PNG [WA update: 20.iv.2012]
Genus Polychaetophyes Kirkaldy Polychaetophyes Kirkaldy 1906: 384
Polychaetophyes serpulidia Kirkaldy Polychaetophyes serpulidia Kirkaldy 1906: 385 Known host: Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) (Maa 1963)	Qld, NSW, NT, SA, WA [NT update: 25.vi.2001] [WA update: 10.i.2005]
Tribe MACHAEROTINI
Genus Machaerota Burmeister Machaerota Burmeister 1835: 128
Machaerota finitima Jacobi Machaerota finitima Jacobi 1928: 45	Qld, Irian Jaya
Machaerota pugionata Stål Machaerota pugionata Stål 1865: 154 Pachymachaerota signoreti Schmidt 1907: 199, synonymised by Maa 1963: 107	Qld, NT

Tube Spittlebugs (Family Machaerotidae)

Species of Machaerotidae known to occur in Australia

Tribe HINDOLOIDINI

Genus Hindoloides Distant

Tribe ENDERLEINIINI

Genus Chaetophyes Schmidt

Genus Pectinariophyes Kirkaldy

Genus Polychaetophyes Kirkaldy

Tribe MACHAEROTINI

Genus Machaerota Burmeister