Finally Published
It's been a long road, but our manuscript was finally published last night:
Cole, J.A., Chatfield-Taylor, W., Smeds, E.A., Cooley, J.R., Gonzalez, V.A., and Wong, C. 2023. Phylogeny of North America's largest cicada radiation redefines Tibicinoides and Okanagana (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae: Tibicininae). Zootaxa 5346 (5): 501-531.
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5346.5.1
This journey started many years ago with Jeff Cole's @bugsoundsjc work collecting and recording Okanagana and Tibicinoides (and other genera) but gained steam after a crazy field season in 2019. In 2020, we started using iNaturalist to find specimens and recruit help from all over the country. And we received it, and now, thanks in part to all of your help, we've finished the revision.
It rather expanded in scope from what we envisioned, and the taxonomy underwent some massive changes.
The three species that were in Tibicinoides were found to be part of a group of Okanagana that are defined in part by the shape of their genitalia and timbals. Based on genetic, morphological, and behavioral characters, this entire group was split off from Okanagana and are now considered Tibicinoides.
Tibicinoides boweni, T. catalina, T. cupreosparsa, T. hesperia, T. mercedita, T. minuta, T. pallidula, T. pernix, T. rubrovenosa, T. simulata, T. striatipes, T. uncinata, T. utahensis, and T. vanduzeei
Multiple other changes were made:
A new genus, Hewlettia Smeds, 2023, was erected for Okanagana nigriviridis, which is now Hewlettia nigriviridis (Davis, 1921).
A second genus, Chlorocanta Chatfield-Taylor 2023 was created for Okanagana viridis, now Chlorocanta viridis (Davis, 1918).
Within Okanagana a few species disappeared and a new one was erected:
O. lurida is now O. occidentalis based in part on the DNA from Rachel M. and multiple other lines of evidence.
Apologies to @upupa-epops , but O. noveboracensis was found to be a regional color form of O. canadensis and they are now synonyms, with O. canadensis provincially retaining the name. The Niagra Cicada is no more, Long Live the Canadian Cicada.
O. tristis rubrobasalis has been given species status, and is now Okanagana rubrobasalis Davis, 1926
There will be more changes and more studies down the road that continue to refine these groups, but this is the culmination of years of effort.
We couldn't thank all of you in the paper, but I'd like to acknowledge you all here.
@alice_abela while we didn't use your specimens here, they will have a place before too long in future work!
@ameeds You helped get me started on using iNaturalist and helped with another paper, looking forward to meeting some day
@emwalke We can't think you enough for your generosity in hosting us. Tibicinoides catalina was able to get a lot of attention thanks to you. I'm really excited to continue to work on its acoustics.
@brandonwoo We keep missing each other in Florida, but you've helped be work on my synoptic collection.
@upupa-epops and @jamiehunter , I'm not sure how you'll feel about it, but the songs Caleb provided and the DNA from Jamie helped give us the evidence that O. noveboracensis and O. canadensis are the same species. I'm afraid your regional cicada is no longer regional, but we couldn't have done it without you.
@gallandoaks Your arctostaphylae went into this paper, helping us affirm what group this species went with (O. opacippenis), it was the only other sample of this species we were able to get!
@kmosbruger We're still not sure what you sent us, but we're working to figure it out!
@emshaph Your catalina, flying randomly into your car, also had its DNA make its way into our paper. That is such a weird creature!
@drjakuna Jackie, you've been helping for a long, long time. Your specimens not only went into this paper, but the paper describing Tibicinoides boweni as well!
@jenny109 It's kind of hard to even go into to how much you've helped along the way!
@jessica239 The saga of balli has been able to continue thanks to you!
@madamcoyote Thanks for the tristis! We're still working on that one!
@stepanni O. tanneri owes you quite the dept; as do we! We never did get any other DNA!
@richardwasson Surprisingly, ornata was one of the hardest to find, thanks for your help!
@rickwalks Your series of nigrodorsata and occidentalis will be very helpful going forward!
There are a few people who have not only helped along the way, but have become great friends
@joeeggy30 It's been weird. It's been fun. There are a lot of trip in the future! It's also been like 16 years... when did we get old?
@rlsanders Robert, you've been helping and working with us all the way. The idea that noveboracensis was the same thing as canadensis was due to those weird specimens you sent me, and here we are. Our viridis specimens and call are also thanks to you!
@birdernaturalist Rich, it's been so fun to get to know you! Not only did you help us find a home for sequoiae and vocalis, but your songs will continue to help me immensely as I go forward in school.
@mnishiguchi I don't know if you're one here any more, but I'll call you later!
@silversea_starsong Well, Tibicnoides is now defined, and no small thanks to all the things you found!!! And everything else along the way! I'm sure I'll see you soon.
Others have helped along the way and we will always be grateful.
All the best,
Will, Jeff,
