Discocephalinae

Fieber, 1860

shield bugs

Genus Guides

1

Discocephalinae is a of shield bugs (Pentatomidae) erected by Fieber in 1860. The subfamily is predominantly distributed in the Americas, particularly the Neotropical region. It contains two tribes: Discocephalini (Fieber, 1860) and Ochlerini (Rolston, 1981), plus several unplaced . Some genera within Discocephalinae are associated with specific plants including bamboo and palms.

Lineostethus tenebricornis cropped by Gordon C. Snelling. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Lineostethus tenebricornis (10.3897-zoologia.35.e21232) Figures 19–26 by de Almeida Garbelotto T, Leite Kochenborger AP, Campos LA (2018) Revision of Lineostethus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Discocephalini). Zoologia 35: 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.35.e21232. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Lineostethus (10.3897-zoologia.35.e21232) Figures 1–8 by de Almeida Garbelotto T, Leite Kochenborger AP, Campos LA (2018) Revision of Lineostethus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Discocephalini). Zoologia 35: 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.35.e21232. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Discocephalinae: /dɪskoʊˌsɛfəˈlaɪni/

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Identification

Discocephalinae can be distinguished from other Pentatomidae by trichobothrial arrangement. Members of Ochlerini share characteristics including: rostrum arising anteriorad, with at middle base received by a notch in the metasternum, bucculae confluent posteriorly, flat pronotum, and double row of spines on the . such as Placocoris are distinguished by strongly flattened bodies and armed femora with in hind femora.

Images

Habitat

Forests of Amazonian Peru have been documented as for some Lincus on palms.

Distribution

Mostly in the Americas; Neotropical distribution documented for including Ischnopelta (Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay) and Placocoris.

Host Associations

  • bamboo - plantinferred from association with Neoadoxoplatys in Placocoris
  • palms (Palmae) - plantdocumented for Lincus spurcus and L. malevolus in Peruvian Amazonia

Similar Taxa

  • PentatominaePlacocoris was formerly placed in Pentatominae but transferred to Discocephalinae: Ochlerini based on trichobothrial arrangement and other morphological features

Sources and further reading