Species Account for Aphrodes aestuarinus

Essex Red Data List comment
National trend: None known

Species text
Aphrodes aestuarinus is a pale greyish-brown leafhopper, confined to southern and eastern coasts between Dorset and Norfolk. It is a saltmarsh species recorded from shrubby seablite Suaeda fruticosa and on one occasion from annual seablite S. maritima, but these may not be foodplants. In Essex it occurs most frequently in the upper levels of the saltmarsh where there is dense growth of saltmarsh grass Puccinellia maritima and sea purslane Halimione portaculoides. Puccinellia may be the foodplant under these circumstances, since some other members of the genus are known to be grass-feeders. The upper levels of saltmarsh are particularly prone to damage through the construction or renovation of sea banks and other protective measures. Suitable available habitat for the species has been reduced in many sites through the construction and maintenance of such defences, and in some places has been entirely lost. Most sites for the species need no active management to maintain them in suitable condition for this species, and site protection should adequately ensure its continued survival (Kirby 1992). References

Habitats

Recorded management for locations with Aphrodes aestuarinus

Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Aphrodes aestuarinus

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