Fulgora laternaria (often misspelled "lanternaria") is a species of Neotropical fulgorid planthopper. It is known by a large variety of common names, among them lantern fly, peanut bug, peanut-headed lanternfly, alligator bug, jequitiranaboia, machaca, chicharra-machacuy, and cocoposa.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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starts withFulgora laternaria can reach a length of 85–90 millimetres (3.3–3.5 in), with a wingspan up to 100–150 millimetres (3.9–5.9 in). This insect has a protuberance at its head as long as 10–15 millimetres (0.39–0.59 in), looking like a peanut and showing false eyes to resemble that of a lizard or a serpent. The insect was originally - and mistakenly - believed to be luminescent. When attacked, it protects itself by displaying large, yellow, fake eyes on its hind wings to frighten the aggressor, and releases a foul-smelling substance. Adults can be found from June to December. They feed on the sap of plants, mainly from some trees as Hymenaea courbaril, Simarouba amara and Zanthoxylum species. It will generally remain camouflaged on a tree trunk during the day.
It will knock its head on a hollow tree to create vibrations for mates. It will lay its eggs on the Hymenaea courbaril or quapinol tree, and coat them in a waxy substance for protection.
Several very similar species in the genus occur from Central to South America, and many museum and commercial specimens identified as laternaria are actually other species.
This species inhabits tropical forests in Mexico, Central America and South America.
