Mesozoic evolution of cicadas and their origins of vocalization and root feeding

Extant cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) includes widely distributed Cicadidae and relictual Tettigarctidae, with fossils ascribed to these two groups based on several distinct, minimally varying morphological differences that define their extant counterparts. However, directly assigning Mesozoic fossils to modern taxa may overlook the role of unique and transitional features provided by fossils in tracking their early evolutionary paths. Here, based on adult and nymphal fossils from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of Myanmar, we explore the phylogenetic relationships and morphological disparities of fossil and extant cicadoids. Our results suggest that Cicadidae and Tettigarctidae might have diverged at or by the Middle Jurassic, with morphological evolution possibly shaped by host plant changes. The discovery of tymbal structures and anatomical analysis of adult fossils indicate that mid-Cretaceous cicadas were silent as modern Tettigarctidae or could have produced faint tymbal-related sounds. The discovery of final-instar nymphal and exuviae cicadoid fossils with fossorial forelegs and piercing-sucking mouthparts indicates that they had most likely adopted a subterranean lifestyle by the mid-Cretaceous, occupying the ecological niche of underground feeding on root. Our study traces the morphological, behavioral, and ecological evolution of Cicadoidea from the Mesozoic, emphasizing their adaptive traits and interactions with their living environments.

An impressive new species of mugadina from queensland with notes on a congeneric species (cicadidae: cicadettinae: cicadettini)

This contribution details the morphology, distribution, and song characteristics of a new grass cicada species within the genus Mugadina Moulds, 2012, previously represented by only two much smaller species. The new species is M. superba sp. n. It occurs widely in central Queensland, occurring in a broad curved zone between the western desert areas and the eastern coast. Details of the morphology and the ticking calling songs presented are given, and detailed comparisons are made of morphology and songs between M. superba sp. n. and M. marshalli (Distant, 1911).

The molecular systematics and diversification of a taxonomically unstable group of Asian cicada tribes related to Cicadini Latreille, 1802 (Hemiptera : Cicadidae)

The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) related to tribe Cicadini exhibit some of the most remarkable phenotypes in the family, with many genera possessing striking colour patterns and unusual morphological features. This largely Asian group of 13 tribes has proven challenging for cicada taxonomists, in part because of likely convergent evolution or losses of these phenotypes. We present the first focused molecular phylogeny of this clade, including ~60 described genera. The genetic dataset contains 839 ingroup-informative sites (out of 2575) from mitochondrial cytochromec oxidase subunitI, nuclear elongation factor-1α, and nuclear acetyltransferase. We use Bayesian and maximum likelihood trees to test recent changes in tribe- and subtribe-level classification, and we reconstruct ancestral character states for potentially convergent traits influencing tribe descriptions. We use fossil and molecular clock calibrations to estimate the temporal and geographic context of the radiation. The tribes Gaeanini, Leptopsaltriini, Platypleurini, Psithyristriini, and Tosenini appear polyphyletic and in need of revision, in part because of convergent evolution of opaque wings and multiple convergent gains or losses of abdominal tubercles. Kalabita Moulton, 1923 is transferred from Platypleurini to Leptopsaltriini. Vittagaeana gen. nov. is established for Vittagaeana paviei comb. nov. and Vittagaeana dives comb. nov., formerly in Tosena. Sinosenini syn. nov. is synonymised with Dundubiina. Ayuthiini trib. nov. is established with two new subtribes for Ayuthia Distant, 1919 and Distantalna Boulard, 2009, formerly in Tosenini. For the earliest split in the tree, one common ancestor appears to have been Indian + Asian in geographic distribution and the other Asian. We estimate that the radiation began in the middle Cenozoic Era, possibly as recently as the early Miocene. The recent and steady pattern of diversification suggests that refinement of tribe diagnoses will prove challenging. http://zoobank.org:urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5A6C16F4-5269-453B-BA5C-B29C3394683A

A revision of the Australian cicada genus Punia Moulds, 2012 (Cicadidae: Cicadettinae: Cicadettini) with the description of four new species

Punia minima (Goding Froggatt, 1904) from the Northern Territory is redescribed and the female described for the first time. Four new species found across the monsoonal north of Australia are documented: P. hyas sp.n., P. limpida sp.n., P. kolos sp.n. and P. queenslandica sp.n. A key to all five species is provided and their phylogenetic relationships discussed.

Off-target capture data, endosymbiont genes and morphology reveal a relict lineage that is sister to all other singing cicadas

Phylogenetic asymmetry is common throughout the tree of life and results from contrasting patterns of speciation and extinction in the paired descendant lineages of ancestral nodes. On the depauperate side of a node, we find extant ‘relict’ taxa that sit atop long, unbranched lineages. Here, we show that a tiny, pale green, inconspicuous and poorly known cicada in the genus Derotettix, endemic to degraded salt-plain habitats in arid regions of central Argentina, is a relict lineage that is sister to all other modern cicadas. Nuclear and mitochondrial phylogenies of cicadas inferred from probe-based genomic hybrid capture data of both target and non-target loci and a morphological cladogram support this hypothesis. We strengthen this conclusion with genomic data from one of the cicada nutritional bacterial endosymbionts, Sulcia, an ancient and obligate endosymbiont of the larger plant-sucking bugs (Auchenorrhyncha) and an important source of maternally inherited phylogenetic data. We establish Derotettiginae subfam. nov. as a new, monogeneric, fifth cicada subfamily, and compile existing and new data on the distribution, ecology and diet of Derotettix. Our consideration of the palaeoenvironmental literature and host-plant phylogenetics allows us to predict what might have led to the relict status of Derotettix over 100 Myr of habitat change in South America.

Cicada fossils (Cicadoidea: Tettigarctidae and Cicadidae) with a review of the named fossilised Cicadidae

The Cicadoidea comprise two families, the Cicadidae and the Tettigarctidae. This paper evaluates the status and taxonomy of all named Cicadoidea fossils belonging to the Cicadidae. Shcherbakov (2009) has previously revised the Tettigarctidae. Two new genera are described, Camuracicada gen. n. and Paleopsalta gen. n., for Camuracicada aichhorni (Heer, 1853) comb. n. and Paleopsalta ungeri (Heer, 1853) comb. n. A lectotype is designated for Cicada emathion Heer, 1853.          Cicada grandiosa Scudder, 1892 is transferred to Hadoa Moulds, 2015 as Hadoa grandiosa comb. n.; Oncotympana lapidescens J. Zhang, 1989 is transferred to Hyalessa China, 1925 as Hyalessa lapidescens comb. n.; Meimuna incasa J. Zhang, Sun X. Zhang, 1994 and Meimuna miocenica J. Zhang X. Zhang, 1990 are transferred to Cryptotympana Stål, 1861 as Cryptotympana incasa comb. n. and Cryptotympana miocenica comb. n.; Tibicen sp. aff. japonicus Kato, 1925 is transferred to Auritibicen as Auritibicen sp. aff. japonicus comb. n., and Terpnosia sp. aff. vacua Olivier, 1790 is transferred to Yezoterpnosia Matsumura, 1917 as Yezoterpnosia sp. aff. vacua comb. n. The generic placement of two other fossils is changed to reflect current classification, those species now being Auritibicen bihamatus (Motschulsky, 1861) and Yezoterpnosia nigricosta (Motschulsky, 1866).         Two species, Davispia bearcreekensis Cooper, 1941 and Lithocicada perita Cockerell, 1906, are transferred from the subfamily Cicadinae to the Tibicininae, tribe Tibicinini. Cicadatra serresi (Meunier, 1915) is also transferred from the Cicadinae to the Cicadettinae because the Cicadatrini have recently been transferred from the Cicadinae to the Cicadettinae (Marshall et al. 2018).         Miocenoprasia grasseti Boulard and Riou, 1999 is transferred from the tribe Prasiini to the Lamotialnini. Tymocicada gorbunovi Becker-Migdisova, 1954 is transferred from the Dundubiini to the Cryptotympanini; Paracicadetta oligocenica Boulard Nel, 1990 is transferred from the Cicadettini to the Pagiphorini and Minyscapheus dominicanus Poinar et al., 2011 is assigned to the Taphurini. Names of species once considered to belong in Cicadidae, but now excluded, are listed with explanation.