Probergrothius angolensis

Probergrothius angolensis, sometimes known as the Welwitschia bug, is a species of true bug found in the Namib desert and nearby regions.

Welwitschia bug
Adult on Welwitschia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Pyrrhocoridae
Genus: Probergrothius
Species:
P. angolensis
Binomial name
Probergrothius angolensis
(Distant, 1902)[1]
Synonyms

Odontopus angolensis[2]

Relationship with Welwitschia
Probergrothius angolensis on Welwitschia mirabilis

They are best known for their association with the unusual plant Welwitschia mirabilis, also endemic to the area, but it is in doubt whether they actually serve a role in pollination or only drink Welwitschia sap.[3] In addition, they may spread a fungus, Aspergillus niger, in the process, which is harmful to developing seeds.

Comparison with Probergrothius sexpunctatus

The species has been recognized under a misattributed name, Probergrothius sexpunctatus, for several decades, but P. sexpunctatus is a separate species that occurs farther to the north.[4] P. angolensis is yellowish with four black markings on its wings, while P. sexpunctatus is more reddish, and the anterior spots are separate, so the wings have six black markings.

References
  1. UniProt entry
  2. "Probergrothius angolensis". NCBI.
  3. Wetschnig, W.; Depisch, B. (1999). "Pollination biology of Welwitschia mirabilis HOOK. f.(Welwitschiaceae, Gnetopsida)" (PDF). Phyton-Horn. 39: 167–184.
  4. Sudakaran, Sailendharan; Retz, Franziska; Kikuchi, Yoshitomo; Kost, Christian; Kaltenpoth, Martin (2015). "Evolutionary transition in symbiotic syndromes enabled diversification of phytophagous insects on an imbalanced diet". The ISME Journal. 9 (12): 2587–2604. doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.75. PMC 4817627. PMID 26023876.
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