Home > Phylum selection > Arthropoda > Heteroptera > Cydnidae
Home How to cite this site Terms & conditions Disclaimer Contact Site tutorial / Help Links |
Cydnus aterrimus |
| Subspecies No subspecies are recognized. Original description Forster, 1771 Synonyms Cimex aterrimus Forster, 1771 Brachypelta
aterrima (Forster, 1771)
Cimex
niger spinipes De Geer, 1773 (p. 269) (unclear
synonym; see Sehirus luctuosus)Cydnus aterrimus (Forster, 1771) Cimex
nigerspinipes De Geer, 1773 (justified
emendation, see note)
Cimex
tristis Fabricius, 1775Type locality: not specified. Cimex spinipes Schrank, 1781 Cydnus carbonarius De Fourcroy, 1785 Cydnus sanguinicollis Fabricius, 1803 Cydnus brunnipennis Fabricius, 1803 Brachypelta elevata Uhler, 1860?1861? Brachypelta aterrima sareptana Jakovlev, 1875 Cydnus aterrimus orangeus Halaszfy, 1953 Cydnus aterrimus alveata Stichel, 1961 Cydnus infernalis Kiritshenko, 1966 Cydnus sobrius Fuente, 1971 Cydnus niger sinipes auct. (misspelling) Note: the Latin names in De Geer, 1773 are partially inconsistent with the modern rules of binominal nomenclature. De Geer always gives the genus name in italics followed by the species epithet in parentheses and regular print. In many species this species epithet is a single word, but in some cases the species epithet is composed of two words, as is the case in Cimex niger spinipes. In this way, however, the name looks like a trinominal name of a subspecies, although this was not intended by De Geer, because a subspecies concept was not present at that time. Thus, De Geer´s epithet niger spinipes must be emended and combined into a single species epithet: nigerspinipes. Identification Largest species of Cydnidae in Germany. Length 8 to 12 mm. Cydnus aterrimus is the only species of the genus Cydnus in Germany. Distribution North Africa, palaearctic and indo-australian region. Introduced into USA, West Indies, South Africa. The species is widespread in Europe, but is not found in the north. It does not occur in the UK, but is recorded from the Channel Islands. Biology Habitat are dry and warm, often sandy or calcareous areas where the host plants of the genus Euphorbia occur. The animals usually live several centimeters below ground and feed on the roots of the host plant. However, older larvae and imagines can also be found above ground on the host plants, where they either hide under the lower leaves or feed on seeds and ovules, and copulating pairs can also be found on the flowers. The eggs (approx. 30 to 65 eggs per clutch) are deposited in the ground near the host plants and are guarded by the mother. The mothers engange in this form of brood care until the offspring have reached the second instar. The larvae take up special excretions from the anus of the mother that provide them with endosymbiotic bacteria. Cydnus aterrimus overwinters as imago digged into the ground. Overwintering adults occur from April, the next generation imagines are found from Juli. |
| This page has
been updated on January 27, 2013 This site is online since May 31, 2005 Copyright © by Nikola-Michael Prpic-Schäper. All rights reserved. |
< Previous | Next > Subspecies Original description Synonyms Identification Distribution Biology References  |