Haemopsalta rubea

Haemopsalta rubea is a species of cicada, also known as the red squeaker, in the true cicada family, Cicadettinae subfamily and Cicadettini tribe. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1904 by entomologists Frederic Webster Goding and Walter Wilson Froggatt.^[1]

Haemopsalta rubea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Auchenorrhyncha
Family:	Cicadidae
Genus:	Haemopsalta
Species:	H. rubea
Binomial name
Haemopsalta rubea (Goding & Froggatt, 1904)[1][2]
Synonyms
Melampsalta rubea Goding, & Froggatt, 1904 Melampsalta nebulosa Goding, & Froggatt, 1904 Melampsalta geisha Distant, 1915

Description

The length of the forewing is 16–21 mm.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs in eastern Australia, coastally and subcoastally along the Great Dividing Range, from the Windsor Tablelands in Far North Queensland southwards as far as the Royal National Park south of Sydney, New South Wales. It is widespread in Greater Brisbane, including Bribie and North Stradbroke Islands. Its associated habitat is wet and dry sclerophyll forest.^[3][2]

Behaviour

Adult males are heard from September to April, clinging to the upper branches of eucalypts, uttering repetitive, monotonous, chirping calls.^[3]