Bioacoustics of Hewlettia

Description: A medium-sized cicada with narrow wings and a dramatic green and black color pattern. Head: The width of the head and eyes is equal or slightly wider than the apical pronotal margin, and wider than the mesonotum. The clypeus is strongly produced. The center of vertex has a deeply sulcate epicranial suture. Thorax: The pronotal margins are subquadrate and wider than the mesonotum, with a sharply excavated longitudinal sulcus running along the midline. There are two bilateral fissures that run inwards towards the center of the pronotum at an anterior-posterior angle. Both the humeral and apical angles of the pronotum are rounded. The cruciform elevation is located directly anterior to the hind margin of the mesonotum. The anterior lateral sides of the mesonotum show vestigial stridulatory grooves in both sexes. The posterior edge of the metanotum is clearly visible. Wings: Both fore and hind wings are hyaline with blue iridescence, and the basal membranes are greenish white. The fore wing length is approximately 3.1 times the width, with 8 apical cells. The trapezoidal radial cell reaches the costal node halfway along length of the costa. Ulnar cells and cubital cell approximately equal in length. The apical cells are two-thirds to subequal the length of the ulnar cells. The basal cell is opaque and greenish white in color. All fore wing venation except for the costal vein is bordered with black infuscation. The hind wings have 5 apical cells resulting from an unbranched CuA vein ( Fig. 9A ). The postero-basal joint of the forewing has a curved swelling which contacts the stridulatory files on the mesonotum when at rest, forming a scraper. Legs: Metacoxa with the meracanthus reduced and almost lacking a triangular point, shorter than the length of the coxa. All tibiae are setose but only the metatibiae have spines. Abdomen: In males the timbals are completely exposed, with the timbal membrane having 5 long and 5 short ribs. In females, the posterior margin of epipleurite VII with sharp posterior projection that nearly covers tergite VIII. The lateral areas of the abdominal sternites, epipleurites, and tergites are covered with fine silvery hairs. Male genitalia: Sternite VIII extends parallel to the length of the body, partially housing the uncus and aedeagus. The sides of sternite VIII have pronounced lateral angles which taper posteriorly, such that the shape when viewed from below resembles the nib of a fountain pen ( Fig. 9F ). The uncus has a gentle downward curve in the lateral aspect, with the dorsal and ventral surfaces subparallel ( Fig. 9D ). In the dorsal aspect, the tip of uncus has a shallow medial notch ( Fig. 9E ). The aedeagus is long and whip-like, enclosed within a tubular groove in the ventral surface of the uncus. Female genitalia: The posterior margin of sternite VII is divided by a sharp medial notch that swells out ventrally near its base. The sides of sternite VII form lobes that are broad and flattened posteriorly ( Fig. 9C ).