Category: Neotibicen

Tibicen tibicen

The first time I saw the Genus and species name for this cicada, it was called a Tibicen chloromera:

Tibicen cholormera Cicada by CicadaMania.com

Then its name changed to Tibicen chloromerus, so the gender of the Genus and species name would be in agreement (or so I believe).

Now, this cicada is simply Tibicen tibicen. To read more about why, you’ll need to read Entomological News, Volume 119 Issue 3, “The Identity Of Cicada tibicen Linné [=Tibicen chloromerus (Walker, 1850)] (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) no access”.

Here is the abstract:

A lectotype is designated for Cicada tibicen Linné, 1758. The Linnaean specimen located in the Zoological Museum of Uppsala University can be traced to Linné and the original species description. The species is determined to be the same as what is currently recognized as Tibicen chloromerus (Walker, 1850), making T. chloromerus and Cicada sayi Smith and Grossbeck, 1907, junior synonyms of Tibicen tibicen (L.).

Of course you can call it Swamp Cicada, Morning Cicada, or Green Annual Cicada (from Bug Guide). It doesn’t care.

makingentomologistscringe

Now do I update all instances of “Tibicen chloromera” on this site, or not. Hmmm….

Tags N. tibicen tibicen

Neotibicen

Time for the yearly Neotibicen post

Post author By Dan
Post date July 3, 2009

The Tibicen is the genus of annual cicada most people are familiar with.

Lyric and Swamp Cicada

Here are some general details about Tibicen:

They emerge every summer. They do not emerge in broods.
They emerge in small numbers (small relative to periodical cicadas).
They are timid and elusive compared to periodical cicadas.
Most are physically larger than periodical cicadas.
They are well camouflaged: their colors and patterns of colors help to hide them in their surroundings. They look like little military vehicles, IMHO.
Colloquial names for Tibicens: August Dry Birds, Dog Day cicadas, Harvest Flies, Jar Flies, Bush Cicada (Tibicen dorsatus, formerly T. dorsata)

Swamp cicada

Some cool Tibicen posts and pages you should check out:

Cicada researcher Kathy Hill’s photo of 18 different Tibicen species.
It is possible to identify Tibicen just after they have molted: a visual tool to identify freshly molted Tibicens by Paul Krombholz
Tibicen anatomy page (offsite link).
All Neotibicen posts on this website.

An image from Roy Troutman:

Tibicen fresh out the shell

Tibicen tibicen (T. chloromerus, T. chloromera)

Tibicen cholormera Cicada by CicadaMania.com

Tags N. lyricen lyricen, N. tibicen tibicen

Neotibicen Roy Troutman Tacuini (Cryptotympanini)

Superb Neotibicen superbus (formerly T. superba)

Post author By Dan
Post date June 20, 2009
4 Comments on Superb Neotibicen superbus (formerly T. superba)

Roy Troutman took some excellent Tibicen superbus (formerly T. superba) photos while visiting Texas.

Molted Neotibicen superbus from Texas photo by Roy Troutman

Molting Neotibicen superbus from Texas photo by Roy Troutman

Neotibicen superbus from Texas photo by Roy Troutman 2

Neotibicen superbus from Texas photo by Roy Troutman

Tags N. superbus

Adam Fleishman Neotibicen Tacuini (Cryptotympanini)

New Cicada Photos from Adam Fleishman / ID this cicada

Post author By Dan
Post date March 2, 2008
4 Comments on New Cicada Photos from Adam Fleishman / ID this cicada

Here’s some new photos from photographer and cicada enthusiast Adam Fleishman. As always, they’re great photos. If you can help ID the first two photos, we’d appreciate it.

Neotibicen dealbatus:

Tibicen

Neotibicen dealbatus:

Tibicen

Neotibicen dorsatus (formerly T.dorsata):

T. dorsatus (formerly T.dorsata)

T. dorsata

Neotibicen superbus (formerly T. superba)

T. superba

Visit Adam’s website Cometmoth Sight and Sound

Tags M. dealbatus, M. dorsatus, N. superbus

Megatibicen Neotibicen Tibicen

ID the Tibicen

Brian Baldwin sent over some cicada photos for an ID. Here’s my guesses (below). If you have a more accurate guess, post it in the Comments.

Megatibicen dorsatus (formerly T. dorsata):

Megatibicen dorsatus by Brian Baldwin

At first I thought T. walkeri, but now I’m leaning towards Brain’s guess of N. superbus. This would be the first superbus with a brown mesonotum that I’ve ever seen.:

Brian Baldwin's Neotibicen superbus