Cicadettini Buckton, 1889

Moulds, MS, 2005, An Appraisal of the Higher Classification of Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) with Special Reference to the Australian Fauna, Records of the Australian Museum 57 (3), pp. 375-446 : 436

Tribe Cicadettini Buckton, 1889

Cicadinae Buckton, 1889: 270 .

Cicadetta Buckton, 1890 : xxxiv.

Melampsaltaria Distant, 1905g: 269 .

Cicadettaria Oshanin, 1908: 396 .

Melampsaltini Van Duzee, 1916: 57 .

Cicadettini Boulard, 1972: 70 .

Type genus. Cicadetta Amyot (type species: Cicada montana Scopoli ).

Included genera. Amphipsalta Fleming , Auta Distant , Birrima Distant , Buyisa Distant , Cicadetta Amyot , Cicadivetta Boulard , Curvicicada Chou & Lu , Diemeniana Distant , Euryphara Horváth , Fijipsalta Duffels , Froggattoides Distant , Gudanga Distant , Hilaphura Webb , Kikihia Dugdale , Kobonga Distant , Leptopsalta Kato , Linguacicada Chou & Lu , Maoricicada Dugdale , Marteena Moulds , Melampsalta Kolenati , Mouia Distant , Myersalna Boulard , Nigripsaltria Boer , Notopsalta Dugdale , Pagiphora Horváth , Pauropsalta Goding & Froggatt , Pinheya Dlabola , Poviliana Boulard , Rhodopsalta Dugdale , Saticula Stål , Scolopita Chou and Lei , Stellenboschia Distant , Takapsalta Matsumura , Tettigetta Kolenati , Tibeta Lei & Chou , Toxopeusella Kirkaldy , Urabunana Distant , Xossarella Boulard ; a new genus represented by Abricta borealis ; a new genus represented by Quintilia infans .

Note that Diemeniana , Gudanga and Quintilia infans were previously attributed to the Parnisini and Marteena and Abricta borealis to the Taphurini .

Diagnosis. Head with supra-antennal plate meeting or nearly meeting eye. Postclypeus shape in transverse cross-section rounded; postclypeal ridges lacking transverse grooves towards distal ends. Pronotal collar with lateral margin weakly ampliate or confluent with adjoining pronotal sclerites; lateral tooth absent (except in Diemeniana , Kobonga , Marteena , Pauropsalta and in the new genus represented by Abricta borealis ). Fore wing pterostigma present; veins C and R+Sc close together; vein RA 1 aligned closely with subcosta (Sc) for its length. Hind wing with anal lobe broad (except in Froggattoides ) and vein 3A usually curved at distal end, long, separated from wing margin. Fore leg femoral primary spine erect. Meracanthus gradually tapering to a point, triangular or nearly so. Male opercula not completely encapsulating meracanthus and partly or entirely covering tympanal cavity. Male abdominal tergites with sides straight or convex in cross-section; tergites 2 and 3 similar in size to tergites 4–7; epipleurites reflexed to ventral surface, without an inward V-shaped kink. Timbals not extended below wing bases; timbal covers absent. Pygofer with upper lobe present (except in Froggattoides and in the new genus represented by Cicadetta forresti ), flat; basal lobe moderately to well developed; dorsal beak present as a part of chitinized pygofer. Uncus duck-bill shaped, very broad and flat. Claspers large, dominating the whole 10th abdominal segment. Aedeagus with basal portion of plate basal directed forwards away from thecal shaft; ventral rib completely fused with basal plate; theca straight or curved in a gentle arc; pseudoparameres present; subapical cerci absent. Male reproductive system with accessory glands short. Female reproductive system with accessory glands of common oviduct usually long, sometimes short.

Distinguishing characters. Timbals not extended below wing bases; pygofer upper lobe flat (missing in Froggattoides ); pseudoparameres present.

Discussion. The traditional concept of the Cicadettini , based on the basal coalescence of fore wing veins M and CuA, is here very much altered. While the coalescence of these veins was a convenient means of recognizing most members of this tribe, the attribute unfortunately sometimes is contradictory. In some genera such as Pauropsalta some species show coalescence but in others these veins are entirely separated, and in some species such as Kobonga umbrimargo some individuals clearly lack fusion. See discussion above under the heading “Some notable characters trends”, p. 412, for further comments on this matter.