Molting cicada photos from Japan by John McDonald. Taken in 2004.
Category: Japan
Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata is a cicada found in Japan and Korea. There are two subspecies. It is also known as Abura-zemi.
Photo by Osamu Hikino:
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Polyneurini
SubTribe: Polyneurina
Genus: Graptopsaltria
Species:
- Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata badia Kato, 1925
- Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata nigrofuscata (de Motschulsky, 1866)
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadae in Japan.
According to iNaturalist observations this cicada is found in July and August.
Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
There are five sub-species of Auritibicen flammatus. They are found in Japan and known as Aka-ezo-zemi.
Auritibicen flammatus adonis photo by Osamu Hikino.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Auritibicen (formerly Lyristes and Tibicen)
Subspecies:
- Auritibicen flammatus adonis Kato, 1933
- Auritibicen flammatus concolor Kato, 1934
- Auritibicen flammatus flammatus (Distant, 1892)
- Auritibicen flammatus nakamurai Kato, 1940
- Auritibicen flammatus viridiflavus Kato, 1939
For more information about Auritibicen flammatus, visit Cicadae in Japan.
Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Auritibicen kyushyuensis is found in Japan and is known as Kyushu-ezo-zemi.
Auritibicen kyushyuensis photo by Osamu Hikino:
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Auritibicen (formerly Lyristes and Tibicen)
Species: Auritibicen kyushyuensis (Kato, 1926)
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadae in Japan.
There are ten sub-species of Auritibicen japonicus. They are found in Japan and known as Ezo-zemi.
Photo of a male Auritibicen japonicus by Osamu Hikino.
Photo of an Auritibicen japonicus by Osamu Hikino:
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Auritibicen (formerly Lyristes and Tibicen)
Subspecies:
- Auritibicen japonicus echigo Kato, 1936
- Auritibicen japonicus hooshianus (Matsumura, 1936)
- Auritibicen japonicus immaculatus Kato, 1933
- Auritibicen japonicus interruptus Kato, 1943
- Auritibicen japonicus itoi Kato, 1939
- Auritibicen japonicus iwaoi Kato, 1939
- Auritibicen japonicus japonicus (Kato, 1925)
- Auritibicen japonicus kobayashii Kato, 1939
- Auritibicen japonicus niger Kato, 1933
- Auritibicen japonicus nigrofasciatus Kato, 1940
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadae in Japan.
Tanna japonensis japonensis (Distant, 1892) is a cicada found in Japan. There is another subspecies without a subspecies name (see below).
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Leptopsaltriini
SubTribe: Leptopsaltriina (which means slender harp player in Greek)
Genus: Tanna
Subspecies: Tanna japonensis japonensis (Distant, 1892)
Subspecies: Tanna japonensis var. ______ Ishihara, 1939
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Tanna genus description by W. L. Distant in Genera Insectorum, 1913:
Characters. — Head (including eyes) narrower than base of mesonotum and about as long as space between eyes; lateral margins of pronotum angularly sinuate, but not prominently toothed ; abdomen much longer than space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympana covered ; opercula small, not or scarcely extending beyond base of abdomen; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina and wings hyaline. Closely allied to Leptopsaltria, from which it differs by only having a lateral tubercle on the second and not on the third ventral segment, in other respects resembling the genus Pomponia.
According to iNaturalist observations they’re found in July and August.
References:
- 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).
- Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1
Leptopsaltria tuberosa (Signoret, 1847) is a cicada found in India, Japan, and on Java (Indonesia), according the the Genera Insectorum, 1913. That’s quite a range.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Leptopsaltriini
SubTribe: Leptopsaltriina
Genus: Leptopsaltria
Species: Leptopsaltria tuberosa (Signoret, 1847)
Leptopsaltria genus description by W. L. Distant in Genera Insectorum, 1913:
Characters. — Head (including eyes), considerably narrower than base of mesonotum, ocelli not quite twice the distance from eyes as from each other, front somewhat conical and subprominent; pronotum with the lateral margins moderately ampliated and more or less distinctly toothed or angulated; genae internally at apex near base of lorae furnished with a tubercle or tumescence; abdomen moderately long and robust; anterior femora distinctly and robustly spined; rostrum extending beyond the posterior coxae; tympana covered; opercula short; second and third abdominal segments in the male furnished with a well-developed tubercle near each lateral margin; tegmina and wings hyaline, venation normal, tegminal apical areas eight in number.
References:
- 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).
- Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1
Graptopsaltria bimaculata Kato, 1925. Formerly known as Graptopsaltria tienta. Yes, its species name as changed since 1913! It is found in China and Japan.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Polyneurini
SubTribe: Polyneurina
Genus: Graptopsaltria
Species: Graptopsaltria bimaculata Kato, 1925
The image says Graptopsaltria tienta but now the cicada is known as Graptopsaltria bimaculata.
Graptopsaltria genus description by W. L. Distant:
Characters. — Body robust, attenuated posteriorly; head, including eyes, narrower than the anterior lateral margins of the pronotum; ocelli wider apart from eyes than from each other; rostrum extending to about posterior coxae; pronotum with the lateral margins irregularly convex, not prominently ampliated or laminately expanded; anterior femora robustly spined; tympana practically covered ; opercula short, broad, not extending beyond basal segment of abdomen; tegmina opaque, apical areas eight, transverse vein at the base of the second apical area much curved, interior ulnar area not distinctly widened at apex; wings opaque, apical areas six.
References:
- 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.
- Species name information/verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Many species shown on this page are not endemic to a single country. Typically if a cicada can be found in one country in Indo-China (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), it will be found in many others, as well as southern China.
Ambragaeana Chou & Yau, 1985
Ambragaeana ambra Chou & Yao, 1985. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Ambragaeana ambra is found in Indo-China and China.
Angamiana Distant, 1890
Angamiana floridula Distant, 1904
Angamiana floridula is found in Indo-China and China.
Ayuthia Distant, 1919
Ayuthia spectabile Distant, 1919.
Ayuthia spectabile is found in Indo-China and China.
Becquartina Kato, 1940
Becquartina electa (Jacobi, 1902) from Thailand. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Becquartina electa is found in Indo-China and China.
Becquartina versicolor Boulard, 2005 Thailand. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Becquartina versicolor is found primarily in Thailand, but I imagine it can be found in adjacent nations as well.
Callogaeana Chou & Yao, 1985
Callogaeana festiva festiva (Fabricius, 1803). Formerly Gaeana festiva.
Callogaeana festiva festiva is found in Indo-China and China.
Chremistica Stål, 1870
Cicadmalleus
Cryptotympana Stål, 1861
Cryptotympana aquila (Walker, 1850) from Thailand. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Cryptotympana aquila has a huge range from Korea south to Indo-China, as well as, Borneo, Sumatra and Brunei.
Female Cryptotympana atrata (Fabricius, 1775) from Korea. Photo by Jon Allen.
Cryptotympana atrata has a large range from Indo-China north to Korea.
Cryptotympana mandarina Distant, 1891. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Distantalna Boulard, 2009
Distantalna splendida (Distant, 1878)
Dundubia Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Dundubia sp. Photo by Santisuk Vibul.
Dundubia spiculata Noualhier, 1896. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Euterpnosia Matsumura, 1917
Euterpnosia chibensis. Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Formotosena Kato, 1925
Formotosena montivaga (Distant, 1889). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Gaeana Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Gaeana cheni Chou & Yao, 1985. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Hyalessa China, 1925
Hyalessa maculaticollis maculaticollis (de Motschulsky, 1866). Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Huechys Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Huechys sanguinea (Degeer, 1773). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
H. sanguinea can be found throughout Asia, including China, Indo-China, India & Pakistan.
Lyristes Horváth, 1926
Depending on who you ask, the Genus is Lyristes or Tibicen, so I’ll mention both. Wait — not it’s Auritibicen.
Lyristes flammatus or Tibicen flammatus (Distant, 1892)
L. flammatus aka T. flammatus (there is some dispute over the name of the genus) can be found in Japan, Korea and China.
Macrosemia Kato, 1925
Macrosemia chantrainei Boulard, 2003. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Macrosemia tonkiniana (Jacobi, 1905). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Macrosemia umbrata. Photo by Raghu Ananth.
Orientopsaltria Kato, 1944
Orientopsaltria beaudouini Boulard, 2003. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Platylomia Stål, 1870
Platylomia radah (Distant, 1881). Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Platypleura Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Platypleura capitata (Olivier, 1790). Photo by Raghu Ananth.
Pomponia Stål, 1866
Purana Distant, 1905
Salvazana Distant, 1913
Salvazana mirabilis imperialis Distant, 1918. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Salvazana mirabilis mirabilis Distant, 1913
Sulphogaeana Chou & Yao, 1985
Sulphogaeana sulphurea (Westwood, 1839).
Tacua Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Tacua speciosa (Illger, 1980). Photo by Anonymous.
Tailanga Distant, 1890
Tailanga binghami Distant, 1890. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
T. binghami is found in China and the countries of Indo-China.
Tosena Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843
Tosena albata Distant, 1878. Photo by Michel Chantraine.
Trengganua Moulton, 1923
Blog Catagories:
Links for further research:
Southeast Asia
- Phantastic songs of the S.E. Asian cicadas!
- Cicada sounds of Borneo
- A visual comparison of some cicadas of Southeast Asia
India
Japan
- Cicadae in Japan An excellent resource, including a list of Japanese cicadas, dozens of photos and audio files.
- Cicada stamps and sculptures from Japan and elsewhere
- Japanese insect pictures Many cicada photos!
Cicada species names and locations verified using The Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) by Allen F Sanborn.
Photo: Auritibicen japonicus by Osamu Hikino.
Cicada season in Japan, like North America, seems to be best from June to September, peaking in August. Different cicada species emerge at different times of the year, but the majority of them are active during the summer.
The best website for the cicadas of Japan that I’ve come across is Cicadae in Japan which is run by Y. Saisho who co-wrote the amazing The Cicadidae of Japan book & CD.
I don’t have too many photos of cicadas from Japan on this site, but here are some of the more well known (Genus names may have changed recently):
Auritibicen flammatus (formerly Tibicen flammatus, Lyristes flammatus)
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Auritibicen japonicus (formerly Tibicen japonicus, Lyristes japonicus)
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Here’s a video from the YouTube:
Auritibicen kyushyuensis
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Hyalessa maculaticollis
Platypleura kaempferi
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Tanna japonensis
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Euterpnosia chibensis
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Yezoterpnosia nigricosta
Photo by Osamu Hikino.
Cicadas are very popular in Japan, and they find their way into pop culture (Anime, live action kids shows like Ultraman). This photo features a cicada toy when spun, makes a sound, some cicada clicker toys, a plush Oncotympana, a Seminingen (bad guy from Ultraman), and Yotsuba a green-haired girl who has caught a cicada (Lyristes japonicus perhaps):
Cicada News & Photos
The best place, I’ve found, to keep track of which cicadas are out in Japan is Twitter.
These are many of the Twitter feeds I follow. You don’t need to belong to Twitter to view their feeds, but it’s more fun if you join.
- ?? ?? ?????? SAISHO, Y. – the person who wrote the book on cicadas from Japan.
- Y.Kohei @YKohei3
- ????? @Cicada_Kaneko
- @cicadamania which is the twitter feed for this site
Bonus:
Here’s a video of a Yezoterpnosia nigricosta taken by Elias Bonaros: