Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.
Platylomia radah is a cicada found in Burma, China, India, Nepal, and Thailand.
Photo by Michel Chantraine:
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Dundubiina
Genus: Platylomia
Species: Platylomia radah (Distant, 1881)
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadas of India.
Megapomponia intermedia is a cicada found in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Photo by Michel Chantraine:
Note: the image reads Pomponia intermedia, but since the time the photograph was taken the name of the cicada has changed to Megapomponia intermedia.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Megapomponiina
Genus: Megapomponia
Species: Megapomponia intermedia (Distant, 1905)
Megapomponia imperatoria is a cicada found in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand. This is the largest cicada in the world
Photo by Michel Chantraine:
Note: the photo reads “Pomponia imperatoria”, but since the time of the photograph the name of the cicada has changed.
Description 1:
Body above brownish-ochraceous, in some specimens castaneous. Head with a central longitudinal spot to the front, the area of the ocelli, a transverse spot behind eyes, and a spot at anterior angles of vertex, black. Pronotiim with two central longitudinal linear fasciae not extending beyond center — a central spot at the posterior margin — and the furrows black; posterior margin greenish, with two black spots on each side. Mesonotum with two obconical central spots, from the junction of which a longitudinal fascia extends to posterior margin, four spots in transverse series at the base, a spot on each lateral discal area, and sometimes some small spots at anterior margin black. Abdomen with the posterior margins of the abdominal segments narrowly black. Body beneath and legs brownish-ochraceous; transverse striations and the apex of the face, anterior tibiae, bases, and apical thirds of the intermediate tibiae, anterior and intermediate tarsi and the apex of the rostrum, black.
Tegmina and wings pale hyaline, the venation ochraceous. Tegmina with the costal membrane and basal cell brownish or ochraceous, the claval area ochraceous or sanguineous; the transverse veins at the bases of the second, third, fifth, and seventh apical areas infuscated and a series of fuscous marginal spots at the apices of the longitudinal veins to apical areas. Wings with the base of claval area ochraceous or sanguineous; outer margin of claval area ochraceous.
Long. excl. tegm. Male 46 to 68 millim. ; Female 41 to GO millim. Exp. tegm. Male 137 to 180 millim. ; Female, 145 to 216 millim.
This is a most variable species, both as regards size and markings. The largest specimen I have yet seen is a female in my o\vn collection from Perak, whose tegmina reach an expansion of 216 millim. In some of the smaller specimens, the body is darker, and the markings to same and the spotting of the tegmina very indistinct. There almost seem to be two races of this species, one very much smaller and somewhat less prominently marked than the other.
As I have elsewhere recorded, I captured this fine species myself, not infrequently, when sojourning in the Malay Peninsula. It often frequented the dining-room, and on holding it between the fingers its stridulation caused a thrill through the nerves of the arm.*
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Megapomponiina
Genus: Megapomponia
Species: Megapomponia imperatoria (Westwood, 1842)
Macrosemia umbrata is a cicada found in China, Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand, and likely adjacent nations.
Photo by Raghu Ananth taken in Arunachal Pradesh, India.
This cicada is also known as Macrosemia chantrainei2. Here is a photo by Michel Chantraine:
Same insect?
Description (from when the cicada was known as Cosmopsaltria umbrata):
Male. Head and thorax above obscure olivaceous. Head with the lateral margins to the front, the area of the ocelli, and some irregular spots on each lateral area of the vertex black; eyes ochraceous. Pronotum with two u-regular central black fasciae, ampliated at base and apex, and with two at each lateral margin, the posterior margin with its edge narrowly black and a black spot near lateral angles. Mesonotum with two central blackish obconical spots, between which a narrow l)lack fascia extends to the base, and a black spot in front of each anterior angle of the basal cruciform elevation. Abdomen above largely suffused with dull black shadings. Body beneath olivaceous; a central fascia to face, the anterior margin between face and eyes, inner margins and apices of femora, and the tibia more or less blackish. Opercula olivaceous, their apices and a spot near base blackish. Abdomen beneath olivaceous, largely suffused with black shadings.
Tegmina and wings pale hyaline, the venation fuscous; tegmina with the base and costal membrane fuscous, the transverse veins at the bases of the second, third, fifth, and seventh apical areas and the apices of the longitudinal veins of apical areas infuscated.
The rostrum has the apex pitchy and just passing the posterior coxa; the opercula are somewhat narrowed, concavely sinuated on each side near the base, and narrowed towards apices, which are obtusely and reach the fourth abdominal segment.
Long. excl. tegm. 46 millim. Exp. tegm. 120 millim.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Macrosemiina
Genus: Macrosemia
Species: Macrosemia umbrata (Distant, 1888)
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadas of India.
Sulphogaeana sulphurea is a cicada found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. Is was formerly known as Gaeana sulphurea. It is one of the cicadas known as “butterfly cicadas” because of their colorful wings. Sulphogaeana sulphurea are yellow like the mineral sulfur.
Photo by Jeff Blincow:
Description:
Male. Body above black; lateral margins of the vertex of head,— continued to between eyes,— pronotum (excluding the fissures, margins, and a central hour-glass-shaped fascia), four linear spots to mesonotum (sometimes united in pairs), and the margins of the anal appendage, reddish-ochraceous. Body beneath and legs black; a fascia on each side of the face, sternal streaks, a spot at the base of tegmina, posterior segmental margins,- obliterated centrally,— and the anal appendage, ochraceous.
Tegmina and wings sulphureous; tegmina with the inner margin of the costal membrane, a curved and inwardly angulated fascia crossing center, and the whole apical area,— including the upper ulnar area,— blackish; costal membrane ochraceous, postcostal area blackish; wings with the apical area— broadly, and narrowing to anal angle— blackish.
Face with a narrow but distinct central sulcation; the rostrum reaching the posterior coxae.
Long. excl. tegm. Male 35 to 37 milHm. Exp. tegm. 85 to 92 millim.
This is a moderately scarce species, and it seems almost confined to the province of Bengal.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Gaeanini
SubTribe: Gaeanina
Genus: Sulphogaeana
Species: Sulphogaeana sulphurea (Westwood, 1839)
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadas of India.
Tosena albata is a cicada found in Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the past, this cicada was known as Tosena melanoptera.
Photo by Michel Chantraine:
Description:
Tegmina with five longitudinal greyish fasciae, one occupying radial area, and the others divided by ulnar veins, two of which amalgamate with the transverse fascia, and five irregular greyish fasciae situate in the apical areas. Wings with nine greyish ray-like fasciae situate on outer margin, the one at anal area largest; two-thirds of the outer margin narrowly edged with greyish. Apices of the femora not ochraceous.
Long. excl. tegm. Male 58 to 62 millim.; Female 48 millim. Exp. tegm. Male, 140 to 155 millim. Female, 130 millim.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Tosenini
Genus: Tosena
Species: Tosena albata Distant, 1878
For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadas of India.
Polyneura ducalis Westwood, 1840, is found in China, Tibet, Indonesia, Burma, Nepal, India, and likely more nations in the region.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Polyneurini
SubTribe: Polyneurina
Genus: Polyneura
Species: Polyneurina ducalis Westwood, 1840
Polyneura genus description by W. L. Distant:
Characters. — Head including eyes about as wide as base of mesonotum, but narrower than pronotum, ocelli further apart from eyes than from each other, front obliquely depressed; pronotum longer than mesonotum, its lateral margins ampliated and medially shortly angulate; abdomen longer than space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympanal orifices completely covered; opercula short and broad; meso- and metasterna centrality sulcate; tegmina opaque with the venation dense and furcate, reticulate towards apex, all the areas numerous and ill-defined.
Photo from my collection:
