Plataspidae

Plataspidae ( emended by some later authors as "Plataspididae", in violation of ICZN Code Article 29.5) are a family of shield bugs native to the Old World. They are a family of hemipteran insects (true bugs) of the suborder Heteroptera (typical bugs).

Genera

* '' Aphanopneuma''
* '' Arefbea''
* '' Bozius''
* ''Brachyplatys''
* '' Calacta''
* '' Cantharodes''
* ''Capuronia''
* '' Catabrachyplatys''
* '' Caternaultiella''
* '' Ceratocoris''
* '' Chinacoris''
* '' Chinanops''
* '' Codronchus''
* ''Coptosoma''
* '' Coptosomoides''
* '' Cratoplatys''
* ''Cronion''
* '' Elapheozygum''
* '' Emparka''
* '' Erythrosomaspis''
* '' Fieberisca''
* '' Glarocoris''
* '' Handlirschiella''
* '' Hemitrochostoma''
* '' Heterocrates''
* '' Isoplatys''
* '' Kuhlgatzia''
* '' Libyaspis''
* '' Livingstonisca''
* '' Madegaschia''
* '' Megacopta''
* '' Merinjakia''
* '' Montandoneus''
* '' Montandonistella''
* '' Neobozius''
* '' Neocratoplatys''
* '' Neotiarocoris''
* '' Niamia''
* '' Oncylaspis''
* '' Oscula''
* '' Paracopta''
* '' Pelioderma''
* '' Phyllomegacopta''
* '' Ponsila''
* '' Ponsilasia''
* '' Probaenops''
* '' Pseudoponsila''
* '' Psocotoma''
* '' Schizometopus''
* '' Scleropelta''
* '' Severiniella''
* '' Spathocrates''
* '' Tarichea''
* '' Tetrisia''
* '' Teuthocoris''
* '' Thyreoprana''
* '' Tiarocoris''
* '' Tropidotylus''
* '' Vetora''
* '' Vigetus''

Biology

These bugs are phytophagous, polyphagous or oligophagous, mainly associated with the ''Fabaceae'', but can also feed on plants of other families. Some may feed on fungi.

They harbor microorganisms in their digestive tract, specific to each host species, living in symbiosis with it.

They are gregarious and can be found in large groups.

Social behaviors have been observed in ''Libyaspis'' : the adults, well protected by their pronotum and their scutellum covering the entire abdomen, group together at the base of the branches in which the larvae develop, thus preventing the access of predatory ladybug larvae.

Little is known about their biology.

Gallery

File:Coptosoma scutellatum.jpg, '' Coptosoma scutellatum'' in Europe
File:Megacopta punctatissima.png, ''Megacopta punctatissima'' in Asia
File:Coptosoma scutellatum 1.png, '' Coptosoma scutellatum''
File:Coptosoma scutellatum in Lithuania.jpg, '' Coptosoma scutellatum'' in Lithuania
File:Plataspididae - Brachyplatys punctipes.jpg, ''Brachyplatys punctipes''
File:Coptosoma xanthogramma.jpg, '' Coptosoma xanthogramma''
File:Kudzu Bug - Megacopta cribraria, Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Santee, North Carolina.jpg, ''Megacopta cribraria'' in Carolina
File:Libyaspis sp, bokant, Skeerpoort.jpg, '' Libyaspis'' sp. in Africa
File:Many Megacopta punctatissimum congregating on the grass - 3.jpg, ''Megacopta punctatissimum'' in Japan
File:CoptosomaXanthoHawaii.jpg, '' Coptosoma xanthogramma'' in Hawaii

Distribution

This family is of Old World origin only, found primarily in tropical and subtropical areas. Some species of ''Coptosoma'' are found in temperate areas. A few species have, however, been introduced to the American continent and some Pacific islands (such as Hawaii).

Only one genus occurs in Europe, ''Coptosoma,'' with only one widely distributed species, ''Coptosoma scutellatum'' and three Mediterranean species: ''C. sandahli'' in Sicily, ''C. costale'' in Cyprus, and ''C. mucronatum'' in the Balkans.

Species introduced to other areas

'' Coptosoma xanthogramma'' was introduced to Hawaii in 1965.

Two species were introduced to the New World: ''Megacopta cribraria'', introduced in 2009 to Georgia (United States), and '' Brachyplatys aeneus'', introduced to Central America and Florida. '' M. cribraria'' quickly spread to other states in the American South, where it has become a pest of soybeans.Bean Plataspid
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References

Shield bugs
Heteroptera families
Articles containing video clips

{{Heteroptera-stub