Cicada Systematics and Molecular Phylogenetics

Systematics of cicadas has evolved from classical morphology-based taxonomy towards integrative frameworks that combine gene sequencing, bioacoustic data and host–microbe interactions. Molecular phylogenetics, utilising mitochondrial and nuclear markers, has reshaped our understanding of deep divergences within Cicadidae, revealing cryptic diversity and challenging traditional classifications. Advances in next-generation sequencing and target enrichment of ultraconserved elements now allow robust phylogenomic reconstructions across tribes and genera. Integrative approaches have linked Pleistocene climatic oscillations to patterns of lineage diversification and geographic isolation, while studies of intracellular bacterial endosymbionts illuminate co-evolution and nutrient provisioning. These developments offer a refined phylogenetic scaffold for cicada biodiversity, inform conservation strategies for endemic taxa, and underpin applied research in pest management and climate-driven range shifts.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent work has combined high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing with newly assembled mitochondrial genomes across multiple New Zealand cicada species. Results revealed that gut bacterial communities lack a host phylogenetic signal, with elevation and environmental factors exerting greater influence on microbiome composition than host lineage. Mitochondrial phylogenies resolved deep splits corresponding to major biogeographic regions, supporting refined clade definitions. By integrating microbial and mitochondrial data, this study has enhanced the resolution of cicada phylogenies and highlighted the complex interplay between ecological variables, symbiotic associations and host evolutionary history.

Cicada Systematics and Molecular Phylogenetics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in cicada systematics and molecular phylogenetics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Molecular phylogenetics: The study of evolutionary relationships using DNA or protein sequence comparisons to infer phylogenetic trees.

Mitochondrial genome: The circular DNA found in mitochondria, widely used in insect systematics for its rapid mutation rate and uniparental inheritance.

Ultraconserved elements: Highly conserved genomic regions targeted in sequencing to resolve deep evolutionary relationships across taxa.

Allopatric speciation: The formation of new species when populations become geographically isolated and diverge genetically over time.

Endosymbiont: A microorganism living within the cells of a host organism, often providing essential metabolic functions, as seen in cicada symbioses.

Bioacoustics: The study of sound production and perception in animals, used in cicada research to differentiate species by their diagnostic calling songs.

References

1. Lack of host phylogenetic structure in the gut bacterial communities of New Zealand cicadas and their interspecific hybrids. Scientific Reports (2022).
2. Genetic divergence, population differentiation and phylogeography of the cicada Subpsaltria yangi based on molecular and acoustic data: an example of the early stage of speciation?. BMC Ecology and Evolution (2019).
3. Complex within a Complex: Integrative Taxonomy Reveals Hidden Diversity in Cicadetta brevipennis (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) and Unexpected Relationships with a Song Divergent Relative. PLOS ONE (2016).
4. Total evidence analysis elucidates the tangled systematic scenario within Fidicinini (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadidae). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny (2023).