Cicada Mania

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April 8, 2020

Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti (Davis, 1910) aka Dark Lyric Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 4:44 pm

Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti (Davis, 1910) aka Dark Lyric Cicada.

Here's two Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti photos by Roy Troutman from 2004. Probably taken in Ohio.
Photo by Roy Troutman. Ohio.

Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti Raleigh NC
Photo by Dan Mozgai. North Carolina.

See all Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti images and information on cicadamania.com.

Song

This song is of the other Neotibicen lyricen sub-species Neotibicen lyricen lyricen. Their songs are similar enough to use as a reference:


Source: ©Insect Singers.

Name, Location and Description

Wm T Davis’ 1910 description of Neotibicen lyricen engelhardti1

Cicada engelhardti n. sp.

Length: [male] 32 mm., to tip of wings, 50 mm.; [female] 30 mm., to tip of wings 50 mm.

Head black, sometimes with narrow, tawny stripe on front. Pro-thorax black, with small, greenish fulvous central arrow-shaped spot, broadest behind. In lyricen this spot is broadest in front. Posterior and lateral borders of the pronotum black. Mesothorax nearly all black, with two faint parenthesis-like lines of fulvous partly enclos- ing the central portion. Sometimes these lines are heavier and there is a shade of fulvous on the posterior portion of the mesothorax. The inner surface of the front marginal vein is usually back and darker than the same parts in lyricen. Abdomen black above, with two nar- row pruinose lines or spots at base. Beneath, with broad central black stripe and at each side is a broad lateral pruinose border.

This insect is blacker than Cicada lyricen, lacking the considerable amount of fulvous markings of that species, particularly on the pro- thorax.

Identification Key by Wm. T. Davis from 19182

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.

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.

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. 1910. Observations on Cicada pruinosa and a description of a new species. Entomological News Philadelphia. Vol 21. Pages 457-458. Read on archive.org.
  2. 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.
  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.

April 7, 2020

Neotibicen latifasciatus (Davis, 1915) aka Coastal Scissor(s) Grinder Cicada

Filed under: Cryptotympanini | Neotibicen | United States | William T. Davis — Tags: — Dan @ 8:41 pm

Neotibicen latifasciatus (Davis, 1915) aka Coastal Scissor(s) Grinder Cicada.

Male Neotibicen latifasciatus on cedar 2

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

Song


Source: ©Insect Singers.

Name, Location and Description

Wm. T. Davis description

Neotibicen latifasciatus was described in 1915 by Davis in the article Notes on Some Cicadas from the Eastern and Central United States with a Description of a New Variety of Cicada Pruinosa in the Journal of The New York Entomological Society. 1

Smith and Grossbeck say of the specimens they had from the coast of New Jersey and which we now know to be a variety: “Abdomen above black, base of first segment with a white, heavily pruinose lateral dash, which encroaches to some extent upon the second segment; a similar but longer and broader lateral dash extends along the base of the third segment and a spot of the same color is on each side of the eighth segment. In the female the dash of the second segment differs from that of the male in not becoming attenuated dorsally, but in being squarely truncated.”

For the variety thus described with the broad white lateral dashes on segment three, we propose the name of latifasciafa. We then have Cicada pruninosa [now Neotibicen pruinosus] as described by Say, with the tergum entirely black or nearly so, with the attenuated white stripe at the lateral base of the third abdominal segment, being the form common from Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, etc., of which we figure a male from Chetopa, Kansas ; Cicada pruinosa var. latifasciata so far known only from the coastal region of the eastern and southern United States, with the broad stripe on segment three and abdomen beneath more shining black, of which we figure a male from Cape May Co., New Jersey, and Cicada pruninosa var. winnemanna [now Neotibicen winnemanna] with the hind margins of the abdominal segments more or less fulvous, the second segment having the band broader than the others and a white streak generally hardly discernible each side at the base of the third segment, of which we figure a male from Plummer’s Island, Maryland. The females of these cicadas have the charactertistic markings far less distinct than in the males and occasionally some are entirely absent.

Identification key by Wm T Davis2

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.

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.)

Classification:

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

List of sources

  1. (1) Davis, W.T. 1915. Notes on Some Cicadas from the Eastern and Central United States with a Description of a New Variety of Cicada Pruinosa. Journal of The New York Entomological Society. Vol 23, Pages 1-10. Read on archive.org.
  2. (2) 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.
  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.

April 6, 2020

Neotibicen davisi aka Davis’ Southeastern Dog-Day Cicada

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.

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

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.

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

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

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

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

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

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

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

Video Playlist

Playlists contain multiple videos found on YouTube.

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

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.

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