Bioacoustics of Pyropsalta patula

Measurements . Range and mean (in mm) for 10 males , 10 females (includes smallest and largest available specimens). Length of body (including head): male 14.3–17.8 (16.1); female (including ovipositor) 16.2–20.9 (18.8). Length of forewing : male 17.3–21.9 (19.7); female 18.7–22.6 (21.4). Width of head (including eyes): male 4.6–5.8 (5.2); female 4.9–6.1 (5.7). Width of pronotum (across lateral angles): male 5.1–6.6 (5.8); female 5.5–7.0 (6.5). Distinguishing features . Males are readily distinguished by their unusually large timbals and large opercula. The length of the timbal cavity comprises about one-third of the abdominal length, far more than in any other Australian cicada species and perhaps more so than in any other cicada worldwide. Females are more difficult to distinguish. They are most likely to be confused with species of Physeema (tick-tock cicadas), but are easily distinguished by their orange sternites. While most specimens of Pyropsalta patula sp. n. have some degree of fusion of forewing veins M and CuA on meeting the basal cell, some specimens have these veins only abutted at the basal cell, a feature not widely found within the Cicadettini . The male genitalia have close similarities with those of Physeema . In particular the trifid aedeagus of both has an unsclerotised hinge, pseudoparameres that rise high above the theca and a long ventral support that is longer than half the length of the pseudoparameres. Song . This species’ song has not been recorded.