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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #269732
Title: Revision of the New World species of Peritropis Uhler (Heteroptera: Miridae: Cylapinae)

Author
item WOLSKI, A. - Opole University
item Henry, Thomas

Submitted to: Insect Systematics & Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2012
Publication Date: 10/25/2012
Citation: Wolski, A., Henry, T.J. 2012. Revision of the New World species of Peritropis Uhler (Heteroptera: Miridae: Cylapinae). Insect Systematics & Evolution. 43:213-270.

Interpretive Summary: Plant bugs represent the largest family of true bugs and include numerous agriculturally important species. Many, such as lygus bugs, are serious crop pests, causing enormous economic losses in the United States annually. In addition, a large number of these bugs are now recognized as valuable predators of various arthropod pests, such as scale insects, mites, caterpillars, and other insects. Thus, they are of considerable interest to those involved in biological control. This paper treats 14 species of predaceous plants bugs found in North, Central, and South America, including 11 that are new to science. Each species is described and illustrated, and an identification key is provided to help recognize species. The information presented in this paper will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, regulatory personnel, and Federal and state departments of agriculture working in insect pest management.

Technical Abstract: The New World species of the genus Peritropis are revised, and 11 new species are described: P. amazonica, P. amphicyrta, P. carvalhoi, P. conspersa, P. cornata, P. gorczyci, P. guarani, P. izyai, P. marmorea, P. stobieckii, and P. turrialba. All previously known species from the New World (P. husseyi Knight, P. saldaeformis Uhler, and P. tuberculata McAtee and Malloch) are redescribed, except P. unicolor Carvalho and Rosas for which we provide an English translation of the original description. Illustrations of the male genitalia; a color adult dorsal habitus photograph of each species; scanning electron micrographs of selected structures of Peritropis husseyi, P. saldaeformis and P. turrialba; and a key to World species are provided.