Paula C. Simões

Cicadas from Portugal: revised list of species with eco-ethological data (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

The cicada fauna from Portugal is reviewed, as a result of a joint Portuguese-French project. Thirteen species are reported (Lyristes plebejus, Cicada orni, Cicada barbara lusitanica, Tibicina tomentosa, Tibicina quadrisignata, Tibicina garricola, Melampsalta varipes, Tympanistalna gastrica, Euryphara contentei, Tettigetta argentata, Tettigetta estrellae, Tettigetta josei, Tettigetta mariae), while five taxa which were previously referred to in the literature, have not been found (Tibicina corsica fairmairei, Tibicina haematodes, Tibicina nigronervosa, Cicadetta flaveola, Cicadivetta tibialis). Based on morphological and acoustic features, the following synonymies are established: Tettigetta argentata (Olivier, 1790) = Tettigetta atra (Gomez-Menor, 1957) n. syn. and Tettigetta estrellae Boulard, 1982 = Tettigetta septempulsata Boulard & Quartau, 1991 n. syn. Data on time of emergence, geographical distribution, habitat occupation and acoustic calling behaviour are given for each species.

Conflicting patterns of DNA barcoding and taxonomy in the cicada genus Tettigettalna from southern Europe (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

DNA barcodes have great potential to assist in species identification, especially when high taxonomical expertise is required. We investigated the utility of the 5′ mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) region to discriminate between 13 European cicada species. These included all nine species currently recognized under the genus Tettigettalna, from which seven are endemic to the southern Iberian Peninsula. These cicadas have species‐specific male calling songs but are morphologically very similar. Mean COI divergence between congeners ranged from 0.4% to 10.6%, but this gene was proven insufficient to determine species limits within genus Tettigettalna because a barcoding gap was absent for several of its species, that is, the highest intraspecific distance exceeded the lowest interspecific distance. The genetic data conflicted with current taxonomic classification for T. argentata and T. mariae. Neighbour‐joining and Bayesian analyses revealed that T. argentata is geographically structured (clades North and South) and might constitute a species complex together with T. aneabi and T. mariae. The latter diverges very little from the southern clade of T. argentata and shares with it its most common haplotype. T. mariae is often in sympatry with T. argentata but it remains unclear whether introgression or incomplete lineage sorting may be responsible for the sharing of haplotypes. T. helianthemi and T. defauti also show high intraspecific variation that might signal hidden cryptic diversity. These taxonomic conflicts must be re‐evaluated with further studies using additional genes and extensive morphological and acoustic analyses.

Genetic divergence among populations of two closely related species of Cicada Linnaeus (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) in Portugal

Portuguese populations from localities of sympatry and allopatry of Cicada orni Linnaeus and C. barbara (StAl), a pair of closely related cicada species, were screened electrophoretically to clarify their genetic relationships. Thirteen enzyme systems coded by 19 presumptive loci were analysed. Seven loci were polymorphic on the 0.95 criterion. Data on within- and between-species variation, based on several genetic estimates (number of alleles per locus, amount of polymorphism, heterozygosity and genetic divergence) are presented. A dendrogram was constructed based on the Cavalli-Sforza & Edwards chord distance, using the UPGMA clustering method. Two groups were produced, one clustering the populations of C. orni and a second one clustering C. barbara. The former cicada species was much more variable genetically than C. barbara, this latter being a very homogeneous species. The high level of genetic similarity might suggest that C. barbara is a relatively recent immigrant to the Iberian Peninsula from its origin in North Africa. Alternatively, the present populations of C. barbara in Portugal might originate from small relict populations having survived the climatic cooling during the ice ages in a few warm refugia. Moreover, the present results suggest that reproductive isolation and therefore speciation in these cicadas may have occurred at a smaller genetic divergence level than in some other insects.

Taxonomic separation by isozyme electrophoresis of two closely related species of Cicada L. (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) in Portugal

Cicada orni (Linnaeus, 1758) and Cicada barbara (Stal, 1866), two closely related species of cicadas both present in Portugal, are very similar and often impossible to separate on the grounds of the morphology alone. Acoustic signals produced by males during pair formation and courtship are, however, different, which is evidence for the presence of two independent species. With a view to testing the usefulness of isozyme electrophoresis for distinguishing between this pair of species, specimens of both were collected in several locations either in sympatry or in allopatry, and then assayed for 19 enzyme loci. Starch gel electrophoresis gave evidence of genetic differentiation between the groups and strong support that they constitute two independent biological species. Moreover, three loci proved to be diagnostic for the separation between C. orni and C. barbara: aspartate aminotransferase (AAT-1), creatine kinase (CK-1) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH-1).

Two new species of Cicadatra (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) from Greece

The present study is the description of two new species of Cicadatra Kolenati, 1857 found in some Greek islands during the summers of 1998 and 2001. Cicadatra icari sp. n. is described from Ikaria and Samos and Cicadatra karpathosensis sp. n. from Karpathos. Description of the external morphology is provided. The male genitalia were dissected for close examination and illustration. Acoustic signals produced by males were recorded and analyzed and a description of the calling songs is provided. Discrimination from the closely allied species is also provided.

First record of Tettigettalna mariae Quartau & Boulard, 1995 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) in Spain

Abstract Tettigettalna mariae Quartau & Boulard 1995 is recorded for the first time in Spain. Thought to be endemic to Portugal (occurring in the southern province of Algarve), the present paper adds its distribution to southern Spain, being an Iberian endemism. The acoustic signals of the new specimens collected were recorded in different localities of Huelva province, in Andalusia during August 2012. According to their present known distribution, specimens of Tettigettalna mariae tend to be sparsely distributed in small range populations in southern Iberian Peninsula, favouring wooded areas with Pinus pinea.

Distribution of cicadas of the genus Lyristes (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in the eastern Mediterranean area

The present study gives an updated overview on the distribution of species of the genus Lyristes Horváth, 1926 in the eastern Mediterranean area. Besides occurring in southern continental Europe, specimens of L. plebejus were also found along the southern Greek mainland and in the western Aegean island of Kithira. Moreover, the new data presented give L. gemellus as a new record for Greece (appearing only along most of the Anatolian coast) as well as for Cyprus. The genus seems to be absent from the Cyclades as well as from the islands of Crete and Karpathos. Therefore, the results revealed a faunal discontinuity between the Greek western and eastern islands in the Aegean Sea. Hence, the persistence of a deep sea barrier between these two groups of islands seems to explain the present distribution of Lyristes species, which is also in accordance with the paleogeography of the area and with the fact that dispersal to more geographically isolated islands might have been virtually impossible for species of this genus.

Distribution patterns and calling song variation in species of the genus Cicada Linnaeus, 1758 (Hemiptera, Cicadidae) in the Aegean Sea area

The present paper gives a comparative analysis of the calling songs of selected populations within species of the genus Cicada Linnaeus from the Greek and Turkish mainlands as well as from a number of representative Aegean islands, with a view to compare present cicada biogeography patterns with the palaeogeography of the area. Recordings of the male calling songs and analyses of selected acoustic variables have been carried out. The general trend in the species distribution and variation in the calling songs produced appeared to be consistent with most of the paleogeographical events in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Cicada species from this area appear to have derived from some stock present in the Miocene in the then united landmass of Aegaeis. Present distribution might have originated mostly by vicariance rather than by dispersal. Therefore, the palaeogeography of the Eastern Mediterranean basin area with emphasis on the Miocenic island groups offers a good explanation for the present distribution patterns and level of endemism in species of the genus Cicada.

Morphology, songs and genetics identify two new cicada species from Morocco: Tettigettalna afroamissa sp. nov. and Berberigetta dimelodica gen. nov. & sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadettini)

Morocco has been the subject of very few expeditions on the last century with the objective of studying small cicadas. In the summer of 2014 an expedition was carried out to Morocco to update our knowledge with acoustic recordings and genetic data of these poorly known species. We describe here two new small-sized cicadas that could not be directly assigned to any species of North African cicadas: Tettigettalna afroamissa sp. nov. and Berberigetta dimelodica gen. nov. & sp. nov. In respect to T. afroamissa it is the first species of the genus to be found outside Europe and we frame this taxon within the evolutionary history of the genus. Acoustic analysis of this species allows us to confidently separate T. afroamissa from its congeners. With B. dimelodica, a small species showing a remarkable calling song characterized by an abrupt frequency modulation, a new genus had to be erected. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses with DNA-barcode sequences of Cytochrome C Oxidase 1 support the monophyly of both species, their distinctness and revealed genetic structure within B. dimelodica. Alongside the descriptions we also provide GPS coordinates of collection points, distributions and habitat preferences.

Tettigettalna josei (Boulard, 1982) (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea): first record in Spain, with notes on the distribution, genetic variation and behaviour of the species

Abstract The small cicada Tettigettalna josei (Boulard, 1982) was until recently only known from southern Portugal and was considered endemic to this country. Fieldwork in 2013 led to the first record of the species in Spain, expanding its known eastern range to Andalusia. The northern limits remain poorly defined but it appears that the distribution of Tettigettalna josei is restricted to the south Atlantic coastline in the Iberian Peninsula, with the highest densities found in Algarve. Some notes on behaviour and genetic variation of Tettigettalna josei are also given.