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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #355715
Research Project: Systematics of Hemiptera and Related Groups: Plant Pests, Predators and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Revision of the New World scentless plant bug genus Niesthrea Spinola (Heteroptera: Rhopalidae: Rhopalinae: Niesthreini), with descriptions of six new species and a key to species

Author
item MELO, M. - Universidad De La Plata
item Henry, Thomas

Submitted to: Insect Systematics and Diversity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2019
Publication Date: 11/6/2019
Citation: Melo, M.C., Henry, T.J. 2019. Revision of the New World scentless plant bug genus Niesthrea Spinola (Heteroptera: Rhopalidae: Rhopalinae: Niesthreini), with descriptions of six new species and a key to species. Insect Systematics and Diversity. 3(5):1-36. https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixz014.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixz014

Interpretive Summary: The family Rhopalidae, commonly called scentless plant bugs, is a relatively small group, containing approximately 400 species worldwide. Species of this group feed on a wide range of plant species, some of which may cause serious injury, especially mallows, which include cotton and hibiscus. The genus treated in this article on a number of weed species that are invasive in crop fields, making them potentially useful as biocontrol agents. In this publication, we clarify the names of the 14 previously described species and provide names for six species new to science. Color photographs of the adults and certain other characters important for identification are provided and a dichotomous identification key is provided to help distinguish the 20 currently recognized species. This work will be of great value to researchers working on the biological control of pests of mallows and to action agencies needing accurate identifications of these largely tropical bugs that are frequently intercepted at U. S. ports of entry.

Technical Abstract: The scentless plant bug genus Niesthrea Spinola (subfamily Rhopalinae, tribe Niesthreini) is revised. Fourteen previously described species are diagnosed, N. ashlocki Froeschner and N. remediana Grillo & Alayo (revised synonymy) are synonymized under N. flava Grillo & Alayo, N. parasidae Grillo & Alayo is synonymized under N. sidae (Fabricius), N. pictipes casinii Göllner-Scheiding is elevated to species status, and the six new species N. choprai sp. nov. from Argentina and Peru, N. conicoloba sp. nov. from Argentina, N. lateroloba sp. nov. from Peru, N. parvaloba sp. nov. from Bolivia, N. rostrata sp. nov., from Colombia and Ecuador, and N. truncata sp. nov. from Brazil and Colombia are described. A color habitus illustration of N. flava, color digital images of all adults and male genitalia, and an identification key to the 20 currently known species, based primarily on males, are provided to help distinguish species.