Bioacoustics of Parvopsalta victoriae

Measurements . Range and mean (in mm) for 10 males , 1 female (includes smallest and largest males). Length of body (including head): male 11.3–13.8 (12.9); female (including ovipositor) 13.4. Length of forewing : male 11.8–13.6 (13.0); female 13.7. Width of head (including eyes): male 3.4–3.9 (3.7); female 3.8. Width of pronotum (across lateral angles): male 3.5–4.0 (3.8); female 3.9. Distinguishing features . Differs from all other species by the distinguishing features listed in the generic description above. Among Australian small black cicadas males differ from nearly all in having the abdomen a little wider than the thorax and in having 5 apical cells in the hindwing. Song ( Figs 38a–c ). Recordings were examined from the holotype location as well as the WA.CGB and WA.WOR paratype locations. Male calling song is composed of alternating short and long syllables containing simple pulses or doublets (with the first pulse louder, if doublets). Pulses are produced at a steady rate of around 185–300 pulses/s. In the typical song, the gap preceding the shorter syllable is somewhat longer than the gap following it, with the overall syllable repetition rate ranging between 2–3.5/s. Short syllables consist of around 8–16 pulses (30–75 ms duration) and long syllables consist of about 15–25 pulses (60–105 ms duration). Sometimes multiple short syllables are produced in series, and our recordings suggest that this can occur as a male flies to a new station. In the recordings from WA.VIC the occasional syllable is broken into two parts when one or a few pulses drop out. Most sound energy is contained in the range 8–13 kHz, and the peak frequency is around 10.5 kHz. There is no frequency modulation. Males are extremely wary and tend to sing from short shrubs, knee-height to chest-height.