Sanmai (cicada)
# Sanmai (cicada)

Sanmai is an extinct genus of tettigarctid cicada from the middle Jurassic Epoch. The name is derived from the Mandarin san (three) and mai (branch) in reference to a certain vein of the wing being three-branched. This feature is also found in Architettix, a related fossil cicada genus. Sanmai currently contains three species. It undoubtedly belong to the subfamily Cicadoprosbolinae; however, placing it in a tribe has proved difficult. It is closely related to both Turutanoviini and Architettigini, and may be a transitional between the two. It is also possible it rests outside the two taxa, the similarities being convergent. Sanmai possesses "light and irregular speckles and lon-gitudinal stripes boldly contrasting to dark membrane, " which were likely designed to camouflage it from the many insectivourus creatures of the Daohugou Lagerstatte. The Daohugou Paleolake is part of the Jiulongshan Formation.

## Species

The following species are attributed to this genus:

| Species | Notes | Image |
| - | - | - |
| †Sanmai kongi | Named for the family name of Confucius, founder of Confucianism | Sanmai kongi paratype STMN48-1801 |
| †Sanmai mengi | Named for the family name of Mencius, a Sage of Confucianism. | |
| †Sanmai xuni | Named for the family name of Xuncius, a Sage of Confucianism | |
