Pameridea (Hemiptera: Miridae): Predaceous bugs specific to the highly viscid plant genus Roridula

Abstract

Abstract. The South African genus Pameridea and its two species are redescribed. The tribe Pamerideini, founded for this genus only, is removed from synonymy with Mirini (subfamily Mirinae) and transferred to Dicyphini (subfamily Bryocorinae), falling as a synonym of the subtribe Dicyphina. The bugs live only on intensely viscid small shrubs of the genus Roridula. This plant genus is the only member of its family but the bug genus is closely related to two widespread tropical dicyphine genera.

An insect trap as habitat: cohesion-failure mechanism prevents adhesion ofPameridea roridulaebugs to the sticky surface of the plantRoridula gorgonias

“…However, mirid bugs of the genus Pameridea (Heteroptera, Miridae, Bryocorinae, Dicyphini) are obligately associated with Roridula plants (Reuter, 1907;Dolling and Palmer, 1991;Picker et al, 2004) in a form of digestive and pollinating mutualism (Ellis and Midgley, 1996;Reiner, 2003;Anderson, 2005;Anderson, 2006;Anderson and Midgley, 2002;Anderson and Midgley, 2007;. They live omnivorously and walk confidently and quickly on the sticky plant surface without becoming entangled and without hindrance.…”

“…Similar relationships between mirid bugs and carnivorous plants are known from representatives of the genera Byblis and Drosera in Australia (Schuh, 1995). Moreover, mirid bugs from the subfamilies Orthotylinae and Bryocorinae seem to be specialized for living on glandular hairy plants (Reuter, 1913;Dolling and Palmer, 1991;Falkingham, 1995;Schuh, 1995;Wheeler, 2001;Sugiura and Yamazaki, 2006). For example, the mirid species Dicyphus errans Wolff (Bryocorinae, Dicyphini) avoids contact with sticky glandular secretions by means of morphological (slim body, long and slender legs, elongated curved claws) and behavioral (mode of locomotion, grooming) adaptations to hairy plant substrates (Southwood, 1986;Voigt et al, 2006a;Voigt et al, 2007).…”

Locomotion in a sticky terrain

“…(Roridulaceae;Reuter 1907;Dolling and Palmer 1991;Ellis and Midgley 1996;Anderson and Midgley 2002;Anderson 2006). The host plant is densely covered with glandular trichomes of three different types (short, middle-sized, and long tentacle-shaped ones ;Fenner 1904;Bruce 1907;Voigt et al 2009).…”

“…Schuh 1995). These bug species are representatives of the mirid bug subfamilies Orthotylinae and Bryocorinae, which are known to be specialised in living on glandular hairy plants (Reuter 1913;Kullenberg 1946;Falkingham 1995;Dolling and Palmer 1991;Wheeler 2001;Sugiura and Yamazaki 2006;Voigt et al 2007). Such mirid bugs have been reported to bear elongated, curved, sharp claws and free, rather large pseudopulvilli (Reuter 1913;Wagner 1955).…”

“…Are they specialised for the surface of R. gorgonias? Previously, pretarsal structures in the genus Pameridea have been described to be similar to those of the genus Dicyphus, bearing short, curved claws, triangular pseudopulvilli and a straight, bristle-like parempodia (Dolling and Palmer 1991). However, up to now, no illustrations of these structures are available in the literature.…”