Ash Cicada Cicada orni

This ordinary-looking insect is extraordinary in insect science: it's the type species for the entire genus Cicada. This means every other cicada on Earth is scientifically compared against this one—it set the global standard. Known as the ash cicada for its association with ash trees, it's abundant across Europe. As the original in the scientific record, it carries the distinction of helping humans understand and classify every other cicada discovered since.