Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Stenocranus to ID

Posted by Rui Andrade on 17-07-2019 02:45
#1

Hi, can someone help me identify this Stenocranus?

location: Porto (Portugal)
date: 28/06/2019

Posted by Rui Andrade on 17-07-2019 02:45
#2

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Posted by Rui Andrade on 17-07-2019 02:46
#3

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Posted by Rui Andrade on 17-07-2019 02:46
#4

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Posted by Rui Andrade on 17-07-2019 02:46
#5

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Posted by Rui Andrade on 19-07-2019 04:27
#6

Is it impossible from pictures?

Posted by johnes81 on 19-07-2019 09:06
#7

according to German fauna, this should be S. major but you may have others in Portugal.

the fore tibia is not apically broadened so we can eliminate S. longipennis. The head is not elongated and the face stripes are black, so we can eliminate S. minutus. I believe that S. fuscovittatus has a stripe on the foretibia and not two thin stripes. None-the-less, I think it should be S. major. genitalia of the male can be used for a positive id. Otherwise, you will need the opinion of an expert for certainty.

considering that i don't have a specimen, based upon these photos i call it S. major.

Posted by johnes81 on 19-07-2019 09:19
#8

sorry, i didn't have my reading glasses. i see now that the tibia is only mentioned for males.

i still think that S. major is most likely the species.

here are some reliable photos for you to view. You should bookmark this site for other cicadas.

Stenocranus major
http://gallery.kunzweb.net/main.php?g2_itemId=15443

Stenocranus fuscovittatus
http://gallery.kunzweb.net/main.php?g2_itemId=16633

Stenocranus minutus
http://gallery.kunzweb.net/main.php?g2_itemId=15445

Posted by Rui Andrade on 19-07-2019 12:51
#9

Thank you! :) According to Fauna Europaea Germany has all the European Stenocranus except S. gialovus (known only from Greece). S. major is not known from France, Spain and Portugal, so I wonder how likely it is for this species to be found here (FE may be outdated). But I have looked at the british key ( https://www.royen...Part03.pdf ) and I agree that it looks like S. major.

And thank you also for the links (site bookmarked)! The photos are great and indeed my specimen is more similar with the photo of S.major. :)

Posted by johnes81 on 19-07-2019 13:21
#10

Hello Rui, i really think that it is S. major and that, then, will be a first record for Portugal. In this case, you should definitely consult an expert. I consider the leading experts to be Herbert Nickel and Rolf Niedringhaus. I have a copy of The Plant- and Leafhoppers of Germany and Fotoatlas of the cicadas of Germany (which uses photos from Gernot Kunz. The site that you bookmarked is his and it is accurate/reliable data.) Another site worth mentioning is BritishBugs, which is very reliable as well.

My books have the following species listed for Germany and subsequently i have keys.genitalia for them:

S. major, S. minutus, S. longipennis and S. fuscovittatus.

The identification keys contain drawings of genitalia for males only but the head in profile is used along with the foretibia of the males. You have a perfect lateral/profile view of the head and it does not look elongated but the longitudinal stripes are black. Thus you can eliminate S. minutus. S. minutus is said to reach lengths of 5.8mm. S. major is between 5.4-6.7mm, so larger than S. minutus.

S. major is listed to be found at watersides, moist ruderals and forest mires. I guess it prefers moist habitats. Nickel mentions it can be found on Phalaris arundinacea plant.

I think that it should be in Portugal, so strange that it isn't listed. Definitely write to an expert for confirmation. You could always send a leg in for dna sampling. I am not an expert but it sure looks like S. major to me.

always happy to help :)

edit:
another site with info about Old World species also has a key from Beamer:
http://canr.udel.edu/planthoppers/north-america/north-american-delphacidae/genus-stenocranus-fieber-1866/

I don't think that it matches those listed but i'm not an expert yet/ I love cicadas and i enjoy photographing them. I've only identified 20 or so by genitalia because i spend more time with diptera.

Edited by johnes81 on 19-07-2019 13:26

Posted by Rui Andrade on 19-07-2019 13:55
#11

The specimen was collected near a lake, so the habitat fits with what is known for S. major.

Thanks for the new link, I'll have a look.

And I'll follow your suggestion and contact an expert. Once again many thanks for your help, John and Nini! :)

Posted by johnes81 on 19-07-2019 15:34
#12

it is better to ask an expert in this case. the longitudinal stripes are very dark, too dark for minutus as i understand. I hope that you have major and a first record. H. Nickel is known to help id by photo. I wish that i could be certain but i don't have Stenocranus yet.