Cicada

Myopsalta Moulds, 2012

Type species: Melampsalta crucifera Ashton, 1912

Fauna Portal Genus Number: 1562

(after Moulds 2012): Small cicadas. Distinguished from all other genera by having the combination of fore wing veins M and CuA meeting the basal cell with their stems completely fused as one, the paranota confluent with adjoining pronotal sclerites and lacking a mid lateral tooth (except some specimens of M. crucifera and M. wollomombii that have a mid lateral tooth), male abdominal tergite 2 broad along the dorsal midline (much wider than tergite 3), and the male sternites greatly swollen so that all are usually visible in lateral profile. The male genitalia have an aedeagus with a typically 'trifid' theca exposing a fleshy endotheca, and claspers that are essentially flat and wide in lateral view and distally parallel in ventral view.