Tymbal

The tymbal is a sound producing organ found in the abdomen of cicadas. The tymbal consists of alternating stiff and flexible membranes. The song is produced by using muscle to deform this structure producing a click. The muscle tension is then released producing another click. This process is repeated rapidly and can be used to produce a very loud call.

The sound is not produced by stridulation as is the case in other insects.

A photograph of an adult cicada.
Photograph by Aleksasfi.

Other names for (or types of) Tymbal include:

• Timbal

Related terms

• Abdomen
• Asynchronous muscle
• Auchenorrhyncha
• Cicada
• Hemiptera
• Stridulation
• Tympanal organ

Related groups of terms

• Invertebrate body structure

Related pages on this web site

• Auchenorrhyncha
• True bugs - Order Hemiptera

See other words beginning with T