Xylocoris (Arrostelus) flavipes ( Reuter, 1875 )

Ballal, Chandish R., Akbar, Shahid Ali, Yamada, Kazutaka, Wachkoo, Aijaz Ahmad & Varshney, Richa, 2018, Annotated catalogue of the flower bugs from India (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae, Lasiochilidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1), pp. 207-226 : 220-221

Xylocoris (Arrostelus) flavipes ( Reuter, 1875)

( Figs 4 , 18 , 25–27 )

Piezostethus flavipes Reuter,1875: 65 . LECTOTYPE (designated by PÉRICART 1970: 746, as ‘type’): ♀, Algeria, Biskara (MNHN).

Triphleps sinui Narayanan & Chatterji, 1952: 164. HOLOTYPE: (brachypterous), India, Delhi (NPCI). Synonymized by CARAYON & STEFFAN (1959: 55).

Triphleps ramae Narayanan & Chatterji, 1953: 121. HOLOTYPE: (brachypterous), India, Delhi (NPCI). Synonymized by CARAYON & STEFFAN (1959: 55).

For further synonyms and references of this species see PÉRICART (1996).

Material examined. INDIA: KARNATAKA: Hebbal, 18.xii.2015, 9 7 ♀♀ ( NBAIR). RAJASTHAN: Alwar, Naranimata env., 27°08 ʹ 22 ″ N 76°20 ʹ 38 ″ E, 31.vii.2002, 1 ♀ (brach.), P. Šrámek lgt. ( NMPC) .

Distribution in India. Andhra Pradesh (BALLAL & YAMADA 2016); Assam ( BALLAL & YAMADA 2016); Himachal Pradesh ( BALLAL & YAMADA 2016); Jammu and Kashmir (Ladakh) ( BHAGAT 2015); Karnataka: Bangalore, Hebbal (this paper); Kerala ( BALLAL & YAMADA 2016); Rajastan: Alwar (this paper); Sikkim ( BALLAL & YAMADA 2016); Tamil Nadu ( BALLAL & YAMADA 2016).

General distribution. Cosmotropical, widespread mainly in the Old World tropics and subtropics and is assumed to be non-indigenous in the Oriental Region ( YAMADA et al. 2013). Occasionally introduced to storages in Europe and the USA ( HENRY 1988, CASSIS & GROSS 1995, PÉRICART 1996, CARPINTERO 2002).

Biology. In India found mainly in stored grains like wheat and rice and feeds on several storage pests including Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) ( MUKHERJEE et al. 1971, BALLAL & YAMADA 2016) and bruchids. The species has been reported to predate on 13 species of insects belonging

to three orders ( ARBOGAST 1976). In India, besides being recorded in storage bins and warehouses, also recorded on Butea monosperma, Ficus sp. and maize, found associated with Megalurothrips sp. and a few mealybugs (Planococcus citri) (this paper).

Figures

Figs 1–12. Habitus photographs of selected Indian Anthocoridae. 1 – Amphiareus constrictus (Stål, 1860); 2 – Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada, 2010; 3 – Physopleurella armata Poppius, 1909, from Thailand; 4 – Xylocoris (Arrostelus) flavipes (Reuter, 1875); 5 – Xylocoris (Proxylocoris) afer (Reuter, 1884); 6 – Blaptostethoides sp.; 7 – Montandoniola indica Yamada, 2011 (source: www.nbair.res.in); 8 – Xylocoris (Arrostelus) ampoli Yamada & Yasunaga, 2013; 9 – Carayonocoris indicus Muraleedharan, 1977; 10 – Xylocoris (Proxylocoris) confusus Carayon, 1972; 11 – Bilia sp. (this specimen is not examined); 12 – Buchananiella indica Muraleedharan, 1977. Photo credits: C. Ballal (1–2, 4–7, 9–12), K. Yamada (3, 8).

Figs 13–18. Habitus photographs of selected Indian Anthocoridae. 13 – Cardiastethus exiguus Poppius, 1913, feeding on papaya mealybug; 14 – Orius (Dimorphella) tantillus (Motschulsky, 1863), feeding on eggs of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, 1808); 15 – Cardiastethus affinis Poppius, 1909, feeding on scale insects; 16–17 – Blaptostethus pallescens Poppius, 1909, feeding on thrips and Spodoptera litura eggs; 18 – Xylocoris (Arrostelus) flavipes (Reuter, 1875), feeding on mite. Photo credits: C. Ballal.

Figs 19–27. Life stages of Indian anthocorids (egg, nymph, adult). 19–21 – Cardiastethus exiguus Poppius, 1913; 22–24 – Blaptostethus pallescens Poppius, 1909; 25–27 – Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter, 1875). Photo credits: C. Ballal.