Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #100001
Title: REVIEW OF THE CERATOPSUS OF CUBA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW SPECIES AND A NEOTYPE DESIGNATION FOR C. CUBANUS (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE: ORTHOTYLINAE).

Author
item HERNANDEZ, LUIS - NAT.HIS.MUS.CROMWELL ROAD
item Henry, Thomas

Submitted to: Carribean Journal of Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Plant bugs represent the largest and most economically important family of true bugs. Many species are pests of agricultural crops, while others are predatory and may be useful in biological control programs. Most of the more than 100 members of the genus Ceratocapsus are predators. While the exact habits of the Cuban species treated in this paper are unknown, other species of the genus are recorded preying on cotton bollworm, grape phylloxeran, lepidopteran larvae, and other soft-bodied arthropods. Because of the close proximity of Cuba to the United States, it is important to understand this fauna not only for taxonomic reasons, but from a quarantine aspect as well. For example, of the 65 species of plant bugs reported from Puerto Rico, 31 are also found in Florida, but only 44 species are known from a considerably larger and closer Cuba, of which only 22 are known from Florida, indicating that much more survey work and research is needed.

Technical Abstract: The Cuban species of Certopsus Reuter are reviewed. The three new species C. alayoi, C. holguinensis, and C. stonedahli are described, a neotype is designated for C. cubanus Bergroth, the vesica of the male of C. avelinae Maldonado is illustrated for the first time, and C. parallelus Maldonado is considered a junior synonym of C. punctulatus (Reuter). Figures of the male genitalia and habitus photographs are provided for selected species. A key to separate the Cuban species of Ceratocapsus is given.