Majeorona aper ( Walker, 1850 )

Sanborn, Allen F., 2024, The cicada (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) fauna of the Lesser Antilles sensu lato with the description of two new species, two new combinations, and a key to species, Zootaxa 5497 (1), pp. 33-69 : 48

Majeorona aper ( Walker, 1850)

Fidicina aper Walker 1850: 87 (Cayenne, French Guiana).

Remarks. The range of the species was recently expanded beyond continental South America to include Grenada and Trinidad in the Lesser Antilles ( Sanborn 2020a).

Diagnosis. This is one of the largest cicada species of the Lesser Antilles with body lengths of about 48 mm and wing spans of more than 120 mm. The prominent, stylate eyes that are as wide as the pronotum and wider than the mesonotum, the flattened anterior postclypeus, the almost parallel lateral pronotal margins, lateral pronotal collar about as wide as the dorsal pronotal collar, timbal covers concealing the ventral timbal, contrasting proximal wing venation, infuscation on the base of the wings, and infuscation on the fore wing medial and mediocubital crossveins easily distinguish it from Quesada gigas (Olivier, 1790) . Fidicinoides descampsi can be distinguished by the infuscation along the ambient vein, distal apical cell veins, and connecting across all crossveins of the fore wings.

Distribution. The species has been reported previously from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru ( Metcalf 1963a; Sanborn 2011a; 2013; 2018; 2020d; 2023a; Maes et al. 2012; Sanborn & Maes 2012; Sanborn 2020b). The first records for the Lesser Antilles were provided by Sanborn (2020a) for the islands of Grenada and Trinidad.

Material examined. “ WEST INDIES: Grenada / Grand Etang Forest Res. / 23 June 1998 / coll: L.P. Burgess ” one male ( UMRM), one female ( AFSC); “Bush Bush Is. / Trinidad / VII.29.63 / at light / Dr. Brooks / Worth” one female ( AFSC) .