Category: W. L. Distant

Categories
Angamiana India Oriental Cicadidae Polyneurini W. L. Distant

Angamiana aetherea Distant, 1890

Angamiana aetherea Distant, 1890 is a cicada found in India.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Polyneurini
SubTribe: Polyneurina
Genus: Angamiana
Species: Angamiana aetherea Distant, 1890

Angamiana aetherea Distant, 1890

Species description from A Monograph of Oriental Cicadas by W.L. Distant:

Body black; eyes castaneous; anterior, lateral, and posterior margins of pronotum (the first narrowly), and an abbreviated, central, narrow, longitudinal fascia to same, posterior margin of metanotum, head beneath (excluding face), sternum and opercula pale greenish-ochraceous; legs and rostrum black. Body more or less clothed with greyish pile, especially at the lateral margins of the mesonotum and the base and segmental margins of the abdomen.

Tegmina semihyaline and of a pale shining bronzy hue, the venation darker and either ochraceous or greenish, the costal membrane pale greenish; the extreme base and the veins enclosing the postcostal area black; the veins enclosing the two uppermost apical areas, the terminal vein of the lower ulnar area, and the outer margin dark bronzy. Wings pale bluish-green, becoming pale bronzy towards apex, the outer margin dark bronzy.

The opercula are broad and divergent, their outer margins convex, their inner margins oblique, their apices obtusely angulated and not reaching the middle of the abdomen. The rostrum about reaches the posterior coxae.

References:

  1. The illustration, description and location information comes from A Monograph of Oriental Cicadas by W. L. Distant. 1889-1892. Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Cicada Cicadini Guatemala Rhynchota W. L. Distant

Cicada pennata (Distant, 1881)

Cicada pennata (Distant, 1881) is a cicada found in Guatamala.

Cicada pennata (Distant, 1881) was formerly known as Tettigia pennata.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cicadini
SubTribe: Cicadina
Genus: Cicada
Species: Cicada pennata (Distant, 1881)


The image says Tettigia pennata, but the newest name of this cicada is Cicada pennata.

Species description by W. L. Distant:

Head, pronotum, and mesonotum greenish. Head with the frontal marginal angles, a transverse streak on lateral margins, inner margin of eyes, and area of the ocelli black; ocelli red. Mesonotum with a central longitudinal suboblong spot, rounded posteriorly and angulated anteriorly, on each side of this a short oblique streak behind eyes, and a D-shaped spot near each lateral margin black. Mesonotum with four large, central, and somewhat irregular black-bordered obconical spots, a black spot on each lateral margin, and two small spots of the same colour in front of the basal cruciform elevation. Abdomen above dull testaceous, with the basal angles and anal appendage greenish, somewhat thickly clothed with white pile. Body beneath greenish; transverse striae to face, bases and apices of coxse, apex of rostrum, segmental incisures, and inner margins of anal appendage black. Legs greenish, apices of femora black, apices of tibiae and tarsi dull testaceous, tarsal claws black. Tegmina pale hyaline. Neuration of basal half greenish, remainder fuscous ; base of first ulnar area, transverse vein at base of second ulnar area, a central spot on the longitudinal vein enclosing third ulnar area, and transverse vein at base of eighth apical area, and claval margin black ; a prominent white opaque spot at base of first ulnar area. Anastomoses, and a submarginal row of spots situated on veins, pale fuscous. Wings pale hyaline; veins fuscous, with some of the discal ones greenish.

The face is globose, strongly and transversely striate, with a central longitudinal sulcation; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; head small, with the eyes very globose, and much narrower than base of pronotum.

Long. 17 millim., exp. of tegm. 66 millim.

References:

  1. The illustration comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Audio, Sounds, Songs Diceroprocta Honduras Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) Tympanoterpes W. L. Distant

Diceroprocta ruatana (Distant, 1891)

Diceroprocta ruatana (Distant, 1891) is a cicada foun in Honduras.

Diceroprocta ruatana was formerly known as Tympanoterpes ruatana.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta ruatana (Distant, 1891)

Diceroprocta ruatana (Distant, 1891)
The image says Tympanoterpes ruatana, but the newest name of this cicada is Diceroprocta ruatana.

References:

  1. The illustration comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Chrysolasia Guatemala Lamotialnini Rhynchota W. L. Distant

Chrysolasia guatemalena (Distant, 1883)

Chrysolasia guatemalena (Distant, 1883) is a cicada found in Guatemala.

Special note: this cicada might be related to the Magiciada (17/13 year cicadas) cicadas found in the U.S.

Chrysolasia guatemalena was formerly known as Tibicen guatemalenus.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadettinae
Tribe: Lamotialnini
Genus: Chrysolasia
Species: Chrysolasia guatemalena (Distant, 1883)

Note from David Marshall in the comments: “This genus has been moved to the tribe Lamotialnini (see Marshall et al. 2018). Interestingly, that makes it the closest known relative of Magicicada in the Americas.”


The image says Tibicen guatemalenus, but its newest name is Chrysolasia guatemalena.

Species description by W. L. Distant:

Obscure castaneous, somewhat thickly covered with ochraceous pilosity. Area of the ocelli, a central fascia to pronotum (which is ampliated and produced on each side at anterior and posterior margins), some obscure and irregular spots on mesonotum with cruciform elevation at base, and abdomen above fuscous. Body beneath much paler and very densely pilose; head, sternum, and opercula ashy grey; abdomen pale ochraceous. Tegmina pale hyaline; costal membrane, basal area, and claval base pale castaneous; veins pale fuscous. Wings pale hyaline ; veins and suffusion at abdominal area pale fuscous.

Head, including outer margin of eyes, broader than pronotum; face with a broad central longitudinal sulcation and somewhat faintly transversely striate; rostrum not quite reaching posterior coxae; opercula reaching base of second abdominal segment, narrowest at base, with the outer margins truncate, widened and rounded posteriorly, but not quite meeting inwardly.

Long. 20 millim., exp. tegm. 57 millim.

References:

  1. The illustration, location and description comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Mexico Rhynchota Tettigades Tettigadini W. L. Distant

Tettigades mexicana Distant, 1881

Tettigades mexicana Distant, 1881, is a cicada found in Mexico.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Tibicininae
Tribe: Tettigadini
Genus: Tettigades
Species: Tettigades mexicana Distant, 1881

Tettigades mexicana Distant, 1881

Species description by W. L. Distant:

Head above black, front with an arcuated fascia at each, side of base of face on anterior margin, an indistinct, narrow, broken, central longitudinal fascia on vertex, and a broad streak behind inner margin of eyes, luteous. Pronotum with the disk ochraceous, having a large reversed triangular spot on anterior margin, a large oblique patch on each side behind eyes, and a small central transverse line near posterior margin fuscous; anterior border narrowly, lateral and posterior borders broadly luteous. Mesonotum black, with two central pale lines commencing on anterior margin and terminating about one third the length of mesonotum; basal elevation with large horn-like and branching angles extending therefrom to about centre of disk, and frenum, luteous. Abdomen black, strongly pilose, with the posterior segmental borders narrowly ochraceous. Underside of body and legs luteous ; base and central fascia to face, inner margin of eyes, some irregular marks on sternum and near coxae, a linear streak on each side of femora, a spot on trochanters, a marginal segmental row of spots to abdomen, and a large quadrate spot on apical segment fuscous. Tegmina pale hyaline; radial and postcostal veins, and venation of apical third of tegmina fuscous; postcostal ulnar ramus and remaining venation luteous. “Wings pale hyaline; basal half of venation luteous, apical half fuscous.

The face is moderately convex and gibbous, distinctly transversely striated, with a broad central longitudinal sulcation, the edges of which are slightly raised. The rostrum in the typical specimen has the apical joint mutilated, but apparently about reaches the posterior coxa?. The anterior femora are armed with two strong spines. Body very strongly pilose.

Long. 22 millim., exp. tegm. 68 millim.

References:

  1. The illustration comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Fidicinini Mexico Ollanta Rhynchota W. L. Distant

Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881)

Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881) is a cicada found in Mexico and Nicaragua.

Ollanta modesta was formerly known as Selymbria modesta.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
SubTribe: Guyalnina
Genus: Ollanta
Species: Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881)

Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881)
The image says Selymbria modesta, but the newest name of this cicada is Ollanta modesta.

Species description by W. L. Distant:

Body dull testaceous. Head with the frontal margin, area of the ocelli, and posterior margin of eyes fuscous. Pronotum with two central fuscous fasciae on anterior margin, and sometimes two smaller ones on posterior margin. Mesonotum with two large obconical central spots on anterior margin; on each side of these a longer and more obscure obconical fascia, and a transverse fascia on disk, preceded by two small spots, fuscous. Basal margins of scutellum and abdominal segments fuscous. Body beneath paler; anterior margin of head and inner margin of eyes black. Tegmina pale hyaline; neuration ochraceous or dull testaceous (sometimes with the basal half much paler); transverse veins at the base of second and third apical areas, and a submarginal row of spots on longitudinal veins of first, second, and third apical areas fuscous. Wings pale hyaline, with the nervures ochraceous or testaceous.

Head, including eyes, equal in breadth to base of pronotum; face with a very deep central longitudinal sulcation, and strongly and transversely striate. Opercula pale, broad, not passing base of first abdominal segment, and narrowed but not meeting interiorly.

Long. 16 millim., exp. tegm. 57 millim.

This is the only Central- American species of the genus with which I am acquainted. It varies somewhat in the markings of the pronotum and mesonotum.

References:

  1. The illustration comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Mexico Rhynchota Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) W. L. Distant

Cacama maura (Distant, 1881)

Cacama maura (Distant, 1881) is a cicada found in Mexico.

Cacama maura was formerly known as Proarna maura, but its name changed when it moved from the genus Cacama Distant, 1904 to the genus Proarna Stål, 1864.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Cacama
Species: Cacama maura (Distant, 1881)

Cacama maura (Distant, 1881)
The image says Proarna maura, but the newest name of this cicada is Cacama maura.

Species description by W. L. Distant:

Body and legs black; frontal margin of head, posterior margin of pronotum, lateral margins of face, apices of femora, and bases of tibiae dull obscure ochraceous; eyes luteous; lateral margins of sternum broadly margined with white pile. Tegmina pale hyaline, veins fuscous; basal area, costal membrane, and transverse veins at bases of second and third apical areas black. “Wings hyaline, veins fuscous, basal area black.

Body very broad and robust, with the segmental apices acute; head, including eyes, much narrower than base of pronotum. Face with the sides strongly striated, centre not sulcated, its width equal to its distance from outer margin of eyes. Rostrum reaching posterior coxae. Opercula large, oblong, black, straight outwardly, rounded posteriorly, slightly overlapping at inner margins near base.

Long. 25 millim., exp. tegm. 70 millim.

This species represents a distinct section of the genus, having the apices of the segments acute and the body very broad. This division, in every respect, including the black colour, exactly corresponds with a like divergence in the genus Cicada, as represented by C. robusta, Dist.

References:

  1. The illustration, location info and descriptions comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Cacama Mexico Rhynchota Tacuini (Cryptotympanini) W. L. Distant

Cacama longirostris (Distant, 1881)

Cacama longirostris (Distant, 1881) is a cicada found in Mexico.

Cacama longirostris was formerly known as Proarna longirostris, but its name changed when it moved from the genus Cacama Distant, 1904 to the genus Proarna Stål, 1864.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Cacama
Species: Cacama longirostris (Distant, 1881)

Cacama longirostris (Distant, 1881)
The image says Proarna longirostris, but the newest name of this cicada is Cacama longirostris.

Species description by W. L. Distant:

Closely allied to P. maura [now Cacama maura (Distant, 1881)], Dist., but differs by the greater amount of the ochraceous markings on the pro- and mesonotum, in having a large ochraceous spot on each lateral margin of the abdomen above, and a small spot of the same colour on each side of the anal appendage, in the much smaller black basal area to the tegmina, and the almost absence of the same to the wings. The body beneath, including the legs and opercula, is ochraceous, the abdomen having the lateral margins and anal appendage black. Its principal structural difference is the length of the rostrum, which reaches the apex of the first abdominal segment.

Long. 24 millim., exp. tegm. 71 millim.

References:

  1. The illustration comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Species name information comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Brazil Costa Rica Fidicinini Guyana Nicaragua Panama Proarna Rhynchota W. L. Distant

Well, the genus is still Proarna

This one’s a bit of a brain twister, so I’m going to dump some facts and run.

Proarna albida is a former name for two species: Proarna insignis Distant, 1881 and Proarna olivieri Metcalf, 1963.

Scientific classification down the genus:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
SubTribe: Guyalnina
Genus: Proarna

The image below might be either one…

Description for Proarna albida from Insecta. Rhynchota.:

This species is strikingly variable, both in size and also as regards the length of the second apical area of the tegmina. Stoll’s figure being very unsatisfactory, I have here figured a specimen from Costa Rica.

Found in: Costa Rica, Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil.

Description for Proarna insignis from Insecta. Rhynchota.:

Var. insignis:

Body much broader than in any varietal forms of P. albida which have passed through my hands, lateral margins of pronotum more ampliated, markings of the tegmina darker and more distinct.

Long. 24 millim., exp. tegm. 63 millim.

Three females possessing this form have passed through my hands. As I have not seen the their sex, and can find no sufficient structural character in the female of specific value, I have felt it necessary to give a varietal name for the present, to prevent confusion.

Found in NicaraPanamand Panama.

For comparison sake, P. olivieri is found in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Central America, South America. All over the place. From the notes within the Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

Whatever the latest name for Proarna albida is, it’s a nice looking cicada:
Proarna olivieri Metcalf, 1963

References:

  1. The illustration comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Name information from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).
Categories
Nicaragua Odopoea Rhynchota W. L. Distant Zammarini

Odopoea diriangani Distant, 1881

Odopoea diriangani Distant, 1881, is a cicada found in Nicaragua.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Zammarini
Genus: Odopoea
Species: Odopoea diriangani Distant, 1881

Odopoea diriangani species description by W. L. Distant:

Ochraceous and unicolorous, obscurely pilose. Tegmina and wings hyaline, veins ochraceous. Face strongly carinate, its width and distance to outer margin of eyes being subequal. Eyes black, ocelli red. Pronotum with the lateral margins considerably ampliated and rounded, obtusely and obscurely angulated about middle. Mesonotum with two large but obscure obconical spots commencing on apical margin. Anterior femora with a strong spine about one third from apex, between which and apex are two smaller and much more obscure spines.

Long. 22 millim., exp. tegm. 69 millim.

This species is allied to O. signoreti, Stal, and 0. azteca, Dist., from both of which it differs by the neuration of the tegmina being unicolorous, by the basal margin of the eighth apical area being almost straight and oblique, the ulnar veins abruptly divergent at base, and also by the strongly carinate face. It is more than probable that some specimens of this species are green, and not ochraceous like the form here described.

References:

  1. The illustration and description comes from Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta. Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Homoptera. Vol. 1. By W. L. Distant F.E.S. and The Rev. Canon W. W. Fowler, F.L.S. (1881-1905). Read it on the Biodiversity Heritage Library website.
  2. Name verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).