Yoyetta enigmatica

Yoyetta enigmatica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Auchenorrhyncha
Family:	Cicadidae
Genus:	Yoyetta
Species:	Y. enigmatica
Binomial name
	Yoyetta enigmatica; Popple & Emery, 2020

Last updated November 20, 2025

Yoyetta enigmatica is a species of cicada, also known as the restless firetail, in the true cicada family, Cicadettinae subfamily and Cicadettini tribe. The species is endemic to Australia. It was described in 2020 by Australian entomologists Lindsay Popple and David L. Emery.^[1]^[2]

Etymology

The specific epithet enigmatica (Latin: “baffling” or “inexplicable”) refers to the species' habit of suddenly appearing and calling in flight before disappearing again, making the cicadas very difficult to observe or capture.^[1]

Description

The length of the forewing is 27–30 mm. Body length is 22–25 mm.^[1]^[3]

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs in mountainous areas above 800 m elevation, including Springbrook and Lamington National Parks in Queensland, and Barrington Tops, Ebor, Ben Lomond and Mount Kaputar in New South Wales. Associated habitats include open eucalypt forest and heath with emergent eucalypts.^[3]^[2]^[1]

Behaviour

Adult males may be heard from October to January, clinging to the upper branches of eucalypts, emitting rasping "zip" calls, mainly in flight.^[3]

References

1 2 3 4 5 Popple, LW; Emery, DL (2020). "Four new species of Cicadas in the Yoyetta abdominalis (Distant) species group (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae) from southeastern Australia" (PDF). Records of the Australian Museum. 72 (4): 123–147] [128]. doi:10.3853/j.2201-4349.72.2020.1765 . Retrieved 2025-11-20.
1 2 3 "Species Yoyetta enigmatica Popple & Emery, 2020". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
1 2 3 "Restless Firetail Yoyetta enigmatica Popple and Emery, 2020". A web guide to the cicadas of Australia. Popple Creative Industries. 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-20.

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[p&e2020-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Popple, LW; Emery, DL (2020). "Four new species of Cicadas in the Yoyetta abdominalis (Distant) species group (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae) from southeastern Australia" (PDF). Records of the Australian Museum. 72 (4): 123–147] [128]. doi:10.3853/j.2201-4349.72.2020.1765 . Retrieved 2025-11-20.

[afd-2] 1 2 3 "Species Yoyetta enigmatica Popple & Emery, 2020". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-20.

[popple-3] 1 2 3 "Restless Firetail Yoyetta enigmatica Popple and Emery, 2020". A web guide to the cicadas of Australia. Popple Creative Industries. 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-20.

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