Category: Genera Insectorum

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Ferdinand Karsch Genera Insectorum Koma Platypleurini Tanzania W. L. Distant Zimbabwe

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).
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CAR Carl Stal DRC Genera Insectorum Ioba Nigeria Platypleurini

Ioba limbaticollis (Stål, 1863)

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).
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Francis Walker Genera Insectorum Kongota Platypleurini South Africa W. L. Distant

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).
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Carl Stal Friedrich Schumacher Genera Insectorum Munza Namibia Platypleurini South Africa

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).
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China Genera Insectorum Graptopsaltria Japan Masayo Kato Polyneurini

Graptopsaltria bimaculata Kato, 1925

Graptopsaltria bimaculata Kato, 1925. Formerly known as Graptopsaltria tienta. Yes, its species name as changed since 1913! It is found in China and Japan.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Polyneurini
SubTribe: Polyneurina
Genus: Graptopsaltria
Species: Graptopsaltria bimaculata Kato, 1925

Graptopsaltria bimaculata Kato, 1925
The image says Graptopsaltria tienta but now the cicada is known as Graptopsaltria bimaculata.

Graptopsaltria genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Body robust, attenuated posteriorly; head, including eyes, narrower than the anterior lateral margins of the pronotum; ocelli wider apart from eyes than from each other; rostrum extending to about posterior coxae; pronotum with the lateral margins irregularly convex, not prominently ampliated or laminately expanded; anterior femora robustly spined; tympana practically covered ; opercula short, broad, not extending beyond basal segment of abdomen; tegmina opaque, apical areas eight, transverse vein at the base of the second apical area much curved, interior ulnar area not distinctly widened at apex; wings opaque, apical areas six.

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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Francis Walker Genera Insectorum Platypleura Platypleurini W. L. Distant

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).
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Dundubiini Genera Insectorum Indonesia Megapomponia W. L. Distant

Megapomponia merula (Distant, 1905)

Megapomponia merula (Distant, 1905) is a cicada found in Indonesia. Its name was once Pomponia merula, but recently, that changed.

There’s a dozen species in the Megapomponia Boulard, 2005 genus. “Mega” refers to their large size.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Megapomponiina
Genus: Megapomponia
Species: Megapomponia merula (Distant, 1905)

Megapomponia merula (Distant, 1905)
The image says Pomponia merula but the cicada is now known as Megapomponia merula.

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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Caribbean Fidicinini Genera Insectorum Philip Reese Uhler Proarna

Proarna squamigera Uhler, 1895

Proarna squamigera Uhler, 1895 is found in the Antilles islands.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Sub Family: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
Sub Tribe: Guyalnina
Genus: Proarna
Species: Proarna squamigera Uhler, 1895

Proarna squamigera Uhler, 1895

Proarna genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) about equal in width to base of mesonotum. eyes scarcely projecting beyond anterior angles of pronotum, vertex of head at area of ocelli distinctly longer than front; pronotum a little shorter than mesonotum. the posterior angles a little prominent but not lobately produced; abdomen about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; metasternum with a moderately elevated transverse central plate, which is not anteriorly angularly produced ; tegmina about three times as long as broad, the transverse vein at base of second apical area more or less vertical ; wings about half the length of tegmina, the latter with eight apical areas, the basal cell longer than broad.

References:

  1. 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.
  2. Species name information/verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
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Afzeliada Genera Insectorum Platypleurini W. L. Distant

Afzeliada hyalina (Distant, 1905)

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).
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Burma Dundubiini Genera Insectorum Haphsa W. L. Distant

Haphsa bindusara (Distant, 1881)

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.

This cicada is found in Burma.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Dundubiini
SubTribe: Aolaria
Genus: Haphsa
Species: Haphsa bindusara (Distant, 1881)

Haphsa bindusara (Distant, 1881)
The image says Aola bindusara but this cicada is now known as Haphsa bindusara.

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).