Maxwell Sydney Moulds (b. 1941) is an Australian entomologist. The majority of his books are written about cicadas. [1] [2] He led a morphological analysis that found that cicadas separate naturally into clades according to biogeographical area. [3]
Aleeta curvicosta is a species of cicada, one of Australia's most familiar insects. Native to the continent's eastern coastline, it was described in 1834 by Ernst Friedrich Germar. The floury baker is the only described species in the genus Aleeta.
Abricta is a genus of cicada found in Réunion, Mauritius, northeastern India, the Moluccas, New Caledonia and eastern Australia. They make a distinctive hissing sound when calling. Adult members of the genus usually face downwards on tree branches, and lay their eggs in living tissue. The genus was originally described by Carl Stål. The type species is Abricta brunnea from Mauritius and Reunion. However, recent review of the genus has shown it to be a disparate group of species, and the Australian members moved to other genera. S.M. Moulds conducted a morphological analysis of the genus and found the cicadas split naturally into clades according to biogeographical region. Of the 15 Australian species, the floury baker was the earliest offshoot. Unpublished data confirmed it was quite genetically distant from the other 14 species and so it was classified in a new monotypic genus Aleeta, while the others were placed in the genus Tryella.
Tryella is a genus of 14 species of cicada found in Australia and New Guinea. For many years, the members were classified in the genus Abricta. However, recent review of the genus has shown it to be a disparate group of species, and the Australian members moved to other genera. S.M. Moulds conducted a morphological analysis of the genus and found the cicadas split naturally into clades according to biogeographical region. Of the 15 Australian species, the floury baker was the earliest offshoot. Unpublished data confirmed it was quite genetically distant from the other 14 species and so it was classified in a new monotypic genus Aleeta, while the others were placed in the genus Tryella. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek tryelis "ladle" and relates to the ladle-shaped uncal lobes of the species in the genus.
Tryella graminea, known as the Grass Buzzing Bullet, is a species of the genus Tryella. It has rounded thorax and short, hard wings. Forewing length is 20 to 27 mm. Tryella graminea inhabits in Australia.
Selymbria is a genus of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in the Neotropics. There are about six described species in Selymbria.
Cornuplura is a genus of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are at least three described species in Cornuplura.
Cicadatrini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are at least 120 described species in Cicadatrini.
Cicadettini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are at least 110 genera and 520 described species in Cicadettini, found worldwide except for the Neotropics.
Lamotialnini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are about 19 genera and at least 90 described species in Lamotialnini, occurring worldwide except South America.
Parnisini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are more than 20 genera and 80 described species in Parnisini, found in the Neotropics, Palearctic, tropical Africa and Madagascar.
Prasiini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are about 9 genera and at least 50 described species in Prasiini, found in tropical Africa, Australasia, and the Neotropics.
Taphurini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in the neotropics.
Nelcyndana is a genus of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in southeast Asia and the Philippines. There are about five described species in Nelcyndana.
Leptopsaltriini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are at least 200 described species in Leptopsaltriini, found in the Palearctic, Nearctic, and Indomalaya.
Macrotristriini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae. There are at least 2 genera and 20 described species in Macrotristriini, all found in Australia.
Oncotympanini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in China and southeast Asia. There are at least 3 genera and about 12 described species in Oncotympanini.
Psaltodini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in Australia. There are at least 3 genera and about 17 described species in Psaltodini.
Psithyristriini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in the Philippines. There are about 7 genera and at least 100 described species in Psithyristriini.
Malagasiini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in Africa and Madagascar. There are about 5 genera and at least 20 described species in Malagasiini.
Tettigomyiini is a tribe of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, found in Africa and Madagascar. There are about 8 genera and at least 60 described species in Tettigomyiini.