Graptopsaltria Nigrofuscata Research Articles

Ants prey on cicada hatchlings

ABSTRACT Temperate-zone cicadas are characterised among insects by their long-lived underground nymphal stages, which live for 5–20 years or more. Here we report the extensive occurrence of above-ground predation on eggs and first-instar nymphs of the common Japanese brown cicada, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, by colonial ants in a city park. Predation on eggs and first-instar nymphs by ants may be a major source of above-ground mortality rate in a population of this Japanese cicada species.

Exploring the factors influencing the first singing date of a cicada, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata: How will it be affected by climate change?

Abstract Climate change affects various scales of biotic interaction through phenological shifts. The emergence phenology of cicadas is ecologically important because these insects have large effects on the ecosystem as herbivores, as food resources, and in nutrient flux from subterranean resources. However, little is known about the weather factors affecting their emergence patterns in the field because their nymphal stages grow underground for several years. Here, we used long‐term observation data on the first singing date (i.e. the first emergence of male individuals) of Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, recorded by the Japan Meteorological Agency and citizen scientists throughout Japan, to (1) explore the most influential weather factors across a variety of time spans on the first singing date of G. nigrofuscata and (2) determine whether the temporal trend of the first singing date could be explained by temporal weather trends caused by climate change by using a state space model. Our results indicated that higher temperatures from midsummer to early winter in the previous year are bringing the cicadas' emergence forward, and the annual increase in temperature is causing the advancement of emergence patterns. Other weather factors, such as precipitation and humidity, did not have a strong effect. Our findings suggest that increased growth rates at the nymphal stage due to warming in the previous year influence cicada emergence timing. To understand the mechanisms of how rising temperatures are advancing cicada emergence, we need an approach based on the physiology and ecology of their nymphs.

Cicada wing-inspired artificial nanopatterns with antifouling properties for clay adhesion

To clarify the antifouling properties of cicada-inspired nanostructured surfaces and search for a long-term usable antifouling material, the wings of two types of cicadas in Japan, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (GN) and Cryptotympana facialis (CF), were examined by surface wettability and surface free energy. Furthermore, considering the complexity and mechanical stability of natural nanostructured surfaces, we mimicked both cicada wing surfaces by combining nanosphere lithography and metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) on Si wafer, which is low-cost and large-area pattern-fabricable. We obtained artificial nanopatterns with pillar pitches of 200, 500, and 1000 nm (naming 200, 500, and 1000 series). As a result, comparing artificial nanopatterns with cicada wings indicated that nanopillar structures with high roughness factors or structural aspect ratios are likely to have excellent hydrophobic properties and antifouling features. Cryptotympana facialis wings and 200 series Si samples showed less clay particle adhesion than other patterns. These results indicate smaller structured surfaces where air may get trapped, resulting in hydrophobic surfaces contributing to self-cleaning or fouling-release properties. Further, reducing the contact area between nanostructures and clay can be used as an effective strategy to prevent clay adhesion has been proposed, but it has targeted limitations. Herein, we present a novel insight that more fine and high-structural-density nanostructural patterns are universal to prevent clay adhesion.

Asymmetric song responses in coexisting Japanese cicadas

Diel partitioning of singing, which has been observed from the tropics to the temperate regions, is among the various mechanisms of sound partitioning found in multispecies cicada assemblages and is regarded as an important mechanism of coexistence. Using playback experiments, we studied interspecific interference between two Japanese cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, which exhibit similar peak frequencies in their calling songs and different diel patterns of song activity. We found that the males of the two species had different song response patterns: C. facialis responded significantly more to conspecific calling songs than G. nigrofuscata. These results suggest that male C. facialis have evolved more intense conspecific song recognition than G. nigrofuscata. This may cause male G. nigrofuscata to avoid destructive acoustic interference during their active singing time.

Spring Temperature Predicts the Long-term Molting Phenology of Two Cicadas,Cryptotympana facialisandGraptopsaltria nigrofuscata(Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

To investigate how seasonal insects respond to changing environments, nymphal skins of the two cicadas Cryptotympana facialis (Walker) and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Motschulsky) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) were monitored weekly from late July to August over 12 yr in a suburban habitat of central Japan. Based on over 8,000 skins collected from 1995 to 2006, the authors estimated the period during which temperature or precipitation impacted skin abundance and phenology. Adults of C. facialis tended to emerge earlier than those of G. nigrofuscata, for which total skin counts fluctuated up to sevenfold among years. The effective accumulated temperature from the previous 3.0–3.5 mo to the most recent 1.0–1.5 mo at a threshold of approximately >18°C showed the best fit to the cumulative skin counts within a season. Temperature explained 47 and 64% of the total variation in the skin counts for C. facialis and G. nigrofuscata, respectively. The point at which temperature had this effect was consistent between male and female cicadas. Conversely, accumulated precipitation accounted for <16% of the variation in the skin counts for both species. In summary, this long-term study revealed that late-spring temperature plays a key role in predicting the molting phenology of C. facialis and G. nigrofuscata but does not necessarily explain a large amount of the abundance fluctuation.

都市近郊の樹林地におけるセミ類の生息実態およびヒグラシの生息環境について

Cicadas and their songs are deeply rooted in the Japanese culture. In this study, we aimed to investigate the distribution of cicadas in suburban areas, and to analyze the factors influencing the distribution of the evening cicada Tanna japonensis (also called higurashi). We used the quadrat method to count the cast-off skins of cicadas in 59 forests. In addition, vegetation structure and soil conditions were recorded in the field and the normalized difference vegetation index was obtained from satellite images (defined as 100–1000-m buffer zones around the quadrat central point). The relationship between the number of cast-off skins of T. japonensis and the environmental factors was analyzed using generalized linear models (GLM). The largest number of cast-off skins found was from Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata followed, in descending order, by those from T. japonensis, Platypleura kaempferi, Meimuna opalifera, and Hyalessa maculaticollis. In planted forests, the dominant species was G. nigrofuscata, whereas in evergreen and coniferous forests the dominant species was T. japonensis. GLM analysis revealed that the distribution of T. japonensis was affected by the percentage of evergreen and coniferous cover, due to differences in canopy layer, soil hardness, and patch size of the forest. For the conservation of T. japonensis, it is therefore important to take into account vegetation type and soil conditions.

Host availability hypothesis: complex interactions with abiotic factors and predators may best explain population densities of cicada species

Advertisement calls of some cicadas are so loud that they are a nuisance to city-dwellers in Korea. We hypothesized that the densities of cicada species were directly correlated with the availability of host plant species. We conducted complete enumeration surveys of exuviae in Hyalessa fuscata, Cryptotympana atrata, Meimuna spp., and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata in three representative habitats in Republic of Korea: metropolitan, suburban, and country. We measured resource-weighted density of each species based on the area and the number of trees, and used those values to calculate organism-weighted density, which measures the intensity of competition that an individual experiences sharing its host with others of its own species. H. fuscata was the dominant species in all three habitats. H. fuscata and C. atrata comprised a minimum of 75.2% of all cicadas across all habitats and sampling periods. Resource-weighted densities of H. fuscata and C. atrata were much higher in the metropolitan habitat than in the country habitat. Habitat was a significant factor for variations in organism-weighted densities in C. atrata and G. nigrofuscata, but it was not in Meimuna spp. and H. fuscata. Some of the results concerning the percentages of trees without exuviae and preferred plants seemed to support the host availability hypothesis in C. atrata, Meimuna spp. and G. nigrofuscata, but they may not in H. fuscata. The similarity between resource-weighted and organism-weighted densities suggests that factors other than host availability, speculatively abiotic factors and predators, may also account for the patterns of population densities in C. atrata and G. nigrofuscata.

Morphometrics of the final instar exuviae of five cicada species occurring in urban areas of central Korea

Cicadas produce loud calling songs for mate attraction that can be a nuisance to city dwellers in Korea. Exuviae of final instars can be used to estimate population density. We investigated the morphological characteristics of final instar exuviae for five cicada species that are abundant in central Korea: Cryptotympana atrata, Hyalessa fuscata, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, Meimuna opalifera, and Meimuna mongolica. The characters analyzed were pro-mesonotum length, pronotum width, pronotum length, head width, abdominal circumference, body length, wing length, and femoral tooth angle. The results of a general linear model showed that species and sex were significant for morphological characters, and the result of post hoc analyses revealed that the mean values of most of the morphological characters measured were significantly different among the five cicada species. Three groups, Cryptotympana atrata, H. fuscata/G. nigrofuscata, and M. opalifera/M. mongolica, were distinctively identified based on most morphological characters. The distributions of femoral tooth angles did not overlap between H. fuscata and G. nigrofuscata, and the distributions of abdominal circumference did not overlap between M. opalifera and M. mongolica. Thus, the exuviae of all five cicada species could be easily distinguished based on morphological characters. We also provide a morphological key for the exuviae of all five cicada species in Korea.

Desiccation tolerance in fully developed embryos of two cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata

AbstractIn two Japanese cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, with different habitat distributions, fully developed embryos hatch in response to high humidity due to rainfall. Despite the advantage of hatching on rainy days, this trait burdens embryos with an extra period of desiccation until the unpredictable advent of rain. We compared the ability of the fully developed embryos of these cicadas to endure periods of low humidity. Eggs were exposed to a combination of different humidities (43% and 75% relative humidity, RH) and durations (0–15 days), and then transferred to an environment with 100% RH to stimulate hatching. In both species, total hatching rates decreased as duration increased, although there was no significant effect of humidity. In C. facialis, a considerable proportion of the eggs hatched during the desiccation period, and the hatching rate was higher at 75% RH than at 43% RH. After transfer to 100% RH, most hatching occurred within a day regardless of the desiccation level. In G. nigrofuscata, no nymphs hatched during the desiccation periods. However, more eggs required more than a day after transfer to 100% RH to hatch after desiccation at 43% RH than at 75% RH. Consequently, the overall proportion of timely hatching of eggs (eggs hatching within a day of moisture supply) was higher after desiccation at 43% RH in C. facialis, but it was higher after desiccation at 75% RH in G. nigrofuscata. These different physiological responses of the two species may reflect adaptation to habitat dryness.

Comparison of cold tolerance in eggs of two cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, in relation to climate warming

AbstractThe population of the cicada Cryptotympana facialis began to increase in Osaka, Japan, during the late 20th century. Climate warming is considered a major cause, although the relationship between temperature and the cicada population increase remains unclear. By examining cold tolerance in overwintering eggs of C. facialis in relation to another cicada, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, whose population has recently decreased in Osaka, we tested the hypothesis that warming has caused the population increase of C. facialis by decreasing egg mortality due to winter temperatures. A short‐term (24 h) cold exposure experiment demonstrated that the half‐lethal temperatures (LT50) of C. facialis and G. nigrofuscata were −23.3°C and −28.9°C, respectively, although these extreme low temperatures never occurred in Osaka during the 20th century. Prolonged exposure to −5°C for up to 30 days had no harmful effects on the hatching rate in either species. Overwintering mortality was also assessed under naturally fluctuating conditions by transferring eggs to cooler elevated sites that mimicked the environment prior to the current warming. Eggs of C. facialis that overwintered at the cooler site exhibited similar hatching rates to those maintained at the original site. The results of these experiments consistently indicated that overwintering eggs of C. facialis possess adequate tolerance to the low temperatures of the 20th century. Therefore, we rejected our initial hypothesis that recent increases in the C. facialis population have been caused by warming‐related reductions in overwintering egg mortality.

Revised synonymic list of Cicadidae (Insecta: Hemiptera) from the Korean Peninsula, with the description of a new species and some taxonomic remarks

Abstract This paper provides a revised synonymic list for the 13 species belonging to 11 genera of Cicadidae (Hemiptera) from the Korean Peninsula: Platypleura kaempferi (Fabricius, 1794), Suisha coreana (Matsumura, 1927), Lyristes intermedius (Mori, 1931), Cryptotympana atrata (Fabricius, 1775), Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (De Motschulsky, 1866), Oncotympana fuscata Distant, 1905, Leptosemia takanonis Matsumura, 1917, Meimuna mongolica (Distant, 1881), Meimuna opalifera (Walker, 1850), Cicadetta abscondita Lee, new species, Kosemia admirabilis (Kato, 1927), Kosemia yezoensis (Matsumura, 1898), and Tettigetta isshikii (Kato, 1926). Major changes from preceding lists are: Lyristes japonicus (Kato, 1925) is deleted from the list of Korean Cicadidae considered as having been erroneously recorded due to mislabeling; Euterpnosia inanulata Kishida, 1929 syn. nov. is synonymized with Leptosemia takanonis; the Korean species previously identified as Cicadetta montana (Scopoli, 1772) is described as a new species,...

Diapause and prolonged development in the embryo and their ecological significance in two cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata

The seasonal timing mechanism of egg hatching was examined in two cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, with different but overlapping geographical distributions. These species lay eggs in summer, and nymphs hatch in the summer of the following year after egg durations of 10–12 months. When eggs were maintained at 25 °C from oviposition, both the species entered embryonic diapause within 60 days irrespective of photoperiod, but at different developmental stages between the two species. The optimal temperature for diapause development was approximately 15 °C in both the species. The development rate for postdiapause morphogenesis increased linearly with temperature in the range of 20–27.5 °C in C. facialis, and of 15–25 °C in G. nigrofuscata. The lower development threshold and the sum of effective temperatures were computed as 14.3 °C and 715.3 day-degrees in C. facialis and 12.1 °C and 566.6 day-degrees in G. nigrofuscata, respectively. The hatching dates predicted by these large thermal constants accorded with the hatching dates observed in the field, i.e., late June and mid-July in G. nigrofuscata and C. facialis, respectively. Therefore, the high thermal requirements for postdiapause development compel the cicadas to hatch in summer.

Cover Dependence of Predation Avoidance Alters the Effect of Habitat Fragmentation on Two Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

Abstract Habitat fragmentation increases habitat edge, which often enhances predation pressure. This phenomenon, termed the “edge effect,” has been documented for many organisms. However, its underlying mechanisms are not sufficiently understood, particularly for insect species. Thus, we aimed to interpret the behavioral mechanism of edge effects in two cicada species: Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Motschulsky) and Cryptotympana facialis (Walker) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). In recent decades, the G. nigrofuscata has been decreasing in urban environments, whereas C. facialis has not. We compared the predation pressure by birds in four urban and three suburban habitats and we observed predation-avoidance behaviors. Results showed that the G. nigrofuscata incurred extremely high predation pressure. However, in C. facialis, predation pressure was constant among habitats. Behavioral observations revealed that predation avoidance of G. nigrofuscata was highly cover dependent, because threatened individuals hid in ne...

Ultrastructure and function of long and short sperm in Cicadidae (Hemiptera)

The cicada, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, produces two distinct sizes of sperm, as determined by either nuclear volume of early spermatids or nuclear length of mature sperm. Between both sperm, there is no difference in location of the acrosome and flagellum during spermiogenesis. The acrosome is covered by an anteacrosomal bleb, which is inserted in a common mass, spermatodesm, derived from cyst cells. Both kinds of sperm linked to the spermatodesm form sperm bundles, respectively. During copulation, the sperm bundles are transported from the vesicula seminalis of the male to the bursa copulatrix of the female. Morphometric analyses of the nuclear length revealed that the two kinds of sperm reach the bursa copulatrix in the same condition as that found in the vesicula seminalis. Once transferred inside the latter, the sperm bundles disintegrated to individual sperm within a few hours, and the tail components, such as the axoneme and mitochondrial derivatives, become separated from each other over time. The tail completely splits from the sperm nucleus 24 h after copulation. Fertile sperm accumulate in the spermatheca, the final storage organ, where only long sperm survived for any length of time. Fertilized eggs examined by vital staining contain only sperm with long nuclei.

Vitellogenin of the cicada Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Homoptera): analysis of its primary structure

We cloned and sequenced the cDNA of vitellogenin (Vg) from the cicada Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Homoptera). 1 Database accession number: DDBJ/EMBL/GenBanbk AB026848. 1 The deduced amino acid sequence of 1987 residues (including 16 residues for a putative signal peptide) was obtained. The pro-Vg was cleaved into two subunits between residues 379 and 380 following a consensus RXXR cleavage site sequence, secreted as S-Vg (apparent molecular weight 43 kDa) and L-Vg (200 kDa), sequestered, and stored in the egg as two vitellins (Vns), S-Vn and L-Vn, with similar respective molecular weights. There was a single long serine-rich stretch closely following the cleavage site. The entire amino acid sequences of the Vgs from the eight insects so far reported could be aligned confidently. The presence of subdomains I–V (areas of relatively high amino acid conservation) and of 10 cysteines at conserved locations at the C-terminus, noted previously among insect Vgs, were confirmed. Antisera raised against G. nigrofuscata S- and L-Vn cross-reacted with the S- and L-Vg/Vn, respectively, of all three other cicada species examined. Another major egg protein (170 kDa) unrelated to Vg/Vn, was also detected in all species examined.

Metarhizium cylindrosporae CHEN et GUO (Deuteromycotina : Hyphomycetes), the Causative Agent of an Epizootic on Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata MOTCHULSKI (Homoptera : Cicadiae)

An epizootic of a Metarhizium specis occurred in a population of the large brown cicada, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, in forests of Japanese alder, Alnus japanica, in Ibaraki, Japan. The average density of the cadavers of G. nigrofuscata per trunk base (defined as the bottom 6 m of trunk) was 9.3 in the center of the epizootic. Living adults were seldom observed. The isolates produced 2 types of conidia, macro- and microconidia, on a common phialide. Macroconidia were cylindrical to banana-shaped, 16.9×3.8 μm, and microconidia were ellipsoid, 5.4×2.7 μm. The conidial chain was united in a column. Cultures derived from either micro- or macroconidia produced 2 types of conidia. This fungus was identified as Metarhizium cylindrosporae, although only macroconidia had been described in its original description.

合成ピレスロイド剤によるナシのアブラゼミの防除

合成ピレスロイド剤によるナシのアブラゼミの防除

Analysis of songs of Japanese cicadas

Recordings have been analysed of the songs of five different species of Japanese cicadas: Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata Mots., Oncotympana maculaticollis Mots., Tanna japonensis Dist., Meimuna opalifera Walk., and Platypleura kaempferi F. The song was always composed of pulses of sound (damped oscillations) which are produced repetitively at a frequency of 200–500/sec by the contraction of the main sound muscle. Rhythmical changes occur in the amplitude and shape of the sound pulses. The frequency spectrum of sound shows a marked overlapping among the songs of different species but the rhythm in amplitude or shape of the pulses is specific for the species of cicada. It is concluded that species discrimination in cicadas is accomplished by discriminating the differences in these rhythms.

Studies on the origin and the pattern of the miniature electrical oscillation in the insect muscle.

1. The miniature electrical oscillation of the tymbal muscle of the cicada was investigated with the following species: Terpnosia vacua, Platypleura kaempferi, Cryptotympana japonensis, Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, Tanna japo-nensis, Oncotympana maculaticollis and Meimna opalifera.2. The miniature electrical oscillation was observed not only in the silent muscle but also in the shrilling muscle. It was observed either in situ or in isolated preparation.3. The miniature electrical oscillation was not affected by motor innervation but originated myogenically.4. The pattern of oscillation was usually irregular but sometimes changed to be regular, waxing and waning.5. The frequencies of two sources which were supposed to compose the beating oscillation were approximately equal to that which was found when the wave was regular.6. The frequencies of regular and beating discharges were quite comparable to that of the action potentials of respective species in singing.7. The cause of the transition of the pattern of oscillation was discussed and its similarity to the electrocardiogram of the fibrillation was noticed.

Action potential of insect muscle examined with intra-cellular electrode.

(1) The nature of the action potential of the insect muscle was investigated, using the method of intracellular recording. The materials used were the wing muscles of a locust (Locusta migratoria danica). Sometimes the sound muscles of cicadas (Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata and Platypleura kaempferi) were also employed.(2) The insect muscle fiber showed a low resting potential which ranged.between 40 and 60 mV. The potential depended upon the extracellular concentration of potassium.(3) The average space constant of the muscle fiber was 0.6 mm. and the.average time constant was 8.5 m. seconds.(4) The action potential ranged between 30 and 50 mV and did not show any obvious overshoot.(5) The latent period of the action potential was approximately constant at every point of the muscle fiber. From this fact the presence of the distributed nerve ending was concluded.(6) In direct electric stimulation the first group of fibers responded with pure electrotonic potentials, the second group with local potentials and the third with all or none spikes. Most fibers belonged to the second group.(7) The size of the action potential was varied over a wide range by increasing (sometimes by decreasing) the resting membrane potential with anodic (sometimes with weak cathodic) polarization. The action potential and the resting membrane potential were in general found to be approximately proportional, and in only few cases the action potential became larger than that expected from the proportional relation.(8) The time constant of the decay of the action potential was about 5, msec. which was smaller than that of the resting muscle membrane. The difference seems to be due to the increase of the potassium leakage.(9) Some effects of tetra-ethyl-ammonium chloride, of tetra-buthyl-ammonium chloride and of choline chloride on the insect muscle were investigated.(10) The resting and action potential of the sound muscle of cicada were almost similar to those of the wing muscle of the locust. But in some condition the action potential of the sound muscle of Platypleura kcaempferi showed an obvious overshoot as well as an obvious step which indicated a transition from the local to the propagative potential.(11) From the above results it is concluded that in the wing muscle of the locust the major component of the action potential is a nonselective ion sink analogous to the end plate potential of the vertebrate muscle, and the potential analogous to the propagative potential of the vertebrate, even if it exists, does not generally play an important role. But in some other muscles such as the sound muscle of Platypleura kaempferi the latter potential plays much more important role than in the wing muscle of the locust.