Kikihia cauta (Myers, 1921) and K. scutellaris (Walker, 1850) - shade singers
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| K. cauta, male | K. cauta, female |
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| K. scutellaris, male | K. scutellaris, female |
| * Museum specimens above, with faded overall colouration. |
Kikihia cauta and K. scutellaris, also known as shade singers, are forest dwellers, typically singing in the shade of dense forests rather than in full sun like most other Kikihia species. These two species are rather similar in general external morphology and colouration, but they can be distinguished from other Kikihia species by the distinctive pattern of brownish (sometimes coppery) and black marks over the olive or yellowish green brackground of the dorsal surface of head and thorax. This diagnostic feature is especially obvious on the mesonotum, which has rather elongate, brownish or coppery inner and outer obconical (conical with tip downward) marks margined or mottled with black, followed in the middle by 2–3 black spots (if 3, arranged in a triangle). Note: Background colour is more yellowish and markings are usually fainter in females.
| Close-up photos of anterior body with distinctive pattern of brownish coppery and black marks on head, pronotum, and mesonotum, and rather elongate obconical marks and posterior black spots on mesonotum. | |
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| K. cauta, male | K. scutellaris, male |
Kikihia cauta - Greater Bronze Cicada
Identification notes. Body, in dorsal view, more ovate, not parallel-sided as in K. scutellaris (best seen from tip of head to 2nd segment of abdomen, see photo above). Green or yellowish green background colour with brownish and black markings. Pronotum with surface deeply excavated and extensively marked with black; collar extended laterally (head appearing as wide as anterior portion of pronotum). Mesonotum with darker, better defined obconical marks and black spots than in K. scutellaris (more remarkable in males, but still diagnostic in females). Abdomen with tergites blackish anteriorly, margined with reddish brown posteriorly (diagnostic for males). Male tymbals with 2 long and 2 short ridges. Female pygophore with a dark longitudinal mark on each side of middle dorsally. Larger species than K. scutellaris; body length about 20 mm in males, 23 mm in females; wingspread about 56 mm in males, 61 mm in females.
Range. New Zealand. North Island: Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Rangitikei, Wellington.
Habitat. Forests; on various trees and shrubs (often high in the canopy), but apparently not on mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus) in areas where K. scutellaris also occurs.
External hyperlinks. Cicada Central website's Electronic Field Guide to the cicadas of New Zealand (Images of live individuals and MP3 song file). The 2010 Catalogue of New Zealand Auchenorrhyncha (more details on nomenclature, biology, distribution, and dispersal) and the virtual collection of primary types of Hemiptera (photos of primary types).
Kikihia scutellaris - Lesser Bronze Cicada
Identification notes. Body, in dorsal view, more parallel-sided than in K. cauta (best seen from tip of head to 2nd segment of abdomen, see photo above). Olive or yellowish olive green background colour with brownish (often coppery) and black markings. Pronotum with surface more shallowly excavated and less extensively marked with black than in K. cauta; collar narrower, not as extended laterally (head appearing slightly wider than anterior portion of pronotum). Mesonotum with paler, less defined obconical marks and black spots than in K. cauta (more remarkable in males, but still diagnostic in females). Abdomen with tergites brownish black anteriorly, margined with green-turquoise posteriorly (diagnostic for males). Male tymbals as in K. cauta, with 2 long and 2 short ridges. Female pygophore with a dark longitudinal mark on each side of middle dorsally. Smaller species than K. cauta; body length about 16 mm in males, 19 mm in females; wingspread about 48 mm in males, 56 mm in females.
Range. New Zealand. North Island: Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Taupo, Hawke's Bay, Wanganui, Wellington, Wairarapa. South Island: Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough, Mid Canterbury.
Habitat. Forests; apparently almost exclusively on mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus).
External hyperlinks. Cicada Central website's Electronic Field Guide to the cicadas of New Zealand (Images of live individuals and MP3 song file). The 2010 Catalogue of New Zealand Auchenorrhyncha (more details on nomenclature, biology, distribution, and dispersal) and the virtual collection of primary types of Hemiptera (photos of primary types).