Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus (Spinola)

Ferreira, Paulo Sergio Fiuza & Henry, Thomas J., 2011, Synopsis and keys to the tribes, genera, and species of Miridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Minas Gerais, Brazil Part I: Bryocorinae, Zootaxa 2920, pp. 1-41 : 11

Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus (Spinola)

(Fig. 14)

Phytocoris cucurbitaceus Spinola, 1852: 196 (orig. descrip.).

Dicyphus cucurbitaceus: Carvalho and Drake, 1943: 294 (n. comb.); Kelton, 1980: 387 (note, clarification). Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus: Cassis, 1984: 153 (n. comb.); Schuh, 1995: 506 (cat.).

Diagnosis. General color pale green. Head black; spot on vertex yellowish green. First antennal segment brown to black, segment II black with apex pale; III pale to brown; IV pale yellow. Pronotum black, wedge-shaped area at middle yellow; collar white. Scutellum black, with basal angles yellow. Hemelytra pale opaque green, apical half of clavus, adjacent corium, and inner apex of corium red; apex of corium with black spot; cuneus yellow, inner margin red and apex black. Length 3.5–3.70 mm.

Host. Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. [ Solanaceae ] ( Ferreira et al., 2001).

Distribution. The identity of this species has long been confused. Kelton (1980) showed that North American records of this species are based on misidentifications; thus, restricting the distribution to the Neotropical Region. Non-North American records include Argentina, Brazil (Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo), Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico ( Carvalho, 1958); Colombia and Ecuador ( Carvalho and Afonso, 1977).

Minas Gerais specimens examined. 1Ψ, Viçosa, 17 Mar. 1982, P. S. Fiuza Ferreira ( UFVB); 2 ɗɗ, 1 Ψ, Lagoa Santa, 10 Oct. 1956, J. Becker ( UFVB).