Brachysteles parvicornis (Costa), a Species of Anthocoridae New to North America (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)
1990; BioOne; Volume: 98; Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1937-2361
Autores Tópico(s)Research on scale insects
Resumo-The Palearctic species of Anthocoridae, Brachysteles parvicornis (Costa), is newly recorded from two localities in North America. It is considered an accidental introduction from Europe. Brachysteles parvicornis (Costa) is a Palearctic species of Anthocoridae, whose natural range includes much of western Europe from Denmark to North Africa, and southeastern England to Yugoslavia with a disjunct population in the Crimean Region (Pericart, 1972). The species is found in mosses and lichens on trees, including species of Pinus, Buxus, Juniperus and ericaceous plants, a habitat somewhat different from most Anthocoridae, but not unlike that of many Microphysidae (Carayon, 1972; Pericart, 1972). It has also been collected in moist prairies or marshes on Carex spp. and other herbs. Although the species may feed on small insects and arthropods, its chief prey seems to be members of the mite suborder Oribatida (Carayon, cited in Pericart, 1972). Only a single, rather protracted generation occurs in Europe, at least throughout most of its range. Hibernation takes place in the adult stage, usually under the bark of trees in the genera Ulmus, Larix and Platanus (Pericart, 1972). Sometimes, large numbers of individuals are encountered. Mature nymphs were collected toward the end of July near Paris. Specimens of Brachysteles parvicornis were discovered in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. One series of three males and one female bore the following data: [New York] Huntington L. I., Dec[ember] 13, 1925, under pine B[ar]k, F. M. Schott. The second record is a single male from: N[ew] J[ersey], Noodline, V. 11. 1925, F. M. Schott. The genus Brachysteles Fieber is a member of the tribe Dufouriellini (Lyctocorinae), as recognized by Stys (1975). Six species are now recognized in the genus (Pericart, 1972:259), two of these occur in the western Palearctic, B. parvicornis (Costa) and B. wollastoni White and the others occur in the Middle East and Far East. Brachysteles pallidus was described from the Caribbean by Reuter (1884), reported from the Southern States by Uhler in 1886, and included in Blatchley (1926). Barber (1939) transferred Brachysteles pallidus Reuter to Paratriphleps Champion where it now remains, and thus the genus Brachysteles is not considered to occur in North America (Henry, 1988). Brachystelesparvicornis closely resembles North American species of Cardiastethus Fieber. It is a small (2.1-2.5 mm total length) species, with the head and pronotum dark chestnut brown and the hemelytra yellowish brown (Fig. 1). The dorsum is thickly clothed with long, semierect golden pubescence. In Herring's (1976) key to This content downloaded from 157.55.39.191 on Tue, 11 Oct 2016 04:26:03 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1990 BRACHYSTELES PARVICORNIS 353 Fig. 1. Brachysteles parvicornis. Dorsal habitus of adult male. the genera of North American Anthocoridae, B. parvicornis will run to Cardiastethus. It may be distinguished from Cardiastethus principally by the short rostrum, which does not reach the procoxal cavity (Fig. 2). In all North American Cardiastethus, the rostrum reaches at least to the procoxae. Brachysteles parvicornis also has an ex tremely short head, with the first antennal segment extending beyond the apex of the tylus. In species of Cardiastethus, the first antennal segment at most only reaches the This content downloaded from 157.55.39.191 on Tue, 11 Oct 2016 04:26:03 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 354 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 98(3)
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