Subject: Patagonian Cicadas
Geographic location of the bug: Argentine Patagonia
Date: 09/05/2017
Time: 07:09 AM EDT
We visit Patagonia regularly to photograph plants. One Cicada species is particularly common on the dry steppe and mountain slopes of central Patagonia in spring and early summer (Image 1 – dark species). The second image (green species) I photographed shortly after emerging from its nymph stage – this one is from northern Argentine Patagonia (Neuquen Province). Any idea of genus / species?
How you want your letter signed: Martin
Dear Martin,
The most obvious, unusual feature exhibited by the Cicadas in your images is their furriness, so we started our search with that in mind and quickly found this Cicada Mania posting of Tettigades chilensis with the headline “one fuzzy cicada.” The species is also pictured on FlickR, and we found an image from Chile on Coppermine Gallery. If that is not the species, we believe we at least have the genus correct. We suspect your second image is the teneral color of the newly metamorphosed Cicada and that it will darken. Considering the furriness evident in your image, it would not be a leap to assume they might be the same species. Thanks for sending in this exciting submission.
Hi Daniel,
Many thanks for your prompt reply. It certainly looks to be the same species.
Regards,
Martin