ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Lyristes gemellus: The Geminate Cicada

The Lyristes gemellus, commonly referred to as the geminate cicada, is a species of true cicada native to the Southeastern coast of Turkey. This insect belongs to the family of singcicades (Cicadidae) within the order of round head cicades (Cicadomorpha).

The Lyristes gemellus can be distinguished from its sister species, the Great or Common Singcicade Tibicen plebejus, through several external characteristics. The body length of this species is approximately 50 millimeters, with a slightly larger size compared to Tibicen plebejus. Both species share similar coloration, being blackishly colored, but Lyristes gemellus has an extended orange drawing often covered by white, waxy deposits on its body. Notably, the hair density and length of the cheek plates differ between the two species.

The legs of Lyristes gemellus are also colored orange, with a partial brown overflow on the inside. The femora carry three thorns, with the outermost being very small. When at rest, the wings folded in a roof-like manner over the body display crystal clear (hyalin) coloration, particularly around the base and vein in the front half. In contrast to Tibicen plebejus, the white, wax-covered portion of Lyristes gemellus extends less far towards the rear on its abdomen.

The species can be identified by the shape of the genus organs in males, which distinguishes it from similar species like Tibicen plebejus and Tibicen isodol. However, the most notable characteristic for identification purposes is the song produced by male Lyristes gemellus cicadas. The singing is noticeably slower compared to Tibicen plebejus.

Lyristes gemellus was first described from Kemalpaşa in the province of Izmir, Turkey. It can be found sympathetically with Tibicen plebejus on the Turkish Aegean coast and even shares the same tree at times. However, its distribution is limited to the islands, where only one species is known to inhabit.

Distribution and Habitat

The Lyristes gemellus has a widespread presence along the Turkish Aegean coast but appears to be absent from other regions of Turkey. Its specific habitat preferences are not well-documented in available