A call to change the official Chinese name of the Taiwanosemia hoppoensis cicada from Beipu Chan (北埔蟬) to Taiwan An Chan (台灣暗蟬) — Taiwan dark ciacada — has been launched by a National University of Tainan research team headed by Department of Ecology professor Chang Yuan-mou (張原謀), saying that it is the only cicada with “Taiwan” in its scientific name.
Chang cited Japanese colonial documents that said Beipu cicada’s habitat is widespread, and largely centered in coastal and plains areas.
Beipu cicada expert Chen Chien-hung (陳建宏) said his research showed that while the cicada lives across the entirety of western Taiwan, they were still mostly limited to coastal areas.
Photo: Tsai Wen-chu, Taipei Times
If we were to continue to use the name Beipu cicadas, it could lead to the misconception that they live in hills and plains, Chen said.
Chang said the naming of the cicada by Masoyo Kato in 1907 meant that the cicada was endemic to Taiwan, adding that from its unique habitats and distribution, the team felt that it would be better to change the official Chinese name to Taiwan An Chan.
“This cicada is unique in that it only makes a sound during dusk or dawn,” Chang said, adding that the Chinese word, an chan was due to this characteristic.
The majority of Beipu cicadas live in Taijiang National Park, which is in a dispute with the local government over whether land in the park should be used for a landfill.
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