Cicada Mania

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

March 27, 2022

Neotibicen lyricen molting in New Jersey July 2021

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Molting | Neotibicen | Nymphs | Teneral | United States — Dan @ 5:39 am

Here are some Neotibicen lyricen molting in New Jersey July 2021.

Rich caramel eyes; blues & pinks in pronotal collar, legs, and mesonotum; green wings (that will stay green) and orange abdomen.

Neotibicen lyricen New Jersey July 2021

Neotibicen lyricen New Jersey July 2021

Neotibicen lyricen New Jersey July 2021 02

Molting Neotibicen tibicen cicadas

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Molting | Neotibicen | Teneral | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 5:10 am

Here’s some photos of Molting Neotibicen tibicen tibicen cicadas taken in New Jersey in July of 2021.

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen July 2021

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen July 2021

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen July 2021

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen July 2021

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen July 2021

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen July 2021

April 18, 2020

Davis’ Key to Species of the Genus Tibicen found in the Southeastern United States

Davis provided a key of cicadas that belong to the then genus Tibicen in his 1918 article Mississippi Cicadas, with a Key to the Species of the Southeastern United States from volume 26 of the Journal of The New York Entomological Society. Download it from archive.org. This guide works for the Northeast and Midwest as well.

Mississippi Cicadas

Since 1918, genus and some species names have changed, so I’m going to present the key here, with highlighted notes on the updated names + images (when I have them). I’ll try to replicate the formatting of the original document as best I can.

Here goes…

Key to Species of the Genus Tibicen found in the Southeastern United States [works for most states east of the Rocky Mountains].

Note: the cicadas in the key are now organized in three genera: Neotibicen (A B), Megatibicen (A BB), and Diceroprocta (AA).

A. Large, heavy-bodied species; head broad, uncus [male genitals] simple, and first cross vein in the fore wings starting from radius 3 far back or about one-third distant from base of the 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 [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen tibicen], and new variety of davisi [new variety of davisi = Neotibicen davisi harnedi].

Note: this group of cicadas (B) are now organized under the genus Neotibicen, not Tibicen.

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

             A narrow irregular area of black on the under side of the abdomen; opercula short and broad, and usually in the males an attenuated, pruinose [frosty white] stripe each side on the dorsum of segment three … pruinosa (Say). [pruinosa = Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus].

N. pruinosus

Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus
photo by Paul Krombholz.

             Dorsum of abdomen with the hind margin of the segments more or less brown and generally but a trace of pruinose stripe each side on segment three … pruinosa var. winnemanna (Davis) [pruinosa var. winnemanna = Neotibicen winnemanna].

[Generally speaking, east of the Appalachian mountains, you’ll find Neotibicen winnemanna, and west, it’s Neotibicen pruinosus.]

Neotibicen winnemanna Garner NC
Photo of a Neotibicen winnemanna.

             Dorsum of abdomen shining black with a broad pruinose mark each side on segment three; blackened area on under side of abdomen more in the nature of an even stripe … pruinosa var latifasciata (Davis) [pruinosa var. latifasciata = Neotibicen latifasciatus].

             A longitudinal band of black on the under side of the abdomen, the opercula more lobate, and the margin of the front wings suddenly bent near the middle … linnei (Smith & Grossbeck) [linnei = Neotibicen linnei].

Neotibicen linnei
Photo of a Neotibicen linnei.

             A definite longitudinal band of black on the under side of the abdomen; head with the front rather prominent. Not a large species … canicularis (Harris) [canicularis = Neotibicen canicularis].

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

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

Krombholz Davisi compared
Photo by Paul Krombhold. Neotibicen davisi harnedi (left), Neotibicen davisi davisi (right).

        CC. Hind margin of pronotum or collar black or nearly so (except in sayi var. australis).

            D. Central area of the abdomen beneath black.

                 Opercula long and with the legs usually somewhat chest- nut colored ; the uncus when seen in profile forked, resembling the open mouth of a snake … similaris (Smith & Grossbeck) [similaris = Neotibicen similaris similaris].

                 Opercula much shorter, more rounded, and the black area on the under side of the abdomen in the nature of an even stripe. Uncus not forked … lyricen (De Geer) [lyricen = Neotibicen lyricen lyricen].

                 Blacker than typical lyricen, lacking the considerable amount of fulvous markings on the pronotum and mesonotum. A fulvous somewhat anchor-shaped mark centrally on the pronotum … lyricen var. engelhardti (Davis) [lyricen var. engelhardti = Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti].

            DD. Central area of the abdomen not black beneath, often pruinose, as well as the long opercula.

                 Collar black, often with a greenish spot each side near the outer angles. … sayi (Smith & Grossbeck) [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen tibicen].

                 Collar all green or nearly so, as well as the pronotum and mesonotum … sayi var. australis (Davis) [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen australis].

    BB. The uncus is 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.

Note: this group of cicadas (BB) are now organized under the genus Megatibicen, not Tibicen.

         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 rusty in color, anal cells (membranes) of both pair of wings gray; usually expands 110 mm. or more … resonans (Walker) [resonans = Megatibicen resonans].

Neotibicen resonans photos by Joe Green from 2007, taken in Florida.
Photo of a Megatibicen resonans by Joe Green.

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

M. figurata
Photo of a Megatibicen figuratus by Paul Krombholz.

         EE. Wings broad, hind margin of the pronotum or collar green or greenish and more than 2 mm. broad.

             F. Anal cells or membranes at base of fore and hind wings gray.

                 Dorsal segments of the abdomen not margined with brown ; in fresh specimens the basal segments pruinose, also the terminal segments, leaving the four middle segments black. A large species expanding over 110 mm. … auletes (Germar) [auletes = Megatibicen auletes].

Megatibicen auletes, the largest cicada in North America
Photo of a Megatibicen auletes.

             FF. Anal cells or membranes at base of fore and hind wings light orange, two prominent marks on the mesonotum resembling the Hebrew letter resh inverted.

                 Fore wings with the first and second cross veins clouded, and the dorsum of the abdomen brownish or brownish black … resh (Haldeman) [resh = Megatibicen resh].

Megatibicen resh molting adult
Photo of a Megatibicen resh.

                 Fore wings with the first and second cross veins but faintly or not at all clouded and the abdominal segments margined posteriorly with brown. In fresh specimens there is usually a median row of white spots on the dorsum of the abdomen … marginalis (Walker) [marginalis = Megatibicen pronotalis walkeri].

Megatibicen pronotalis photo by Roy Troutman, taken in Batavia, Ohio
Photo of a Megatibicen pronotalis walkeri by Roy Troutman.

AA. Small species; wings starting from about the middle of the first marginal cell.

Note: this group of cicadas (AA) are now organized under the genus Diceroprocta, not Tibicen.

     G. First and second cross veins of fore wings clouded.

         Expanse of wings about 90 mm … biconica (Walker) [biconica = Diceroprocta biconica].

         Expanse of wings about 60 mm … olympusa (Walker) [olympusa = Diceroprocta olympusa].

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

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

         Head rather large, front rounded, collar greenish or yellowish and contrasted in color rather sharply with the brown and black of pronotum and mesonotum … viridifascia (Walker) [viridifascia = Diceroprocta viridifascia].

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


Diceroprocta vitripennis photo by Paul Krombholz.

and that’s all folks…

April 13, 2020

Neotibicen auriferus (Say, 1825) aka Plains Dog-day Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | Thomas Say | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 5:45 pm

Neotibicen auriferus (Say, 1825)

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: N. auriferus

Name, Location and Description

Classification:

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

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. 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 9, 2020

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (Linnaeus, 1758) aka Morning Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Francis Walker | Linnaeus | Neotibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 7:22 pm

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (Linnaeus, 1758) aka Swamp Cicada or Morning Cicada. Morning because it sings in the morning. There is another sub-species of Neotibicen tibicen names Neotibicen tibicen australis. The key difference between the two is australis has a mostly green collar, while tibicen’s collar is black.

Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (Morning Cicada) photos by Roy Troutman
Photo by Roy Troutman. Ohio.

Female Neotibicen tibicen abdomenPhoto by Dan Mozgai. New Jersey.

See all Neotibicen tibicen tibicen images & information on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: Dan Mozgai.

Video

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Name, Location and Description

  • Cicada Name: Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Short Name: N. tibicen tibicen
  • Common Name: Swamp Cicada, Morning Cicada
  • Synonym/Former Name: Tibicen sayi, Tibicen cholormera, Tibicen cholormerus, Tibicen tibicen tibicen
  • When: June-September. Peak in August.
  • Where it is found: AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WV, WI
  • Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
  • Description: Swamp Cicadas are are known for their rounded, humped back. Their coloration varies from mostly black & some green to black, brown and green. Their collar is usually black, but can include green.
  • Eye Color: black or dark green
  • Pronotal Collar Color: black
  • Identification: Bug Guide
  • Identification: iNaturalist
  • Subject Matter Expert website: Cicada Central
  • Image: Insect Images
  • Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
  • Song: Insect Singers

Identification Key by Wm. T. Davis

At the time Davis wrote this key Neotibicen tibicen tibicen was named Tibicen sayi.

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 [sayi = Neotibicen tibicen tibicen]

CC. Hind margin of pronotum or collar black or nearly so (except in sayi \ar. australis).

DD. Central area of the abdomen not black beneath, often
pruinose, as well as the long opercula.

Collar black, often with a greenish spot each side near the outer angles sayi (Smith & Grossbeck).

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

Teneral (soft) and sclerotized (hard) N.tibicen tibicen
Photo by Paul Krombholz.

Francis Walker’s description:

This is France’s Walker’s description from List of the specimens of homopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, Francis Walker, edited by John Edward Gray, Supplement, (2 p. l., 369, [1] p.) issued in 1858, 1850. Link to document.

Walker named the cicada Thopha chloromera, and once the Tibicen genus was constructed, its name changed to Tibicen chloromerus (Walker,1850). But… Carl Linneaus had previously named it Cicada tibicen in 1758, and once the Neotibicen genus was constructed, its name became Neotibicen tibicen (Linnaeus, 1758).

That said, Walker’s description is still valid and useful:

First cross-vein nearly straight, very slanting, forming an extremely obtuse angle, parted from the second by more than thrice its length; second curved, very slanting, forming an extremely obtuse angle, longer than the first; third slightly waved, slanting, forming a right angle; fourth slightly waved, slanting, forming an acute angle, a little longer than the third; fifth almost upright, very slightly curved, forming- a nearly right angle. Body black above, tawny and tinged with green beneath : head a little narrower than the fore-chest, adorned with several small tawny marks, and on each side of the front with one of larger size ; face slightly convex, not at all prominent, adorned with a pale tawny elliptical mark, tawny with blackish bands on each side in front : mouth tawny with a pitchy tip, reaching the middle-hips : eyes rather prominent : scutcheon of the fore-chest adorned with two oblique black stripes, which are united behind; fore border black excepting a little interval in the middle ; hind-scutcheon adorned on each side with three greenish- tawny spots, one large, the other two small ; sides not angular, but slightly excavated in front and slightly convex near the base of each fore-wing : scutcheon of the middle-chest adorned with a tawny slender double U-shaped mark whose inner sides are interrupted in front and behind ; on each side of this are two oblique tawny stripes which are united behind ; the middle pair are broader than the outer pair, and their inner sides are excavated ; hind border slightly excavated in the middle ; cross-ridge tawny : abdomen obconical, longer than the chest, black above, tawny beneath : drums very large, pale tawny, much more than half the length of the abdomen, slightly overlapping : legs green, streaked with tawny; fore-thighs armed with two stout black teeth ; spines of the hind-shanks ferruginous with black tips : wings colourless, bright green at the base ; veins ferruginous, green towards the base and along half the length of the fore border ; first and second cross-veins clouded with brown. Length of the body 17 lines; of the wings 48 lines.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen tibicen
Sub-species: Neotibicen tibicen australis (Davis, 1912)
Sub-species: Neotibicen tibicen tibicen (Linnaeus, 1758)

List of sources

  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. Read 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.

Neotibicen winnemanna (Davis, 1912) aka Eastern Scissor(s) Grinder

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 5:24 pm

Neotibicen winnemanna (Davis, 1912) aka Eastern Scissor(s) Grinder.

Neotibicen winnemanna Garner NC
Photo by Dan Mozgai. North Carolina.

N. winnemanna
Photo by Dan Mozgai. Titusville, New Jersey. Yes, the head is missing. 🤷 Note the brown coloring on the abdomen.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers.

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Name, Location and Description

Identification Key by Wm. T. Davis: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

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

Dorsum of abdomen with the hind margin of the segments more or less brown and generally but a trace of pruinose stripe each side on segment three.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen winnemanna (Davis, 1912)

List of sources

  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. Read 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.

Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus (Say, 1825) aka Scissor(s) Grinder

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 4:58 pm

Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus (Say, 1825) aka Scissor(s) Grinder.

N. pruinosus
Photo by Paul Krombholz.

This is a Neotibicen pruinosus fulvus Beamer, 1924, for comparison:
Neotibicen fulvus by Bill Reynols
Photo by Bill Reynolds.

See all Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus images & information on cicadamania.com.

There’s another sub-species of pruinosus called Neotibicen pruinosus fulvus, that is lighter in coloring. N. linnei, N. winnemanna, and N latifasciatus closely resemble N. pruinosus.

Song type: Call

“z-zape, z-zape, z-zape”


Source: ©Insect Singers.

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

Name, Location and Description

Notes on the song of pruinosus by Wm. T. Davis:1

The song of pruinosa is quite unlike that of any of the other large native cicadas, and may be rendered as z-zape, z-zape, z-zape. The insect often remains quiet all day, singing from about 3 or 4 P. M. until dark.

Identification Key by Wm. T. Davis: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

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

A narrow irregular area of black on the underside of the abdomen; opercula short and broad, and usually in the males an attenuated, pruinose stripe each side on the dorsum of segment three.

Teneral (soft) and sclerotized (hard) of an N. pruinosus

Teneral (soft) and sclerotized (hard) of an N. pruinosus
Photo by Paul Krombholz.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen tibicen
Sub-species: Neotibicen pruinosus fulvus Beamer, 1924
Sub-species: Neotibicen pruinosus pruinosus (Say, 1825)

List of sources

  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. Read 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.

Neotibicen linnei (Smith and Grossbeck, 1907) aka Linne’s Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 4:00 pm

Neotibicen linnei (Smith and Grossbeck, 1907) aka Linne’s Cicada.

Neotibicen linnei
Photo by Dan Mozgai.

See all Neotibicen linnei images & information about cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers

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Name, Location and Description

A description of linnei by Wm. T. Davis from Mississippi Cicadas, with a Key to the Species of the Southeastern United States1

The female of this species often closely resembles that of T. pruinosa [Neotibicen pruinosus], but in linnei the fore wings are abruptly bent near the middle, whereas in pruinosa the curve is more regular. The song is very different from that of pruinosa and is a continuous z-ing, but generally of short duration.

Identification Key by Wm. T. Davis: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

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

A longitudinal band of black on the under side of the abdomen, the opercula more lobate, and the margin of the front wings suddenly bent near the middle.

Example of the wing bend:
Wing Bend

What this cicada looks like when it is still soft

Color varies, even from the same location:

N. linnei

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen linnei (Smith & Grossbeck, 1907)

List of sources

  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. Read 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 8, 2020

Neotibicen superbus (Fitch, 1855) aka Superb Dog-Day Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 5:58 pm

Neotibicen superbus (Fitch, 1855) aka Superb Dog-Day Cicada.

Neotibicen superbus photo by Sloan Childers from 2005. Round Rock, Texas.
Photo by Sloan Childers.

See all Neotibicen superbus images & information on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers.

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

Name, Location and Description

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen superbus (Fitch, 1855)

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. 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.

Neotibicen lyricen lyricen (De Geer, 1773) aka Lyric Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 5:31 pm

Neotibicen lyricen lyricen (De Geer, 1773) aka Lyric Cicada.

Lyric cicada
Photo by Dan Mozgai. New Jersey.

All Neotibicen lyricen lyricen images & information on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call

“Monotonous zinnnnnnnng”:


Source: ©Insect Singers

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Name, Location and Description

Teneral Lyricen images

These are photographs of the same cicada. On the left, it had recently molted (found on the ground like this). The pastel pink, blue, yellow, and orange colors are striking. An hour and a half later most colors have resolved to browns, except for the wings.
Teneral Lyricen

A Neotibicen lyricen lyricen description by Wm T. Davis from 1918 1

Tibicen lyricen (De Geer). PI. VIII, fig. i.

Red Bank, August, 1917, male (J. G. Kizer) ; Logtown, summer.
1917, female (A. Lutken) ; Rienzi, August 23, 1915, male (H. Y. Jumper).
This is a widely distributed insect in the eastern half of the United States, being found from Texas to Florida, and Kansas to Massachusetts. In the higher parts of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, the variety engcUiardti (Davis) is the pre- vailing form of the species. This is characterized by having the pro- notum and mesonotum nearly all black, except for the somewhat anchor-shaped, tawny spot on the former. It will perhaps be found in the uplands of Mississippi.

The song of lyricen is a rather monotonous zing.

Wm T. Davis’ Identification Key 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 [Neotibicen tibicen tibicen], and new variety of davisi [Neotibicen davisi].

CC. Hind margin of pronotum or collar black or nearly so (except in sayi var. australis [Neotibicen tibicen australis]).

D. Central area of the abdomen beneath black.

Opercula much shorter, more rounded, and the black area on the under side of the abdomen in the nature
of an even stripe. Uncus not forked.
lyricen (De Geer).

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Neotibicen
Species: Neotibicen lyricen
Sub-species: Neotibicen lyricen lyricen (Degeer, 1773)
Sub-species: Neotibicen lyricen virescens Davis, 1935
Sub-species: Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti (Davis, 1910)

List of sources

  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. Read 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.

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