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Fiji Periodical Raiateana Stamps Tacuini (Cryptotympanini)

The Nanai Cicadas of Fiji are back after 8-years! Fiji is issuing stamps to celebrate

The Nanai cicadas (Raiateana knowlesi (Distant, 1907)) of Fiji are back after 8-years, and Fiji is issuing stamps to celebrate their emergence.

Update! If you want to see what the Nanai look like, visit the Cicada Discussion, Science and Study Group on Facebook and view Elias Bonaro’s 9/22 post.

Nanai cicadas are special because they have an 8-year periodical cycle. They are found in the hills of Viti Levu island of the Fiji archipelago. They are also special because of the Legend of The Nanai and their importance to Fijian culture.

2025 Nanai Stamps

2025 Nanai stamps will be available from Post Fiji Pte Limited. They start shipping on the 25th of September (new date). See this BROCHURE – THE NANAI EMERGENCE for more information.

FDC - The Nanai Emergence

Nanai brochure cover

Nanai Cicadas Stamps from 2009

Here’s an image of Nanai stamps from 2009 (or maybe 2010):

Nanai stamps

More information about the Nanai

How do the Nanai (Raiateana knowlesi) compare to other cicadas around the world

The Nanai are similar to Magicicada cicadas in the United States in that they have precise periodic lifecycles. Nanai have 8-year cycles and Magicicada have 13 or 17-year cycles.

The Nanai are similar to North American Dog-Day cicadas, European Lyristes plebejus, and the Tacua speciosa of Malaysia & Indonesia, in that they belong to the same Tribe (Tacuini) and share similar anatomy like hidden tympani (the noise makers).

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Coleman Cobbs Neotibicen Tacuini (Cryptotympanini)

Neotibicen similaris from Rapides Parish, Louisiana

Thank you, Coleman Cobbs, for these photos of a Neotibicen similaris cicada. The cicada was found in from Rapides Parish, Louisiana. This cicada looks “similar” to many other species of Neotibicen cicadas aka “Dog Day”.

Neotibicen similaris

Neotibicen similaris

Neotibicen similaris

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Cacama Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) U.S.A. William T. Davis

Cacama variegata Davis, 1919 aka Variegated Cactus Dodger

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Cacama
Species: Cacama variegata Davis, 1919

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
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Diceroprocta Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) U.S.A. William T. Davis

Diceroprocta bibbyi Davis, 1928 aka Scrub Cicada

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta bibbyi Davis, 1928

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Categories
Diceroprocta Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) U.S.A. William T. Davis

Diceroprocta canescens Davis, 1935 aka Scrub Cicada

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta canescens Davis, 1935

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Categories
Diceroprocta Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) U.S.A. William T. Davis

Diceroprocta lata Davis, 1941 aka Scrub Cicada

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta lata Davis, 1941

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Categories
Hadoa Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) U.S.A. William T. Davis

Hadoa chisosensis Davis, 1934

Classification:

Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
Subtribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Hadoa
Species: Hadoa chisosensis (Uhler, 1905)

List of sources

  1. Full Binomial Names: ITIS.gov
  2. Common names: BugGuide.net; The Songs of Insects by Lang Elliott and Wil Herschberger; personal memory.
  3. Locations: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico by Allen F. Sanborn and Polly K. Phillips.
  4. Descriptions, Colors: personal observations from specimens or photos from many sources. Descriptions are not perfect, but may be helpful.
Categories
Neotibicen Photos & Illustrations Tacuini (Cryptotympanini)

A Neotibicen tibicen tibicen from Central New Jersey, gallery #2

Photos of a Neotibicen tibicen tibicen aka Morning or Swamp cicada from August 28th, 2016. The cicada was found in Monmouth county, NJ.

Click/tab the thumbnail images for big versions:

Visit Gallery #1 for the start of the transformation.

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Under Short Wave Ultraviolet Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

This cicada is a female:
Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Teneral Neotibicen tibicen tibicen

Visit Gallery #1 for the start of the transformation.

Categories
Megatibicen Tacuini (Cryptotympanini)

Megatibicen auletes is changing to Megatibicen grossus

Update: originally I had Megatibicen grossa, but the name is Megatibicen grossus so the gender of the words align.

Megatibicen auletes (Germar, 1834) aka Northern Dusk Singing Cicada is changing to Megatibicen grossus(Fabricius, 1775). This cicada is the largest cicada in North America and is found in the following states in July-August: AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO, NE, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, WI.

The change comes from the paper: Sanborn, A.F. (2023) Resolving taxonomic issues of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) including new combinations, new synonymies, and revised status, with updates on the diversity of the Brazilian cicada fauna and new records for four South American countries. Zootaxa, VOL. 5318 NO. 3: 20 JUL. 2023, 339-362. DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5318.3.2.

Megatibicen grossus (as in BIG FLUTE PLAYER BIG):
Old Ladies

Reading the paper referenced above, it sounds like Johan Christian Fabricius incorrectly identified an specimen as being from Brazil. He named it Tettigonia grossa in 1775. Allen F. Sanborn compared the holotype of Tettigonia grossa with the holotype for Megatibicen auletes (Cicada auletes) and determined it was the same insect. Since old names take precedence over new names, auletes become grossa.

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Neotibicen Nymphs Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) Video

Neotibicen lyricen nymph crawling up a tree

Here’s a video of a Neotibicen lyricen nymph crawling up the trunk of a fir tree, looking for a place to molt. Note the dark eyes and green wing buds. This particular pine tree is my go-to for Lyric cicadas. Here’s another: Neotibicen lyricen molting.

Thumbnail:
ThumbNail Neotibicen lyricen