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April 6, 2020

Neotibicen davisi aka Davis’ Southeastern Dog-Day Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: , , — Dan @ 4:29 pm

Neotibicen davisi aka Davis’ Southeastern Dog-Day Cicada.

There are two sub-species of Neotibicen davisi, and it makes sense to discuss both on the name page.

  • Neotibicen davisi davisi (Smith and Grossbeck, 1907). Quick ID: it has black on its abdomen.
  • Neotibicen davisi hardeni Davis, 1918. Quick ID: it lacks the black on the abdomen, and is only found in Arkansas and Mississippi.

In this photo, N. davisi hardeni is on the left, and N. davisi davisi is on the right:
Krombholz Davisi compared
Photo by Paul Krombholz.

See all davisi davisi and davisi hardeni images & info on cicadamania.com.

Songs:


“Probably Tibicen davisi harnedi”. Source: ©Insect Singers.


Neotibicen davisi davisi. Source: ©Insect Singers.

Identification keys by Wm. T. Davis from MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. 1

A. Large, heavy bodied species ; head broad, uncus simple, and first cross vein in the fore wings starting from radius 3 far back, or about one third distant from base of first marginal cell.

B. Uncus longer than broad. Black species with green or greenish markings and black area on the central part of the abdomen beneath, except in sayi, and new variety of davisi.

C. Hind margin of pronotum or collar, green or greenish.

Neotibicen davisi hardeni Davis, 1918:

Abdomen greenish centrally on under side, blackened area
wanting, marginal cells of fore wings clouded.
davisi var. harnedi new variety.

Neotibicen davisi davisi (Smith and Grossbeck, 1907):

An irregular band of black on the under side of the abdomen, head rounded in front ; a rather small species.
davisi (Smith & Grossbeck).

Description of Neotibicen davisi hardeni Davis, 1918 1:

Tibicen davisi var. harnedi new variety, PI. VII, fig. 4.

Type male, Helena, Arkansas, June, 19 16 (K. D. Jacob). Davis
collection.

Allotype female, Rodney, Jefferson Co., Miss.. August, 1917 (O.
A. Hammett). Collection, Miss. Agri. and Mechanical College.

More robust than typical davisi, with broader wings, the first seven marginal cells of the fore wings being clouded much as in Tibicen superba Fitch. The dorsal markings are quite green in color, the central, green, wedge-shaped mark on the pronotum is not sepa- rated from the hind margin, but is confluent with it; the collar is bright green. The dorsal surface is less rusty in appearance than in typical davisi. Beneath the abdomen is greenish, without the “narrow black portion in the center,” as in typical davisi.

Location and song notes 1:

davisi occurs throughout the southeastern states as far north as New Jersey. Its song- is a continuous z-ing of short duration, and is sharper in tone, though not as loud as that produced by the larger, related black species.

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Neotibicen davisi hardeni Davis, 1918 Name, Location and Description

  • Cicada Name: Neotibicen davisi hardeni Davis, 1918
  • Short Name: N. davisi hardeni
  • Common Name: Davis’ Southeastern Dog-Day Cicada
  • Synonym/Former Name: Tibicen davisi hardeni
  • When: August-October. Peaks in September.
  • Where it is found: AR, MS
  • Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
  • Description: The davisi comes in a wide variety of colors: from rusty browns to greens. N. davisi hardeni lacking black stripe on abdomen, with green instead. A crown-like pattern on the mesonotum. Sounds like an angle grinder tool, & sounds like N. auriferus & N. canicularis.
  • Eye Color: varies
  • Pronotal Collar Color: brown or green
  • Identification: Bug Guide
  • Identification: iNaturalist
  • Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
  • Songs: Insect Singers

Neotibicen davisi davisi (Smith and Grossbeck, 1907) Name, Location and Description

  • Cicada Name: Neotibicen davisi davisi (Smith and Grossbeck, 1907)
  • Short Name: N. davisi davisi
  • Common Name: Davis’ Southeastern Dog-Day Cicada
  • Synonym/Former Name: Tibicen davisi davisi
  • When: August-December. Peaks in September.
  • Where it is found: AL, DE, DC, FL, GA, LA, MD, MA, MS, NJ, NY, NC, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
  • Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
  • Description: The davisi comes in a wide variety of colors: from rusty browns to greens. N. davisi davisi has black on abdomen. A crown-like pattern on the mesonotum. Sounds like an angle grinder tool, & sounds like N. auriferus & N. canicularis.
  • Eye Color: varies
  • Pronotal Collar Color: brown or green
  • Identification: Bug Guide
  • Identification: iNaturalist
  • Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
  • Songs: Insect Singers

Teneral (soft) and sclerotized (hard) N. davisi

Neotibicen davisi
Photo by Paul Krombholz.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen davis
Sub-species: Neotibicen davisi davisi (Smith & Grossbeck, 1907)
Sub-species: Neotibicen davisi hardeni Davis, 1918

List of sources

  1. (1) Davis, W.T. 1918. MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXVI, Nos. 3-4. Read it on archive.org.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

April 4, 2020

Megatibicen figuratus (Walker, 1858) aka Fall Southeastern Dusk-singing Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Francis Walker | Megatibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 9:59 am

Megatibicen figuratus (Walker, 1858) aka Fall Southeastern Dusk-singing Cicada.

M. figurata
Photo by Paul by Paul Krombholz.

See all Megatibicen figuratus images and information on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: M. figuratus.

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Name, Location and Description

A description from NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL
NEW SPECIES by Wm T. Davis

Cicada figurata Walker.

This species was described [by Walker] in 1858 in List of the Specimens of Homopterous Insects in the collection of the British Museum, Supplement, p. 19. Unfortunately no locality was given. The description in part is as follows: ” Black, mostly tawny beneath. Head with a large tawny spot on each side in front between the eyes. . . . Pro- thorax reddish, black in front and behind, with a double tawny stripe; border tawny, with a black streak on each side. Mesothorax with four oblique tawny stripes; the middle pair recurved inward; the lateral pair enclosed at each of their tips by a lateral tawny streak; sides and hind ridges tawny. Legs tawny. Wings vitreous. Fore wings narrow, much acuminated testaceous at the base, and with a testaceous streak along the sixth discoidal areolet ; primitive areolet black; veins piceous; costa testaceous to the tip of the front areolet; first and second transverse veins slightly curved, clouded with black.

Song and morphological descriptions by Wm. T. Davis from MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES2

A. Large, heavy bodied species ; head broad, uncus simple, and first cross vein in the fore wings starting from radius 3 far back, or about one third distant from base of first marginal cell.

BB. Uncus broad at the base, triangular in shape and generally about as broad as long. Opercula broad and rounded at the extremities; no definite black area on the central part of the abdomen beneath, usually unicolorus.

E. Wings long and narrow, collar 2 mm. or less in breadth at central portions; dorsum of abdomen black or nearly so.

Basal cell of fore wings often black or nearly so, anal cells of both pair of wings yellowish. Expands about 100 mm figurata (Walker)

A teneral (soft) and sclerotized (hard) M. figuratus


Photo by Paul Krombholz.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Megatibicen
Species: Megatibicen figuratus (Walker, 1858)

List of sources

  1. Davis, W.T. 1916. NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL
    NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol. XXlV, No. I.
  2. Davis, W.T. 1919. MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXVI, Nos. 3-4. Read on archive.org.
  3. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  4. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  5. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  6. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

Megatibicen dorsatus (Say, 1825) aka Giant Grassland Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | Thomas Say | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 8:57 am

Megatibicen dorsatus (Say, 1825) aka Giant Grassland Cicada aka Bush Cicada.

Neotibicen dorsatus from Bill Reynolds collection
Fully sclerotized M. dorsatus from Bill Reynolds’ collection.

M. dorsatus; teneral; copyright Greg Holmes
Teneral M. dorsatus by Greg Holmes.

See all Megatibicen dorsatus images & information on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: M. dorsatus

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Name, Location and Description

Habitat notes from ANNOTATED LIST OF COLORADO CICADAS by Wm T. Davis 1

Dr. Raymond H. Beamer, in an account of his collecting trip in Kansas in 1916, writes that dorsata was the most widely spread and abundant species taken. It was commonly found on low shrubs or weeds and grass, often on barren hill tops.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Megatibicen
Species: Megatibicen dorsatus (Say, 1825)

List of sources

  1. Davis, W.T. 1921. ANNOTATED LIST OF COLORADO CICADAS. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXIX, No. I.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

Photos of teneral Megatibicen dorsatus by Greg Holmes

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Greg Holmes | Megatibicen | Photos & Illustrations | Teneral | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 8:22 am

Megatibicen dorsatus is arguably the most beautiful cicada in the United States. Even it its teneral (meaning soft) form right after molting, in is visually impressive.

These three photos were taken by Greg Holmes of a Megatibicen dorsatus in its post-molting, teneral state.

M. dorsatus; teneral; copyright Greg Holmes

M. dorsatus; teneral; copyright Greg Holmes

M. dorsatus; teneral; copyright Greg Holmes

Diceroprocta vitripennis (Say, 1830) aka Green Winged Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Diceroprocta | Thomas Say | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 7:26 am

Diceroprocta vitripennis (Say, 1830) aka Green Winged Cicada.

Diceroprocta vitripennis by Paul Krombholz
Photo by by Paul Krombholz.

See all Diceroprocta vitripennis images and information in cicadamania.com.

Song


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: D. vitripennis

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Name, Location and Description

Locations from Wm. T. Davis’ MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES1

Prof. R. W. Harned has contributed the following note : “In regard to the distribution of Tibicen vitripennis I am inclined to think that this insect will only be found on low ground or in swampy places. This insect seems to be fairly prevalent in what is known as the delta section of Mississippi or the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. This is the alluvial western part of the state. This species is also fairly abun- dant in* similar soils in Arkansas and Louisiana. The first time that I ever noticed this species was late in June, 1912. I found them quite numerous in fields at Palmyra Island, south of Vicksburg. I was surprised to find them coming out of the ground several hundred yards away from any perennial plants. They were also emerging from soil that had been under water a few weeks before. The spe- cies is quite common in the cotton fields of the delta.”
The distribution seems to be confined to the central United States. Specimens have been examined from Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkan- sas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana.

Key to Species:

AA. Small species; uncus wish-bone shaped, and first cross view in the fore wings starting from about the middle of the first marginal cell.

GG. First and second cross veins of fore wings not clouded, wings clear throughout and expanding about 70 mm.

Head proportionately smaller than in the last; front more pro- truding;- collar not so contrastingly colored and fore wings narrower vitripennis (Say).

A visual description from Wm. T Davis’ NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL NEW SPECIES 2

What we have identified as this species is an insect with green in its coloring as mentioned by its describer; not entirely orange and black as in Cicada eugraphica from further west.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta vitripennis (Say, 1830)

List of sources

  1. Davis, W.T. 1919. MISSISSIPPI CICADAS, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXVI, Nos. 3-4. Read on archive.org
  2. David, W.T. 1916. NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL
    NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol. X?ilV, No. I. Read on archive.org
  3. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  4. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  5. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  6. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

Diceroprocta olympusa (Walker, 1850) aka Olympic Scrub Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Diceroprocta | Francis Walker | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 6:48 am

Diceroprocta olympusa (Walker, 1850) aka Olympic Scrub Cicada.

Diceroprocta olympusa photos by Joe Green from 2007.
Photo by Joe Green.

Diceroprocta olympusa photos by Joe Green from 2007.
Photo by Joe Green.

See all Diceroprocta olympusa photos & information on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: D. olympusa

Song type: Starting Call


Source: ©Joe Green | Species: D. olympusa

Song type: Chorus


Source: ©Joe Green | Species: D. olympusa

Song type: Distress


Source: ©Joe Green | Species: D. olympusa

Video

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Name, Location and Description

Descriptions from Wm. T. Davis’s NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL NEW SPECIES.1

Note: Diceroprocta olympusa (Walker, 1850) = Cicada sordidata Uhler, 1892 & Cicada milvus Walker, 1858, in case that isn’t clear. 🙂

Cicada sordidata Uhler, was described in the Transactions of the Maryland Academy of Sciences, 1892, p. 175, from two males from Southern Florida. We figure a male from Big Pine Key, Fla., Sept. 19, 1913, that has been compared with one marked ” S. Fla.” in Uhler’s collection in the United States Nat. Museum, and labeled in his handwriting” Cicada sordidata.” This was no doubt one of his types. His published description is very full and among other things he says that the first three apical areoles of the fore wings “including the veins and cross veins smoke-brown.” This is subject to some variation, though the first and second cross veins are always clouded in mature specimens. He says ” Opercula short, pale, but little more than one-third the length of the abdomen, narrowing toward the tip, and rounded there ; the tips widely separated by a wedge-shaped space ; the drums completely covered by an inflated segent, with a wide interval between, which is occupied at the outer end by a smooth hump. The raised smooth line thus begun is con- tinued back upon the succeeding tergal segments, and from each prominence a grooved line extends outwards to the border of the segments.”

Cicada olympusa Walker was described in 1850, but no locality was given. It has been credited to North America by Distant. The description would seem to cover Cicada sordidata which is of the same size and we have been unable to find any other species in collections that fits it so well. Walker says in part ” scutcheon of the fore-chest [prothorax] adorned with four black stripes; the middle pair long, widened on the fore border and on the hind border ; the outer pair short and slightly curved; furrows and sides blackish; hind scutcheon [hind margin or collar] green, widened, rounded and adorned with a large pitchy mark at the base of each fore-wing, nearly straight on each side : scutcheon of the middle chest [mesonotum] adorned with four obconical black stripes; inner pair short with tawny borders; outer pair much longer, excavated into eight separate parts ; a large black spot with a black dot on each side be- tween the inner pair and the cross-ridge . . . fore borders of the [abdominal] segments adorned with pitchy interrupted bands; overduct ferruginous : drums pale tawny, very small, far apart ; inner sides pitchy.”

If it is meant that the extremities of the opercula are far apart then the above description agrees with sordidata, in which, however, the upper and inner edges of the opercula touch or nearly so.

Cicada milvus was described by Walker in 1858 from a single female from the ” United States ” and has been placed by Distant as a synonym of Cicada olympusa. Walker describes milvus as reddish tawny and says in part : ” Prothorax with four black stripes, the inner pair approximate, connected by a short black band in front, the outer pair very near the borders; two black discal dots; hind border greenish. Mesothorax with four conical black stripes, the inner pair short, the outer pair much intersected. Abdomen with an interrupted black band on each segment. Wings vitreous; veins pale green, black towards the tips. Fore wings with the first and second transverse veins clouded with dark brown.” The wings are said to expand 27 lines, that is about 57 mm.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta olympusa (Walker, 1850)

List of sources

  1. (1) Davis, W.T. 1916. NOTES ON CICADAS FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL
    NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol. X?ilV, No. I. Read it on archive.org.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

April 3, 2020

Diceroprocta apache (Davis, 1921) aka Citrus Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Diceroprocta | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 6:59 pm

Diceroprocta apache (Davis, 1921) aka Citrus Cicada:

Adam Fleishman's Diceroprocta apache
Photo by Adam Fleishman.

See all Diceroprocta apache photos and information on cicadamania.com.

Song


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: D. apache

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Name, Location and Description

Descriptions from Wm. T. Davis from RECORDS OF CICADAS FROM NORTH AMERICA WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES1

Note: at the time Davis assigned Diceroprocta apache to the Tibicen Latreille, 1825 genus. It’s since been moved to Diceroprocta Stål, 1870.

Resembles Tibicen cinctifcra (Uhler), but has sharper pointed opercula, the outer sides of which are not parallel, but converge; is without the central pruinose spot at the base of the tergum, and instead of having the dorsal part of segment eight all pruinose, the whitened area is reduced to two spots with a black space between. In the allotype the plates that correspond to the opercula of the male, are sharper pointed than in cinctifcra, the double notch in the last ventral segment is usually deeper, the terminal spine is more robust, that is, has a broader base, and the abdomen is less tapering at the extremity. In the three types of Uhler’s cinctifcra in the United States National Museum, the costal margin of the fore wing is bright orange to the end of the radial cell, also the hind margin of the pronotum or collar, whereas in apache the color is light yellow or straw-color. The membranes at the base of both pairs of wings are orange or at least usually much darker than in apache, where they are white or light gray. Some of these differences in strudture and color are more clearly brought out in the illustrations.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta apache (Davis, 1921)

List of sources

  1. Davis, W.T. 1921. RECORDS OF CICADAS FROM NORTH AMERICA WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol XXIX, No. I. Read it on archive.org.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

Cacama valvata (Uhler, 1888) aka Common Cactus Dodger

Filed under: Cacama | Cryptotympanini | Philip Reese Uhler | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 5:44 pm

Cacama valvata (Uhler, 1888) aka Common Cactus Dodger.

Cacama valvata male
Male. Photo credit: by Adam Fleishman.

Cacama valvata cicada photo by Adam Fleishman
Female. Photo credit: by Adam Fleishman.

â­¢ See all C. valvata images and info on cicadamania.com.

Song:


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: C. valvata

Name, Location and Description

Wm. T. Davis descriptions

A description of the Cacama cicadas from CICADAS OF THE GENUS CACAMA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL NEW SPECIES1:

In Cacama the tympanal coverings in the male entirely conceal the orifices, which is also the case in the genus Tibicen, but the head including the eyes is much narrower in Cacama, being little more than two thirds the width of the mesonotum. The abdomen is broad and much rounded behind ; in Tibicen it is more tapering. The apical areas of the fore wings in Cacama are eight in number, the two lowermost small and somewhat square in shape. In Tibicen the two lowest apical areas are not as nearly of the same size, the seventh being much smaller than the eighth.

Specifically about Cacama valvata:

Mr. Woodgate writes of the valvata he sent from Jemez Springs, N. M., that they were very shy and often found about the bush cactus. Some he took in the evening while they were at rest on the cactus. “They are the only insects except ants that can settle on the bush cactus without impaling themselves. The toughest beetles become impaled when they settle on this cactus and the ants proceed to eat them, but these Cicadas that have a very swift flight, can settle with impunity.” He says that “their song is not sustained for more than about two minutes in the brightest sunshine even.”

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Cacama
Species: Cacama valvata (Uhler, 1888)

List of sources

  1. (1) Davis, W.T. 1919. CICADAS OF THE GENUS CACAMA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL NEW SPECIES. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. XXVII, No. I. Read it on archive.org.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Notes:

  • Some descriptions are based on aged specimens which have lost some or a lot of their color.

March 31, 2020

Megatibicen dealbatus (Davis, 1915) aka Plains Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 7:04 pm

Megatibicen dealbatus (Davis, 1915) aka Plains Cicada.

Neotibicen dealbatus from Bill Reynolds collection
Megatibicen dealbatus from Bill Reynolds collection. All M. dealbatus images and information on this website.

Song

Source: ©Insect Singers

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Name, Location and Description

A description by Wm. T. Davis.

The description comes from Wm. T. Davis’ document A NEW VARIETY OF CICADA RESEMBLING C. DORSATA. from September, 2015, published in the Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Vol. 23: 161-164.

Markings resembling those of C. dorsata [now M. dorsatus], but marginata var. dealbata is more green in color and has less black about the central area of the pronotum. The mesonotum is marked as in dorsata but is more pruinose ; the turgum has a dorsal line of white spots as in dorsata, but the sides are broadly pruinose and the posterior margin of each segment is narrowly edged with greenish yellow. Beneath both insects may be of the same color, though dorsata is usually much darker. The opercula are about as broad as long and broadly rounded at the tips. The fore wings in dorsata are oval in shape with the inner side (radius) of the costal margin blackish ; the veins are heavy and thickened, and the W-mark is prominent, whereas in luarginata var. dealbata the fore wings are more acuminate in form, the costal margin is green, darkened beyond the middle of the wing and the W-mark is not conspicuous or is wanting. One of the greatest differences between the two insects is in the genitalia. The uncus in dorsata viewed at full face is narrow and the piece below into which it locks is broadly notched with the extremities rounded. In var. dealbata the uncus is more nearly triangular in shape and the lower piece is narrowly notched with the extremities much produced. The male type of var. dealbata is figured.

Length of body 35 mm. ; length of fore wing 46 mm. ; expanse of wings 105 mm.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Megatibicen
Species: Megatibicen dealbatus (Davis, 1915)

List of sources

  1. Davis, W.T. A NEW VARIETY OF CICADA RESEMBLING C. DORSATA. 1915. The Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 23:161-164. Link to the paper.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

Megatibicen cultriformis (Davis, 1915) aka Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 6:21 pm

Megatibicen cultriformis (Davis, 1915) aka the Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada.

Megatibicen cultriformis
Photo by Richard Newfrock.Other cultriformis info and images on this website.

Listen to its song:

Source: ©Insect Singers

Name, Location and Description

Scientific classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genera: Megatibicen
Species: Megatibicen cultriformis (Davis, 1915)

William T Davis’s description from A New Cicada from Arizona:

Resembles Cicada marginata Say [now called Megatibicen pronotalis walkeri Metcalf, 1955] in size, color, and markings. Head black with an oblong greenish yellow spot each side between the eyes and a small spot of the same color on the front just above the transverse rugae. Pronotum greenish yellow with a large, conspicuous black spot occupying the fore part of its central area. The hind margin of the pronotum (collar) is entirely unicolorous as in marginata. The mesonotum is black, with a pruinose band each side at the base of the wings; the elevated x is greenish yellow, and there are two conspicuous, irregularly formed (pipe-shaped) greenish yellow spots occupying its central portion. The tergum is black, each side broadly margined with pruinose, and the segments have their posterior margins yellowish. There is also an indication of a dorsal line of pruinose spots on the tergum, which in the type have been nearly worn off. Beneath the head is blackish, the remainder of the insect being greenish yellow and more or less pruinose. The costal margin of the fore wing is entirely greenish yellow, darkened beyond the middle, and the w-mark is inconspicuous. Both fore and hind wings are greenish-yellow at base, with the veins darkened beyond the middle.

List of sources

  1. Davis, W.T. A NEW CICADA FROM ARIZONA.1915. Journal of The New York Entomological Society. v23:239-241.
  2. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  3. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  4. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  5. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.

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