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Scientific name
Formotosena seebohmi (Distant, 1904) |
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Chinese name 台灣爺蟬
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English name
Seebohm's Giant Cicada, Formosan Giant Cicada |
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Classification 蟬科(Cicadidae)，蟬亞科(Cicadinae)，爺蟬族(Gaeanini)
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Diagnosis
The largest species amongst all the cicadas in Taiwan
and easily distinguishable from other species. Wingspan
around 15 cm. Head black with occili light red; mesothorax
black with two yellow triangular spots on anterior margin
and two yellowish green back along lateral margins; metathorax
black with a dorsal human-face-like pattern near posterior
margin; forewings black with all veins tinged yellow and
a medial whitish gray band extending from foremargin to
hindmargin. |
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Distribution
This species has been ever reported from C. and S. Taiwan,
e.g. Puli (Nantou), Alishan, Shuisharyo (=Shuei-che-liao),
Chikutoge (=Ju-chi) (Chiayi), Shan-ping, Lu-kuei, Kasempo
(=Jia-sien) (Kaohsiung) and Hengchun Peninsula, and rarely
from Shen-ken (Taipei) and Hsinchu of N. Taiwan. In addition,
this species is as well distributed to Jiangxi, Fujien
and Hainan Provinces of China (Chou et al., 1997, Lei
in Chen, 1998). |
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Habitat and Ecology
Due to its rarity, the ecological requirement of this
species is not known to science so far. The only information
is that it inhabits in lowland primary forest. Kato (1932)
ever recorded the case of its immature and further (1956)
reported the calling sounds of this species. Boulard (2001)
described the acoustic behavior of Formotosena montivaga
(Distant, 1889) from Thailand, which has been known as
Tosena montivaga in various literature, and his observation
and detection could be useful reference for further study
on Formotosena seebohmi. |
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Threats and Conservation Status
This species is only known from several localities. Commercial
collecting in accompany with destruction of lowland primary
forest have caused instant decline and impact on this
species. |
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Remarks
The specific name of this species was misspelled as siebohmi
by Matsumura (1907) and followed by the Wildlife Conservation
Law. According to the original literature by Distant (1904),
the name should be corrected as seebohmi. |
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