HOMOPTERA (CICADA)

The term "Homoptera" refers to a former group of insects now considered paraphyletic and included in the order Hemiptera. Cicadas are one of the insect groups that belonged to this order. The distinguishing characteristic of homopterans was their possession of membranous, uniform forewings, hence the name "Homoptera," meaning "equal wings." Unlike other hemipterans, they held their wings like a roof over their backs, and most underwent incomplete metamorphosis.