Cicada Mania

Dedicated to cicadas, the most amazing insects in the world.

October 16, 2018

Ugada nutti Distant, 1904

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | Genera Insectorum | Platypleurini | Tanzania | Ugada | W. L. Distant — Tags: — Dan @ 1:01 am

Ugada nutti Distant, 1904 is found in Tanzania. It has, perhaps, the most impressive pronotal collar of any cicada.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Ugada
Species: Ugada nutti Distant, 1904

Ugada nutti Distant, 1904

Ugada genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) only about two thirds the width of base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but obliquely deflected in front of eyes; pronotum transverse, the posterior margin a little more than half the length of its vertex, the lateral margins strongly ampliated and medially angulated, their apices reaching to middle or near end of basal cell of tegmina ; mesonotum about as-long-as pronotum; anterior femora tuberculately angulate near apex, posterior tibiae spined on apical area ; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate ; tympana well covered ; opercula short and broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum reaching or passing the posterior coxae; tegmina with the costal membrane not prominently arched at base, only moderately dilated, basal cell moderately short and broad; ulnar veins widely separated at their apices.

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.

Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).chenorrhyncha).

October 15, 2018

Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)

Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893) is found in Madagascar.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Yanga
Species: Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)

Yanga brancsiki (Distant, 1893)

Yanga genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) as wide or a little wider than base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but with the lateral margins of the vertex a little oblique on each side, the front produced, about as long as the pronotum (excluding its posterior margin); pronotum transverse, its posterior margin about half the length of vertex, the lateral margins strongly and angulately produced on each side, their apices extending a little more than the base of basal cell of tegmina; mesonotum a little longer than pronotum; anterior femora with a basal and subapical spinous tubercle; 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, about as broad or broader than the costal area, basal cell short and broad, ulnar veins widely separated at their bases.

References:

  1. 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.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 14, 2018

Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)

Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882) is found in Madagascar.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Umjaba
Species: Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)

Umjaba evanescens (Butler, 1882)

Umjaba genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) only about two thirds the width of base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but obliquely deflected in front of eyes; pronotum transverse, its posterior margin about half the length of its vertex, the lateral margins ampliated, a little angulated anteriorly and posteriorly, but not medially, and not reaching base of basal cell of tegmina; mesonotum slightly longer than pronotum; anterior femora tuberculously angulated near base and apex; posterior tibiae with a few spines on their apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcate; tympanal coverings broad; opercula short, broad. their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum just passing the posterior coxae; tegmina with the costal membrane much arched at base, but very much narrower than the costal area which is broadly dilated, basal cell very broad, ulnar veins widely separated at their bases.

References:

  1. 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.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 12, 2018

Koma bombifrons (Karsch, 1890)

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 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:

  1. 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.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 11, 2018

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | CAR | Carl Stal | DRC | Genera Insectorum | Ioba | Nigeria | Platypleurini — Tags: — Dan @ 1:01 am

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863). Sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Ivory Coast. This cicada has an amazing pronotal collar.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Ioba
Species: Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

Ioba genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) wider than the base of the mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but with the lateral margins of the vertex a little oblique on each side and the front prominently produced; pronotum transverse, its posterior margin only a little less in length than the vertex, the lateral margins strongly and angularly produced on each side, the angulations medial, their apices when the tegmina are expanded reaching near or to about the end of the basal cell; mesonotum about as long as the pronotum; anterior femora with; one or more distinct spines, posterior and sometimes intermediate tibiae spined on apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcated ; tympana covered; opercula short, broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina with the basal cell broad, irregular, with four, or sometimes five, angles ; ulnar veins widely separated at their bases; interior ulnar area somewhat broadened at apex.

References:

  1. 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.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 10, 2018

Kongota punctigera (Walker, 1850)

Kongota punctigera (Walker, 1850). Found in south-east Africa, specifically the nation of South Africa. Remarkable wing shape!

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Kongota
Species: Kongota punctigera (Walker, 1850)

Kongota punctigera (Walker, 1850)

Kongota genus description by W. L. Distant:

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Current species name verified using Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 8, 2018

Munza laticlavia

There are three subspecies of Munza laticlavia: M. laticlavia laticlavia (Stål, 1858), M. laticlavia lubberti Schumacher, 1913 and M. laticlavia semitransparens Schumacher, 1913. It is found in southern Africa, including the countries South Africa & Nambia. Perhaps Kenya too.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Munza
Species: Munza laticlavia
Subspecies: M. laticlavia laticlavia (Stål, 1858)
Subspecies: M. laticlavia lubberti Schumacher, 1913
Subspecies: M. laticlavia semitransparens Schumacher, 1913

Not sure which subspecies appears in this photo:
Munza laticlavia

Munza genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) a little wider than base of mesonotum, subtruncate and deflected in front of eyes; pronotum transverse, about as long as mesonotum, its posterior margin a little more than half the length of its vertex, its lateral margins dilated and a little angulated, but not reaching the basal cell of tegmina; anterior femora not spined ; posterior tibiae longly spined on their apical halves; metasternum a little elevated and centrally sulcate; tympanal coverings somewhat small ; opercula short, broad, their lateral and posterior margins a little oblique and sinuate ; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae ; tegmina with the basal cell broadened apically ; wings with the outer and posterior membrane Very broad, about one third their length.

References:

  1. 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.
  2. Species name information/verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 6, 2018

Platypleura polydorus (Walker, 1850)

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.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Platypleura
Species: Platypleura polydorus (Walker, 1850)

Platypleura polydorus (Walker, 1850)

Platypleura genus description by W. L. Distant:

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Species name information/verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

October 4, 2018

Afzeliada hyalina (Distant, 1905)

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | Afzeliada | Genera Insectorum | Platypleurini | W. L. Distant — Tags: — Dan @ 5:06 am

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.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genera: Afzeliada
Species: Afzeliada hyalina (Distant, 1905)

Afzeliada hyalina (Distant, 1905)
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:

  1. 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.
  2. Species name information/verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

September 30, 2018

Muansa clypealis (Karsch, 1890)

Filed under: Africa (Continent) | Cameroon | CAR | DRC | Genera Insectorum | Karsch | Muansa | Nigeria | Platypleurini | Zaire — Tags: — Dan @ 4:54 am

Muansa clypealis (Karsch, 1890) is a visually amazing cicada, with a remarkable angular pronotal collar and almost butterfly-like wing inclusions. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa/West Africa, including the countries Cameroon, The Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and Zaire.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Muansa
Species: Muansa clypealis (Karsch, 1890)

Muansa clypealis (Karsch, 1890)

A Muansa Distant genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) slightly wider than base of mesonotum, not truncate anteriorly, but frontally produced, about as long as pronotum (excluding its posterior margin); pronotum transverse, its posterior margin little more than half the length of vertex, the lateral margins strongly and angularly produced, angular apices reaching to about middle of basal cell of tegmina; mesonotum a little longer than pronotum; anterior femora with one or more distinct spines, posterior tibiae with a few slender spines on apical areas; metasternum elevated and centrally sulcated ; tympana practically covered; opercula short, broad, their apices more or less convexly rounded; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina with the basal cell broad, ulnar veins well separated at their bases

References:

  1. 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.
  2. Species name information/verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

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