Four new cicada species to science have been just discovered and described from high altitude areas of Vietnam by scientists of the Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, United of American, and Australia.
The cicada genus Semia Matsumura, 1917 was revised and redescribed by Lee (2012), with four incumbent species from East Asia: S. klapperichi Jacobi, 1944, S. lachna (Lei & Chou, 1997), S. majuscula (Distant, 1917), and S. watanabei (Matsumura, 1907). As more specimens were collected, the distribution of several species has been extended and new species described. Recent descriptions by Pham et al. (2012), Pham & Constant (2013), and Yang & Wei (2013, 2014) have added five new species: S. brevidilata Yang & Wei, 2014 and S. hainanensis Yang & Wei, 2013 from China; S. gialaiensis Pham & Constant, 2013 and S. spinosa Pham et al., 2012 from southern Vietnam; and S. tibetensis Yang & Wei, 2014 from southeastern Tibet. A molecular phylogenetic analysis has supported the morpho-taxonomic classification of the five Chinese Semia species (Yang & Wei, 2014).
Semia magna Emery, Lee & Pham, 2017
Measurements (12 males, 8 females). Body length: male 43.4–46.8 (45.2); female 34.9–37.4 (36.0). Length of head + thorax: male 17.0–18.2 (17.4); female 15.6–16.4 (16.0). Length of abdomen: male 26.4–28.6 (27.8); female 18.4–21.0 (19.9). Fore wing length: male 50.1–52.9 (51.0); female 50.6–52.8 (51.6). Head width: male 11.3–12.2 (11.7); female 10.7–12.0 (11.6). Pronotum width: male 12.8–14.6 (13.4); female 13.2–14.5 (13.8). Abdomen width: male 14.1–16.6 (15.4); female 13.2–15.0 (14.1) (Figure 1, 5, 6).
FIGURE 1. Semia magna: A–B, Holotype Male: A, Dorsal habitus. B, Ventral habitus. C–D, Female: C, Dorsal habitus. D, Ventral habitus. Scale bar =10 mm
Semia spiritus Emery, Lee & Pham, 2017
Measurements (12 males, 2 females). Body length: male 35.2–39.1 (36.8); female 27.8–31.0 (29.9). Length of head + thorax: male 13.8–16.0 (14.7); female 13.4–14.9 (14.2). Length of abdomen: male 19.6–23.8 (22.0); female 14.4–16.1 (15.2). Fore wing length: male 39.6–44.8 (42.0); female 41.5–44.5 (42.9). Head width: male 8.3–9.3 (8.9); female 8.8–9.2 (9.0). Pronotum width: male 9.9–11.1 (10.5); female 9.0–9.4 (9.2). Abdomen width: male 12.0–13.9 (12.8); female 11.8–11.8 (11.8). (Figure 2, 5, 6).
FIGURE 2. Semia spiritus: A–B, Holotype Male: A, Dorsal habitus. B, Ventral habitus. C–D, Female: C, Dorsal habitus. D, Ventral habitus. Scale bar =10mm.
Semia pallida Emery, Lee & Pham, 2017
Measurements (12 males, 6 females). Body length: male 33.0–36.6 (35.3); female 26.2–31.0 (28.3). Length of head + thorax: male 12.4–13.8 (13.4); female 12.2–14.5 (13.4). Length of abdomen: male 20.7–23.0 (21.9); female 14.0–16.51 (14.9). Fore wing length: male 34.4–41.2 (38.9); female 38.2–44.5 (40.4). Head width: male 8.0–9.4 (8.6); female 8.3–9.2 (8.9). Pronotum width: male 9.3–10.9 (10.0); female 9.0–10.4 (9.7). Abdomen width: male 11.5–12.7 (12.0); female 10.1–11.8 (11.0). (Figure 3, 5, 6).
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FIGURE 3. Semia pallida: A–B, Holotype Male: A, Dorsal habitus. B, Ventral habitus. C–D, Female: C, Dorsal habitus. D, Ventral habitus. Scale bar = 10mm
Semia albusequi Emery, Lee & Pham, 2017
Measurements (4 males, 1 female). Body length: male 28.3–30.0 (29.0); female 23.2. Length of head + thorax: male 11.7–12.9 (12.1); female 12.2. Length of abdomen: male 15.5–17.1 (16.8); female 10.9. Fore wing length: male 33.3–35.5 (34.3); female 34.0. Head width: male 7.9–8.3 (8.1); female 8.1. Pronotum width: male 8.2–9.0 (8.6); female 8.4. Abdomen width: male 9.0–9.4 (9.2); female 8.8. (Figure 4, 5, 6).
FIGURE 4. Semia spiritus: A–B, Holotype Male: A, Dorsal habitus. B, Ventral habitus. C–D, Female: C, Dorsal habitus. D, Ventral habitus. Scale bar =10mm.
FIGURE 5. Semia pallida: A–B, Holotype Male: A, Dorsal habitus. B, Ventral habitus. C–D, Female: C, Dorsal habitus. D, Ventral habitus. Scale bar = 10mm
FIGURE 6. Male genitalia, with sternite VIII removed: A–B, Semia magna: A, Viewed ventrally. B, Viewed laterally from the left. C–D, Semia spiritus: C, Viewed ventrally. D, Viewed laterally from the left. E–F, Semia pallida: E, Viewed ventrally. F, Viewed laterally from the left. G–H, Semia albusequi: G, Viewed ventrally. H, Viewed laterally from the left. aed aedeagus; bpl basal lobe of pygofer; db dorsal beak; ds distal shoulder; unc uncus
The holotype of those species are deposited at Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Hanoi, Vietnam, VAST
The article describing the four new species published in Zootaxa 4216 (2): 153–166.
News: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Thai
The Vietnam National Museum of Nature, VAST