Comparative description of the immature stages of two very similar leaf footed bugs, Holymenia clavigera (Herbst) and Anisoscelis foliacea marginella (Dallas) (Hemiptera, Coreidae, Anisoscelini)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Comparative description of the immature stages of two very similar leaf footed bugs, Holymenia clavigera (Herbst) and Anisoscelis foliacea marginella (Dallas) (Hemiptera, Coreidae, Anisoscelini). Holymenia clavigera (Herbst, 1784) and Anisoscelis foliacea marginella (Dallas, 1852) (Hemiptera, Coreidae) present a remarkable similarity regarding egg and nymphal morphology. On the contrary, their adult stages are remarkably different. This study describes and compares the immature stages of these two coreid species. Excepting for the last instar and the shape of the hind tibia from third to last instar, nymphs of both species were identical in their gross morphologies and ultrastructures. However, H. clavigera was significantly larger than A. foliacea marginella in all stages. Thus, we suggest that these species may have evolved through evolutionary convergence, parsimony between the immature stages after speciation, Müllerian mimicry or genetic drift. KEYWORDS.Anisoscelini; coreids; immature stages; instar identification; passion vines. RESUMO.Descrição comparada dos estágios imaturos de dois coreídeos, Holymenia clavigera (Herbst) e Anisoscelis foliacea marginella (Dallas) (Hemiptera, Coreidae, Anisoscelini). Holymenia clavigera (Herbst, 1784) e Anisoscelis foliacea marginella (Dallas, 1852) (Hemiptera, Coreidae) apresentam uma acentuada semelhança morfológica nos estágios de ovo e ninfa. Entrementes, os adultos são marcadamente distintos. Este estudo descreve e compara os estágios imaturos destas espécies. Excetuando-se a largura da tíbia do terceiro ao quinto instar ninfal, bem como o aspecto e coloração geral das ninfas de quinto ínstars, as ninfas de ambas as espécies foram idênticas em suas morfologias e ultraestruturas. Contudo, H. clavigera foi significativamente maior que A. foliacea marginella em todos os estágios. Desta forma, os imaturos de tais espécies podem ter evoluído através de convergência evolutiva, parcimônia das referidas fases após especiação, mimetismo mileriano ou deriva genética. PALAVRAS-CHAVE.Anisoscelini; coreídeos; estágios imaturos; identificação de ínstares; maracujás.When compared to other insect orders as Lepidoptera or Coleoptera, hemipterans are not well studied in their physiology, ecology and evolution. However, many phytophagous species were described regarding their immature stages. Several of their host plants, in turn, are cultivated for economic purposes (see Schaefer & Panizzi 2000).The immature stages of some Coreidae (Heteroptera, Pentatomomorpha) have been described, including nearctic species such as Euthochtha galeator (Fabricius, 1803) (Fernandes & Grazia 1992), and Corecoris (=Spartocera) dentiventris Berg, 1884 (Caldas et al. 1998). Some african coreids had their immatures also briefly described (see Goodchild 1977). Most of these species are considered important from an economic point of view.Holymenia clavigera (Herbst, 1784) and Anisocelis foliacea marginella (Dallas, 1852) are distributed in southern Brazil and belong to the poorly studied tribe...

Ontogenetic trajectories and hind tibia geometric morphometrics of Holymenia clavigera (Herbst) and Anisoscelis foliacea marginella (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

“…Due to the larger size of H. clavigera for several parameters such as egg volume, egg height (Rodrigues & Moreira 2005), rostrum length and body length (this study) when compared to A. foliacea marginella, size probably is under stronger selection than general morphology (i.e., appearance and coloration; see Rodrigues & Moreira 2005). In turn, morphological similarity may be an important factor that maintains the coexistence and the common use of host plants and tissues.…”

“…Although adults are extremely different morphologically, eggs and early instar nymphs of these two coreids are identical in their gross morphologies and ultrastructures (Rodrigues & Moreira 2005). Excepting the fifth instar, nymphs are very similar.…”

Leaf-Footed Bugs (Coreidae)

“…; fl ower buds and fruits of cultivated passion fruit damaged by feeding may wither or drop from the vine (Polaszek and Kolberg 2008 ). Anisoscelis foliaceus (F.) has been the most extensively studied, particularly in southern Brazil where it overlaps and shares host plants with Holhymenia clavigera Herbst (Rodrigues and Moreira 2005 ). Eggs are ovoid, golden initially but later turning brown; nymphs are green in the early instars, darkening to ochre in the fi fth instar.…”

“…The expansion of the hind tibia becomes visible in third instars and continues to enlarge during development. Eggs and juveniles of both species were described and compared (Rodrigues and Moreira 2005 ) and were found to be remarkably similar through the fourth instar except in size and tibial foliation; H. clavigera are larger and lack the broad, leafl ike expansions characteristic of Anisoscelini. Rearing experiments showed the wild host, P. suberosa , to be optimal for growth and development compared with cultivated passion fruit, P. edulis .…”

“…Adults preferred green fruits over purple fruits (Rodrigues et al 2007a(Rodrigues et al , 2008. The egg and immatures of H. clavigera were described in detail by Rodrigues and Moreira ( 2005 ) and closely resemble those of A. foliaceus until the fi fth instar, when the foliated antennal segments of H. clavigera develop a brown margin and the legs are strikingly banded. Two platygastrid parasitoids have been reared from eggs of H. rubiginosus Breddin: G. chrysolaum and G. vitripenne (Polaszek and Kolberg 2008 ).…”