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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Hoppers (Auchenorrhyncha) » Cicadas, Spittlebugs, Leafhoppers, and Treehoppers (Cicadomorpha) » Cicadas (Cicadoidea) » Cicadas (Cicadidae) » Cicadinae » Tacuini » Megatibicen » Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada (Megatibicen cultriformis)

Species Megatibicen cultriformis - Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Internet References
Which Cicada - Megatibicen cultriformis Cicada eclosing - Megatibicen cultriformis Large Cicada - Megatibicen cultriformis Big cicada on a stick. - Megatibicen cultriformis Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada? - Megatibicen cultriformis Beetle - Megatibicen cultriformis Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada - Megatibicen cultriformis Megatibicen cultriformis? - Megatibicen cultriformis
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 Cicadinae
Tribe Tacuini
Genus Megatibicen
Species cultriformis (Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
First described in 1915 by William T. Davis as Cicada cultriformis
Tibicen cultriformis
Explanation of Names
From Latin culter- "knife, plowshare" + forma- "form, shape, appearance"
According to Davis: "But the greatest differences are in the lower pieces [of the male genitalia] into which the uncus locks, which are 5 millimeters long in cultriformis, and when seen in profile are shaped like the blade of a pruning knife, hence the name."
Range
"Desert southwest"
Replaces the T. dealbatus-pronotalis group in the arid Southwest
Well known from Arizona and northern Mexico.
Reported from the following: Arizona, w. New Mexico, s. Colorado, and w. Texas* (reports from w. TX are not confirmed & remain suspect/unlikely?)
*NOTE: Some cultriformis reports may be based on the similar looking T. dealbatus, which may be duller in coloration across parts of its southwestern range - incl. TX, NM, and CO).
Habitat
"Riparian"
Arroyos and river basins
Flood plain "forests" of the southwest & usu. associated with ecosystems plentiful in Cottonwoods, Willows, and Sycamore (+ adj./associated Hardwood forests and grasslands)
Season
June-November
Food
It is thought this species (much like the related taxa - pronotalis & dealbatus) seems to prefer sycamores (Plantanaceae), cottonwoods & willows (Salicaceae)

Also reported from, but less commonly associated with, misc. other flood plain hardwoods.
Life Cycle
eggs usually laid in dead twigs, wood or bark
(occasionally eggs may be laid in living stems and twigs)

eggs hatch and nymphs burrow into the soil

nymphs feed on the sap in roots for several years (prefer Pines)

Final instar nymphs emerge and develop into winged adults (emergence for this species usu. occurs at night)
Remarks
Appears to be most closely related to T. pronotalis & T. dealbatus
See Also
"The pronotalis Group"
Tibicen dealbatus (Davis 1915), "Plains Cicada" (no accepted common name applies)
Tibicen pronotalis Davis 1938 - [syn. marginalis (Walker 1852)], "Walker's Cicada"
Tibicen cultriformis (Davis 1915), "Grand Western Flood Plain Cicada"

"The auletes Group"
Tibicen auletes (Germar 1834), "Northern Dusk Singing Cicada"
Tibicen resh (Haldeman1852), "Resh Cicada"
Tibicen resonans (Walker 1850), "Southern Resonant/Pine Barrens Cicada"
Tibicen figuratus (Walker 1858), "Fall Southeastern Dusk-singing Cicada"

"The dorsatus Group"
Tibicen dorsatus (Say 1825), "Grand Western Annual Cicada" or "Bush Cicada"
Tibicen tremulus (nov. sp.), a.k.a. "Bush Cicada"
Internet References
Insect Singers, Sound files for North American Cicada species can be found here - best site for sound files!
Insect Singers, Sound files for the eastern Tibicen species
Insect Singers, Sound files for the western Tibicen species

Journal of the New York Entomological Society,v.23, p.239    Davis' original description of the species
Contributed by Eric R. Eaton on 23 October, 2006 - 5:02pm
Additional contributions by Chuck Entz, Bill Reynolds
Last updated 27 September, 2012 - 9:37am

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