Flatidae
Encyclopedia
Flatidae are a family of Fulgoroid plant-hoppers. They are cosmopolitan in distribution and are distinguished from others in the superfamily by a combination of characters. Adults of some species have brightly coloured wings and are easily identified but the identification of species often requires dissection and comparison with identification keys.
In the subfamily Flatinae, the body of adults is flattened laterally and the tegmina are tent like. In the Flatoidinae, the body is not laterally compressed and the tegmina are not as tent like and sometimes held horizontally. The wing venation is distinctive in that the costal area has numerous cross veins. The antennae are small and the first segment is collar like and small. The second segment is longer and ends in a bulge and a flagellum arises from it. They have two ocelli. Nymphs have a tail of waxy filaments.
In the subfamily Flatinae, the body of adults is flattened laterally and the tegmina are tent like. In the Flatoidinae, the body is not laterally compressed and the tegmina are not as tent like and sometimes held horizontally. The wing venation is distinctive in that the costal area has numerous cross veins. The antennae are small and the first segment is collar like and small. The second segment is longer and ends in a bulge and a flagellum arises from it. They have two ocelli. Nymphs have a tail of waxy filaments.