Capsus
Fabricius, 1803
Species Guides
2- Capsus ater(black plant bug)
- Capsus cinctus
Capsus is a of plant bugs in the Miridae, Mirinae, established by Fabricius in 1803. The genus contains approximately 22 extant distributed across the Palearctic region, with records from Europe, Asia, and North America. Two extinct species are known from fossil deposits. Capsus has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with numerous species historically assigned to this genus now reclassified to other mirid genera.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Capsus: //ˈkæp.səs//
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Images
Distribution
Palearctic region, with records from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Korean Peninsula, Vermont (USA), and other parts of North America and Europe.
Similar Taxa
- CalocorisFormer Capsus (e.g., C. affinis) reclassified to this based on revised morphological criteria.
- AdelphocorisFormer Capsus including C. lineolatus and C. brevicollis moved to this ; historically confused due to similar body form.
- PlagiognathusC. flavipes reclassified here; both share general mirine that led to historical misassignment.
- CyrtorhinusC. caricis and C. elegantulus reclassified to this ; separation based on antennal and genitalic characters.
More Details
Taxonomic Instability
Capsus has been one of the most taxonomically unstable in Miridae, with over 30 reclassified to other genera including Calocoris, Adelphocoris, Plagiognathus, Cyrtorhinus, and numerous others. This reflects historical difficulties in defining genus-level boundaries within Mirinae.
Fossil Record
Two extinct are known: Capsus lacus and Capsus obsolefactus, both described by Scudder in 1890. These represent rare fossil occurrences within the .
Recent Descriptions
Capsus palustris was described by Kulik in 1977, indicating ongoing discovery within the .