Thursday, July 7, 2016

A new plant bug: Psallops niedzwiedzkii

Image from original publication
With about 10000 species the family Miridae is the largest of the true bugs. There is a number of common names for members of this group, such as capsid bugs, mirid bugs, plant bugs, leaf bugs, or grass bugs. A good number of widely known species are notorious agricultural pests that pierce plant tissues, feed on the sap, and sometimes transmit viral plant diseases. Other species however, are predatory.

Today's new species was found in a forest in Ghana and named in honour of a friend of the authors.

For the experts: A new species from Ghana, Psallops niedzwiedzkii Herczek & Popov, sp. n. is described. The dorsal habitus, head and male genitalia are presented and some morphological features are discussed. A key, short descriptions and map of the distribution of the African species of the genus are also provided.

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