Maoricicada mangu is an alpine species found in scree slopes.

[5] Studies of the evolution of the species suggest that Maoricicada, along with other New Zealand alpine biota, is relatively young.

It began diverging from other New Zealand cicada genera in the mid–Miocene period, during the Kaikōura orogeny around 12 Mya, when the uplift of the Southern Alps commenced.

Divergence amongst the related high alpine species occurred during more recent periods of uplift.

[7] Three of the subspecies are found in the mountains of the northeastern South Island (Nelson, Marlborough and northern Canterbury), whereas M. mangu mangu is found in the mountains of central South Island in Canterbury.