Cicadidae, the true cicadas, is the largest family of

cicada The cicadas () are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, along with smaller jumping bugs such as leafhoppers and froghoppers. The superfamily is divided into tw ...

s, with more than 3,200 species worldwide. The oldest known definitive fossils are from the

Paleocene The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek ''pal ...

, a nymph from the Cretaceous

Burmese amber Burmese amber, also known as Burmite or Kachin amber, is amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. The amber is dated to around 100 million years ago, during the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian ages of the mid-Cretaceous period. The ...

has been attributed to the family, but could also belong to the

Tettigarctidae The Tettigarctidae, known as the hairy cicadas, are a small relict (mostly extinct) family of primitive cicadas. Along with more than 20 extinct genera, Tettigarctidae contains a single extant genus, ''Tettigarcta'', with two extant species, on ...

Description

Cicadas are large insects characterized by their membranous wings, triangular-formation of three ocelli on the top of their heads, and their short, bristle-like antennae.

Life cycle

Cicadas are generally separated into two categories based on their adult emergence pattern.

Annual cicada Annual cicadas are North American Cicadidae species that appear every summer. The life cycle of a so-called annual cicada typically spans 2 to 5 years; they are "annual" only in the sense that members of the species reappear annually. The name is u ...

s remain underground as nymphs for two or more years and the population is not locally synchronized in its development, so that some adults mature each year or in most years. Periodical cicadas also have multiple-year life cycles but emerge in synchrony or near synchrony in any one location and are absent as adults in the intervening years. The most well-known periodical cicadas, genus ''

Magicicada The term periodical cicada is commonly used to refer to any of the seven species of the genus ''Magicicada'' of eastern North America, the 13- and 17-year cicadas. They are called periodical because nearly all individuals in a local population a ...

'', emerge as adults every 13 or 17 years.

Ecology

Communication

Cicadas are known for the loud airborne sounds that males of most species make to attract mates. One member of this family, '' Brevisana brevis'', the "shrill thorntree cicada", is the loudest insect in the world, able to produce a song that exceeds 100 decibels. Male cicadas can produce four types of acoustic signals: songs, calls, low-amplitude songs, and disturbance sounds. Unlike members of the order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids), who use stridulation to produce sounds, members of Cicadidae produce sounds using a pair of tymbals, which are modified membranes located on the abdomen. In order to produce sound, each tymbal is pulled inwards by a connected muscle, and the deformation of the stiff membrane produces a 'click.'

Reproduction

Newly emerged cicadas climb up trees and molt into their adult stage, now equipped with wings. Males call to attract females, producing the distinct noisy songs cicadas are known for. Females respond to males with a 'click' made by flicking their wings. Once a male has found a female partner, his call changes to indicate that they are a mating pair.

Higher Classification

Cicadidae is one of two families within the superfamily Cicadoidea. This superfamily is in the suborder

Auchenorrhyncha The Auchenorrhyncha suborder of the Hemiptera contains most of the familiar members of what was called the "Homoptera" – groups such as cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, planthoppers, and spittlebugs. The aphids and scale insects are the othe ...

, containing cicadas, hoppers, and relatives, within the order Hemiptera, the true bugs. There are five subfamilies within Cicadidae: Cicadettinae, Cicadinae, Tettigomyiinae, Tibicininae, and Derotettiginae. Subfamily

Cicadettinae Cicadettinae is a subfamily of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. About 230 genera and 1,200 described species are placed in the Cicadettinae. Tribes These 14 tribes belong to the subfamily Cicadettinae: * Aragualnini Sanborn, 2018 * Carinetin ...

Buckton, 1890 * Tribe Aragualnini Sanborn, 2018 * Tribe Carinetini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Chlorocystini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Cicadatrini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Cicadettini Buckton, 1890 * Tribe

Katoini ''Katoa'' is a genus of cicadas from Southeast Asia. The type species is '' Katoa tenmokuensis''. Formerly placed in the tribe Tibicinini, after detailed morphological analysis, in 2012 Lee placed the genus among the Cicadettini, also of the ...

Moulds & Marshall, 2018 * Tribe

Lamotialnini Lamotialnini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are about 19 genera and at least 90 described species in Lamotialnini, occurring worldwide except South America. Genera These 19 genera belong to the tribe Lamotialnini: * '' Ab ...

Boulard, 1976 * Tribe Nelcyndanini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 * Tribe Pagiphorini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 * Tribe Parnisini Distant, 1905 * Tribe

Pictilini Pictilini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in Australia. There are at least two genera and two described species in Pictilini. Genera These two genera belong to the tribe Pictilini: * '' Chrysocicada'' Boulard, 1989 * '' Pict ...

Moulds & Hill, 2018 * Tribe Prasiini Matsumura, 1917 * Tribe

Taphurini Taphurini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in the neotropics. Genera These genera belong to the tribe Taphurini: * '' Anopercalna'' Boulard, 2008 * '' Chalumalna'' Boulard, 1998 * '' Dorachosa'' Distant, 1892 * '' Dulderana' ...

Distant, 1905 Subfamily

Cicadinae The Cicadinae are a subfamily of cicadas, containing the translucent cicadas. They are robust cicadas and many have gaudy colors, but they generally lack the butterfly-like opaque wing markings found in many species of the related Tibiceninae. ...

Latreille, 1802 * Tribe Antankariini Sanborn, 2021 * Tribe Arenopsaltriini Moulds, 2018 * Tribe Ayuthiini Moulds, Lee, and Marshall, 2021 * Tribe Burbungini Moulds, 2005 * Tribe

Cicadini The Cicadini are a tribe of cicadas. Genera ''BioLib'' lists the following: ;subtribe Cicadina Latreille, 1802 * '' Cicada (genus)'' ;subtribe Oncotympanina Ishihara, 1961 # '' Neoncotympana'' Lee, 2010 # '' Oncotympana'' Stål, 1870 ;subtribe ...

Latreille, 1802 * Tribe Cicadmalleuini Boulard & Puissant, 2013 * Tribe

Cosmopsaltriini Cosmopsaltriini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae Cicadidae, the true cicadas, is the largest family of cicadas, with more than 3,200 species worldwide. The oldest known definitive fossils are from the Paleocene, a nymph from the ...

Kato, 1932 * Tribe

Cryptotympanini Cryptotympanini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. They are found in the Nearctic, Palearctic, Indomalaya, Oceania, and Afrotropics. Genera According to and ''BioLib'', this tribe includes the following genera in 3 subtribes: ;subt ...

Handlirsch, 1925 * Tribe Cyclochilini Distant, 1904 * Tribe Distantadini Orian, 1963 * Tribe Dundubiini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Durangonini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 * Tribe Fidicinini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Gaeanini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Jassopsaltriini Moulds, 2005 * Tribe Kimberpsaltriini Moulds, Marshall, and Popple, 2021 * Tribe Lahugadini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Leptopsaltriini Moulton, 1923 * Tribe Macrotristriini Moulds, 2018 * Tribe Oncotympanini Ishihara, 1961 * Tribe

Platypleurini The Platypleurini are a tribe of cicadas from the Afrotropical and Oriental regions There are at least 30 genera and 240 described species in Platypleurini. List of genera These 31 genera belong to the tribe Platypleurini: * '' Afzeliada'' B ...

Schmidt, 1918 * Tribe Plautillini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Polyneurini Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 * Tribe Psaltodini Moulds, 2018 * Tribe Psithyristriini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Sonatini Lee, 2010 * Tribe Tacuini Distant, 1904 * Tribe Talcopsaltriini Moulds, 2008 * Tribe Tamasini Moulds, 2005 * Tribe

Thophini Thophini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae Cicadidae, the true cicadas, is the largest family of cicadas, with more than 3,200 species worldwide. The oldest known definitive fossils are from the Paleocene, a nymph from the Cretace ...

Distant, 1904 * Tribe Tosenini Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 * Tribe Zammarini Distant, 1905 Subfamily Tettigomyiinae Distant, 1905 * Tribe Hovanini Sanborn, Moulds & Marshall, 2020 * Tribe Iruanini Boulard, 1983 * Tribe Malagasiini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 * Tribe Tettigomyiini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Ydiellini Boulard, 1973 Subfamily Tibicininae Distant, 1905 * Tribe Citroriginini Sanborn, 2021 * Tribe Chilecicadini Sanborn, 2014 * Tribe Hemidictyini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Platypediini Kato, 1932 * Tribe Sapantangini Sanborn, Moulds, & Marshall, 2020 * Tribe Selymbriini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 * Tribe Tettigadini Distant, 1905 * Tribe Tibicinini Distant, 1905 Subfamily Derotettiginae Moulds, 2019 * Tribe Derotettigini Moulds, 2019

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Cicadas Auchenorrhyncha families