''Magicicada tredecassini'' is a species of
periodical cicada
The term periodical cicada is commonly used to refer to any of the seven species of the genus ''Magicicada'' of eastern North America, the 13- and 17-year cicadas. They are called periodical because nearly all individuals in a local population a ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It has a 13-year lifecycle but is otherwise indistinguishable from the 17-year periodical cicada ''
Magicicada cassini
''Magicicada cassini'' (originally spelled ''cassinii'' ), known as the 17-year cicada, Cassin's periodical cicada or the dwarf periodical cicada, is a species of periodical cicada. It is endemic to North America. It has a 17-year life cycle but ...
''. The two species are usually discussed together as "
cassini periodical cicadas
The Cassini periodical cicadas are a pair of closely related species of periodical cicadas: ''Magicicada cassini'' (Fisher, 1852), having a 17-year life cycle, and '' Magicicada tredecassini'' (Alexander and Moore, 1962), a nearly identical speci ...
" or "cassini-type periodical cicadas." Unlike other periodical cicadas, cassini-type males may synchronize their courting behavior so that tens of thousands of males sing and fly in unison.
Life cycle
Their median life cycle from egg to natural adult death is around thirteen years. However, their life cycle can range from nine years to seventeen years.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q16754783
Insects of the United States
Insects described in 1962
Lamotialnini
Endemic fauna of the United States