November 8, 2018

Ariasa colombiae (Distant, 1892)

Ariasa colombiae (Distant, 1892) is a cicada found in Columbia and Venezuela.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
SubTribe: Guyalnina
Genus: Ariasa
Species: Ariasa colombiae (Distant, 1892)

Ariasa genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) wider than base of mesonotum, the eyes projecting beyond anterior pronotal angles, vertex at area of ocelli as long as or only a little shorter than front; posterior angles of pronotum more or less sublobately produced; abdomen about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympana largely exposed, the flaps only upwardly developed on the lateral areas; face large and globose; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; opercula short, not passing base of abdomen; abdomen beneath prominently channeled at each lateral margin; tegmina and wings hyaline, the first with eight apical areas, basal cell a little longer than broad.

References:

The illustration and description 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.
Species name verification comes from Allen Sanborn’s Catalogue of the Cicadoidea (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha).

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November 7, 2018

Megapomponia merula (Distant, 1905)

Megapomponia merula (Distant, 1905) used to be know as Pomponia merula. Why did its genus change? Mega refers to the very large size of these cicadas. Michel Boulard created the Megapomponia Boulard, 2005 genus. Pomponia still exists (but those cicadas are smaller).

This cicada is found in Malaysia and Indonesia.

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 newest name of this cicada is Megapomponia merula.

Not quite Mega, but here’s the Pomponia genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) about as wide as base of mesonotum, its length about or nearly equal to space between eyes, ocelli much farther apart from eyes than from each other, front anteriorly convex and slightly prominent; pronotum with the lateral margins moderately ampliate and sinuate, the posterior angles dilated, a little shorter than mesonotum; mesonotum with the disk moderately convex; abdomen in male longer than space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympanal coverings complete; opercula in male short and transverse ; rostrum passing posterior coxae; anterior femora spined beneath; tegmina and wings hyaline, the first usually more or less maculate, basal cell longer than broad, apical areas eight.

References:

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).

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November 6, 2018

Mata kama (Distant, 1881)

Mata kama (Distant, 1881) is a cicada found in India, Malaysia and likely the lands in-between.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Oncotympanini
SubTribe: ?
Genus: Mata
Species: Mata kama (Distant, 1881)

Mata genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) about as wide as base of mesonotum, distinctly shorter than space between eyes; pronotum shorter than mesonotum, its lateral margins a little convex, sinuate before the posterior lateral angles, which are moderately lobately produced ; abdomen in male short, about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation ; tympanal orifices completely covered, tympanal coverings with their outer margins sinuate, the posterior angles only projecting beyond the lateral margins of the abdomen; metasternum prolonged in a broad, oblong, laminate process between the opercula, which are short, transverse, and not extending beyond the base of abdomen, their lateral margins visible from above; rostrum reaching the posterior coxae; anterior femora spined beneath; tegmina and wings hyaline, the first maculate; tegmina very long and narrow, more than three times longer than broad, with eight apical areas and the basal cell longer than broad; wings with six apical areas.

References:

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).
Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1

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November 5, 2018

Lahugada dohertyi (Distant, 1891)

Filed under: Genera Insectorum | India | Lahudadini | Lahugada | W. L. Distant — Dan @ 1:01 am

Lahugada dohertyi (Distant, 1891). This cicada is found in Assam, India.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Lahudadini
Genus: Lahugada
Species: Lahugada dohertyi (Distant, 1891)

Lahugada dohertyi (Distant, 1891)

Lahugada genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) considerably narrower than base of mesonotum, its length about equal to space between eyes, its lateral margins discontinuous, the lateral margins of front being almost at right angles to those of vertex; pronotum almost as long as mesonotum, narrowed anteriorly, the posterior angles prominent and rounded; abdomen considerably longer than space between apex of front and base of cruciform elevation; tympana completely covered, tympanal coverings broader than long; opercula short, somewhat globose, wider than abdominal margin, and distinctly visible from above; rostrum about reaching the posterior coxae; tegmina and wings hyaline, the first with eight apical areas and the basal cell longer than broad.

An article about L. dohertyi from 2019: 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.

References:

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).

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November 4, 2018

Cosmopsaltria meeki (Distant, 1906)

Cosmopsaltria meeki (Distant, 1906) used to be called Haphsa meeki. Yes, its name has changed since 1913. It was moved into the Cosmopsaltria genus. The Haphsa genus still exists.

This cicada is found in New Guinea.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cosmopsaltriini
SubTribe: Cosmopsaltriaria
Genus: Cosmopsaltria
Species: Cosmopsaltria meeki (Distant, 1906)

Cosmopsaltria meeki (Distant, 1906)
The image says Haphsa meeki, but the newest name of this cicada is Cosmopsaltria meeki.

Cosmopsaltria genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Body moderately long and robust, head as long as breadth between eyes, and including eyes as wide as base of mesonotum, with the front not twice as broad at base as anterior margins of the lobes of vertex, lateral margins obliquely continuous to front or very slightly sinuate; pronotum about as long as head, its lateral margins scarcely ampliated, but distinctly toothed or angulated; mesonotum slightly longer than pronotum ; abdomen short, about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympana covered; opercula in male broad, either just or longly passing middle of abdomen, well separated and not overlapping, more or less concavely sinuate on each side at basal areas, their apices rounded or obliquely truncate; rostrum reaching, sometimes passing, the posterior coxae; tegmina and wings hyaline; greatest breadth of tegmina about a third of length, venation normal, basal cell much longer than broad.

References:

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).

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November 3, 2018

Oncotympana nigristigma (Walker, 1850)

Oncotympana nigristigma (Walker, 1850) used to be called Dokumu nigristigma (now its a junior synonym). Yes, its name has changed since 1913!

This cicada is found in the Philippines.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Oncotympanini
SubTribe: Oncotympanina
Genus: Oncotympana
Species: Oncotympana nigristigma (Walker, 1850)

Oncotympana nigristigma (Walker, 1850)

Oncotympana genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head (including eyes) nearly as wide or distinctly narrower than base of mesonotum, its length about or nearly equal to space between eyes; pronotum considerably shorter than mesonotum, its lateral margins a little convex, its posterior angles ampliated; mesonotum large, convex; abdomen in male short, broad, about as long as space between apex of head and base of cruciform elevation; tympanal coverings very globose and projecting beyond the lateral abdominal margins; opercula m male short, transverse, with their disks a little convex; anterior femora spined beneath; rostrum passing the posterior coxae ; tegmina and wings hyaline, the first usually more or less maculate, apical areas eight, venation normal.

References:

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).

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November 2, 2018

Diceroprocta biconica (Walker, 1850)

Diceroprocta biconica (Walker, 1850) was formerly known as Rihana biconica. The Rihana genus no longer exists.

It is found in Cuba and Florida in the U.S.:

Source: ©Insect Singers

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Cryptotympanini
SubTribe: Cryptotympanina
Genus: Diceroprocta
Species: Diceroprocta biconica (Walker, 1850)

Diceroprocta biconica (Walker, 1850)
The image says Rihana biconica, but the newest name of this cicada is Diceroprocta biconica.

For the fun of it, here is a genus description for Rihana:

Characters. — Flead distinctly longer than half the breadth between eyes, and including eyes wider than base of mesonotum ; face more or less prominent, its lateral margins in line with lateral margins of vertex; eyes oblique, longer than broad; pronotum a little narrowed behind eyes, about or almost as long as mesonotum in front of cruciform elevation ; abdomen not, or scarcely, longer than length between apex of face and base of cruciform elevation ; other characters generally as in Cicada.

Name, Location and Description

Cicada Name: Diceroprocta biconica (Walker, 1850)
Short Name: D. biconica
Common Name: The Key’s Cicada
Where it is found: FL, Cuba
Maps: Biogeography of the Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of North America, North of Mexico [PDF]
Description: Black, varies between green and brown, with white pruinose.
Eye Color: brown
Pronotal Collar Color: green or brown
Identification: Bug Guide
Identification: iNaturalist
Taxonomic Information: Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Song: Insect Singers

References:

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).

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November 1, 2018

Orialella boliviana (Distant, 1904)

Orialella boliviana (Distant, 1904) was formerly known as Oria boliviana. Yes, its name has changed since 1913. The genus Oria still exists.

It is found in Bolivia and Brazil.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Fidicinini
SubTribe: ?
Genus: Orialella
Species: Orialella boliviana (Distant, 1904)

Orialella boliviana (Distant, 1904)
The image says Oria boliviana, but the newest name of this cicada is Orialella boliviana.

References:

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).
Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1

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October 31, 2018

Neopsaltoda crassa Distant, 1910

Filed under: Australia | Genera Insectorum | Neopsaltoda | W. L. Distant — Dan @ 1:01 am

Neopsaltoda crassa Distant, 1910, is a cicada found in Queensland, Australia.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Psaltodini
SubTribe: ?
Genus: Neopsaltoda
Species: Neopsaltoda crassa Distant, 1910

Neopsaltoda crassa Distant, 1910

N. crassa is the only member of the genus Neopsaltoda. Neopsaltoda genus description by W. L. Distant:

Characters. — Head including eyes much broader than base of mesonotum, medial length about half the breadth between eyes, front prominent, at somewhat right angles with the lateral margins of the vertex which are straightly oblique; eyes somewhat large and prominent, extending beyond the anterior angles of the pronotum ; pronotum with the medial length about half as long as breadth at base, the anterior margin arcuate thus narrowing towards lateral margins which are rounded, posterior margin subtruncate; mesonotum including cruciform elevation nearly as long as broad; abdomen short and broad, but longer than greatest breadth, second segment very broad, dilated at lateral margins and lobately continued on each side beneath, the true tympanal coverings entire; opercula somewhat short, broader than long, overlapping internally , their apices broadly rounded; rostrum passing the intermediate coxae; tegmina and wings subhyaline; tegmina about two and a half times as long as greatest breadth, apical areas eight; wings about twice as long as broad, apical areas six; abdomen beneath more or less oblique depressed from near base to apex.

References:

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).
Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1

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October 30, 2018

Arenopsaltria fullo (Walker, 1850)

Arenopsaltria fullo (Walker, 1850) was formerly known as Henicopsaltria fullo. Yes, its name has changed since 1913. It was moved to a new genus. The Henicopsaltria genus still exists.

Arenopsaltria fullo is found in Australia.

Scientific classification:
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Arenopsaltriini
SubTribe: ?
Genus: Arenopsaltria
Species: Arenopsaltria fullo (Walker, 1850)

Arenopsaltria fullo (Walker, 1850)
The image says Henicopsaltria fullo, but the newest name of this cicada is Arenopsaltria fullo.

References:

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).
Tribe information comes from: MARSHALL, DAVID C. et al.A molecular phylogeny of the cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) with a review of tribe and subfamily classification.Zootaxa, [S.l.], v. 4424, n. 1, p. 1—64, may 2018. ISSN 1175-5334. Available at: https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4424.1.1

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