CICADIDAE 

 By J. G. Myers, Sc.D. 



(With 22 Text-figures.) 



The cicadas seem to be represented in the Samoan Islands by one abundant 

 and widespread species, and by two others which, judging from the collections 

 examined, are very rare. Baeturia exhausta Guer. is essentially Austro-Malayan 

 in distribution, and Samoa would appear to be its eastern limit, which it has 

 reached by a route north of Fiji, in which group it does not occur. Tibicen 

 huruduadua Dist. occurs elsewhere only in Fiji, while the third species belongs 

 to a remarkable new endemic genus — the first peculiarly Polynesian genus of 

 cicadas.* This latter has Austro-Malayan affinities, but is strongly isolated. 

 It is thus apparent that the evidence of the cicadas, so far as it goes, corroborates 

 the general conclusion drawn by Muir from a study of the Fulgoroids, " that the 

 Samoan Islands form an outpost of the Polynesian plateau." 



I am deeply indebted to Mr. A. J. E. Terzi for the beautiful drawing of the 

 venation which illustrates the new genus ; and to Mr. W. E. China for many 

 courtesies at the British Museum. 



Subfamily PLATYPLEURINAE Handl. 

 Genus Tibicen Latr. 1825 

 Type Cicada plebeia Scop. 



1. Tib icen kuruduadua Dist. 



Cicada kuruduadua Distant, Trans. Ent. Soc. London (1881), p. 645, 1881 ; Syn. Cat. Horn. 



dead., p. 39, 1906. 



Upolu : Malololelei, 1 30.viii.l925 (Armstrong). 



In the absence of a male, this seems indistinguishable, save by paler colour, 

 from T. huruduadua, hitherto known only from Fiji. As a matter of fact this 



* Dasypsaltria Haupt. is synonymous with Platypleura, and is not Samoan. See below. 



