Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890). Found in eastern Africa, specifically Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Koma
Species: Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890)
Koma genus description by W. L. Distant:
Characters. — Head (including eyes) wider than base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly. but frontally produced, about as long as pronotum (excluding its posterior margin); pronotum slightly shorter than mesonotum, its posterior margin about half the length of vertex, the lateral margins- moderately dilated, slightly angulated, but not reaching basal cell of tegmina ; anterior femora with one or more distinct spines on under surface; posterior tibiae with a few slender spines on apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate; tympana large; opercula short, broad, in type the margins oblique; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae ; tegmina with the basal cell short and broad; ulnar veins well separated at their bases.
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.
The Tacua speciosa is a beautiful cicada native to the countries Malaysia & Indonesia, and the islands Borneo & Sumatra, and likely other islands and nations of the area. Tacua speciosa are well known for their large size, opaque wings, black body, striking yellow/chartreuse pronotal collar, red cruciform elevation, and cyan or yellow tergites. There are two subspecies.
The name speciosa comes from the Latin word “specios” which means beautiful or showy.
Recently updated 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
Body above black ; eyes, anterior pronotal margin (narrowly), posterior margin of pronotum, posterior margin of the third, and the whole of the fourth, fifth and sixth abdominal segments, ochraceous ; basal cruciform elevation red, with its anterior angles black ; body beneath black ; lateral areas and margins to prosternum, a spot at lateral margins of third abdominal segment, and the lateral margins of the fourth, fifth and sixth abdominal segments, ochraceous. Tegmina black, coastal membrane and venation dull reddish, outer margin narrowly creamy-white wings black, the outer margin (excluding anal area) creamy-white. Var. a. Tegmina and wings greyish-brown, the black coloration only observable at margins of the veins. Long.excl.tegm. 47 to 57 millim. Exp.tegm.150 to 180 millim.
Two Distinct Types:
This image comes from A Monograph of Oriental Cicadas by W. L. Distant. 1889-1892. Which is which in the photos and illustrations on this page? Can you tell?
Normal form (#9 in the image): “Tegmina [forewings] black, coastal membrane and venation dull reddish, outer margin narrowly creamy-white wings black, the outer margin (excluding anal area) creamy-white.”
Variety A (#10 in the image) “Tegmina and wings are greying-brown, the black coloration only observable around the veins.”
Size:
T. speciosa is one of the largest cicadas. According to the Distant’s description above — tegm.[forewings] 150 to 180 millim. That’s 5.9 to 7.1 inches. According to my own collection (I have 2). The male is 160mm (6.3″), and the female is 142mm (5.7″). Both are smaller than the Megapomponia and largest Tosena in my collection. T. speciosa cicadas are big, but not the biggest.
The only document specifically about the T. speciosa I’ve found is Boulard, M. 1994c. Tacua speciosa, variete decolorata n. var. (Homoptera, Cicadidae). Revue Française d’Entomologie. 16: 66. — however, that document usually costs around $60, which I’m not ready to invest in (I’ll spend the money on cicadas).
At one point in time, the Tacua speciosa was one of the most illustrated cicadas:
Original Source: From Dictionnaire universel d’histoire naturelle. (Paris: Renard, 1841-1849) Orbigny, Charles d’, Author.
Original Source: From Animate creation : a popular edition of “Our living world” : a natural history. (New York: Selmar Hess, 1885) Wood, J. G. (John George) (1827-1889), Author.
Pop culture note: this species of cicada was featured on the Wednesday, January 16, 2013 episode of the Daily Show. It is not, however, a 17-year cicada. 🙂 T. speciosa probably has a 2-7 year lifecycle and is not a periodical cicada, but it might be proto-periodical (but most likely is an annual species).
Characters. — Head (including eyes) about as wide as base of mesonotum, anteriorly subtruncate, deflected in front of eyes ; pronotum transverse, its posterior margin about half the length of its vertex, the lateral margins ampliately and subangulately produced, their apices extending to about the base of basal cell of tegmina; mesonotum about as long as pronotum; anterior femora basally and subapically tuberculously spinous; posterior tibiae with a few spines on apical area; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate; tympanal coverings moderate in size; opercula short and broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina with the costal membrane much arched at base and dilated, broader than the costal area, basal cell very broad; ulnar veins widely separated at their bases.
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.
Platypleura polydorus (Walker, 1850). Found in Sub-Saharan, West, South and East Africa. Platypleura has a remarkable, angular pronotal collar like other members of the Platypleurini tribe.
Characters. — Body robust. somewhat short; abdomen in male about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; head broad, truncate anteriorly, including eyes a little or scarcely broader than base of mesonotum, ocelli about twice and sometimes thrice the distance from eyes as from each other, face moderately convex not prominent above; pronotum with the lateral margins ampliated or laminately medially angulate ; anterior femora not prominently spined; metasternum with a Central elevated plate-like process, which is centrally sulcated and posteriorly somewhat sinuately truncate; tympana practically concealed by the tympanal flaps or coverings; opercula in male short, broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded ; tegmina and wings either hyaline or more or less opaquely coloured, tegmina with the basal cell a little longer than broad, the coastal membrane only moderately dilated or arched at base, apical areas eight in number. Oxypieura, Amyot & Serville, merely includes species with hyaline non-opaque tegmina and wings: Pcecilopsaltria, Stal was regarded as distinct from Platypleura by the slightly greater width of the head including eyes ; this form being more dominant in the Oriental Region, while the character of typical Platy pleura is a marked feature in the Ethiopian species.
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.
The image says Pomponia merula but the cicada is now known as Megapomponia merula.
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.
Afzeliada hyalina (Distant, 1905), was formerly known as Sadaka hyalina. Yes, its genus has changed (thereby changing its name)! The Sadaka genus still exists, this cicada was just moved out of it, and into the Afzeliada Boulard, 1973 genus. It is found in Sub-Saharan, West Africa.
The image says Sadaka hyalina but this cicada’s new name is Afzeliada hyalina.
If I find an Afzeliada genus description from Boulard’s 1973 paper, I’ll add it here.
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.
Haphsa bindusara (Distant, 1881) was formerly known as Aola bindusara.Yes, its name has changed since 1913. Aola is no longer a genus, although the subtribe is still the similarly named Aolaria.
The image says Aola bindusara but this cicada is now known as Haphsa bindusara.
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.
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:
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.
Odopoea degiacomii Distant, 1912, was described by British entomologist W. L. Distant in 1812.
Odopoea degiacomii is a visually impressive cicada with a prominent pronotal collar that should inspire thoughts of Dracula the Vampire (like other members of the cicada tribe Zammarini). It won’t suck your blood, but it will suck xylem sap from trees.
This cicada is found in the Dominican Republic and probably Haiti.
An Odopoea degiacomii Stål genus description by W. L. Distant from Genera Insectorum:
Characters. — Head (including eyes) about equal in width t.. base of mesonotum, ocelli a little wider apart from eyes than from each other, eyes prominent, a little passing the anterior pronotal angles; face more or less longitudinally sulcate; rostrum about reaching the posterior cox*; pronotum shorter than mesonotum, the lateral margins angularly ampliate; mesonotum (including basal cruciform elevation) almost as long as head and pronotum together; abdomen broad, centrally ridged, the lateral areas more or less oblique, about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; operçula short, broad, not extending beyond base of abdomen; tympanal coverings outwardly complete, the orifices only exposed inwardly; tegmina three or more than three times as long as broad, apical areas eight; wings with six apical areas.
References:
The illustration comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1914 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Gaeaninae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
I’m starting a new series on this blog called “has its name changed?” I’m looking through old documents and papers and using modern documents like Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) to check. Cicada names change from time to time, based on new discoveries by the modern cicada research/science community, and sometimes to fix grammar (like gender agreement between genus and species).
This cicada is Hemisciera maculipennis (de Laporte, 1832), also known as the “stop and go” or “stop light” cicada because of the red and green color of its wings. If you want to see one in real life, they exist in Central and South America, specifically Panama, Ecuador, Brazil, and adjacent nations. If you’re in New York and you want to see one, they have a few in the collection at the Staten Island Museum — last time I was there, there was a faded one in a display by the door (UV rays fade cicada specimen colors).
Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
Sub Tribe: Guyana
Genus: Hemisciera
Species: Hemisciera maculipennis (de Laporte, 1832)
And, since 1914 at least, its name has not changed.
A specimen from the Staten Island Museum:
Hemisciera Amyot & Serville genus description by W. L. Distant:
Characters. — Head (including eyes) considerably broader than base of mesonotum, eves porrect, more or less stylate, length of head about equal to half its breadth between eyes, and distinctly shorter than pronotum which is about equal in length to mesonotum; abdomen a little shorter than space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation, tympanal coverings in male with their inner margins strongly concave; metasternal plate well developed, centrally longitudinally impressed and anteriorly produced on each side; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; anterior femora strongly spined beneath; opercula in male small, transverse, not extending beyond base of abdomen, tegmina about two and a half times as long as broad, with eight apical areas and the basal cell about as long as broad.
References:
The illustration comes from the journal Genera Insectorum, and a specific article from 1914 by W. L. Distant titled Homoptera. Fam. Cicadidae, Subfam, Gaeaninae. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
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
. Note that one of its older names was Cicada indica!
