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September 21, 2019

Cicada Papers Published in 2019

Filed under: Papers and Documents — Dan @ 5:00 am

This is a running list of papers or documents published about cicadas in the year 2019. 35 so far (as of November).

If I missed an article, email me at cicadamania@gmail.com.

December

  1. An augmented wood-penetrating structure: Cicada ovipositors enhanced with metals and other inorganic elements. Authors: Matthew S. Lehnert, Kristen E. Reiter, Gregory A. Smith & Gene Kritsky . Link to Nature.

October

  1. A revision of the Yoyetta abdominalis (Distant) species group of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae), introducing eight new species. Authors: David Emery, Nathan Emery, Lindsay Popple. Link to Journals Australia Museum.
  2. Off-target capture data, endosymbiont genes and morphology reveal a relict lineage that is sister to all other singing cicadas. Authors: Chris Simon, Eric R L Gordon, M S Moulds, Jeffrey A Cole, Diler Haji, Alan R Lemmon, Emily Moriarty Lemmon, Michelle Kortyna, Katherine Nazario, Elizabeth J Wade, Russell C Meister, Geert Goemans, Stephen M Chiswell, Pablo Pessacq, Claudio Veloso, John P Mccutcheon, Piotr Lukasik. Link to Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
  3. Noisy neighbours among the selfish herd: a critical song distance mediates mate recognition within cicada emergences (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). Authors: Will Chatfield-Taylor, Jeffrey A Cole. Link to Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
  4. Genital coupling, morphology and evolution of male holding structures in Cicadinae (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). Authors: Tatiana Petersen Ruschel, Filipe Michels Bianchi, Luiz Alexandre Campos. Link to Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
  5. Psychoactive plant- and mushroom-associated alkaloids from two behavior modifying cicada pathogens. Authors: Greg R. Boyce, Emile Gluck-Thaler, Jason C. Slot, Jason E. Stajich, William J. Davis, Tim Y.James, John R. Cooley, Daniel G. Panaccione, Jørgen Eilenberg, Henrik H. De Fine Licht, Angie M. Macias, Matthew C. Berger, Kristen L. Wickert, Cameron M. Stauder, Ellie J. Spahr, Matthew D. Maust, Amy M. Metheny, Chris Simon, Gene Kritsky, Kathie T. Hodge, Richard A.Humber, Terry Gullion, Dylan P.G. Short, Teiya Kijimoto, Dan Mozgai, Nidia Arguedas, Matt T. Kasson. Link to sciencedirect.com

September

  1. A note on the taxonomy and natural history of the Summer Clicker Lahugada dohertyi (Distant, 1891) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadidae) along with its distribution in northern West Bengal, India. Authors: Vivek Sarkar. Like to the Journal of Threatened Taxa.
  2. Gold coated Cicada wings: Anti-reflective micro-environment for plasmonic enhancement of fluorescence from upconversion nanoparticles. Authors: Akash Gupta, Hao-Yu Cheng, Kung-Hsuan Lin, Chien Ting Wu, Pradip Kumar Roy, Sandip Ghosh, Surojit Chattopadhyay. Link to Science Direct.
  3. A new species and first record of the cicada genus Sinotympana Lee, 2009 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Dundubiini) from Vietnam. Authors: THAI-HONG PHAM, ALLEN F. SANBORN, HUYEN-THI NGUYEN, JEROME CONSTANT. Link to Zootaxa.

August

  1. A New Species of Calopsaltria Stål, 1861 (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae: Parnisini) from South Africa. Author: Allen F. Sanborn. Link to paper.
  2. The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of Bolivia including the descriptions of fifteen new species, the resurrection of one genus and two species, seven new combinations, six new synonymies, and twenty-eight new records. Author: ALLEN F. SANBORN. Link to Zootaxa.

July

  1. Periodical cicada emergence resource pulse tracks forest expansion in a tallgrass prairie landscape. Authors: Matt R. Whiles, Bruce A. Snyder, Brent L. Brock, Sophia Bonjour, Mac A. Callaham Jr., Clinton K. Meyer, Alex Bell. Link to Ecosphere journal.

June

  1. The cicada genus Selymbria Stå1, 1861 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Tibicininae: Selymbrini): redescription including ten new species and a key to the genus. Author: Allen F Sanborn. Link to Zootaxa.
  2. Cicada Endosymbionts Have tRNAs That Are Correctly Processed Despite Having Genomes That Do Not Encode All of the tRNA Processing Machinery. Authors: James T. Van Leuven, Meng Mao, Denghui D. Xing, Gordon M. Bennett, John P. McCutcheon. Link to mBio
  3. An enigmatic fossil hairy cicada (Hemiptera, Tettigarctidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Authors: Hui Jiang, Jun Chen, Ed Jarzembowski, Bo Wang. Link to article
  4. Comparative sialotranscriptome analysis of the rare Chinese cicada Subpsaltria yangi, with identification of candidate genes related to host-plant adaptation. Authors: Yunxiang Liu, Mengmeng Qi, Christopher H. Dietrich, Zhiqiang He, Cong Wei. Link to article

May

  1. First record of the cicadas genus Orientopsaltria Kato, 1944 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from Vietnam, with description of one new species. Authors: Thai-Hong Pham, Thi Huyen Nguyen, Jerome Constant. Link to Zootaxa

April

  1. The applications of biomimetic cicada-wing structure on the organic light-emitting diodes. Authors: Chih-Kai Nien, Hsin Her Yu. Link to Science Direct.
  2. Oxygen/phosphorus co-doped porous carbon from cicada slough as high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors. Authors: Bingwei Chen, Wenzhuo Wu, Chunyang Li, Yanfang Wang, Yi Zhang, Lijun Fu, Yusong Zhu, Lixin Zhang & Yuping Wu. Link to Nature.
  3. The winner takes it all: how semelparous insects can become periodical. Authors: Odo Diekmann, Robert Planqué. Link to springer.com.
  4. A new species of larval Caeculisoma (Acari: Erythraeidae) parasitic on cicadas from China with detailed comparison of all larval members in the genus. Authors: Si-Yuan Xu, Tian-Ci Yi, Jian-Jun Guo, and Dao-Chao Jin. Link to bioone.org
  5. Characterization of polymorphic loci for two cicada species: Cryptotympana atrata and Hyalessa fuscata (Hemiptera: Cicadoidae). Author(s): Hoa Quynh Nguyen,Soyeon Chae, Erick Kim, Yikweon Jang. Link to paper.

March

  1. New Host Records and Biological Notes for Diceroprocta bulgara (Distant) in Mexico. Authors: José Antonio Sánchez-García , José Joaquín Velázquez-Monreal , Héctor Miguel Guzmán-Vásquez , Roselia Jarquín-López , Jesús Alberto Ortíz-López , Miguel Ángel Manzanilla-Ramírez , Manuel Ovando-Cruz , Teodulfo Aquino-Bolaños , Allen F. Sanborn. Link to paper.
  2. Cicada slough-derived heteroatom incorporated porous carbon for supercapacitor: Ultra-high gravimetric capacitance. Authors: Haiyang Jia, Jiawei Sun, Xiao Xie, Kuibo Yin, Litao Sun. Link to articles.
  3. Evolutionary hysteresis and ratchets in the evolution of periodical cicadas. Author(s): Jaakko Toivonen and Lutz Fromhage. Link to paper.
  4. The effects of pulsed fertilization and chronic herbivory by periodical cicadas on tree growth. Author(s): Louie H. Yang, Richard Karban. Link to paper.
  5. Mitochondrial Genomics Reveals Shared Phylogeographic Patterns and Demographic History among Three Periodical Cicada Species Groups. Author(s): Zhenyong Du, Hiroki Hasegawa, John R Cooley, Chris Simon, Jin Yoshimura, Wanzhi Cai, Teiji Sota, Hu Li. Link to paper.
  6. Homoptera — Cicadas and Hoppers. Author(s): Ying Wang, Xiao Zhang, Tingying Zhang, Xue Liu, Chungkun Shih, Yunzhi Yao, Dong Ren. Link to paper.
  7. Mesodiphthera Tillyard, 1919, from the Late Triassic of Queensland, the oldest cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cicadoidea: Tettigarctidae). Author(s): KEVIN J. LAMBKIN. Link to paper.
  8. Out of Africa? A dated molecular phylogeny of the cicada tribe Platypleurini Schmidt (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), with a focus on African genera and the genus Platypleura Amyot & Audinet-Serville. Author(s): Benjamin W. Price, David C. Marshall, Nigel P. Barker, Chris Simon, Martin H. Villet. Link to paper.
  9. Ecophysiological responses to climate change in cicadas. Author(s): Minoru Moriyama , Hideharu Numata. Link to paper.

February

  1. Intra- and Interspecific Prey Theft in Cicada Killers (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Sphecius) . Author(s): J R Coelho, C W Holliday, J M Hastings. Link to paper.

January

  1. Phylogeny and biogeography of the leaf-winged cicadas (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae). Author(s): Tatiana Petersen Ruschel, Luiz Alexandre Campos. Link to paper.
  2. A Simple Model of Periodic Reproduction: Selection of Prime Periods. Author(s): Raul Abreu de Assis, Mazílio Coronel Malavazi. Link to paper.
  3. First hairy cicadas in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Tettigarctidae). Author(s): Yanzhe Fu, Chenyang Cai, Diying Huang. Link to paper.
  4. Investigation of nanostructure-based bactericidal effect derived from a cicada wing by using QCM-D. Authors: Keisuke Jindai, Kazuki Nakadea, Takashi Sagawa, Hiroaki Kojima, Tomohiro Shimizu, Shoso Shingubara, Takeshi Ito. Link to Science Direct.
  5. Hemiptera of Canada. Authors: Robert G. Foottit, H. Eric L. Maw, Joel H. Kits, Geoffrey G. E. Scudder. Link to Zookeys.

August 7, 2019

Check for first instar periodical cicada nymphs

Filed under: Eggs | Magicicada | Nymphs | Ovipositing | Periodical — Dan @ 4:26 am

It’s been about six weeks since the emergence of Brood VIII in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Oklahoma. Now (first week of August) is a good a time as any to check for periodical cicada nymphs that have hatched from eggs laid in branches. Once they hatch they’ll find their way to the ground, where they’ll find and begin feeding on roots for the next 17 years.

Look on branches where cicada laid their eggs.

An illustration of egg nests (Marlatt 1907 Egg Nest Detail):
Marlatt 1907 Egg Nest Detail

A nymph on a branch with adult male finger for comparison:
Periodical Cicada Nymph

Close up:
Periodical Cicada Nymph

Another close up:
Periodical Cicada Nymph

June 24, 2019

Annual Cicada Season in the U.S.A.

Filed under: Annual — Dan @ 1:01 am

Annual cicada species are those that arrive every year (annually). In the U.S.A., each continental state has at least 4 species of cicadas. California as over 80.

Wonder which annual cicadas are in your area? Try our cicada species page. If you’re outside the U.S.A., start your search here.

Some guides for identifying Neotibicen & Megatibicen, a common genus of cicadas in North America:

Three other excellent resources include: iNaturalist (enter a cicada name, and find out when people find them), BugGuide (USA), and Insect Singers (for sounds).

Here are a small portion of the species that can be found in the USA:

Diceroprocta apache
Diceroprocta apache
Common Name: Citrus Cicada
Locations: AZ, CA, CO, NV, UT
When: June-September. Peaks in July.

 Diceroprocta olympusa>
Diceroprocta olympusa photos by Joe Green from 2007.
Common Name: Olympic Scrub Cicada
Locations: AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC
When: June-August. Peaks in August. 		Neocicada hieroglyphica
Joe Green's Neocicada hieroglyphica photos from 2007, Florida,
Common Name: Hieroglyphic Cicada
Locations: AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA
When: May-August. Peaks in June.
Okanagana bella
Okanagana bella photo by Matt Berger
Common Name: Mountain Cicada
Locations: AB, AZ, BC, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
When: June-July. Peaks in June. 		Okanagana rimosa
Okanagana rimosa photo by Natasha from 2005.
Common Name: Say’s Cicada
Locations: AB, BC, CA, CT, ID, IL, IN, IA, ME, MB, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NV, NB, NH, NJ, NY, ND, OH, ON, OR, PA, QC, SD, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY
When: May-July. Peak in June. 		Neotibicen superbus
Neotibicen superbus from Texas photo by Roy Troutman 2
Common Name: Superb Dog-Day Cicada
Locations: AR, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, TX
When: June-August. Peak in July.
Neotibicen dorsatus
Bill Lesar's 2005 Megatibicen dorsatus
Common Name: Bush Cicada or Grand Western or Giant Grassland Cicada
Locations: AR, CO, ID, IL, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, NM, OK, SD, TX, WY
When: July-September. Peaks in August. 		Cicadettana calliope
Cicadettana calliope photo taken by Paul Krombholz
Common Name: Southern Grass Cicada
Locations: AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NE, NC, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA
When: May-August, peaking in July. 		Neotibicen pruinosus
N. pruinosus
Common Name: Scissor(s) Grinder
Locations: AL, AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, WV, WI
When: June-October. Peak in August.

Here’s a list by state:

By State

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

June 21, 2019

My Brood VIII Report

Filed under: Brood VIII | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 7:54 pm

This year Brood VIII periodical cicadas emerged in the Pittsburgh area, and I traveled to see and map them. Unfortunately, I only had 3 days, so I only saw the western side of the Brood.

Mating Magicicada septendecim

All things considered — including cool, cloudy weather (which cicadas don’t like as much as hot & sunny) and a very rainy spring — Brood VIII was the least impressive brood I’ve witnessed, in terms of the sheer number of cicadas. I hope no one in the Pittsburgh area takes offense to that statement — Brood VIII is your brood, and you should be proud of it. It is just that as we humans build more and more, and continue to alter the environment, the numbers of cicadas will steadily dwindle. and I think we’re seeing that happen to Brood VIII.

Here’s an impromptu map of the places I saw cicadas:

Brood VIII Mapping

And a list of places:

  • Allegheny Township
  • Apollo
  • Bethel Township
  • Black Lick
  • Blairsville
  • Blue Spruce Park
  • Bolivar
  • Boyce Park
  • Brush Valley Township
  • Center Township
  • Crooked Creek Horse Park
  • Derry Township
  • Elizabeth
  • Hempfield Township
  • Home
  • Homer City
  • Hoodlebug Trail
  • Indiana
  • Keystone State Park
  • Ligonier
  • New Alexandria
  • New Florence
  • Parks Township
  • Pine Ridge Park
  • Rayne Township
  • Round Hill Park
  • St Clair Township
  • Stahlstown
  • Two Lick Creek Dam
  • Unity
  • Washington Township
  • West Wheatfield Township
  • White Township
  • Yellow Creek State Park

And some photos:

Female Magicicada septendecim

Male Magicicada septendecim

Just a head

Video of the amazing cicada that was just a head.

A very cool Brood VIII cicada frisbee:

Cicada Frisbee

May 11, 2019

2019 Periodical Cicada Stragglers – Expect Them

Filed under: Periodical Stragglers — Dan @ 9:06 am

Where is everyone?

We expect some periodical cicadas to emerge earlier and later than expected this year:

  • Members of Brood IV, the Kansan Brood, should emerge in IA, KS, MO, NE, OK & TX. Brood IV last emerged 4 years ago.
  • Members of Brood XXIII, the Mississippi Valley Brood, should emerge in AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, & TN. XIX last emerged 4 years ago.
  • Members of Brood X are emerging, so far in the Virginia area, but they have the potential to emerge anywhere in DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, and WV. 2-year early emergences are rare, but it happens. Brood X is expected to emerge in 2 years.

We’re getting a lot of reports from the Anacostia area of Washington D.C. and Maryland.

Here’s an example of someone Tweeting about a Brood X “straggler” on Twitter.

Use the Cicada Safari App to report them.

Periodical cicadas are cicadas insects that emerge periodically, and not annually. In North America, there are 7 species of periodical cicadas, 3 of which have a 17-year lifecycle, and 4 have a 13-year lifecycle, and all 7 belong to the genus Magicicada. Here is a chart that shows where they are expected to emerge next. Magicicada regularly straggle — some emerge before or after they’re expected to.

Typically 17-year cicada stragglers emerge 4 years early, and 13-year cicada stragglers emerge 4 years late, but 1, 2 and even 8 year deviations are possible — see the probability chart.

At this point, most people question the use of the term “straggler” to define something that emerged early rather than late. If you’re uncomfortable using the term “straggler”, you can use the term “precursor” for cicadas than emerge earlier than expected. You might make up your own slang for them, like “deviant”, “pioneer” or “laggard” too.

May 1, 2019

Cicada Safari app for tracking Magicicada periodical cicadas

Filed under: Citizen Science | Gene Kritsky | Magicicada | Periodical — Dan @ 9:28 pm

Cicada Safari App Frequently Asked Questions:

Cicada Safari App

Who created the Cicada Safari app?

Who do I speak to when the app is not working?

Probably Gene Kritsky and the Center for IT Engagement is your best route. Be polite. The app has 250,000 users and only a handful of people to approve cicada sightings.

Who is Gene Kritsky?

Gene is the Charles Lester Marlatt of the 21st century. Gene is a periodical cicada expert, researcher & professor. Buy his latest book, Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition, now.

How do I download the app for my Apple or Android device?

Choose wisely: Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

How many people have downloaded the app?

As of June 1st 2021, over 250,000 people have downloaded the app.

Can I access the app data from a web browser?

Yes, you can! See a map of sightings from the Cicada Safari app.

Does the app have a website?

Of course the app has a website. Here’s the website.

What can I do with the app?

Judging by screenshots of the app, it looks like you can 1) identify cicadas, 2) take a photo and share it, 3) map the location where you found it, 4) compete with other cicada scientists for the most cicadas found. Looks that way at least. The app lets you submit cicadas photos of any species.

I’m not in the United States, so what app should I use instead?

Try the iNaturalist apps.

I don’t want to use an app. Can I send reports via email?

Not that I know of, but you can always ask Gene Kritsky. Feel free to leave a comment on this website or the Facebook Cicada Discussion Group.

Is Cicada Mania affiliated with the Cicada Safari app?

Cicada Mania is not affiliated with the Cicada Safari app. Cicada Mania is not paid to endorse or promote it. We promote it because we like it.

March 24, 2019

Platypleura watsoni = Platypleura mokensis

Filed under: Burma | India | Michel Boulard | Platypleurini | Thailand | W. L. Distant — Dan @ 1:01 am

Platypleura watsoni, also known as Platypleura mokensis, is a cicada found in Thailand, India, and Myanmar (Burma), and very likely adjacent nations.

Photo by Michel Chantraine:
]Platypleura mokensis

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Platypleura
Species: Platypleura watsoni (Distant, 1897)

References:

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

March 23, 2019

Are Cicadas in danger of extinction?

Filed under: Extinct Cicadas — Dan @ 12:09 pm

In recent years there have been quite a few articles & papers about declines in insect populations (see the list at the end of this article). Chances are you’ve seen one of these articles appear on Twitter or Facebook, or heard about it on TV, radio, podcasts, etc. I cannot vouch for the information in these articles, and I definitely cannot speak about topics like climate change or pesticides, as I lack the knowledge. I can talk about other pressures on cicada populations, and so I will.

Thanos
Image: In the film Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos decimates half of all life in the Universe, including cicadas. In real life, depending on where you live, it’s likely that more than half of the cicadas have been eliminated.

Decreasing habitat

Most cicadas are tree parasites. Reduce the number of trees, and you reduce the number of cicadas. It is a simple equation.

As you travel around your town, imagine all the places that there were once trees, and then imagine all the cicadas lost along with those trees.

Human beings (Homo sapiens) require a lot of space. We need space for our homes, schools, government buildings, the places we work, the places we play, places to grow our food & lumber, lands to mine for minerals, and the roads, rails, and airports that tie it all together. A lot of spaces that are now claimed by humanity were once home to cicadas (and other creatures).

The more we humans expand, the more cicada habitat contracts, and so the number of cicadas will naturally decline.

Invasive species

Invasive species — organisms introduced into a non-native habitat — pose a threat to cicadas by destroying cicada habitat. These include insects, worms, plants, or any other life form that weakens or kills trees, or otherwise disrupts cicada habitat. This USDA website is a good place to start to familiarize yourself with invasives.

One invasive species, in particular, that has without a doubt reduced cicada habitat in North America is the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). EABs have killed millions of ash trees in North America. Each tree lost to EABs can represent the loss of thousands of cicadas, particularly Magicicada periodical cicadas.

The Spotted Lanternfly, native to Asia, is currently spreading in the eastern United States. It has become quite a menace in Pennsylvania, where it destroys trees and other plans. Most folks are concerned about its impact on agriculture, but I’m more concerned about its impact on ordinary trees outside of farms, where cicadas live. I’m also concerned that measures taken to fight the Spotted Lanternfly, might harm cicadas since they share the same suborder (Auchenorrhyncha) and similar biology.

Recent Cicada Exitictions

One species of cicada and two broods of periodical cicadas went extinct over the past 150 years. Tibicen bermudiana went extinct in the 1950s due to a cedar blight. Brood XI Magicicadas were last recorded in 1954 in near the Ashford/Willington town line in eastern Connecticut. Brood XXI Magicicadas were last recorded in in 1870, in the Apalachicola River Valley in Florida. Given that new cicadas are discovered or described every year, it’s possible that other species of cicadas went extinct in recent times before there was time to discover or study them.

The next brood to go extinct is likely Brood VII. It has contracted over the years, and will likely only survive thanks to the Onondaga Nation reservation. Read the paper THE HISTORICAL CONTRACTION OF PERIODICAL CICADA BROOD VII (HEMIPTERA: CICADIDAE: MAGICICADA). by JOHN R. COOLEY, DAVID C. MARSHALL AND CHRIS SIMON. (J. New York Entomol. Soc. 112(2—3):198—204, 2004.) for more information.

What can you do about it?

  1. Educate yourself about invasive species. Learn about the invasives currently impacting our local area. Discover how you can prevent their further spread, and prevent the introduction of new invasive species.
  2. Don’t participate in the destruction of cicada habitat. Stack vertically, not horizontally. Repair what you already have, reuse, recycle and buy an old home. Get your books from a library. Be fruitful & multiply — but don’t destroy more forests in the process.
  3. Plant a tree.
  4. Be a community scientist and get involved in projects to map cicadas and other insects, so we can truly count their numbers and measure their declines or gains. Folks can report Magicicada, when they emerge, to Cicadas @ UCONN (formerly Magicicada.org). iNaturalist is an amazing website to idenitify and report insects in general.

I’ll likely expand and edit this article over time as I get more information on this topic. Feel free to pass only any information via the comments section of the article.

List of articles about insect declines

Platypleura hampsoni (Distant, 1887)

Filed under: India | Oriental Cicadidae | Platypleura | Platypleurini | W. L. Distant — Dan @ 1:01 am

Platypleura hampsoni is a cicada found in India.

Platypleura hampsoni

Image and Description from A Monograph of Oriental Cicadas by W. L. Distant. 1889-1892. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website:

Male. Head luteous; front with a number of black linear markings; vertex with a transverse, narrow, black fascia between the eyes, and with a central black spot containing the ocelli. Pronotum greenish-ochraceous, the disk with the following black markings: — a central I-shaped spot, on each side of which are some oblique linear markings; the lateral dilated margins are black, and the anterior margin is narrow — and the posterior margin broadly— dull reddish ochraceous. Mesonotum greenish-ochraceous, with the following black spots: — four obconical from anterior margin, of which the central two are smallest; and a large, oblong, discal spot, with a small partly rounded spot on each side of it; the basal cruciform elevation dull reddish ochraceous. Abdomen above black. Head beneath, with the face black, marked with luteous transverse lines; sternum somewhat ochraceously pilose; abdomen beneath black, the segmental margins ochraceous, the anal appendage of the same color; legs castaneous, streaked or spotted with piceous and luteous. Rostrum black, the basal portion luteous.

Tegmina pale hyaline, with the venation brown, the costal membrane greenish, the basal third somewhat opaque, with darker transverse markings and small basal black markings; a double irregular series of dark brown spots cross the tegmina at about center, a dark brown fascia at bases of upper apical areas, a few small subapical spots and some small marginal spots of the same color. Wings brownish-ochraceous, paler at apex than at base and very pale across the center, with a white marginal spot near anal angle; the venation brown.

The rostrum reaches the basal abdominal segment; the lateral margins of the pronotum are distinctly angulated; the face is robustly gibbous, with a profound central longitudinal sulcation; the posterior tibijE have three distinct spines on each side of apical half.

Long. excl. tegm. 2 . 23 millim. Exp. tegm. 70 millim. ; exp. pronot. angl. 13 millim.

Hab. — Continental India : Neelgiri Hills, northern slopes, 3500 & 5000 feet (Hampson — coll. Dist.).

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Platypleurini
Genus: Platypleura
Species: Platypleura hampsoni (Distant, 1887)

For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadas of India.

March 22, 2019

Platylomia radah (Distant, 1881)

Filed under: Burma | China | Dundubiini | India | Michel Chantraine | Nepal | Platylomia | Thailand | W. L. Distant — Dan @ 1:01 am

Platylomia radah is a cicada found in Burma, China, India, Nepal, and Thailand.

Photo by Michel Chantraine:
Platylomia radah

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Dundubiina
Genus: Platylomia
Species: Platylomia radah (Distant, 1881)

For more information about this cicada, visit Cicadas of India.

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