Cicada Mania

Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.

January 15, 2024

A Yanga pulverea from Moramanga, Madagascar

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | Madagascar | Platypleurini | Richard Newfrock | Yanga — Dan @ 12:28 pm

This is a Yanga pulverea from Moramonga, Madagascar from the collection of Richard Newfrock.

This is a Yanga pulverea from Moramonga, Mogagascar from the collection of Richard Newfrock.

Yanga pulverea belongs to the cicada tribe Platypleurini, which are known for their prominent pronotal collars and infuscations on their wings. Platy means broad & flat, and pleur means side. Broad side, flat side. I don’t know the root of the word Yanga, but pulverea means power or dust. Here’s photos of living Y. pulvera on iNaturalist.

October 27, 2021

Cicadas of southern Africa: An illustrated guide to known species by R.D. Stephen

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | Botswana | Lesotho | Namibia | South Africa | Zimbabwe — Dan @ 4:50 pm

It isn’t often we get a single cicada publication as complete and awesome as Cicadas of southern Africa: An illustrated guide to known species by R.D. Stephen. The document is 224 pages long and includes color photos of dozens of cicadas with maps & text descriptions.

R.D. Stephen's Cicadas of southern Africa

Thanks to beetledude in iNaturalist and David Emery for letting me know.

December 8, 2018

Cicadatra flavicollis Horváth, 1911

Cicadatra flavicollis Horváth, 1911, is a cicada found in Egypt.

Its name changed from Psalmocharias flavicollis to Cicadatra flavicollis, when it was moved from the Psalmocharias Kirkaldy, 1908 genus (which still exists) to the Cicadatra Kolenati, 1857 genus.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cicadatrini
Genus: Cicadatra
Species: Cicadatra flavicollis Horváth, 1911

Cicadatra flavicollis Horváth, 1911
They image says Psalmocharias flavicollis, but the newest name of this cicada is Cicadatra flavicollis.

Cicadatra genus description by W. L. Distant from Genera Insectorum, 1914:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) narrower than base of mesonotum, its length less than width between eyes, but about as long as pronotum; pronotum much shorter than mesonotum, its lateral margins more or less obliquely straight, its posterior lateral angles a little ampliated; mesonotum convex; abdomen in male as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympanal coverings both narrower and shorter than tympanal orifices; opercula in male short and transverse, not extending beyond the base of abdomen; anterior femora spined beneath; tegmina and wings hyaline, the first sometimes a little maculate, its greatest width more than a third of length, apical areas eight; wings with six apical areas.

References:

  1. The illustration and description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1914 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Gaeaninae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 27, 2018

Antankaria signoreti (Metcalf, 1955)

Antankaria signoreti (Metcalf, 1955) is found in Madagascar. It was formerly known as Antankaria madagascariensis. Yes, its species name has changed since 1913.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Antankaria
Species: Antankaria signoreti (Metcalf, 1955)


The image says Antankaria madagascariensis, but its newest name is Antankaria signoreti.

Antankaria genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters, — Length of head about half the breadth between eyes and (including eyes) as wide as base of mesonotum; eyes circular, globular, moderately directed upward; pronotum a little narrowed behind eyes, about as long as mesonotum in front of the cruciform elevation; abdomen longer than space between apex of face and base of cruciform elevation; rostrum reaching posterior coxae ; anterior femora strongly toothed beneath; opercula in type not passing the base of metasternum; tegmina and wings talc-like.

References:

  1. The illustration and genus description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1913 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Cicadinae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

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October 22, 2018

Tugelana butleri Distant, 1912

Tugelana butleri Distant, 1912, is found in South Africa.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Tugelana
Species: Tugelana butleri Distant, 1912

Tugelana genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head short and broad, including eyes about as broad as base of mesonotum, between eyes three times as broad as long, ocelli farther apart from eyes than from each other, eyes obliquely directed backward; face a little longer than broad, very broadly longitudinally sulcate. lateral areas transversely striate ; pronotum almost as long as mesonotum, the lateral margins roundly ampliate, twice as broad at base as long, the fissures profound, anterior margin truncate, posterior margin very slightly sinuate at middle; abdomen in male about as long as space between the apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympana partly exposed, the coverings being a little shorter and considerably narrower inwardly; rostrum reaching the posterior cocÅ“; opercula in male scarcely extending beyond base of abdomen, not meeting inwardly, obliquely transverse, laterally and apically rounded; anterior femora incrassated, with two short but broad teeth at apex; tegmina more than twice as long as broad, opaque, basal cell slightly longer than broad, ulnar areas moderately elongate, apical areas eight, the uppermost long’and narrow; wings a little more than half the length of tegmina, apical areas six. This is one of the few Ethiopian genera belonging to the subfamily Gseaninas, and may be placed near the genus Hamza; like that genus, apart from the tympanal structural characters, it has a superficial resemblance to the genus Platypleura.

References:

  1. The illustration and description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1914 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Gaeaninae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 16, 2018

Ugada nutti Distant, 1904

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | Genera Insectorum | Platypleurini | Tanzania | Ugada | W. L. Distant — Tags: — Dan @ 1:01 am

Ugada nutti Distant, 1904 is found in Tanzania. It has, perhaps, the most impressive pronotal collar of any cicada.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Ugada
Species: Ugada nutti Distant, 1904

Ugada nutti Distant, 1904

Ugada genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) only about two thirds the width of base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but obliquely deflected in front of eyes; pronotum transverse, the posterior margin a little more than half the length of its vertex, the lateral margins strongly ampliated and medially angulated, their apices reaching to middle or near end of basal cell of tegmina ; mesonotum about as-long-as pronotum; anterior femora tuberculately angulate near apex, posterior tibiae spined on apical area ; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate ; tympana well covered ; opercula short and broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum reaching or passing the posterior coxae; tegmina with the costal membrane not prominently arched at base, only moderately dilated, basal cell moderately short and broad; ulnar veins widely separated at their apices.

The illustration and genus description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1913 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Cicadinae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.

Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).chenorrhyncha).

October 15, 2018

Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)

Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893) is found in Madagascar.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Yanga
Species: Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)

Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)

Yanga genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) as wide or a little wider than base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but with the lateral margins of the vertex a little oblique on each side, the front produced, about as long as the pronotum (excluding its posterior margin); pronotum transverse, its posterior margin about half the length of vertex, the lateral margins strongly and angulately produced on each side, their apices extending a little more than the base of basal cell of tegmina; mesonotum a little longer than pronotum; anterior femora with a basal and subapical spinous tubercle; posterior tibiae with a few spines on apical area; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate; tympanal coverings moderate in size; opercula short and broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded ; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina with the costal membrane much arched at base and dilated, about as broad or broader than the costal area, basal cell short and broad, ulnar veins widely separated at their bases.

References:

  1. The illustration and genus description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1913 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Cicadinae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 14, 2018

Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)

Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882) is found in Madagascar.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Umjaba
Species: Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)

Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)

Umjaba genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) only about two thirds the width of base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but obliquely deflected in front of eyes; pronotum transverse, its posterior margin about half the length of its vertex, the lateral margins ampliated, a little angulated anteriorly and posteriorly, but not medially, and not reaching base of basal cell of tegmina; mesonotum slightly longer than pronotum; anterior femora tuberculously angulated near base and apex; posterior tibiae with a few spines on their apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate; tympanal coverings broad; opercula short, broad. their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum just passing the posterior coxae; tegmina with the costal membrane much arched at base, but very much narrower than the costal area which is broadly dilated, basal cell very broad, ulnar veins widely separated at their bases.

References:

  1. The illustration and genus description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1913 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Cicadinae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 12, 2018

Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890)

Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890). Found in eastern Africa, specifically Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Koma
Species: Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890)

Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890)

Koma genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) wider than base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly. but frontally produced, about as long as pronotum (excluding its posterior margin); pronotum slightly shorter than mesonotum, its posterior margin about half the length of vertex, the lateral margins- moderately dilated, slightly angulated, but not reaching basal cell of tegmina ; anterior femora with one or more distinct spines on under surface; posterior tibiae with a few slender spines on apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate; tympana large; opercula short, broad, in type the margins oblique; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae ; tegmina with the basal cell short and broad; ulnar veins well separated at their bases.

References:

  1. The illustration and genus description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1913 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Cicadinae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 11, 2018

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | CAR | Carl Stal | DRC | Genera Insectorum | Ioba | Nigeria | Platypleurini — Tags: — Dan @ 1:01 am

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863). Sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Ivory Coast. This cicada has an amazing pronotal collar.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Ioba
Species: Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

Ioba genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) wider than the base of the mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but with the lateral margins of the vertex a little oblique on each side and the front prominently produced; pronotum transverse, its posterior margin only a little less in length than the vertex, the lateral margins strongly and angularly produced on each side, the angulations medial, their apices when the tegmina are expanded reaching near or to about the end of the basal cell; mesonotum about as long as the pronotum; anterior femora with; one or more distinct spines, posterior and sometimes intermediate tibiae spined on apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcated ; tympana covered; opercula short, broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina with the basal cell broad, irregular, with four, or sometimes five, angles ; ulnar veins widely separated at their bases; interior ulnar area somewhat broadened at apex.

References:

  1. The illustration and genus description comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1913 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Cicadinae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

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