Temperature responses and habitat selection by mangrove cicadas in Florida and Queensland (Hemiptera Cicadoidea)

• Published in: Tropical zoology Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 65 - 72
• Main Authors: Sanborn, A. F., Heath, J. E., Heath, M. S., Phillips, P. K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01-07-2004
• Subjects: Arunta; cicadas; Diceroprocta; temperature responses; thermal adaptation
• ISSN: 0394-6975; 1970-9528
• DOI: 10.1080/03946975.2004.10531199

The thermal responses of cicadas inhabiting mangrove swamps in Queensland, Australia and in Florida, USA show a remarkable convergence in selected temperature and thermal tolerance. Cicadas inhabiting the foreshore, Arunta perulata (Guérin-Méneville 1831) in Queensland, and Diceroprocta biconica (Walker 1850) in Florida, use similar habitats and the same activity period. Arunta perulata and Diceroprocta biconica show nearly identical temperature selection (32.8 ± 2.57 °C [n = 10] and 33.2 ± 2.86 °C [n = 26] respectively) and temperature tolerance (45.7 ± 1.53 °C [n = 8] and 45.3 ± 1. 59 °C [n = 27] respectively). Arunta interclusa (Walker 1858), which lives in the intertidal region, has lower temperature selection (29.4 ± 1.11 °C [n = 7]), sings earlier in the day and has higher temperature tolerance (47.8 ± 0.78 °C [n = 8]) than the other species. These observations suggest that adaptation to habitat rather than phylogenetic origin controls thermal responses in cicadas.