Fernando Diez

Hybrid forms of the Culex pipiens Complex (Diptera: Culicidae): New records in La Pampa Province, Argentina

The present investigation revealed the existence of hybrids belonging to the Culex pipiens Complex in four localities of La Pampa Province, Argentina, thus expanding the distribution of the hybrid form south to the northeast of that province. The identification was based on characters of the male genitalia and the siphonal index of the fourth-instar larval exuviae. A summary of the geographical distribution of species of Culex pipiens complex in Argentina is also presented here.

Contribution to the knowledge of Patagonia, Argentina: redescription of the genus Xenogenus Berg 1883 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) and description of immature stages of Xenogenus gracilis Reed, 1899.

This is a review of Xenogenus Berg 1883 a Neotropical genus with two species: X. gracilis Reed (1899) and X. picturatum Berg 1883. Males of X. picturatum, males and females of X. gracilis are redescribed and illustrated; instars II-V of X. gracilis are described and illustrated. The host plant and new record data are also given for the latter.

A review of genus Nysius Dallas in Argentina (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Orsillidae)

The orsillid genus Nysius Dallas is a complex and large genus with more than 100 described species worldwide, and includes many species of agricultural importance, one such example is N. simulans (Stål) from Argentina. Three species of Nysius are found in this country: N. simulans (Stål), N. irroratus (Spinola) and N. puberulus Berg. The material available for the present study, consisting of over 610 specimens, was collected by sweep-net, G-Vac and light trap in the provinces of Chubut (42° to 46°S; 63.5° to 72° W), La Pampa (35º to 39º south; 63º to 68º West), Neuquén (36° to 41° S; 68° to 71°W) and Río Negro (37° to 42°S; 62° to 71°W), in the central region of Argentina, during the years 2010-2014. Although the species N. simulans is frequently recorded as a pest of soybean crop, there exist no detailed description but only a brief general diagnosis. In the present contribution, therefore, we provide a detailed redescription as well as an updated distribution of N. simulans and N. irroratus, and a key for species of genus Nysius present in Argentina.

Additional information for Leptoglossus impictus (Stål 1859) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Coreinae: Anisoscelini) from Patagonia, Argentina

The Patagonian subregion belongs to the Andean region, and is comprised of two provinces: Central Patagonia and Subandean Patagonia. It extends from central Mendoza, widening through Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, and Santa Cruz, to northern Tierra del Fuego, and reaches Chile (Morrone 2006). The knowledge of terrestrial Heteroptera in this region is poor and is limited to a few contributions (e.g. Berg 1979, Breddin 1898, Pennington 1920, Faúndez & Carvajal 2011, Faundez 2015).

Community assembly and inventory efficiency at a regional scale: the case of terrestrial Heteroptera (Insecta) in northern Patagonia, Argentina

The first step to understanding the species present in a particular area is to perform inventory and assemblage studies. To obtain a species inventory, it is important to determine parameters such as species richness and relative abundance. This information can be useful for future studies and decision-making purposes in the conservation area. Despite the fundamental role of the terrestrial Heteroptera in ecosystems, they remain poorly known. We expected that the terrestrial Heteroptera species assemblage would be strongly associated with plant communities. Presently, 840 samples were collected in northern Argentine Patagonia during two years, 2013 and 2014. A total of 1950 adults of terrestrial Heteroptera belonging to 12 families, 32 species, and 8 morphospecies were found. Various statistical techniques were applied to correct the observed data for undersampling bias. These suggested that the lower boundary of the summer Heteroptera species richness in northern Patagonia was about 44–54 species. We concluded that the high regional habitat heterogeneity along the west-to-east and south-to-north gradients was paralleled by the turnover of Heteroptera. However, the Patagonian steppe shared a high number of species with the Monte and Subantarctic provinces. The suction sampling technique is an efficient technique to collect Heteroptera in environments with different plant structure and should thus be used in a complementary way with the sweeping technique.

The Stenopodainae (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) of Argentina

In Argentina, 10 genera and 33 species of Stenopodainae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) have been recorded. Diagnoses of the genera, subgenera and species are given, and an illustrated key to genera is provided. Six species are new records for Argentina and an additional seven species represent new records for provinces.