Mecidea

Dallas, 1851

narrow stink bugs

Mecidea is a of narrow-bodied () comprising eight described . It is the sole genus in the tribe Mecideini to the New World. Species are grass-feeding found in xeric and semiarid grasslands, with documented activity throughout the year including winter months. The genus has been studied primarily through work on M. major and M. minor in the southwestern United States.

Mecidea major P1090514a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Mecidea major P1090512a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Mecidea P1090389a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Mecidea: //mɛˈsaɪdiə//

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Identification

Mecidea are distinguished from other by their narrow, elongate body form, which contrasts with the broad, shield-shaped bodies typical of most . Within the , species are differentiated by size (M. major is notably larger than M. minor) and subtle morphological characters. Nymphal can be distinguished by body size and the presence and relative development of ; first instars are small and tend to cluster.

Images

Habitat

Xeric and semiarid grasslands; elevations of approximately 1200-1250 m in studied . Found primarily on grasses including Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana), grama grasses (Bouteloua spp.), and tobosagrass (Pleuraphis mutica).

Distribution

New World distribution ranging from Minnesota, southern Illinois, and Missouri west to Arizona and south to Mexico; recorded from Florida (possibly adventitious). The is the only member of tribe Mecideini to the Americas.

Seasonality

Year-round activity including winter months. with possibility of a partial third . collected January through November; and late (fourth and fifth) present during winter and capable of .

Diet

; grass . Documented feeding on Lehmann lovegrass, grama grasses, tobosagrass, Bermuda grass, and various other grasses. Some records of feeding on Asteraceae including Senecio and Baccharis neglecta.

Host Associations

Eragrostis lehmanniana - primary Lehmann lovegrass; primary in southern New Mexico studies
Bouteloua spp. - primary grama grasses including B. curtipendula, B. eriopoda, B. gracilis
Pleuraphis mutica - primary tobosagrass
Cynodon dactylon - Bermuda grass
Muhlenbergia porteri - bush muhly
Sporobolus flexuosus - mesa dropseed
Aristida purpurea - Wright's threeawn
Senecio - Asteraceae
Baccharis neglecta - Asteraceae

Life Cycle

Five nymphal . First instar is non-feeding and tends to cluster. laid in regular alternating double rows of 3-14 eggs (mean 9.6) on undersides of leaves, flowers, and maturing of grasses. Eggs glued to one another and substrate; yellowish when deposited, cream-colored after 1-3 days, light at maturity; visible in 4-5 days. , fourth and fifth instars overwinter. Spring and summer with summer generation reaching adulthood in fall.

Behavior

First are non-feeding and exhibit clustering . Older individuals (, fourth and fifth instars) successfully overwinter and produce younger instars found in January. Year-round activity pattern unusual among temperate .

Ecological Role

Primary consumer in grassland ; on and grasses.

Similar Taxa

Other Pentatomidae generaMecidea distinguished by narrow, elongate body form versus broad shield shape of typical
Other Mecideini generaMecidea is the only New World in tribe Mecideini; other genera in this tribe are Old World

More Details

Taxonomic notes

Eight described : M. indica, M. lindbergi, M. lutzi, M. major, M. minor, M. pallida, M. pallidissima, and M. pampeana. The is the sole New World representative of tribe Mecideini.

Life history research

Detailed studies exist for M. major and M. minor in southern New Mexico (2005-2007), providing the primary source of ecological and behavioral information for the .