Agonoscelis

Agonoscelis is a genus of stink bugs that are native to the Afrotropics and Australia, but one species is established in the New World. Some species are minor[1] or considerable pests.[2]

Agonoscelis
A. erosa in South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Pentatomidae
Tribe: Agonoscelidini
Genus: Agonoscelis
Spinola, 1837

They have five nymphal stages, and are 8 to 12 mm long as adults. They attack (or control) weeds and herbs including horehound, thyme, flax and cotton, or the developing seeds of sunflowers or cereals like millet or sorghum.[3] They may swarm on a variety of other shrubs and trees, including coffee and cacao.[2] The scent gland is located at the end of the abdomen.

Species

There are some 19 to 22 species, which include:[4][5]

  • Agonoscelis erosa (Westwood, 1837)
    • A. e. atropurpurea Schumacher, 1913
  • Agonoscelis femoralis Walker, 1868
  • Agonoscelis nubila F. – Flower head bug
  • Agonoscelis puberula Stål, 1853 – African cluster bug (established in New World)
  • Agonoscelis pubescens (Thunb.) – Andat bug, Sudan dura bug, Pentatomid sorghum bug, African cluster bug, syn. A. versicolor (Fabricius, 1794)
  • Agonoscelis rutila (Fabricius, 1775) – Horehound bug
  • Agonoscelis versicoloratus (Turton) – Sunflower seed bug
  • A. rutila
  • A. versicoloratus

References
  1. Weaving, Alan; et al. (2004). Field guide to insects of South Africa (New ed., updated ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.
  2. "Agonoscelis puberula". tsusinvasives.org. Texas Invasive Species Institute. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. Slater, Randall T. Schuh, James A. (1996). True bugs of the world (Hemiptera:Heteroptera): classification and natural history (2. printing. ed.). Ithaca [u.a.]: Comstock. p. 35. ISBN 0801420660.
  4. "Agonoscelis Spinola, 1837". biolib.cz. Biolib. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  5. compiled; SA, edited by Derwent Publications Ltd with the assistance of CIBA-GEIGY (1990). Thesaurus of agricultural organisms: pests, weeds and diseases (1st ed.). London: Chapman and Hall. p. 26. ISBN 0412372908.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)


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