Zammara tympanum (Fabricius, 1803)

Acosta, Riuler C., Timm, Vítor F., Zefa, Edison, da Costa, Maria K. M., Ruschel, Tatiana P., Lopes, Dimitrius A. R. & Kaminski, Lucas A., 2025, Pampa singers: an acoustic and visual guide to singing insects (Orthoptera and Hemiptera), Journal of Natural History 59 (21 - 24), pp. 1541-1589 : 1555-1556

Zammara tympanum (Fabricius, 1803)

Flying song

Not observed.

Calling song

It consists of two parts. The first part comprises short echemmes lasting 2.16 ± 0.11 (2– 2.32) seconds. Although short, this echemme presents a click at the beginning, followed by 89 ± 18 (73–116) syllables emitted at a high emission rate, resembling a rattle. The second part is formed by a long echemme. This echemme lasts about 26.8 ± 13.57 (17.2– 36.4) seconds. The second part is synchronised with the other cicadas. This part of the signal presents 111.25 ± 21.3 (87–139) phrases per second, as well as frequencies distributed in broad-range frequency, with F1 of 5.26 ± 0.25 (5–5.5), F2 of 8.46 ± 0.05 (8.4– 8.5), F3 of 11.33 ± 0.05 (11.3–11.4), and F4 of 14.73 ± 0.05 (14.7–14.8).

Stress call

Comprised of an echemme lasting about 0.9 ± 0.56 (0.33–1.48), with 106 ± 48.7 (52–159) syllables per echeme. Due to recorder settings, only F1 was captured, with values of 5.16 ± 0.08 (5.09–5.27) kHz.

Collection site

Parque Estadual de Itapuã. A canopy-dweller, this cicada produces signals between 5 pm and 7 pm. It was collected on 6 January 2020, at a temperature of 23°C, approximately 2.5 metres above the ground. It is easily attracted to light ( Figures 4D–E and 5L ).

Remarks

This is the first official publication of the species’ sound record.

Figures

Figure 4. Songs of Fidicinini and Zammarini cicadas. (A) Calling song of Quesada gigas (Olivier, 1790). (B) Calling song of Tympanoterpes sp. (C) Stress call of Tympanoterpes sp. (D) Calling song of Zammara tympanum (Fabricius, 1803). (E) Stress call of Zammara tympanum (Fabricius, 1803).

Figure 5. Visual guide of Pampa cicadas with songs recorderd. (A) Carineta diardi (Guérin-Méneville, 1829). (B) Guaranisaria llanoi Torres, 1964. (C) Parnisa sp. (D) Acanthoventris charrua Ruschel, 2023. (E) Guyalna bonaerensis (Berg, 1879). (F) Guyalna viridifemur (Walker, 1850). (G) Pompanonia sp. (H) Proarna montevidensis Berg, 1882. (I) Proarna uruguayensis Berg, 1882. (J) Quesada gigas (Olivier, 1790). (K) Tympanoterpes sp. (L) Zammara tympanum (Fabricius, 1803). Bar: 1cm. Photos by Riuler Corrêa Acosta.