Leptocoris is the largest genus of bugs in the subfamily Serinethinae. Species in this genus are distributed throughout Africa, South Asia, and Oceania and are thought to have originated in Africa, where the greatest diversity of Leptocoris species are found.[1][2]

Leptocoris
Leptocoris rufomarginatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Rhopalidae
Subfamily: Serinethinae
Genus: Leptocoris
Hahn, 1833
Synonyms
  • Lygeomorphus Blanchard, 1840
  • Pyrrhotes Westwood, 1840
  • Serinetha Spinola, 1837
  • Tynotoma Amyot & Serville, 1843
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Description

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Members of this genus are large-bodied and have short, wide pronota; they are similar in appearance to the New World genus Jadera (of which there is no range overlap). Leptocoris species can be easily distinguished from the small, slender Boisea (of which there is substantial range overlap). The Australian Leptocoris tagalicus has been studied for its ability to rapidly adapt to invasive hosts (e.g. balloon vine) and is seen as a possible means of biocontrol for environmental weeds.[3][4] The southeast Asian species Leptocoris vicinus is common in urban settings, although it is frequently misidentified as Leptocoris augur.

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Species

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The Coreoidea Species File[5] lists:

  1. Leptocoris abdominalis (Fabricius, 1803)
  2. Leptocoris aethiops (Distant, 1901)
  3. Leptocoris affinis Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  4. Leptocoris albisoleata (Bergroth, 1912)
  5. Leptocoris amictus Germar, 1838
  6. Leptocoris augur (Fabricius, 1781)
  7. Leptocoris bahram Kirkaldy, 1899
  8. Leptocoris capitis (Hsiao, 1963)
  9. Leptocoris chevreuxi (Noualhier, 1893)
  10. Leptocoris cinnamonensis Izzard, 1960
  11. Leptocoris corniculatus (Stål, 1867)
  12. Leptocoris coxalis (Kirby, 1891)
  13. Leptocoris dispar (Hsiao, 1963)
  14. Leptocoris griseiventris (Westwood, 1842)
  15. Leptocoris hexophthalmus (Thunberg, 1784)
  16. Leptocoris insularis Kirkaldy, 1908
  17. Leptocoris intermedius (Distant, 1914)
  18. Leptocoris isolatus (Distant, 1914)
  19. Leptocoris lanuginosus (Lethierry, 1881)
  20. Leptocoris latus Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  21. Leptocoris longiusculus (Walker, 1872)
  22. Leptocoris marquesensis Cheesman, 1926
  23. Leptocoris minusculus Blöte, 1934
  24. Leptocoris mitellatus Bergroth, 1916
  25. Leptocoris mutilatus (Gerstaecker, 1873)
  26. Leptocoris nigrofasciatus (Distant, 1914)
  27. Leptocoris obscurus Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  28. Leptocoris paramictus Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  29. Leptocoris pectoralis Schouteden, 1948
  30. Leptocoris productus Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  31. Leptocoris rubrolineatus Barber, 1956
  32. Leptocoris rufomarginatus (Fabricius, 1794)
  33. Leptocoris seidenstueckeri Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  34. Leptocoris stehliki Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  35. Leptocoris subrufescens (Kirby, 1888)
  36. Leptocoris tagalicus Burmeister, 1834
  37. Leptocoris teyrovskyi Göllner-Scheiding, 1980
  38. Leptocoris toricollis (Bergroth, 1893)
  39. Leptocoris ursulae Perreira, Carroll & Loye, 2012
  40. Leptocoris verticalis Göllner-Scheiding, 1982
  41. Leptocoris vicinus (Dallas, 1852)
  42. Leptocoris wagneri Göllner-Scheiding, 1980

References

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  1. ^ Göllner-Scheiding, U. (1983): General-Katalog der Familie Rhopalidae (Heteroptera). Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin 59, 37-189.
  2. ^ Göllner-Scheiding, U. (1980): Revision der afrikanischen Arten sowie Bemerkungen zu weiteren Arten der Gattungen Leptocoris Hahn, 1833, und Boisea Kirkaldy, 1910. Dtsch. ent. Z., N.F. 27, 103-148.
  3. ^ Carroll, S.P., Loye, J.E., Dingle, H, et al. (2005): Ecology of Leptocoris Hahn (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae) soapberry bugs in Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology, 44, 344.
  4. ^ Carroll, S.P., Loye, J.E., Dingle, H., et al. (2005): And the beak shall inherit - evolution in response to invasion. Ecology Letters, 8, 944-951.
  5. ^ Coreoidea Species File (Version 5.0/5.0 retrieved 10 January 2024)
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