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Title: First records of eleven true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Galápagos Islands, with miscellaneous notes and corrections to published reports

Author
item Henry, Thomas
item WILSON, MICHAEL - NAIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES

Submitted to: Journal of New York Entomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2004
Publication Date: 7/12/2004
Citation: Henry, T.J., Wilson, M.R. 2004. First records of eleven true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Galápagos Islands, with miscellaneous notes and corrections to published reports. Journal of New York Entomological Society. 112:75-86.

Interpretive Summary: True bugs are some of the most important and widespread agricultural pests and include the following U.S. species reported in the paper: the garden fleahopper on truck crops, the southern green stink bug on soybeans, and the pale green stink bug on soybeans and beans. Other important included species, such as the predatory assassin bugs, may serve as natural enemies in integrated pest control programs, or phytophagous species, such as the lantana lace bug, may be used in biological control of invasive weeds. In a continuing effort to better understand the true bug fauna of the Western Hemisphere, we give the first records for 11 species of true bugs in seven families from the Galapagos Islands, a region that has vast historical, ecological, and evolutionary importance. For each species reported, we give a diagnosis, dorsal photograph, a summary of the distribution and host plants, and provide information to facilitate identification. With the discovery of these new bugs and the correction of several misidentifications, the number of true bugs known from the Galápagos Islands is increased from 20 families, 71 genera, and 131 species to 21 families, 76 genera, and 140 species. This information will be important to conservation biologists, biogeographers, and agricultural entomologists studying the bionomics and hosts of various pest species.

Technical Abstract: Eleven species of Heteroptera in seven families, including the first record of the family Alydidae, are reported from the Galápagos Islands. The first Galápagos Island records are given for the following: Alydidae [Neomegalotomus parvus(Westwood)]; Coreidae [Vazuezitocoris andinus Brailovsky = Anasa mimetica Brailovsky]; Miridae [Halticus bractatus (Say)]; Pentatomidae [Mecidea minor Ruckes, Nezara viridula (Linnaeus), Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), and Podisus distinctus Stål]; Reduviidae [Heza ephippium (Lichtenstein)]; Rhopalidae [Niesthrea ashlocki Froeschner, Niesthrea sidae (Fabricius)]; and Tingidae [Leptobyrsa decora Drake]. For each species, we give a diagnosis, dorsal photograph, a summary of the distribution and host plants, and provide information to facilitate identification. With the discovery of these new taxa and the correction of several misidentifications, the number of Heteroptera known from the Galápagos Islands is increased from 20 families, 71 genera, and 131 species to 21 families, 76 genera, and 140 species.