FIGURE 21 in Two new genera and five new species of Mugadina - like small grass cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettini) from Central and Eastern Australia: comparative morphology, songs, behaviour and distributions

FIGURE 21. Comparison of two additional sets of Xeropsalta thomsoni n. sp. calling songs from the Simpson and Strzelecki Deserts, central Australia (recorded by D.C. Marshall). (A), recording code 09.AU.NS.WGS.T03, Strzelecki Desert track, 30 km north of Tibooburra, northwestern corner of N.S.W. One complete song phrase, showing the initial sequence of repeated isolated syllables/macrosyllables, initially single syllables, increasing to sets of 4 coalesced syllables. At approximately 1.2 s, the macrosyllables are followed by repeated echemes, comprising 8 reducing to 4 macrosyllables, the echeme RR increasing from 2.3 to 4.4 Hz during song emission, the macrosyllable RR relatively stable at 23 Hz. Note is made of the decreasing lengths of the initial macrosyllables in the initial three echemes. The final two macrosyllables in each echeme are doublets. Amplitude spectra (not shown) indicate a clearly defined peak with dominant frequency at 10.0 kHz, and bandwidth of 3.6 kHz. (B), recording location and code as in Fig. 21A, time expanded segment of a single macrosyllable (location indicated in Fig. 21A at 3.0 s, by open bracket), showing three syllables, each with the characteristic 6 dominant pulses, the individual syllable durations ranging between 7–7.3 ms. The dominant pulses exhibit small following secondary pulses which are interpreted as 'OUT' pulses produced by relaxation of the timbals. (C), field recording, recording code 1034-Cooper-Ck-2015, Birdsville Track, southwest end of Lake Killamperpunna. Waveform plot of junction between two song phrases, effectively joined by the sequence of repeated isolated macrosyllables, these typically marking the start of a phrase. Fig. 21D shows the following full song phrase. (D), recording details as in Fig. C. The complete song phrase (9.8 s). The first 2 s comprise repeated isolated macrosyllables, these initially with 3–4, increasing to 6 syllables. After 2 s, the song components aggregate into repeated echemes, each with 5–6 discrete macrosyllables, the numbers listed above each echeme. The initial macrosyllables of the first nine echemes are relatively broad, 173–95 ms durations. All remaining macrosyllables in all echemes are more constant in widths, ranging between 64–26 ms (mean 40 ms). The echeme RR slowly increases during the song. Amplitude spectra (not shown) indicate a clearly defined peak with dominant frequency at 9.4 kHz, and bandwidth of 3.8 kHz. (E), Time expanded waveform of the final seven echemes in the song shown in Fig. D above, these showing the discrete macrosyllables, the final two in each echeme are doublets. the syllable durations within the macrosyllables range between 7.0–8.1 ms, each syllable comprised of 6 pulses (cf. Fig A above).