''Probergrothius angolensis'', sometimes known as the Welwitschia bug, is a species of

true bug Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from to around ...

found in the

Namib desert The Namib ( ; pt, Namibe) is a coastal desert in Southern Africa. The name is of Khoekhoegowab origin and means "vast place". According to the broadest definition, the Namib stretches for more than along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namib ...

and nearby regions.

Relationship with ''Welwitschia''

Probergrothius angolensis on Welwitschia 1

They are best known for their association with the unusual plant ''

Welwitschia mirabilis ''Welwitschia'' is a monotypic gymnosperm genus, comprising solely the distinctive ''Welwitschia mirabilis'', endemic to the Namib desert within Namibia and Angola. ''Welwitschia'' is the only living genus of the family Welwitschiaceae and ord ...

'', also endemic to the area, but it is in doubt whether they actually serve a role in pollination or only drink ''Welwitschia'' sap. In addition, they may spread a

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

, ''

Aspergillus niger ''Aspergillus niger'' is a mold classified within the ''Nigri'' section of the ''Aspergillus'' genus. The ''Aspergillus'' genus consists of common molds found throughout the environment within soil and water, on vegetation, in fecal matter, on de ...

'', 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. ''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

External links

Encyclopedia of Life entry

iNaturalist entry

iSpot entry
{{Taxonbar, from=Q28432037 Insects described in 1902 Pyrrhocoridae