Author
|
Submitted to: Journal of New York Entomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/2002 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The family Berytidae, commonly called stilt bugs because of their long slender legs, are a small but diverse group of true bugs. A number of species have been considered serious agricultural pests of tomatoes, cotton, and cacao. More recently, research has shown that a large portion of the family is predatory, preying on various pest species, such as aphids, thrips, and the eggs of certain moth larvae. The genus treated in this paper is poorly known and ranges from western United States and Canada, south to Argentina, southern Brazil, and Chile. Most known species feed on glandular-hairy plants, but many probably also scavenge on insects entrapped in the sticky hairs of their hosts. This paper provides information relevant to biological control workers, quarantine personnel, and other researchers studying these poorly known, but potentially important species. Technical Abstract: The new stilt bug Hoplinus paulai is described from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Habitus photographs, scanning electron micrographs of selected structures, illustrations of male parameres, and a revised key are provided to help distinguish this species from other members of the genus. New distribution and/or host records are given for Hoplinus scutellatus Henry, Oedalocanthus ornatus Henry, and Xenoloma prinprinceps Harris, and a discussion pertaining to the rediscovered name-bearing type of Neides spinosissimus Signoret, the type species of Hoplinus Stal, is provided. |
