María del Carmen Coscarón

Damsel Bugs (Nabidae)

Damsel bugs, Nabidae, are valued predators in agricultural and urban systems. Worldwide, there are considered to be 31 genera and 386 species known, with 11 genera and 83 species from the Neotropical region. While little bionomic information is available for Neotropical nabid species, highlighting the need for future research, the biology of Nabis (Tropiconabis) capsiformis Germar, is representative of the family. N. (T.) capsiformis demonstrated a type I functional response when feeding on bollworm eggs. Under laboratory conditions, total generation time was 51.6 days. Nabids insert their eggs into plant tissue with only the operculum remaining visible. N. (T.) capsiformis averaged 105.3 eggs/female. Much remains to be discovered concerning this fascinating and important group of predatory heteropterans. Knowledge about biology and taxonomy of this group is fundamental to developing future programs in integrated pest control.

Redescription of Manicocoris rufipes (Fabricius 1787), including nymphs I, II, III, and V (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae: Apiomerini), and its association with Clusia fruits

The genus Manicocoris and its only species, M. rufipes, are described and illustrated, including nymphal instars I, II, III, and V. Descriptions include morphological and morphometrical characters. This article also provides a new record of an association between M. rufipes and the fruits of Clusia grandiflora Splitg. In French Guiana, adult specimens and nymphal instars II and III of M. rufipes were collected within fallen C. grandiflora fruits, where they awaited prey with their raptorial forelegs coated with a sticky fruit-derived substance.

The Nabidae (Insecta, Hemiptera, Heteroptera) of Argentina

Abstract In Argentina, five genera and 14 species are recorded in the subfamilies Prostemmatinae and Nabinae: Hoplistoscelis sordidus Reuter, Lasiomerus constrictus Champion, Metatropiphorus alvarengai Reuter, Nabis argentinus Meyer-Dür, Nabis (Tropiconabis) capsiformis Germar, Nabis faminei Stål, Nabis paranensis Harris, Nabis punctipennis Blanchard, Nabis roripes Stål, Nabis setricus Harris, Nabis tandilensis Berg, Pagasa (Pagasa) costalis Reuter, Pagasa (Lampropagasa) fuscipennis Reuter and Pagasa (Pagasa) signatipennis Reuter.

Systematics, cladistics, and biogeography of the Peirates collarti and P. lepturoides species groups (Heteroptera: Reduviidae, Peiratinae).

Cleptocoris StAl is synonymized with Peirates Serville. Its species are assigned to the P. collarti and P. lepturoides species groups. The former group includes P. collarti Schouteden and P. monodi Villiers; the latter group is formed by P. amieti Villiers, P. areatus Miller, P. atromaculatus (StAl), P. aurigans Distant, P. balteatus Germar, P. cinctiventris Horvath, P. diola (Villiers) comb. n., P. lepturoides (Wolff), P. macilentus Miller, P. maurus StAl (= Cleptocoris leyei Villiers, syn. n.), P. niger Signoret, P. nitidicollis Reuter (= P. conspurcatus Distant, syn. n.), P. ochripennis Jeannel, P. perinetensis Villiers, P. strepitans Rambur (= P. rufescens Villiers, syn. n.), P. tellini Schouteden and P. turpis Walker (= P. brachypterus Horvath, syn. rev.). These species are redescribed, illustrated, their geographical distribution mapped, and keys for separating them are given. A phylogenetic analysis of the species is presented. In the cladogram, the P. collarti and P. lepturoides species groups are monophyletic and sister taxa. Within the latter, P. amieti is the sister species to the trichotomy formed by P. perinetensis, P. strepitans and the clade including the remaining species which comprises, in phylogenetic order, the pair P. niger - P. turpis; the group including P. cinctiventris, P. lepturoides, P. areatus, and P. ochripennis; and the group including P. atromaculatus-P. aurigans, P. balteatus, P. tellini, P. macilentus-P. nitidicollis, P. diola - P. maurus. The geographical distribution of the species shows an African - Indopacific generalized track, with an Indian Ocean baseline. The group is hypothesized to be of tropical Gondwanan origin, with subsequent spread into the Palearctic.

Description of Some Immature Stages of Largus rufipennis Laporte (Heteroptera: Largidae)

Instars II-V of Largus rufipennis Laporte (Heteroptera: Largidae) are described and illustrated, based on specimens from Corrientes, Argentina.

Revision of the genus Melanolestes StÅl (Heteroptera: Reduviidae, Peiratinae)

Melanolestes is a Nearctic and Neotropical genus of predatory reduviid bugs. It is revised and a diagnosis is given. The species up to date includes: M. argentinus Berg, M. degener Walker, M. morio Erichson, M picicornis StAl, M. picinus StAl and M. picipes (Herrich-Schaeffer) and all are redescribed. Three new species, M. goiasensis, M. lugens and M. minutus, are described. A key is presented and the main taxonomic characters (head, pronotum, scutellum, male and female genitalia) are illustrated. Distribution maps and a table with measurements and ratios are included.

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.

On the enigmatic Heterostomus curvipalpis Bigot, 1857, with a description of the pupa (Diptera, Brachycera)

The previously unknown pupa of Heterostomus curvipalpis Bigot is described. The morphology of the pupa of Heterostomus is compared with the pupae of Xylophagomorpha, Tabanomorpha and Stratiomyomorpha families, based on five characters, and its phylogenetic position is discussed. Currently placed in Xylophagidae, we conclude that the pupa of Heterostomus shares most characters with the pupae of Pelecorhynchidae.

Synopsis of Acanthocerini (Hemiptera, Coreidae) from Argentina.

Abstract Eight genera and 13 species of the tribe Acanthocerini are recorded in Argentina, i.e., Athaumastus haematicus (Stål), Athaumastus macer Brailovsky, Athaumastus subcarinatus (Stål), Athaumastus subterlineatus Bergroth, Beutelspacoris sanchezi Brailovsky, Beutelspacoris dilatata Casini, Camptischium clavipes (Fabricius), Crinocerus sanctus (Fabricius), Dersagrena flaviventris (Berg), Dersagrena lacerdae (Signoret), Dersagrena subfoveolata (Berg), Thlastocoris hernandezi Brailovsky and Zoreva dentipes Fabricius. Redescriptions are given for Athaumastus haematicus, Athaumastus subcarinatus and Dersagrena flaviventris with photographs of male and female genitalia of Dersagrena subfoveolata. Zoreva recorded from Argentina the first time. New locality records are given for Buenos Aires, Chaco, Formosa, Misiones, and Tucumán.

Revision of genus Repipta Stål 1859 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) with new species and distribution data

A revision was made of Repipta Stål, mostly a Neotropical genus with some species in the Neotropics and the Nearctic. Thirteen known species are redescribed: R. annulipes Barber, R. antica Stål, R. coccinea (Herrich-Schaeffer), R. flavicans (Amyot & Serville), R. fuscospinosa Stål, R. fuscipes Stål, R. lepidula Stål, R. mucosa Champion, R. nigronotata Stål, R. obscuripes Stål, R. sexdens (Fabricius), R. spinosa (Fabricius), and R. taurus (Fabricius). Twelve new species are described and illustrated, including data on male and female genitalia, new distributional records, and key to the species.