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Glite Dictionary
Cercopidae

Cercopidae

9.9
Insects that jump and whose young make protective foam
  • noun
  • /ˈsɜrkəˌpɪdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: cercopidae
  • The distinctive foam produced by Cercopidae larvae protects them from predators.

Examples

  • The Cercopidae family includes many species of froghoppers.

  • Scientists discovered several new species of Cercopidae in the Amazon rain forest.

  • Farmers monitor Cercopidae populations due to their potential impact on crops.

  • Have you ever seen a Cercopidae in your garden?

  • Farmers monitor Cercopidae populations due to their potential impact on crops.

  • The distinctive foam produced by Cercopidae larvae protects them from predators.

  • Scientists discovered several new species of Cercopidae in the Amazon rain forest.

Synonyms

froghopper
vsCercopidae
  • UK
1 8.7

A small insect that jumps high and whose young make white foam on plants

refers to the whole insect family rather than individual members
spittlebug
vsCercopidae
1 9.9

A small insect that eats plants and lives inside a frothy foam on stems and leaves

is the family term covering these insects, not just plant dwelling ones
spittle insect
vsCercopidae
9.6

A small jumping insect that lives in frothy bubbles on plant stems to protect its young

refers to the whole family, not only the single insect life habit

Surface Forms

Cercopidae singular
Cercopidae plural

Morphology

Cercopidae = Cercopis (opaque) = Cercop + idae

Formed by adding the taxonomic family suffix '-idae' to a genus name; this is a specialized biological formation not predictable by general English knowledge.

Etymology

Cercopidae comes from a Greek root cerc- meaning 'tail' and is the scientific name for the family of froghoppers or spittlebugs. A helpful way to remember it is to picture these small insects jumping away like a quick tail flick and the foamy 'spittle' of their young that makes them easy to spot.