Subspecies
No subspecies are recognized, but the very similar
species Horvathiolus guttatus (that has not been
recorded in Germany so far) might in fact be only
a subspecies of the present species.
Original
description
Synonyms
Cimex superbus Pollich, 1781
Lygaeus superbus (Pollich,
1781)
Lygaeus superbus superbus
(Pollich, 1781)
Melanocoryphus superbus (Pollich,
1781)
Melanocoryphus superbus superbus
(Pollich, 1781)
Spilostethus superbus (Pollich,
1781)
Spilostethus superbus superbus
(Pollich, 1781)
Horvathiolus
superbus (Pollich, 1781)
Cimex
punctatoguttatus Fabricius, 1781
Cimex discolor Gmelin, 1790
Lygaeus schummelii Schilling, 1829
Lygaeus superbus melanogaster Horvath, 1899
Lygaeus melanogaster
(Horvath, 1899)
Melanocoryphus
confluens Horvath, 1916
Melanocoryphus sanctus Horvath, 1916
Melanocoryphus
superbus kolenatii Horvath, 1916
Melanocoryphus
superbus erythropus Horvath, 1916
Spilostethus superbus conjunctus Mancini, 1952
Melanocoryphus superbus beieri Wagner, 1956
(unclear synonym)
Melanocoryphus superbus romana Stichel, 1957
Identification
Size: 4-5.5 mm.
Distribution
This species occurs in southern Europe and in Asia
(to China in the east). In Germany this species is
very rare and restricted to a few locations in
Rheinland-Pfalz and Hessen. At these few
locations, however, the species can be quite
frequent in some years.
Biology
The imagines
overwinter in the shelter of plant cushions or
leaf rosettes (e.g. foxglove (Digitalis), thyme
(Thymus), swallowwort (Vincetoxicum), or
stonecrop (Sedum)) and can be found from May.
The larvae feed on the seeds of swallowwort and
foxglove, whereas the imagines have a broader
foodplant spectrum. Next generation imagines can
be found from August or September.
This species is very thermophilic. In Germany it
is mainly found in vineyards or similar hot and
dry habitats.
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