The Cicada City: An Oriarchenological Theory of Temporal Synchrony, Spatial Boundaries, and Biological Agglomeration in Periodical Cicadas

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated analysis of periodical cicadas through EntoArche, distinguishing observational facts, locally supported mechanisms, conditional reconstructions, and the limits of historical origin narratives. Rather than treating the 13- and 17-year life cycles primarily as a mathematical mystery, the paper begins by treating them as ordinary species-specific life-history durations. It then examines developmental variation, straggler emergence, cohort density, predator satiation, reproductive character displacement, genetic isolation, brood geography, spatial boundaries, and the conditional formation scenario of Magicicada neotredecim. The paper argues that empirically supported local mechanisms should not automatically be assembled into a single confirmed historical narrative. It therefore distinguishes directly observed relationships from conditional scenarios that depend on explicit but unverified assumptions, including the heritability of developmental timing. The broader contribution is a methodological map showing where testable local mechanisms end and where speculative origin narratives begin. Version 2.0 changes This version substantially revises and expands the original paper. It adds new empirical literature, a detailed conditional scenario for the formation of M. neotredecim, analysis of reproductive character displacement and acoustic masking, brood-scale spatial structure, long-distance dispersal hypotheses, anatomical observations on flight and tymbal muscles, and an expanded epistemological critique of origin narratives.