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Title: PLATYSCYTISCA BERGMANNAE, A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF NEOTROPICAL PLANT BUG RESEMBLING SPECIES OF PLATYSCYTUS (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE: PHYLINAE)

Author
item COSTA, LUIZ A. - UNIV.FED.DO RIO DE JANEIR
item Henry, Thomas

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The plant bug family Miridae is the largest and most important group of true bugs. Numerous species, such as lygus bugs, are of considerable agricultural importance, whereas others, such as species of Phytocoris, serve as effective predators of pest species. This paper provides the description of a new genus and species found in fig, Ficus sp., in southern Brazil. A discussion of its relationship to other genera in the subfamily Phylinae is discussed. This information will be useful to biological control researchers studying the insects of Ficus and to identifiers and regulatory personnel monitoring Neotropical bugs.

Technical Abstract: The new genus Platyscytisca is described to accommodate the new species P. bergmannae, collected in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Ficus sp. A dorsal and ventral habitus, male genitalia, male genital capsule, and male and female antennae are illustrated to help with recognition. Amazonophilus Carvalho and Costa is resurrected from synonymy under Platyscytus Reuter, and its relationship to Platyscytisca is discussed.