2 ms·
I hadn't realized that there were different broods with different phases of the same period. I wonder if thats convergent evolution, or if it's due to "errors"
by lupire 3y ago
I hadn't realized that there were different broods with different phases of the same period. I wonder if thats convergent evolution, or if it's due to "errors" when a few individuals randomly over/undersleep and then breed in the "wrong" year, growing a new brood.
- mithras 3y agoThey need a critical mass to satiate their predators, otherwise all will get eaten before they can mate.
- saalweachter 3y agoCould it also maybe be related to interactions between 13 & 17 year cicadas? https://cicadas.uconn.edu/#Hybrids https://cicadas.uconn.edu/#Hybrids says that hybrid 13/17 cicadas would either have a 13- or 17-year-cycle, but hints that the subsequent generation may be interesting. The obvious outcome would be that the grand-children of a 13/17 year hybrid might re-hybridize back from 17 -> 13, or 13 -> 17. If enough of the grandchildren stabilize on their new cycle, you'd end up with a 13 year brood 4 years later than the original 13 year brood, and a 17 year brood 4 years earlier than the original 17 year brood.