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Photo#231829
Cicada - Megatibicen resonans

Cicada - Megatibicen resonans
Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro, Onslow County, North Carolina, USA
September 22, 2008

Moved
Moved from Tibicen.

Tibicen resonans (MALE)
May be common or locally abundant in the coastal plain and sandhills of North Carolina!



Tibicen
Probably T. resh, but you would need accurate measurements to be sure.

 
Tibicen resonans
Tibicen resh is a more western species (Texas).
This is an excellent photo of our second largest eastern species, Tibicen resonans. In many respects, it is most similar to T. auletes, however, T. resonans tends to be slightly smaller and most abundant in coastal areas and lowland pine forests. In contrast, T. auletes has a greater affinity and association with mixed pine/hardwoods and hardwood forests (esp. oaks). Although both species do overlap in distribution and habitats, they may be separated based on these basic characters: T. resonans appears reddish-brown (~"monochromatic") and is only ever so slightly dusted with wax dorsally. Here in the South, most T. auletes specimens are dark olive green and black with varying shades of greys, tans and browns - usually overlayed with a heavy smoky-whitish wax coating dorsally. This wax coat often gives T. auletes an ashy or "molded" appearance. (NOTE: In collections, T. resonans specimens usually retain their bright reddish-brown colors, while T. auletes specimens often discolor and fade to duller tans and browns, losing most if not all of the olive greens).

 
Agreed
Its extreme lack of pruinosity dorsaly and slightly smaller size to T. auletes is apparent. In my opinion T. resonons more closely resembles T. figuratus in that both species are reddish brown but the color distribution on the mesonotum of T. figuratus is less prominent than in T. resonans.

While T. figuratus and T. resonans are similar in size and shape, their calling songs are quite different. T. resonans' calling song more closely resembles that of T. auletes and the two are often confused especially in areas where their distribution overlaps.

 
T. resonans vs. T. figuratus
Thanks Gerry!
Another good point - these two can be easily confused!

By comparison, T. resonans seems a bit more common (at least in those areas I have lived and visited). T. figuratus by contrast, seems to be more difficult to come by! I have spent my entire life in the South and collected thousands of cicadas over the years, yet have seen few T. figuratus by comparison.

Another noteable observation aiding in the separation of T. resonans and T. figuratus involves the lateral profile. T. resonans is a bit more robust and rounded (as is T. auletes), while T. figuratus is seemingly more dorso-ventrally compressed ("flatter").

From a dorsal perspective, follow the margin of the head, and you will notice that T. figuratus has a more angled or bowed appearance anteriorly (i.e. more "boomerang-shaped" head) and that of T. resonans a bit more even, as seen in T. auletes.

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