''Caenocoris nerii'', common name oleander seedbug, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

of ground bugs in the

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...

family

Lygaeidae The Lygaeidae are a family in the Hemiptera (true bugs), with more than 110 genera in four subfamilies. The family is commonly referred to as seed bugs, and less commonly, milkweed bugs, or ground bugs. However, while many of the species feed on ...

Etymology

The species name ''nerii'' refers to the main host plant ''

Nerium oleander ''Nerium oleander'' ( ), most commonly known as oleander or nerium, is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the ge ...

''.

Distribution

This species is present in part of Europe (

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Mac ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

), in the Afrotropical realm and in the Indomalayan realm.

Description

''Caenocoris nerii'' can reach a length of about . The female is larger than the male. Bodies are elongated. The basic color of the body is black, with red markings. Two red quadrangular patches are present on the head. Two red markings appear on the shoulders of pronotum and at the inner margins of the

hemielytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alternat ...

, which only partially cover the membranous blackish wings. Scutellum and abdomen are completely red.Carl W. Schaefer,Antonio Ricard
Heteroptera of Economic Importance
/ref>

Biology

Females usually lay eggs on the leaves of ''

'' (hence the common name of the species). All stages of nymphs suck almost exclusively the milky juice of the main host plant (''

''), but they may also feed on

Asclepiadaceae The Asclepiadoideae are a subfamily of plants in the family Apocynaceae. Formerly, they were treated as a separate family under the name Asclepiadaceae, e.g. by APG II, and known as the milkweed family. They form a group of perennial herbs, tw ...

species. Nynphs overwinter. Adults normally feed on the Oleander's fruits and seed. These

aposematic Aposematism is the advertising by an animal to potential predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defences which make the prey difficult to kill and eat, such as toxicity, venom, foul taste o ...

bugs are usually rejected by predators because of their toxins derived from the host plant.Euw, J. von. Reichstein, T. Rothschild, M
Heart poisons (cardiac glycosides) in the lygaeid bugs Caenocoris nerii and Spilostethus pandurus (1971)
United States Department of Agriculture - National Agricultural Library

References

* Slater, J.A. 1964. A Catalogue of the Lygaeidae of the World. 42-43

External links

Malta Wild Plants

Alsphotopage

Natura Mediterraneo
{{Taxonbar, from=Q30326319 Lygaeidae Hemiptera of Europe