Possible Characters for cicada phylogenetic analysis:
Based on Leigh’s work (mostly with T. dorsata, T. dealbatus, T. bifidus, T. inauditus, T. parallelus,
T. chloromera, and T. similaris)
Tibicen only
1. Thin band on posterior edge of metanotum.
visible in bifidus and chloromera, maybe in inauditus and parallelus
2. Relative length of hindwing:
relatively long in dorsata, dealbatus, bifidus
3. Size of tymbal covers:
relatively long in bifidus, chloromera, parallelus, duryi
4. White on head:
dealbatus & bifidus
All genera
1. Double U design on mesonotum:
Distinct in Diceroprocta, T. pruinosa, dorsata, dealbatus, bifidus, inauditus, similaris,
Indistinct in chloromera, parallelus, Cacama, Magicicada, Okanagana, Platypedia, Tibicinoides,
“extra decorative”: Quesada, Neocicada
2. Length of thorax & abdomen relative to wings:
3. Green color on wings.
4. Green on head & thorax
5. White on head:
dealbatus & bifidus
6. White on thorax and abdomen:
dealbatus, dorsata, bifidus, inauditus, C. valvata, T. duryi
7. White on abdomen only:
T. chloromera, T. pruinosa, ??T. superba
8. Body & wings all black or brown (does this simply mean that there are no other colors
anywhere?):
T. parallelus, T. similaris, Quesada gigas, Pacarina, Tibicinoides, Okanagana
9. Orange in wings:
Magicicada
10. Orange on body and head:
T. duryi, ?T. dorsata
11. Total body length equal to forewing length:
Okanagana, Platypedia, Beameria
12. Dark veins in wings:
Extensive: Neocicada, Pacarina
Only the “Z”: Magicicada, most Tibicen (faint in dealbatus), Diceroprocta
Essentially none: Platypedia, Cacama, Okanagana, Beameria, Melampsalta, T. walkeri.
13. Curvature of scutellum (cruciform elevation):
Flatter curve: T. dorsata, T. parallelus, T. similaris, T. walkeri, Pacarina, T. pruinosa,
Magicicada
Strongly curved (points toward head): Neocicada, Okanagana, T. bifidus, T. chloromera, T.
inauditus, T. dealbatus, Diceroprocta, T. duryi, Cacama.
 could measure depth & width, calculate a ratio.
14.
Based on Heath, 1971
Females:
1. Is posterior margin of metanotum partially covered by mesonotum?
2. Width of head, including eyes -- about as wide or wider than mesonotum, or narrower?
3. 1st and 2nd crossveins of forewings parallel or nearly parallel.
4. Longitudinal veins with infuscated dots near the ambient vein
5. Lateral edges of pronotum smooth
6. Subgenital plate sinuous and/or length of R4+5 between the 1st and 2nd crossveins equal to or
greater than the length of R4+5 from the first crossvein to the ambient vein in the forewing
**This is 2 characters**
6. Subgenital plate produced into two symmetrical, smooth lobes; length of R4+5 between the 1st
and 2nd crossveins less than the length of R4+5 from the first crossvein to the ambient vein in the
forewing
**This is 2 characters**
7. Eighth abdominal sternite visible as 2 hook-like projections beneath the subgenital plate when
viewed caudally
7. Eighth abdominal sternite not visible beneath the subgenital plate or lacking hook-like
projections.
**Isn’t this 2 characters?**
8. Color of basal cell of forewing (green, brown, or black)
**This may be multiple character states; there’s at least one orange example**
9. Length of 7th marginal areole more than 2 times the width or not more than 2 times the width
10. Eyes extending laterally away from pronotum; abrupt color change on face, or eyes not
extending laterally away from pronotum; no abrupt color change on face.
**This is 2 characters**
11. Medial and cubital veins joined or separate when emerging from basal cell of forewing
12. Nodus of forewing located centrally or on distal 1/3 on the costal margin
13. Seven or eight marginal cells in forewing
14. Pronotum flared laterally forming longitudinal ridge or carina for its entire length, or rounded
laterally, lacking a complete longitudinal carina.
15. Marginal cells of forewing about ½ the length of ulnar cells U1 and U2, or marginal cells of
forewing at least 2/3 the length of ulnar cells U1 and U2
16. Costal margin of radial cell at least 2½ times longer than the medial vein anterior to the first
branch, or less than 2½ times longer that the unbranched segment of the medial vein
17. First crossvein of forewing oblique, or perpendicular
18. Color of ocelli?
Males:
19. Body length (> 35 mm or < 35 mm)
20. Uncus retractable or exposed with elongated hypandium
21. Pronotum flared laterally forming longitudinal ridge or carina when viewed from the side, or
constricted
Other Possibilities:
1. Length of rostrum, perhaps relative to some other structure.
2. Hindwing characters.
3. Ovipositor morphology — different species oviposit in different substrates.
4. What about the “meracanathus”, the postclypeus, or the anteclypeus (see Moulds, 1990)?
5. Cruciform elevation morphology, color
6. Anything about the ocelli, besides color?