Class: Insecta
Body Structure: Cicadas go through a incomplete metamorphosis. Therefore, its nymph stage and adult stage does not differ drastically. On its adult stage, the cicada have 4 wings attached to their stout bodies. The wings when fully spanned, rages about 2.5cm to 15cm. When cicada is not using it, it rests at its back along side of the body. The wings colourless, and are supported with thin and firm veins that strengthens it. Adult cicadas all have 3 pairs, or 6 legs, just like all "insecta"s. They also have large compound eyes along with three small eyes called ocelli, that are mainly used for detecting predators from above. Adult cicada's antennae are small and setae-like, and is located just under the ocelli. For the mouth part of the adult cicada, it is enclosed in a long, thin, beak-like sheath. The sheath is called labium, and it consists of 4 fine, needle-like stylets that are used for feeding.
Respiration: The air enters through the spiracle, and from there, The tracheal tubes supply oxygen by diffusion to all body tissues.
Excretion: They use malpighian tubules to remove nitrogen-containing wastes from blood, concentrate them, and then add them to undigested food before it leaves through its anus. Also, in arthropods, and in cicadas, undigested food becomes solid waste that leaves through the anus.
Feeding: Cicadas are plant eaters. They eat by piercing the surface of plants with their mouth stylets. Then, they proceed onto sucking up the sap through a tube formed by the concave surfaces of two of the stylets.
However, because of this, Cicadas may prevent the growth of trees with the amounts of sap they drink.
Circulatory System: Cicadas have an open circulatory system. This contributes to the fact that overtime, Cicada gets darker and darker in colour. It is known that not much blood flows to Cicada's legs as they remain hollow. This is the reason why Cicada stays so long in its upside down position.
Reproduction/ Life cycle: Usually, a young Cicada takes about 1~6 years of nymph form before becoming a full grown adult form. They hatch from its egg usually underground and spend their 6 years there. Afterwards, they come outside and grows wings to officially enter its adult stage. Contrary to their 1 to 6 years of nymph stage, they can only live up to few weeks in their adult form. While an adult, all male Cicada make sound in the operculum; which attracts females.The male and female adult cicadas mate and have fertilization internally. The male dies instantly, and the female dies shortly after laying its eggs.
Other Facts: CICADAS HAVE BILATERAL SYMMETRY, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ARTHROPODS AND COMPLICATED ORGANISMS. They have 3 germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.
Cicadas are protosomes because during their 8-cell developement stage, they are spiral and determinate, their celom formation is schizocoelous, in other words, the ceoloms are solid mass of mesoderm split to form coelom, and their moouth develops from blastopore.
Interesting Facts - Singing of Cicadas Why&How?:
The organs that cicadas use to make sound is called the tymbal. These are pair of membranes located in the abdomen, and the Cicada contracts and reliefs the muscle in order to make sound. When they contract the muscle, the membranes come inward, producing a sound. Note that Cicadas are the loudest and the only distinct sound makers, and scientists do not know how this process makes such a loud noise.
When Cicada sing, it is usually in the hot summer afternoon; they also stand still while singing. As I mentioned before, this singing attracts female Cicadas, and females are known to not sing.
Ecological Significance: Cicadas are part of a basic food chain
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