Mecidea longula Stål 1854, 1946

Joseph E. Eger, Jr. & Dobbs, Thomas T., 2010, Mecidea longula Stål (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Mecideini) is established in south Florida, Insecta Mundi 2010 (109), pp. 1-5 : 3-4

Mecidea longula Stål 1854

Fig. 1, 2 , 4, 6

Mecidea longula Stål, 1854: 233 ; Sailer, 1952: 484-485, pl. 47, figs. 7-9, pl. 48, figs. 35, 36, 54, 58.

Diagnosis Medium size, elongate, dull stramineous above and below, with dark to concolorous punctations. Pronotum strongly constricted anterior to humeri. Abdominal venter lacking midventral dark line; diameter of black macules mesad of trichobothria usually not much more than diameter of spiracle on same segment. Posterior ventral margin of male genital cup smooth, lacking distinct tubercle.

The specimens of M. longula in our collections look very much like M. major and M. minor . They tend to be smaller than the other two species and the dorsal coloration has more of a grayish tint. Sailer (1952) states that the pronotum is more strongly constricted anterior to the humeri in M. longula than in the other two species. This is true of many specimens, but appears to be somewhat variable.

Material examined. ANTIGUA: Shirley Heights, 4-VII-92, H. V. & R. M. Baranowski (1 M, 1 F). BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: Beef Island, nr airport, 15-IX-90, H. V. & R. M. Baranowski (5 M, 4 F); Tortola, 5 mi W Road Town, 16-IX-90, H. V. & R. M. Baranowski (1 F). DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Prov. Pedernales, Cabo Rojo, Alcoa, 11-VI-98, R. E. Woodruff & P. E. Freytag, black light trap (1 M); Ibid, 12- VI-98, Ibid (1 M); Ibid, 13-VI-98, (1 M, 1 F); Ibid, 3-VII-1998, R. Woodruff and R. Baranowski, black light trap (1 M, 1 F); Prov. Pedernales, 10.2 km N Cabo Rojo, 9-VII-1996, M. C. Thomas (1 M); Prov. Pedernales, Cabo Rojo, Alcoa Headquarters, 20-24-VI-1999, Woodruff and Baranowski, black light trap (1 F). ST. KITTS: George Parish, nr Great Salt Pond, 16-VIII-92, H. V. & R. M. Baranowski (2 M, 3 F); 1 mi E of Basseterre, 22-IX-90, H. V. & R. M. Baranowski (4 M, 6 F). ST. MARTIN: 2 mi N Orleans, 12-I-90, R. M. Baranowski (1 M, 3 F), Ibid, 13-I-90 (1 M, 5 F); N. of Great Salt Pond, 13-I-90, R. M. Baranowski (1 F); Philipsburg, 0-100 m, July 1979, N. L. H. Krauss (1 M). TURKS & CAICOS: Providenciales Isl., Grace Bay, 19-X-93, R. M. & H. V. Baranowski, black light trap (1 F). USA-FLORIDA: Miami-Dade Co. Airport Fumigation Site, Light Trap, N25º47.98’, W80º18.44’, 20-II-2008, T. Dobbs (1 F); Ibid, 27-VII- 2008 (1 M); Ibid 2-IX-2008 (1 F); Ibid 4-IX-2008 (1 M); Ibid 16-IX-2008 (1 M, 2 F); Ibid 18-IX-2008 (1 F); Ibid 23-IX-2008 (2 M, 1 F); Ibid 25-IX-2008 (1 M, 2 F); Ibid 21-X-2008 (2 M); Ibid 23-X-2008 (1 M); Ibid 6-XI- 2008 (1 M); Ibid 26-XI-2008 (1 F); Ibid 17-XII-2008 (1 F); Ibid 29-XII-2008 (1 M, 1 F); Ibid 12-I-2009 (1 F); Ibid 22-II-2009 (1 M); Ibid 10-IV-2009 (1 F); Miami-Dade Co., 9-XII-2008, Sporobulus indicus (L.) R. Br. Airport Fumigation Site, N25º47.98’, W80º18.44’, T. Dobbs and D. Lahanas (2 M, 1 F). Specimens are deposited in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods ( FSCA), the United States National Museum ( USNM) and the collection of the two authors. In addition to Florida, this is the first report of M. longula from the British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, St. Martin, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Biology. Stoner (1925) reported finding large numbers of M. longula on radiate fingergrass, Chloris radiata (Linnaeus) , on the island of Antigua. The author TTD collected three adults on smutgrass, Sporolobus indicus (Linnaeus) R. Br. , growing in an area adjacent to the light trap in Miami-Dade County. Smutgrass is an exotic grass native to Asia ( Wunderlin and Hansen 2003), but now established widely in the southeastern United States. Little is known about the specific biology of Mecidea spp. aside from the fact that host plants are generally considered to be grasses ( Bundy 2004). The appearance of specimens in the Miami-Dade light trap and the surrounding environs from February through December demonstrates that M. longula is capable of surviving year-round in south Florida. We have not seen any reports of these bugs as pests although Ruckes (1938) states that ‘in time M. longula [of authors, not Stål] may become a pest of major proportions’. Additional study is needed to better understand the current distribution of this bug in Florida and its potential as an economic pest.

Figures

Figure 1-3. Mecidea spp. 1) Habitus, dorsal view, Mecidea longula. Dimensional line equals 1.0 mm. 2-3) Male genital cup, lateral view, t = tubercle. Dimensional lines equal 0.5 mm. 2) Mecidea longula. 3) Mecidea minor.