Genus Cicadettana - Small Grass Cicadas
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Auchenorrhyncha (True Hoppers)
Infraorder Cicadomorpha (Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers)
Superfamily Cicadoidea (Cicadas)
Family Cicadidae (Cicadas)
Subfamily Cicadettinae
Tribe Cicadettini
Genus Cicadettana (Small Grass Cicadas)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Older lit. may list these species in the Genus Melampsalta
Formerly Cicadetta
Numbers 4 Species in the US
The coloration and degree of pattern may not be diagnostic to species!
Populations currently classified as "C. calliope" exhibit several color forms incl. monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL and Gulf), olive green, yellowish, ochreous-tan, tan, pinkish-tan, peach and brown. The "typical cicada patterns" may be vivid, bold and well delineated or be pale to absent giving the insect a monochromatic appearance. The color forms are not diagnostic of locality; however, within given portions of the range, there may be tendencies for certain color forms to be more prevalent.
Two spp. in the US. C. kansa is pale green, C. calliope is brown (??? Color is not diagnostic for these cicadas)
Plus 2 spp. endemic to TX (1)
NOTE: COLOR is not diagnostic for members of this Genus. Field collecting and observation of fresh/living material has produced several color forms of calliope ranging from dark green, olive, tan, brown, orangish, pinkinsh, heavily patterned to faintly patterned. These observed differences are based on sclerotized adults and may be suggestive of geographic distributions - possibly clinal (per. observ. & per. comm.).
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There may be 5 or more distinct taxa in this Genus!
They are all characteristically small and often similar in appearance.
Most are associated with weedy fields but a few may be found in forest environments.
Size Roughly 0.6 to 0.8 inches (some individuals may be slightly smaller or larger)
Identification VARIABLE:
These are small delicate cicadas often mistaken for "Tree/Leaf Hoppers".
All members are less than an inch in length incl. wings.
They are variable in color from bright lime green to tan to boldly patterned with browns and/or greens.
Refer to the links below for specifics.
Small, and "narrower across the head" than other small cicadas
Compare with Pacarina & Beameria.
Total Length incl. wings < 1 inch (usually ~0.6 to 0.8 inches)
Color & Pattern: The coloration and degree of pattern may not be diagnostic to species!
Populations currently classified as "C. calliope" exhibit several color forms incl. monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL and Gulf), olive green, yellowish, ochreous-tan, tan, pinkish-tan, peach and brown. The "typical cicada patterns" may be vivid, bold and well delineated or be pale to absent giving the insect a monochromatic appearance. The color forms are not diagnostic of locality; however, within given portions of the range, there may be tendencies for certain color forms to be more prevalent.
For details, refer to the following:
Based on call and morphology (incl. wing venation, cell counts, & genitalic structures), "C. calliope" has the greatest range and exhibits the greatest diversity in appearance. There are several confirmed color forms incl. monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL and Gulf), olive green, yellowish-tan, ochreous-tan, tan, pinkish-tan, peach and brown + combinations of the aforementioned.
Based on call and morphology (head widths & genitalic comparisons), "C. floridensis" exhibits one color form = ~monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL)
Based on call and morphology (incl. wing venation, cell counts, & genitalic structures), "C. kansa" exhibits one color form = ~monochromatic lime green; however, there is some speculation that tan and pinkish forms occur within some populations (based on collections and notations from specialists, per. comm.)
Range Eastern USA
(East of the Rockies & south of Canada - reports from Canada??)
There are several species in the Genus Cicadetta (Melampsalta).
Most of these taxa have been confused with and/or once considered to be populations of C. calliope.
Cicadetta (Melampsalta) calliope (Walker 1850a)
RANGE (?): Atlantic Coast, Southeast, Lower Mississippi River Valley northward into the southern parts of the Mid-West (New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana - west into the eastern Plains & northward into the Upper Miss. Riv. & lower Mid-West incl. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, & Iowa)
Cicadetta (Melampsalta) camerona Davis 1920a
RANGE (?): Southeastern Texas/South Texas
(*south into ne. Mexico)
Cicadetta (Melampsalta) floridensis Davis 1920a
(syn. Cicadetta calliope floridensis)
NOTE: C. calliope floridensis has a very different call from other pop's of C. calliope.
RANGE (?): Peninsular Florida
(*Possibly across parts of the FL panhandle? northward into s. Georgia? & s. Alabama?..???)
Cicadetta (Melampsalta) kansa Davis 1919b
RANGE (?): Most states of the "Great Plains"
n. Texas?, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota
(*Possibly east into the Upper Mississippi R. Valley & western parts of the Mid-West Prairie remnants, incl. Illinois, Iowa, & w. parts of Missouri...?)
Cicadetta (Melampsalta) texana Davis 1936a
RANGE (?): Southern Plains - Texas grassland and wooded scrub habitats
(*Eastern & northern parts of range t.b.d. ?? - east into w. Louisiana ??)
Habitat VARIABLE (Refer to the following):
There may be 5 or more distinct taxa in this Genus!
They are all characteristically small and often similar in appearance.
Most are associated with weedy fields but a few may be found in forest environments.
Refer to the following:
Season VARIABLE (Refer to the following):
Food VARIABLE (Refer to the following):
Life Cycle Likely "short" for a cicada
Thought to be Univolite up to 2 or 3 years (?)
Remarks For details, refer to the following:
Based on call and morphology (incl. wing venation, cell counts, & genitalic structures), "C. calliope" has the greatest range and exhibits the greatest diversity in appearance. There are several confirmed color forms incl. monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL and Gulf), olive green, yellowish-tan, ochreous-tan, tan, pinkish-tan, peach and brown + combinations of the aforementioned.
Based on call and morphology (head widths & genitalic comparisons), "C. floridensis" exhibits one color form = ~monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL)
Based on call and morphology (incl. wing venation, cell counts, & genitalic structures), "C. kansa" exhibits one color form = ~monochromatic lime green; however, there is some speculation that tan and pinkish forms occur within some populations (based on collections and notations from specialists, per. comm.)
Several species in the US (4)
The coloration and degree of pattern may not be diagnostic to species!
Populations currently classified as "C. calliope" exhibit several color forms incl. monochromatic lime green (Peninsular FL and Gulf), olive green, yellowish, ochreous-tan, tan, pinkish-tan, peach and brown. The "typical cicada patterns" may be vivid, bold and well delineated or be pale to absent giving the insect a monochromatic appearance. The color forms are not diagnostic of locality; however, within given portions of the range, there may be tendencies for certain color forms to be more prevalent.
Marshall and Hill (2017) described a new genus Cicadettana for North American Cicadetta splitting them from Old World Cicadetta.
Print References Marshall, D.C. and Hill, K.B.R. 2017. A new genus for North American Cicadetta species (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). Zootaxa 4306: 537-550
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