''Leptocoris'' is the largest genus of
bugs in the subfamily
Serinethinae
Serinethinae is a subfamily of the hemipteran family Rhopalidae, sometimes known as soapberry bugs.
...
. Species in this genus are distributed throughout Africa, South Asia, and Oceania, and are thought to have originated in Africa, where the greatest diversity of ''Leptocoris'' species are found. Several species are known as soapberry bugs in Australia, notably ''Leptocoris mitellatus''.
Description
Members of this genus are large-bodied and have short, wide
pronotum, pronota; they are similar in appearance to the New World genus ''
Jadera'' (of which there is no range overlap). ''Leptocoris'' species can be easily distinguished from the small, slender ''
Boisea
''Boisea'' is the least speciose genus of the soapberry bug subfamily. Members of this genus are found in North America, India, and Africa. Unlike other serinethine genera, the distribution of ''Boisea'' is very patchy; it is speculated that it ...
'' (of which there is substantial range overlap). The Australian ''
Leptocoris tagalicus'' has been studied for its ability to rapidly adapt to invasive hosts (e.g.
balloon vine) and is seen as a possible means of biocontrol for environmental weeds.
[Carroll, S.P., Loye, J.E., Dingle, H., et al. (2005): And the beak shall inherit - evolution in response to invasion. Ecology Letters, 8, 944-951.] The southeast Asian species ''
Leptocoris vicinus'' is common in urban settings, although it is frequently misidentified as ''
Leptocoris augur''.
Gallery
File:Leptocoris augur 55087008.jpg, ''Leptocoris augur'', Taiwan.
File:Leptocoris dispar (Hsiao, 1963) Coreidae (15621036244).jpg, ''Leptocoris dispar'', Thailand.
File:CSIRO ScienceImage 2288 Leptocoris Bug.jpg, ''Leptocoris mitellatus'', Australia.
File:Leptocoris tagalicus 155346885.jpg, ''Leptocoris tagalicus'', Australia.
Species
The ''Coreoidea Species File''
[Coreoidea Species File (Version 5.0/5.0 retrieved 10 January 2024)]
/ref> lists:
# '' Leptocoris abdominalis''
# '' Leptocoris aethiops''
# '' Leptocoris affinis''
# '' Leptocoris albisoleata''
# '' Leptocoris amictus''
# '' Leptocoris augur''
# '' Leptocoris bahram''
# '' Leptocoris capitis''
# '' Leptocoris chevreuxi''
# '' Leptocoris cinnamonensis''
# '' Leptocoris corniculatus''
# '' Leptocoris coxalis''
# '' Leptocoris dispar''
# '' Leptocoris griseiventris''
# '' Leptocoris hexophthalmus''
# '' Leptocoris insularis''
# '' Leptocoris intermedius''
# '' Leptocoris isolatus''
# '' Leptocoris lanuginosus''
# '' Leptocoris latus''
# '' Leptocoris longiusculus''
# '' Leptocoris marquesensis''
# '' Leptocoris minusculus''
# '' Leptocoris mitellatus''
# '' Leptocoris mutilatus''
# '' Leptocoris nigrofasciatus''
# '' Leptocoris obscurus''
# '' Leptocoris paramictus''
# '' Leptocoris pectoralis''
# '' Leptocoris productus''
# '' Leptocoris rubrolineatus''
# '' Leptocoris rufomarginatus''
# '' Leptocoris seidenstueckeri''
# '' Leptocoris stehliki''
# '' Leptocoris subrufescens''
# '' Leptocoris tagalicus''
# '' Leptocoris teyrovskyi''
# '' Leptocoris toricollis''
# '' Leptocoris ursulae''
# '' Leptocoris verticalis''
# '' Leptocoris vicinus''
# '' Leptocoris wagneri''
References
External links
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q6528021
Serinethinae
Taxa named by Carl Wilhelm Hahn
Pentatomomorpha genera
Hemiptera of Africa
Hemiptera of Asia