Lygus wagneri Remane, 1955

TASZAKOWSK, Artur & PASIŃSKA, Agnieszka, 2017, New data on the occurrence of terrestrial true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Pieniny Mountains, Fragmenta Faunistica 60 (1), pp. 1-13 : 6

* Lygus wagneri Remane, 1955

Throughout the study area collected in large numbers.

Remarks: Specimens of the genus Lygus were collected in large numbers. Identification of L. pratensis and L. rugulipennis is not problematic, but L. wagneri and Lygus punctatus (Zetterstedt, 1838) are difficult to distinguish from each other. These species have similar coloration, which is characterized also by very high variability. The differences in structure of paramers, which used by Wagner & Weber (1964), were not included as distinguishing taxonomic features in the most recent revision of Palearctic species of the genus Lygus ( Aglyamzyanov 2009) . The shape of vesical spicula, which clearly distinguishes species within the genus, in this case is a little valuable feature, because it is very similar in both species ( Fig. 2A, B ). The puncturation of the corium ( Fig. 2C ) is the only reliable feature that distinguishes both species ( Aglyamzyanov 2009):

L. punctatus – puncturation of the corium is scattered and uneven, distance of punctures from each other on clavus is clearly shorter than on the middle of corium;

L. wagneri – puncturation of the corium is dense and uniform, distance of points from each other on clavus is the same as on the middle of corium ( Fig. 2C ).

This feature is poorly visible in the light microscope, therefore the photographs taken on a scanning electron microscope are most useful.

Figures

Fig. 2. The distinguishing features of L. wagneri and L. punctatus. A – spiculum of vesica of L. wagneri; B – spiculum of vesica of L. punctatus, according Aglyamzyanov (2009), modified.; C – Structure of the middle part of right corium L. wagneri: yellow – clavus, green – corium (photo by A. Taszakowski & M. Kanturski).