Cicada Mania

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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

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube:

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.

April 2, 2020

Cicadettana calliope calliope (Walker, 1850) aka Southern Grass Cicada

Filed under: Cicadettana | Cicadettini | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 8:14 pm

Cicadettana calliope calliope (Walker, 1850) aka Southern Grass Cicada.

Cicadettana calliope photo taken by Paul Krombholz
Pink Cicadettana calliope photo taken by Paul Krombholz.

Cicadettana calliope photo taken by Paul Krombholz
Yellow Cicadettana calliope photo taken by Paul Krombholz.

â­¢ All Cicadettana calliope calliope images and photos on cicadamania.com.

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: C. calliope calliope

Song type: Call


Source: ©Insect Singers | Species: C. calliope calliope

Name, Location and Description

A description by Wm.T. Davis1

The species has a wide distribution and shows considerable variation. The females are gen- erally a little larger than the males and with broader heads. There are both green and brown individuals.

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Cicadettini
Subtribe: Cicadettina
Genus: Cicadetta
Species: Cicadetta calliope calliope (Walker, 1850)

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. 26: 141-155. 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

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

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.

March 24, 2020

Neotibicen superbus, Megatibicen dorsatus, Megatibicen resh

Left to Right: Neotibicen superbus, Megatibicen dorsatus, Megatibicen dorsatus, Megatibicen resh from the collection of Bill Reynolds.

N. superbus, N. dorsatus, N. resh from the collection of Bill Reynolds

Megatibicen auletes

Filed under: Bill Reynolds | Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 9:11 pm

Megatibicen auletes from Bill Reynolds’ collection. A lot of cicadas! People send Bill cicadas from all over the U.S., because he’s a renowned cicada expert, and his collection grows and grows. Lucky guy.

Neotibicen auletes from Bill Reynolds collection

Neotibicen auletes from Bill Reynolds collection

Megatibicen dealbatus

Filed under: Bill Reynolds | Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 9:07 pm

Megatibicen dealbatus from Bill Reynolds’ collection.

Neotibicen dealbatus from Bill Reynolds collection

Megatibicen dorsatus

Filed under: Bill Reynolds | Cryptotympanini | Megatibicen | United States — Tags: — Dan @ 9:04 pm

Megatibicen dorsatus from Bill Reynolds’ collection.

Neotibicen dorsatus from Bill Reynolds collection

Neotibicen lyricen

Neotibicen lyricen from Bill Reynolds’ collection.

Top row is Neotibicen lyricen lyricen, and Bottom row is Neotibicen lyricen engelhardi.

Neotibicen lyricen from Bill Reynolds collection

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