''Oxycarenus hyalinipennis'', common name cotton seed bug, is a species of

plant bug The Miridae are a large and diverse insect family at one time known by the taxonomic synonym Capsidae. Species in the family may be referred to as capsid bugs or "mirid bugs". Common names include plant bugs, leaf bugs, and grass bugs. It is the ...

belonging to the family

Lygaeidae The Lygaeidae are a family in the Hemiptera (true bugs), with more than 110 genera in four subfamilies. The family is commonly referred to as seed bugs, and less commonly, milkweed bugs, or ground bugs. However, while many of the species feed on ...

, subfamily Oxycareninae.Samy, O. 1969. A revision of the African species of Oxycarenus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 121(4): 79 – 165
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Distribution

This widespread species can be found in Southern

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(

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, former

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

and

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), in the Afrotropical realm, in the

Neotropical realm The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In biogeo ...

, and in the Oriental realm. While historically it has been documented as an important pest of

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

in the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

region and in coastal

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

,Adu-Mensah, K and Kumar, R. 1977. Ecology of Oxycarenus species (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) in southern Ghana. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 9(4): 349 – 377. it is an invasive species whose range has expanded over the last three decades to include islands of the Caribbean region.

Description

''Oxycarenus hyalinipennis'' can reach a length of about 3.8 mm in males, of 4.3 mm in females. Therefore, males are slightly smaller than females. Body of these bugs is black with translucent wings. Head is black, with brownish-black antennae. The second antennal segment usually is partially pale yellow. Pronotum is blackish-brown. Corium is usually yellowish-whitish and hyaline. Femora are black, while tibiae are brown with a yellow-white band. Nymphs have pink to red abdomen.

Biology

This species may have three to four generations per year. Females of these bugs lay about twenty eggs. This species goes through five nymphal stages. A generation lasts about twenty days. It is a polyphagous insect, and it has been documented as a prominent pest upon the following genera within family

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...

: '' Abutilon'', ''

Cola Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imi ...

'', '' Eriodendron'', ''

Gossypium ''Gossypium'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Gossypieae of the mallow family, Malvaceae, from which cotton is harvested. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Old and New Worlds. There are about 50 ''Gossypium ...

'', ''

Malva ''Malva'' is a genus of herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plants in the family Malvaceae. It is one of several closely related genera in the family to bear the common English name mallow. The genus is widespread throughout the temper ...

'', ''

Sphaeralcea ''Sphaeralcea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae). There are about 40-60 species, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from South America. ...

'', ''

Hibiscus ''Hibiscus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species ...

'', '' Pavonia'', '' Sida'', ''

Dombeya ''Dombeya'' is a flowering plant genus. Traditionally included in the family Sterculiaceae, it is included in the expanded Malvaceae in the APG and most subsequent systematics. These plants are known by a number of vernacular names which sometim ...

'', ''

Sterculia ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' and ''

Triumfetta ''Triumfetta'' is a genus of plants in the family Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, ...

''. Of these, ''Gossypium'' appears to be the preferred host,Kirkpatrick, TW. 1923. The Egyptian cotton seed bug ''Oxycarenus hyalinipennis'' (Costa). Its Bionomics, damage and suggestions for remedial measures. Bulletin, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt, Technical and Scientific Service. 35: 107 pp. but significant pest presence on

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

has also been reported.

References

External links

Additional images
{{Taxonbar, from=Q16987049 Agricultural pest insects Lygaeidae Hemiptera of Africa