Japanese Common Name

Iwasaki Kusazemi

Scientific name

Mogannia minuta

Taxonomy

Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cicadidae

Size

12 mm – 18 mm

Species Distribution

Okinawa and Kudaka Islands, Miyako Islands, and Yaeyama Islands. Outside of Okinawa Prefecture, this species is distributed in southern Taiwan.

Okinawan Common Name

Sun-sanah, Sun-sun, Asa-sah, Gah-u-sue, etc. (General term for cicadas)

This species is found on Okinawa Island and southward. Not only is it the smallest cicada found in Japan, but it is also the earliest to start making noise. Around Golden Week season in May, it can be found near sugar cane fields. Other cicadas drink sap from branches of trees. Japanese common name for Mogannia minuta refers to the characteristic of the species that drinks sap from leaves.

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Updated May 2018

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