Tibicen tibicen tibicen (Linné), Linne

Sanborn, Allen F., Phillips, Polly K. & Gilllis, Philip, 2008, The Cicadas of Florida (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae), Zootaxa 1916, pp. 1-43 : 12

Tibicen tibicen tibicen (Linné) (Figs. 73, 130–138)

Cicada tibicen Linné, 1758 . Type locality: unknown. The collection locality of the lectotype was unknown to Linné ( Sanborn 2008). Lectotype male is in the Zoological Museum of Uppsala University ( Sanborn 2008).

Thopha chloromera Walker 1850: 43 .

Cicada tibicen [nec Linné], Howard 1901: Plate XXVII, Figure 20.

Cicada sayi = nom. nov. pro Cicada pruinosa Say (in part), Smith & Grossbeck 1907: 121.

This species is commonly known as Tibicen chloromerus ( Walker) . Sanborn (2008) identified a syntype of Cicada tibicen (Linné) which turned out to be the same species that Walker described. Tibicen chloromerus and T. sayi become junior synonyms of T. tibicen since Linné’s species has priority over the species of Walker and Smith & Grossbeck.

Adults first emerge in late April and can be heard singing until late October or early November. The most common collection dates are in July and August. The song lasts less than 20 sec and is described as exhibiting a vibrato due to amplitude modulations of the call produced at a rate of 10–14 sec -1 with a major energy between 2 and 8 kHz ( Moore 1966; Alexander et al. 1972; Sanborn 1990; Daniel et al. 1993). The song is similar to that of T. linnei but is longer and the vibrato is produced at a slower rate in T. linnei ( Moore 1966; AFS personal observation). It has been described as starting slowly, rising to a rapid “zing” and then subsiding ( Davis 1918; 1922; 1926). A sonagram of the call can be found in Alexander (1956; 1960), Sanborn (1990) and Elliott and Hershberger (2006). Calling behavior is heaviest in the morning and continues throughout the day as long as they are able to maintain a minimum body temperature to call (Sanborn 2000). The species is associated with bushes and tall weeds in swampy areas but may also call from trees ( Froeschner 1952; Moore 1966; Alexander et al. 1972; AFS personal observation). Davis (1922; 1926) found the species ovipositing in golden rods ( Solidago spp.), sumach ( Rhus spp.), and asters ( Aster spp.). The females have been reported to prefer to oviposit in dead twigs ( Davis 1926; Beamer 1928).

Tibicen tibicen tibicen has been collected in 13 Florida counties: Alachua, Bay, Duval, Escambia, Jackson, Jefferson, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, St. Lucie, and Seminole. It has been collected in the Southeastern Plains and Southern Coastal Plains ecoregions. Its absence from the Everglades is surprising considering its association with swampy habitats. The distributions of T. tibicen tibicen and T. tibicen australis (Fig. 73) overlap significantly. This suggests the validity of the subspecies needs further investigation.