Kikihia subalpina, commonly known as the subalpine green cicada, is a species of cicada that is endemic to New Zealand.[3][2]

Kikihia subalpina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha
Family: Cicadidae
Genus: Kikihia
Species:
K. subalpina
Binomial name
Kikihia subalpina
(Hudson, 1891)[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Cicada muta sub-alpina Hudson, 1891

Taxonomy

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This species was first described by George Hudson in 1891 and named Cicada muta sub-alpina.[4][5]

Description

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Green overall colour (bright green in live individuals) with lighter markings in grooves of pronotum and bold dark markings on mesonotum (often fainter than in K. horologium.); with shorter, lighter body pubescence than K. horologium. Pronotum with median yellow line. Mesonotum with trace of a narrow bright orange-red patch between nearly touching inner obconical marks. Underside of head with brownish to purple-pink genae (or cheeks) on each side of frons. Pro- and mesosternum with nearly triangular black patches. Coxae of forelegs usually with pinkish red patches. Abdomen usually with well defined dorsal median silvery stripe. Male tymbals with 2 long and 1–2 short ridges. Female pygophore generally with a thick black longitudinal mark on each side of middle dorsally. Body length: 18–22 mm (males); 20–24 mm (females). Wingspread: 46–57 mm (males); 50–62 (females).[1]

Range

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New Zealand. North Island: Taranaki, Taupo, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, Rangitikei, Wellington. South Island: Marlborough Sounds, Nelson, Kaikoura, Buller, Westland, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury, Mackenzie, Otago Lakes, Dunedin, Fiordland. Stewart Island.

Habitat

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Subalpine scrub vegetation (e.g., Cassinia, Hebe, Phylocladus alpinus, Podocarpus nivalis), sometimes also in the canopy of Nothofagus solandri cliffortioides (central North Island); in scrublands on ridges down to about 100 m elevation (lower North Island); in forest canopy (e.g., Nothofagus, exotic plantations) from tree line to sea level, but rarely in true subalpine environments (South Island).

References

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  1. ^ a b Larivière, M.-C.; Fletcher, M. J.; Larochelle, A. (2010). "Auchenorrhyncha (Insecta: Hemiptera): catalogue" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 63: 1–232. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2018 – via Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research.
  2. ^ a b "Kikihia subalpina (Hudson, 1891)". Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  3. ^ Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: Kingdom animalia: chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. p. 403. ISBN 978-1-877257-93-3. OCLC 973607714. OL 25288394M. Wikidata Q45922947.
  4. ^ Fleming, C.A. (1984). "The cicada genus Kikihia Dugdale (Hemiptera; Homoptera). Part 1. The New Zealand green foliage cicadas". National Museum of New Zealand Records. 2 (18): 191–206.
  5. ^ George Vernon Hudson (1891). "On the New Zealand Cicadae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 23: 52. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q125587917.