''Psylla'' (from the Greek ''psulla'', meaning

flea Flea, the common name for the order (biology), order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by hematophagy, ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult f ...

) is the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...

of sap-sucking insects in the family

Psyllidae Psyllidae, the jumping plant lice or psyllids, are a Family (biology), family of small plant-feeding insects that tend to be very host-specific, i.e. each plant-louse species only feeds on one plant species (monophagous) or feeds on a few closel ...

. There are at least 110 described species in ''Psylla''. Species within the genus feed on various

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County * Host Island, in the Wilhelm Archipelago, Antarctica People * ...

plants. Some agricultural pests, previously placed here, are now in related genera, such as '' Cacopsylla'' (which includes at least two species harmful to fruit trees); other revised species names include the "Albizia fly" (''

Acizzia ''Acizzia'' is a genus of psyllids belonging to the monotypic subfamily Acizziinae, with a worldwide distribution; it was erected by George Heslop-Harrison in 1961.Heslop-Harrison G (1961) The Arytainini of the subfamily Psyllinae, Hemiptera-Hom ...

jamatonica'', in the same family) and the laurel fly ('' Trioza alacris'' in the family

Triozidae Triozidae is one of seven families, collectively referred to as Psylloidea, plant lice, based on the type genus ''Trioza''. They had traditionally been considered part of a single family, Psyllidae, but recent classifications divide the superfam ...

Selected species and hosts

* ''

Psylla alni ''Psylla alni'' is a species of Psyllidae, psyllid, a plant-feeding Hemiptera, hemipteran in the family Psyllidae. It is the type species of ''Psylla'', which is the type genus in its family. Distribution This species is present in the Palearct ...

'' feeds on

alder Alders are trees of the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus includes about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few species ex ...

s: this is the type species (as ''Chermes alni'' ) * '' Psylla apicalis'' feeds on

kōwhai Kōwhai ( or ) are small woody legume trees within the genus '' Sophora'', in the family Fabaceae, that are native to New Zealand. There are eight species, with '' Sophora microphylla'' and '' Sophora tetraptera'' being large trees. Their natu ...

trees * '' Psylla betulae'' feeds on

birch A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...

es * '' Psylla buxi'' feeds on box (''

Buxus ''Buxus'' is a genus of about seventy species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box and boxwood. The boxes are native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost So ...

'' species) * '' Psylla cordata'' feeds on limes (''

Tilia ''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperateness, temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Great Bri ...

'' species) * '' Psylla frodobagginsi'' feeds on kōwhai trees * '' Psylla oblonga'' feeds on ''

Albizia odoratissima ''Albizia odoratissima'', a member of the family Fabaceae, is a fast-growing, deciduous tree reaching in height, a diameter of , and native to large parts of India (where it is known as கருவாகை, Kali siris or black siris), Banglade ...

References

{{Authority control Psyllidae Psylloidea genera Taxa named by Étienne Louis Geoffroy Insects described in 1762

Selected species and hosts

See also

References