Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli, 1763)

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Photo 1: Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli, 1763), Castelo de Vide, 2July1990 (pic. J.A. Quartau).
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Photo 2. Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli, 1763), Serra de Aire, 16July2006 (pic. J.A.Quartau).
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Photo 3. Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli, 1763), Ourém, 21July1990 (pic. J.A.Quartau).
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Photo 4. Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli, 1763), exuviae, Alburitel (Ourém), 21July1990 (pic. J.A.Quartau).
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Photo 5. Depicts specimens collected by the author in the area of Ourém during the sixties and seventies, where now the species is very rare. (foto JAQuartau).
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This is the largest cicada to be found in Portugal, where for years it was abundant in various biotopes of the central area of the country, but which is quite rare nowadays as a result of inappropriate agricultural practices with abusive use of pesticides, and herbicides.

Distribution - Captured by the author or cited for the Baixo Alentejo (Serra do Mendro), Alto Alentejo (Castelo de Vide, Marvão, Portalegre), Extremadura (Monte da Caparica, Serra da Arrábida), Ribatejo (Soure, Tomar) and Beira Litoral (Alburitel, Leiria, Vila Nova de Ourém, Serra de Aire).

Ecology -In open woods, olive groves and "garrigue", usually pousada in trees such as the olive tree (Olea europeae), the pine tree (Pinus pinaster) and the holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), being in the past frequent, for example, in maize (Zea mays) and vineyards (Vitis vinifera).

Notes - Males emit acoustic signals from June to the end of August. which consist of a continuous series of long sentences distinctly modulated in amplitude. Each sentence includes an initial increase of rapid in signal amplitude, which then becomes more or less constant and which at some point shows a slow and progressive decrease in the intensity. In the examples studied, the sentence varied between 12 and 13 sec. an initial phase of 1-2 sec. 
This is a  charismatic cicada, because in addition to being the largest that occurs in Portugal, Spain and in Europe is the one that produces the most intense timbalization. Beyond the signal is produced by the tymbals, this cicada still produces secondary modulation  through the movement of the abdomen that opens and closes the opening that gives access to the cavity beneath the opercles.