Rhodopsalta leptomera (Myers, 1921)

(Supporting Information, Fig. S5)

The largest of the three species in this genus, R. leptomera, is readily distinguished by its strawto orange–yellow-coloured legs and forewing costal margins. The species has a longer, more slender body and wings (on average) than its congeners and more abundant short silvery pubescence (Myers, 1921). Rhodopsalta leptomera is restricted to the NI (Fig. 2; Supporting Information, Fig. S1), where it uses dune grass and sedge species such as the introduced marram [ Ammophila arenaria (L.) Roem. & Schult.] and endemic pingao [ Ficinia spiralis (A.Rich.) Muasya & de Lange] (Myers, 1929a). Rhodopsalta leptomera is unique among NZ cicadas in its apparent dependence upon coastal dune habitat. Other, unrelated cicadas inhabiting saline environments can be found in the south-eastern USA (genus Diceroprocta Stål, 1870), Argentina ( Derotettix Berg, 1882; Simon et al. 2019), South Africa [ Azanicada zuluensis (Villet, 1987); Villet & Van Noort, 1999], Queensland, Australia [ Arunta perulata (Guérin-Méneville, 1831); Sanborn, 1996; Sanborn et al., 2004], south-eastern Australia [the ‘sand fairy’, Sylphoides arenaria (Distant, 1907); (Moulds, 1990, 2012)] and NZ (Kikihia ‘tuta’ along SI saline mud flat sedges and grasses). Adults are active from November to March (Myers, 1929b).