Planaphrodes nigrita (Kirschbaum, 1868)

Endrestøl, Anders & Elven, Hallvard, 2009, Two species of Aphrodinae (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) new to the Norwegian fauna, Norwegian Journal of Entomology 56, pp. 24-27 : 24

Planaphrodes nigrita (Kirschbaum, 1868)

NORWAY: Ø, EIS 19 , Rygge: Bog, Bogslunden forest reserve, UTMWGS84 32VNL944859, 23. VI.2008, leg. H. Elven

This specimen (1 ♂) was collected by the second author in a pitfall trap in Bogslunden forest reserve. The reserve is situated close to the Carlberg farm in Rygge municipality (Østfold county). It is a small nature reserve covering only 57 daa of mainly broadleaved forest. The dominant tree species are Oak ( Quercus robur ), Ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ) and Aspen ( Populus tremula ). Understory vegetation consists mainly of Hazel ( Corylus avellana ) and Norwegian Spruce ( Picea abies ) (DN 2009).

The ecology of Planaphrodes nigrita is not clear. It has been reported to prefer damp or wet sites, mainly in mountainous areas but also in lowland forests ( Nickel 2003), but has also been reported from dry, sandy eskers ( Söderman 2007). According to Dmitriev (2007), P. nigita is a heliophobic (sunlight-avoiding) species exclusively associated with forest herbage. The latter observation corresponds well with Bogslunden forest reserve, which is a moist lowland forest. Little is known about host plant preferrence, but some specimens have been collected on Calamagrostis canescens ( Poaceae ) and Juncus articulatus ( Juncaceae ) ( Nickel 2003). These species are found in the municipality, but have so far not been found on the locality. The families Poaceae and Juncaceae are well represented however ( Lid & Lid 2005, Jørgensen unpubl. data). P. nigrita has been reported from Sweden and Finland, but has so far not been found in Denmark ( Söderman et al. 2009). It is considered very rare in Finland, Sweden and the rest of East Fennoscandia ( Ossiannilsson 1981, Söderman 2007).