Euschistus (Mitripus) convergens, Euschistus (Mitripus) hansi, and Euschistus (Lycipta) picticornis

(Figs. 1, 17–36; Tab. 2)

Eggs barrel-shaped to spherical (Figs. 17, 18, 24, 25, 33); operculum circular, with variable convexity; usually convex (Figs. 17, 24), flat in C. picticornis (Fig. 33). Chorion surface spinose and translucent after hatching of nymphs. Before hatching, eggs milky-white in E. hansi and E. picticornis to yellow in E. convergens (Fig. 1); red eyes and dark brown ruptor ovis become visible with the development of embryo. Aero-micropylar processes white, slightly clavated at apex (Figs. 22, 28), entirely tubular in E. picticornis (Fig. 35).

In the SEM, eggs of Euschistus spp. studied show chorion surface spinose (Figs. 17, 18, 24, 25, 33), although it has been described as finely reticulated in E. hansi (Martins & Campos 2006) . In areas where the egg is fixed to another in the egg mass or to the substratum, chorion is covered by an adhesive substance that prevents visualization of sculpture pattern (Figs. 17, 24, 33). In all areas of the egg, a great number of spines projects from the surface, uniformly distributed in the chorion of E. picticornis (Figs. 34, 35), or laminate expansions form polygonal figures, with long and acute spines along those projections, of E. hansi and E. convergens (Figs. 19, 20, 26). In the E. hansi egg, spine-shaped projections with different lengths can emerge from the smooth chorion, composing nearly polygonal figures in some areas of chorion (Fig. 27). Lateral walls near the aero-micropylar processes, and operculum with longer and numerous spines, almost always tied by fine sheets (Figs. 21, 22, 28, 35), or sometimes inserted by smaller spines as in E. hansi (Figs. 29, 30). Limits of the operculum are not easily visualized in noneclosioned eggs (Figs. 21, 29). Aero-micropylar processes can be distinguished from chorionic spines for being longer and larger in diameter; the processes are tubular in E. picticornis (Fig. 35) and slightly clavated at apex in the other two species (Figs. 22, 28, 29). Its apical portion bears a central hole; at the magnification used, aero-micropylar processes walls seem smooth, instead of spongy (Figs. 23, 31, 32, 36).