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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332675
Research Project: Systematics of Hemiptera and Related Groups: Plant Pests, Predators and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Revision of the Neotropical plant bug genus Sinervus Stål (Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae: Eccritotarsinae), with the description of four new species and a closely related new genus

Author
item Henry, Thomas
item HOWARD, SAMUEL - Non ARS Employee

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2016
Publication Date: 10/4/2016
Citation: Henry, T.J., Howard, S.Z. 2016. Revision of the Neotropical plant bug genus Sinervus Stål (Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae: Eccritotarsinae), with the description of four new species and a closely related new genus. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 118(4):533-554.

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. A large number of these bugs prey on various arthropod pests, such as scale insects, mites, and caterpillars, making them of considerable interest to researchers involved in biological control. This paper provides the review of a group of plant-feeding bugs that feed on ornamental tropical plants, especially those commonly called false bird-of-paradise flowers, which have been naturalized in Florida. In this paper, we review nine previously known species and describe four species and one genus new to science. Color photos of all species and various diagnostic structures are illustrated and a dichotomous identification key is provide to aid in their identification. This research will be of interest to all workers involved in horticulture and the control of plant pests.

Technical Abstract: The eccritotarsine plant bug genus Sinervus Stål is revised and the species S. apicalis, n. sp. from Honduras and S. cunealis, n. sp. and S. egeri, n. sp. from Brazil are described, bringing the total species in the genus to 11. Sinervus and the nine previously known species are diagnosed and the three new species are described. The genus Sinervaspartus, n. gen. is described to accommodate Spartacus discovittatus Cavalho, new combination (as the type species), Sinervus espartacoides Carvalho and Gomes, new combination, Spartacus venezuelanus Carvalho, new combination, and the S. marginalis, n. sp. from Peru. Color dorsal images for all species, male genitalia for the new species, and selected SEM micrographs are provided and keys to help distinguish Sinervus and Sinervaspartus and all included species are given. Relationships with the New World genus Spartacus Distant and certain Old World genera are discussed.