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Clam lerps

Spondyliaspis plicatuloides

Photo by Mark Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Tiny brown clam shells formed by a first stage psyllid on a mature leaf of a eucalyptus. Each was about 3-4mm wide and the a community numbered about 40-50. Scattered among the lerps were some discarded exuviae from early moulting? Patches like these were found on approximately 10 leaves in total.

Habitat:

Tree was growing behind a local shopping mall.

Notes:

The lerps are built from a sugary excretion out of the abdomen of the psyllid. <br>
http://rameau.snv.jussieu.fr/psyllist/?db=psylles&lang=en&card=species&… <br>

Hemiptera + <br>
Psyllidae +

Reference Links:

Spondyliaspis plicatuloides - Information on Spondyliaspis plicatuloides, Forestry | Lerps Insects

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)
Mark Ridgway
They certainly do cluster together don't they. Safety in numbers maybe? Out of a group of about 30 leaves these were packed onto about 3.
MartinL
Good spotting Mark. When I see them they seem to overcrowd a few leaves of the tree

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Nests, hives, bowers, webs & other animal architecture
Mission
Dandenong Ranges - fauna & flora

Tags

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 23, 2014

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