Chlorocystini, Distant, 1905

Moulds, M. S., 2014, Euthemopsaltria laeta, a remarkable new genus and species of cicada (Homoptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae: Chlorocystini) from Queensland, Australian Entomologist 41 (4), pp. 177-190 : 187-190

Key to described species of Australian Chlorocystini

A number of features used in this key are not clearly visible to the naked eye and examination of specimens at magnification is recommended. Specimens are best viewed with the wings spread and, when there is a choice between sexes, it is usually best to use a male.

1 Forewing with 8 apical cells ( Fig. 13 ).......................... 12

– Forewing with 9 or more apical cells ( Figs 14-18 ) (if one wing has 8 and the other 9, then treat as having 8, not 9)......................... 2

2 Forewing hyaline or translucent green........................... 5

– Forewing entirely opaque and coloured green, orange or turquoise..... 3

3 Forewing with majority of marginal cells long and slender, at least three times longer than wide ( Fig. 15 )............ Cystopsaltria immaculata

– Forewing with only a few marginal cells reaching three times longer than wide, majority much less ( Fig. 16 )............................. 4

4 Forewing 36-54 mm; costa of forewing strongly ampliate near base so that width of ampliate section is about twice that of more distal part.............................................. Cystosoma saundersii

– Forewing 26-36 mm; costa of forewing weakly ampliate near base so that width of ampliate section is only slightly wider than more distal part.............................................. Cystosoma schmeltzi

5 Forewing with many apical cells, around 20-30 in number ( Fig. 17 ).................................. Euthemopsaltria laeta gen. n., sp. n.

– Forewing with 9-15 apical cells................................ 6

6 Forewing with a single row of subapical cells ( Fig. 14 )............. 7

– Forewing with no subapical cells ( Fig. 13 )....................... 11

7 Forewing with 10 apical cells (sometimes 9 or 11 if aberrant, but usually so only in one wing); 4 or 5 subapical cells ( Fig. 14 )..... Owra insignis

– Forewing with 12 or more apical cells (sometimes 11 if aberrant, but usually so only in 1 wing); 6 or more subapical cells ( Fig. 18 )........ 8

8 Male tergite 7 clearly larger than others, its dorsal midline much greater in length ( Fig. 19 ); female normally with 13 apical cells in forewing and 6 apical cells in hind wing (aberrant specimens can have one more or one less in either but usually only in one wing)....... Glaucopsaltria viridis

– Male tergite 7 similar in size to others ( Fig. 20 ); female normally with 12 apical cells in forewing and 5 apical cells in hind wing (aberrant specimens can have one more or one less in either but usually so only in one wing)................................................. 9

9 Plain green cicadas (often yellowish brown in discoloured collection specimens) without markings; males with 9 long timbal ribs................................................... Chlorocysta vitripennis

– Mottled olive-green cicadas, with dark lateral abdominal markings; males with 11 long timbal ribs..................................... 10

10 Postclypeus with a brown blotch below........... Chlorocysta suffusa

– Postclypeus lacking a brown blotch below.......... Chlorocysta fumea

11 Forewing hyaline....................... Thaumastopsaltria globosa

– Forewing translucent green.............. Thaumastopsaltria smithersi

12 Head, thorax and abdomen green (sometimes red), virtually without markings................................................. 13

– Head, thorax and abdomen never all green (or red)... Venustria superba

13 Forewing costa red........................... Gymnotympana rufa

– Forewing costa green or yellowish green........................ 14

14 Male.................................................... 15

– Female................................................... 16

15 Abdomen entirely green, yellow or orange below... Guineapsaltria flava

– Abdomen partly or entirely red below........ Gymnotympana varicolor

16 Hind wing apical cell 1 with its distal end as long as, or almost as long as, apical cell 2 ( Fig. 21 )......................... Guineapsaltria flava

– Hind wing apical cell 1 with its distal end clearly shorter than end of apical cell 2 ( Fig. 22 )..................... Gymnotympana varicolor

Figures

Figs 13-22. Diagrams accompanying Key to species of Australian Chlorocystini: (13- 18) forewings; (19-20) lateral profile of body; (21-22) hind wings.