Sounds from the Eocene: the first singing cicada from the Messel Pit, Germany

Researchers have uncovered the first fossil evidence of singing cicadas from the Eocene epoch, specifically identifying a new genus and species, Eoplatypleura messelensis, within the tribe Platypleurini. This discovery at the Messel Pit in Germany not only represents one of the earliest known fossil records of crown-group Cicadidae in Eurasia but also the oldest confirmed record of the subfamily Cicadinae globally. The findings significantly enrich our understanding of cicada diversity during the Eocene and provide a crucial calibration point for molecular phylogenetic studies, shedding light on the origins and dispersal patterns of this insect group. Analysis of existing records further suggests that Cicadidae was once widely distributed across Europe during the Cenozoic era.

Jiang, H., Moulds, M. S., Blank, S. M., Rust, J., & Wedmann, S. (2025). Sounds from the Eocene: the first singing cicada from the Messel Pit, Germany. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94099-7