蟪蛄族昆虫体型扁平，前胸背板显著扩张，是蝉科一个比较独特的类群。该族已知29属190余种，局限分布于非洲区和东洋区，个别种类扩散至古北区（东北亚）。蟪蛄族东亚诸类群与非洲类群间地理分布隔离，无任何相同种类，各自形成单独的区系。非洲区蟪蛄族区系研究已较为深入，但该族在东亚的多样性水平及区系仍远未廓清，系统发育和谱系地理学研究更是阙如。本项目拟综合采用比较形态学、分子系统学、生物声学和谱系地理学方法，廓清东亚大陆及花彩列岛蟪蛄族昆虫的多样性及区系格局，明晰各类群的形态分化与地理分布格局，并对相应的分类系统进行修订；重点采用分子系统学和谱系地理学方法，对东亚各属级单元及相关类群的系统发育、代表种类的种群遗传分化及谱系地理结构进行研究，探讨其分衍、扩散与地球板块运动、气候变化等重大自然历史事件的联系，追溯其谱系地理结构形成的生态和进化历史印记，为整个蝉科昆虫系统演化研究提供新的信息和证据。

Cicadas of the tribe Platypleurini are unusual in that, besides the flattened body, they also possess a remarkable, laterally-developed pronotum. This tribe comprises 29 genera and around 190 species distributed mainly in the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, with a few species also occurring in the Eastern Palaearctic Region (Northeast Asia). Taxa of Platypleurini from the East Asian mainland and adjacent island archipelagos have been isolated far from those occurring in the Afrotropical Region, and no common species were shared between these two fauna. The Afrotropical fauna of Platypleurini have been well investigated. In contrast, studies of Platypleurini from East Asia are quite limited, and the phylogeny and biogeography of the Platypleurini from the East Asian mainland and adjacent island archipelagos have never been investigated. Recently, we conducted preliminary investigations on the morphology, bioacoustics and differentiation of some Platypleurini taxa from East Asia. For the current project we are taking our work further to investigate the biodiversity and distribution pattern of the Platypleurini in East Asia. Morphological differentiation and phylogeny of the Platypleurini and related taxa from East Asia will be studied using methods of comparative morphology and cladistics, and the taxonomy system of Platypleurini will be revised according to results of the phylogenetic analyses. We mainly aim to explore the phylogeny, genetic differentiation and phylogeography of related taxa from the East Asian mainland and adjacent island archipelagos, and to reveal their association with the tectonic plate movements and historical climate changes. Accordingly, factors that impact the formation of fauna and evolution of Platypleurini will be addressed in respect of historical biogeography. The results are hopeful to provide more information for reconstructing the phylogeny of Cicadidae, and improve our knowledge of the evolution of cicadas.