Chilocoris
Mayr, 1865
burrower bugs
Species Guides
1Chilocoris is a of burrower bugs ( Cydnidae) in the order Hemiptera. The genus has an Afrotropical distribution, with recorded in South Africa, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau. Some species exhibit trogloxenic , occurring in caves but not restricted to them. At least one species, Chilocoris capensis, has been collected in association with fallen figs of Ficus sur.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Chilocoris: /ˌkiloʊˈkɔːrɪs/
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Habitat
Soil and leaf litter environments; some show trogloxenic associations with caves. Chilocoris capensis has been collected from fallen ripe figs of Ficus sur.
Distribution
Afrotropical region: Republic of South Africa, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau.
Diet
Seed feeding has been inferred for Chilocoris capensis based on collection from fig fruits; specific dietary habits for other are not documented.
Host Associations
- Ficus sur - Collection site for Chilocoris capensisFallen ripe figs
Behavior
Trogloxenic habits have been documented for Chilocoris laevicollis and Ch. umbricola, indicating cave-associated without obligate cave-dwelling.
More Details
Taxonomic note
Chilocoris capensis represents the first of the recorded in the Republic of South Africa.
Research gaps
Biological data for most Afrotropical Chilocoris remain poorly documented; much of the known information derives from limited collection records.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Chilocoris capensis n. sp., the first species of the genus Chilocoris Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) recorded in the Republic of South Africa with an annotated checklist of South African burrower bugs
- Chilocoris laevicollis Horváth, 1919, and Ch. umbricola Linnavuori, 1993—two trogloxenic burrower bugs recorded for the first time in Gabon (Central Africa)