Cicadidae, the true cicadas, is one of two families of cicadas, with about 3,400 species in over 520 genera worldwide;World Auchenorrhyncha Database: family Cicadidae Batsch, 1789 (retrieved 2 July 2025) it contains most living cicada species, except for the two belonging to its sister taxon, the Tettigarctidae. The classification of this family, of often very similar insects, has undergone many revisions, continuing into the 21st century; for example, many species previously assigned to the type genus Cicada, are now placed in different tribes.
Description Cicadas are mostly large insects characterized by their membranous wings, triangular-formation of three ocelli on the top of their heads, their short, bristle-like antennae and often producing high-pitched songs. Although other Auchenorrhynchan insects communicate with sounds, the tymbals (modified membranes located on the abdomen) and resonating chambers, sometimes covered by opercula, are especially efficient mechanisms in the Cicadidae (and may include diagnostic features for identification).
Communication Cicadas are known for the loud airborne sounds that males of most species make to attract mates. One member of this family, Brevisana brevis, the "shrill thorntree cicada", is the loudest insect in the world, able to produce a song that exceeds 100 decibels. Male cicadas can produce four types of acoustic signals: songs, calls, low-amplitude songs, and disturbance sounds. Unlike members of the order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.), which use stridulation to produce sounds, members of Cicadidae produce sounds using a pair of tymbals. In order to produce sound, each tymbal is pulled inwards by a connected muscle, and the deformation of the stiff membrane produces a 'click.'
Life cycle Cicadas can be separated into two categories based on their adult emergence pattern. Annual cicadas remain underground as nymphs for two or more years and the population is not locally synchronized in its development, so that some adults mature each year or in most years. Periodical cicadas also have multiple-year life cycles but emerge in synchrony or near synchrony in any one location and are absent as adults in the intervening years; this is thought to be a defence strategy against predation. The best-known periodical cicadas, genus Magicicada, emerge as adults every 13 or 17 years.
Newly emerged cicadas climb up trees and molt into their adult stage, now equipped with wings. Males call to attract females, producing the distinct noisy songs cicadas are known for. Females respond to males with a 'click' made by flicking their wings. Once a male has found a female partner, his call changes to indicate that they are a mating pair."Amazing Cicada Life Cycle."Youtube, uploaded by BBC Studios, 24 Oct. 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjLiWy2nT7U
Classification Cicadidae is one of two families within the superfamily Cicadoidea. This superfamily is in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha, containing cicadas, hoppers, and relatives, within the order Hemiptera, the true bugs. There are five subfamilies within Cicadidae: Cicadettinae, Cicadinae, Derotettiginae, Tettigomyiinae and Tibicininae.
Subfamily Cicadettinae Buckton, 1890 Tribe Aragualnini Sanborn, 2018 Tribe Carinetini Distant, 1905 Tribe Chlorocystini Distant, 1905 Tribe Cicadatrini Distant, 1905 Tribe Cicadettini Buckton, 1890 Tribe Katoini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 Tribe Lamotialnini Boulard, 1976 Tribe Nelcyndanini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 Tribe Pagiphorini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 Tribe Parnisini Distant, 1905 Tribe Pictilini Moulds & Hill, 2018 Tribe Prasiini Matsumura, 1917 Tribe Taphurini Distant, 1905
Subfamily Cicadinae Batsch, 1789 Tribe Antankariini Sanborn, 2021 Tribe Arenopsaltriini Moulds, 2018 Tribe Ayuthiini Moulds, Lee, and Marshall, 2021 Tribe Burbungini Moulds, 2005 Tribe Cicadini Batsch, 1789 Tribe Cicadmalleuini Boulard & Puissant, 2013 Tribe Cosmopsaltriini Kato, 1932 Tribe Cyclochilini Distant, 1904 Tribe Distantadini Orian, 1963 Tribe Dundubiini Distant, 1905 Tribe Durangonini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 Tribe Fidicinini Distant, 1905 Tribe Gaeanini Distant, 1905 Tribe Jassopsaltriini Moulds, 2005 Tribe Kimberpsaltriini Moulds, Marshall, and Popple, 2021 Tribe Lahugadini Distant, 1905 Tribe Leptopsaltriini Moulton, 1923 Tribe Macrotristriini Moulds, 2018 Tribe Oncotympanini Ishihara, 1961 Tribe Platypleurini Schmidt, 1918 Tribe Plautillini Distant, 1905 Tribe Polyneurini Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 Tribe Psaltodini Moulds, 2018 Tribe Psithyristriini Distant, 1905 Tribe Sonatini Lee, 2010 Tribe Tacuini Distant, 1904 (tribe Cryptotympanini is now subtribe Tacuina ) Tribe Talcopsaltriini Moulds, 2008 Tribe Tamasini Moulds, 2005 Tribe Thophini Distant, 1904 Tribe Tosenini Amyot & Audinet-Serville, 1843 Tribe Zammarini Distant, 1905
Subfamily Derotettiginae Moulds, 2019 Tribe Derotettigini Moulds, 2019
Subfamily Tettigomyiinae Distant, 1905 Tribe Hovanini Sanborn, Moulds & Marshall, 2020 Tribe Iruanini Boulard, 1983 Tribe Malagasiini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 Tribe Tettigomyiini Distant, 1905 Tribe Ydiellini Boulard, 1973
Subfamily Tibicininae Distant, 1905 Tribe Citroriginini Sanborn, 2021 Tribe Chilecicadini Sanborn, 2014 Tribe Hemidictyini Distant, 1905 Tribe Platypediini Kato, 1932 Tribe Sapantangini Sanborn, Moulds, & Marshall, 2020 Tribe Selymbriini Moulds & Marshall, 2018 Tribe Tettigadini Distant, 1905 Tribe Tibicinini Distant, 1905
Evolution The earliest fossils of cicadas more closely related to Cicadidae than to Tettigarctidae date to the Jurassic period. The morphology of well preserved stem-cicadids from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber from Myanmar suggests that unlike many modern cicadas, they were either silent or only made quiet sounds. The oldest modern cicadids date to the Paleocene. The earliest confirmed member of Cicadinae and one of the oldest Cicadids known from Eurasia is the fossil cicada Eoplatypleura, from the Eocene aged Messel Pit locality of Germany, which is a member of tribe Platypleurini.
Notes
See also List of Cicadidae genera
References
External links