Jezabel Báez Santacruz

Immature stages of three species of Blissidae from Mexico (Heteroptera: Lygaeoideae)

ABSTRACTChinch bugs are associated with several species of monocots, and species of Gramineae are the principal plants utilized. In Mexico, 24 species of Blissidae have been recorded. The immature stages of Ischnodemus sallei (Signoret), Toonglasa munda (Slater & Wilcox), and T. tumorosis (Slater & Wilcox) are described and illustrated. These species have been recorded from several species of bamboo. Distributional records in Mexico and the host plants of these chinch bugs are also included.ABSTRACT Chinch bugs are associated with several species of monocots, and species of Gramineae are the principal plants utilized. In Mexico, 24 species of Blissidae have been recorded. The immature stages of Ischnodemus sallei (Signoret), Toonglasa munda (Slater & Wilcox), and T. tumorosis (Slater & Wilcox) are described and illustrated. These species have been recorded from several species of bamboo. Distributional records in Mexico and the host plants of these chinch bugs are also included.

Luis Cervantes Peredo, 1962–2015: Biographical Sketch, List of Publications, Described Taxa, and Patronyms

Luis Cervantes Peredo, born in Mexico City, Mexico, on May 8, 1962, was the fourth of seven children. He had one son, Santiago, from a previous marriage. He received his Bachelor’s degree in 1988 from the Universidad Nacional Aut onoma de M exico (UNAM), completing an undergraduate thesis on the nymphal stages and phenology of a group in the tribe Pentatomini [Pentatomidae] at the Tropical Biology Station at Los Tuxlas, Veracruz, Mexico. He obtained hisMaster’s degree in 1989, based on a study of the biology, morphology, and systematics of Piezosternum subulatum (Thunberg) [Tessaratomidae], including investigations on its phylogenetic and biogeographic relationship within the family. He completed his Ph.D. in 1996 at Imperial College, University of London, England, where he studied the effects of Hemiptera on successional plant communities. In 1998, he accepted a position at the Biodiversidad y Sistem atica del Instituto de Ecolog ıa (INECOL), A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, where he remained for the rest of his career. Luis was an avid collector and traveled to the field whenever he could. He worked throughout Mexico in search of Heteroptera, especially the Lygaeoidea. His graduate studies clearly cultivated his strong interest in the life history and immature stages of his bugs, which is reflected in many of his publications. He also had become an outstanding taxonomist and published papers describing new Mexican genera and species, across many families, especially those within the Cydnidae, Lygaeidae, Oxycarenidae, and Rhyparochromidae. During his career, he published 62 papers on Heteroptera and other arthropod groups and described four new genera and 43 new species in six heteropteran families. He published 25 papers on the biology and immature stages of Lygaeoidea and other Heteroptera, including 10 on the life history of bugs associated with figs in Mexico. At the time of his death, he was working on a large, multi-year, cooperative faunal survey of the Heteroptera of Baja California, which resulted in a number of important papers, with others planned. Luis had a wide range of interests and hobbies. He was especially fond of working puzzles and playing dominoes with his friends. He enjoyed cooking and, though not a vegetarian, he usually avoided red meat. He also was skilled at woodworking; he had just finished building customized laboratory benches for his new office. He loved the outdoors and whenever possible spent time at the cabin he built himself in the local forest, especially after a hard day’s work, sometimes enjoying an occasional glass

The genus Paracholula (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Rhyparochromidae: Rhyparochrominae: Myodochini).

The genus Paracholula Harrington has been represented by two species, P. picta (Fab) and P. thoracica (Distant), both recorded from Mexico. Individuals of one population from Guerrero were studied and compared with individuals of both species from different collections, including the types. Using scanning electron micrographs of different structures, and observation of the male genitalia of some individuals, together with a close examination of all the individuals from the population from Guerrero, we discovered, that there is great variation in all the structures and that some characters that were used to separate the two species are present within the population from Guerrero. Therefore we synonymize both species, stating that the valid name for this species is Paracholula picta (Fab). Descriptions and illustrations of all the immature stages from the Guerrero population are included. Notes about host plants, biology and distributional records are also included.

Phlegyas annulicrus Stål (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Pachygronthidae: Teracriini): immature stages, phenology, and distribution in Mexico

The genus Phlegyas Stål is represented by three species, P. abbreviatus Uhler, P. annulicrus Stål, and P. patruelis Berg. The first one is recorded from Canada and USA, the second one from Canada, USA, and Mexico, and the last one from Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Members of the family Pachygronthidae are associated with sedges and grasses. The biology has been documented for few species and within Phlegyas only that of Phlegyas abbreviatus is known. In this study, descriptions and illustrations of all the immature stages of Phlegyas annulicrus and notes on its host plants, phenology, and distribution in Mexico are included.