Cactus Dodgers

Cacama

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Auchenorrhyncha
Infraorder: Cicadomorpha
Superfamily: Cicadoidea
Family: Cicadidae
Subfamily: Cicadinae
Tribe: Tacuini
Genus: Cacama

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cacama: /kəˈkɑmə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Cacama valvata - Flickr - aspidoscelis (1) by Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM. Used under a CC0 license.

Cacama valvata - Flickr - aspidoscelis by Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM. Used under a CC0 license.

Cacama valvata - Flickr - aspidoscelis (2) by Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM. Used under a CC0 license.

Cacama valvata on Ephedra (common cactus dodger cicada on Mormon tea) (No Thoroughfare Canyon, Colorado National Monument, Colorado, USA) by James St. John. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Cacama is a genus of cicadas known for its difficulty in identification due to close morphological similarities and overlapping distributions. Several species have been described, with variable occurrence in arid scrub habitats across the southwest USA and into Mexico.

Identification Tips

Identification can be difficult due to species similarities; some species are subject to confusion and erroneous identification based on morphological characteristics, call similarities, and distribution patterns.

Habitat

Usually found in arid scrub to desert regions.

Distribution

Primarily south-west USA (California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico) and adjacent to Mexico. Some species have been misidentified in the USA based on older literature, but their presence has not been confirmed north of Mexico.

Life Cycle

Most members of this genus appear to be annual species with multiple overlapping generations.

Misconceptions

Several taxa in older literature may not accurately represent Cacama species in the USA; misidentifications are common.