Abstract An overview is given of the past century’s confusions concerning some key characters within this Neotropical cicada tribe. The limits of the genera Zammara and Orellana have been redefined and a comprehensive checklist is included for the tribe. An illustrated key to the genera of the tribe Zammarini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) is provided; this is the first key to both males and females of this tribe. Odopoea perspicua Distant, 1905 is transferred from Zammarini to the African tribe Platypleurini to become Canualna perspicua (Distant, 1905), comb. n.