Oncacontias vittatus

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Forest shield bug
Oncacontias vittatus 11.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hemiptera
Family:
Acanthosomatidae
Genus:
Species:
O. vittatus
Binomial name
Oncacontias vittatus
Fabricus

The forest shield bug (Oncacontias vittatus) is a species of shield bugs endemic to New Zealand. Forest shield bug nymphs prefer feeding on grasses, while adults will eat a variety of New Zealand plants including "hard-leaved" plants like rimu. O. vittatus was one of the first insects from New Zealand to be described by a European scientist.[1]

Dorsal view of Oncacontias vittatus
Illustration of Oncacontias vittatus
Oncacontias vittatus carved on Maori pare at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection at Landcare Research, Auckland


Taxonomy[]

Oncacontias vittatus, was first described in 1781 by Johan Christian Fabricius as Cimex vittatus.[2] In 1851, C. vittatus was moved to the Acanthosoma genus and was renamed as Acanthosoma vittatum.[3] In 1878, A. vittatum was moved to the Anubis genus and was renamed as Anubis vittatus.[4] In 1903, the species was independently described again as Oncacontias brunneipennis.[5] In 1906, Anubis vittatus was moved into the genus and O. brunneipennis was recognized as a synonym of O. vittatus.[6]

Distribution/habitat[]

Oncacontias vittatus, is widespread throughout New Zealand and can be found from lowland to alpine altitudes. Individuals can be found on a variety of habitat types such as native and exotic forest, tussock lands and on riverbanks. O. vittatus occurs throughout the year with adults present from October to January. Adults are collected in leaf litter, moss, under logs and the base of plants. They have been found on a variety of plants including Rimu, Monterey Pine, ferns and Nothofagus trees, however, the sap-sucking nymphs have a more restricted diet being found on grasses.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ "Shield bug". Landcare Research. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  2. ^ Fabricius, J. C. 1781: Species Insectorum exhibentes eorum differentias specificas, synonyma auctorum, loca natalia, metamorphosin adjectis observationibus, descriptionibus 2:1-517. Hamburgi et Kiloni: Bohn
  3. ^ Dallas, W. S. 1851: List of the specimens of hemipterous insects in the collection of the British Museum 1: 1– 368. London: Trustees of the British Museum.
  4. ^ White, F. B. 1878a–1879a: List of the Hemiptera of New Zealand. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 14 (1878)
  5. ^ Breddin, G. 1903: Ueber Missdeutete und neue HemipterenArten der indoaustralischen Fauna. 1. Der Catacanthus incarnatus der Autoren. 2. Die javanischen Acanthos-ominen und verwandte Formen. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin (5): 195–223
  6. ^ Kirkaldy, G. W. 1906c: Notes on the Hemiptera of the “Index faunae novae-zealandiae”. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 38: 61–62.
  7. ^ Larivière, M-C; Larochelle, A 2004. Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera): catalogue. 'Fauna of New Zealand 50, 330 pages.(ISSN 0111-5383 (print), ; no. 50. ISBN 0-478-09358-6 (print),). Published 14 May 2004. ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/References/A7CCCF4B-BAEA-4515-AE1A-740523FD1289


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