Abstract

Instars IIV of Largus rupennis Laporte (Heteroptera:

Largidae) are described and illustrated, based on specimens
from Corrientes, Argentina.
Keywords: Heteroptera, Largidae, Largus rupennis, imma-
ture stages, Argentina.
Introduction
The Largidae are represented in all major zoogeographic
regions, but are most diverse in the tropics and subtropics
(Schuh & Slater, 1995). Froeschner (1988) provided a key to
separate the seven genera that occur in South America. In
Argentina, three genera are known: Acinocoris Hahn, Largus
Hahn, and Stenomacra Stl. The genus Largus occurs from
the United States to Argentina. Stl (1870) mentioned the
species known from South America. The four species L.
fasciatus (Blanchard), L. humilis (Drury), L. priscillae
Hussey and L. rupennis Laporte have been recorded from
Argentina (Hussey, 1929).
The few species of Largidae for which data are available,
feed on seeds and plant juices of several dicotyledonous
families (Ahmad & Schaefer, 1987). Myers (1927) also men-
tions that they may be predacious on embiids. Henry (1988)
noted that members of the Larginae are usually found up
plants, in contrast to the antlike Arhaphinae that frequent
sandy or gravelly soil littered with dried plant debris. Little
is known about the biology of most species in this group
(Yonke, 1991). Booth (1990), in studying the life history and
illustrating the ve instars of L. californicus (Van Duzee),
noted that two generations per year occurred in California
and that more than 45 host plants have been listed for this
species in North America. Nothing is known about the imma-
ture stages of L. rupennis.
In this paper, we describe and illustrate all the immature
stages of L. rupennis except the egg and rst instar. The
material used in this study was collected in Galarza (2806S,
5639W), Corrientes, Argentina on Lantana entrerriensis
Tronc (Verbenaceae) near ground level. Voucher specimens
are preserved in 75% ethanol and deposited in the collection
of the Museo de La Plata. All measurements are in millime-
ters. Illustrations were made with a drawing tube and Wild
M-5 stereomicroscope.
Results
Descriptions of immature stages
Instar II (Fig. 1): length 3.333.43 (mean = 3.38; n = 6).
Head: length 0.63 (mean = 0.63), width 1.051.07 (mean =
1.06); subtriangular, dark brown, almost black; setae whitish,
short, sparse, erect dorsally; setae whitish, short, sparse,
decumbent ventrally; clypeus surpassing juga; eyes promi-
nent, rounded; dorsal eye width 0.17 (mean = 0.17), inter-
ocular width 0.720.73 (mean = 0.73). Head sulcus Y-shaped.
Rostrum: brown, almost glabrous, slightly surpassing meso-
coxae, length 1.171.20 (mean = 1.18), ratio of segment
lengths about 1: 1.32: 1.12: 1.20. Antenna: elongate, brown,
paler at articulations; setae brown, short, erect, thicker on
segments IIII; length 1.931.95 (mean = 1.94), ratio of
segment length about 1: 0.82: 0.62: 1.4. Thorax: dark brown;
glabrous dorsally; setae whitish, short, abundant, decumbent
Description of Some Immature Stages of Largus rupennis
Laporte (Heteroptera: Largidae)
Mara del Carmen Coscarn, Pablo M. Dellap and Auria P. Martnez
Divisin Entomologa, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Received: 25 August 2003
Accepted: 10 February 2004
Correspondence: M.C.Coscarn, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Divisin Entomologa, Paseo
del Bosque, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; E-mail: coscaron@netverk.com.ar
Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment
2004, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 123125
DOI: 10.1080/01650520412331333774 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd.
124 M.C. Coscarn et al.
ventrally. Pronotum longer than combined lengths of meso-
and metanota, mesonotum longer than metanotum, wing
pads not apparent on metanotum; pronotum dark brown,
paler brown along pleuron; length 0.620.72 (mean = 0.67),
basal width 1.171.25 (mean = 1.21).
Abdomen: length 2.00 (mean = 2.00), maximum width
1.22 (mean = 1.22); rounded dark brown, with a narrow pale
brown band laterally and a reddish horseshoe-shaped pattern
ventrally; glabrous dorsally; setae whitish, short, abundant,
decumbent ventrally; dorsal abdominal scent gland openings
present between tergites 3 and 4, 4 and 5, and 5 and 6 as for
all instars. Trichobothrial pattern: Sternite 3 with three tri-
chobothria in a diagonal row, one anterior to spiracle level,
and two posteriorly; sternite 4 with three trichobothria in a
triangle anterior to spiracle level; sternite 5 with three tri-
chobothria, two anterior to the spiracle and one almost on
level with spiracle; sternite 6 with three trichobothria, one
prespiracular and two postspiracular, and sternite 7 with two
trichobothria postspiracular. This pattern is mantained in all
the immature stages studied and in the adult. Ventral surface
dark brown.
Legs: generally, femora paler brown on distal third; setae
short, thick, abundant; tarsi two-segmented as for all instars.
Instar III (n = 1) (Fig. 2): Length 4.68. Head: Length 0.75,
width 1.42; dorsal eye width 0.25, interocular width 0.92,
length 1.78, ratio of segment lengths about 1: 1.27: 1.15: 1.
Antenna: setae dark brown, length 2.73, ratio of segment
length about 1: 0.85: 0.61: 1.42. Thorax: length 1.25, basal
width 1.85.
Abdomen: Length 3.17, maximum width 2.93; oval.
Other features are the same as for instar II.
Instar IV (Fig. 3): Length 6.336.83 (mean = 6.62; n = 8).
Head: Length 0.670.73 (mean = 0.69), width 1.671.80
(mean = 1.76); dorsal eye width 0.330.40 (mean = 0.37),
interocular width 1.001.07 (mean = 1.02). Rostrum: length
2.122.53 (mean = 2.36), ratio of segment lengths about
1: 1.08: 0.95: 0.81. Antenna: setae dark brown, length
4.104.13 (mean = 4.12), ratio of segment lengths about
1: 0.74: 0.52: 1.12. Thorax: setae whitish, erect, sparse on
anterior margin dorsally; wing pads long (mean = 1.32)
extending to middle of abdominal tergite II; pronotum
length 0.901.00 (mean = 0.97), basal width 2.332.57
(mean = 2.41).
Abdomen: length 3.994.24 (mean = 4.13), maximum
width 4.114.37 (mean = 4.22); oval.
Other features are the same as for instar II.
Instar V (Fig. 4): length 9.379.49 (mean = 9.42; n = 10).
Head: length 0.871.00 (mean = 0.93), width 2.102.20
(mean = 2.17); dorsal eye width 0.430.50 (mean = 0.47),
interocular width 1.201.40 (mean = 1.32). Rostrum:
glabrous, length 2.673.13 (mean = 2.97), ratio of
segment lengths about 1: 1.33: 1.21: 0.95. Antenna: length
5.065.60 (mean = 5.25), ratio of segment lengths about
1: 0.70: 0.54: 1.11. Thorax: setae erect, scattered dorsally.
Metanotum longer than combined lengths of pro- and
mesonota, pronotum longer than mesonotum, wing pads
long (mean = 3.15) extending to middle of abdominal tergite
III; area between wing pads pale brown, tinged with
red; pronotum dark brown, paler brown along pleuron;
length 1.501.87 (mean = 1.65), basal width 3.073.13
(mean = 3.10).
Abdomen (Fig. 5): length 5.385.70 (mean = 5.49),
maximum width 5.065.50 (mean = 5.26); oval; almost
glabrous dorsally.
Other features are the same as for instar II.
Discussion
The color pattern of L. rupennis is similar to that of L. cal-
ifornicus. In the latter, instars IIV are metallic blue-black
and instar V has a red spot between the wing pads.
Figs. 1,2. Largus rupennis Laporte. (1) Instar II, dorsal view; (2) instar III, dorsal view. Scale line: 1mm.
Immature Stages of Largus rupennis 125
Nymphs of L. rupennis gather in large clusters after
hatching; this is also reported for L. californicus by Booth
(1990) who suggested several potential function for this
behavior. The blue and black nymphs of L. californicus may
be aposematic, and a larger group size might increase the
warning signal for the predators. Booth also mentioned that
surface area to volume ratio is reduced when the nymphs are
touching, and this could give a thermoregulatory advantage.
According to Evans and Root (1980), in Apateticus
bracteates Fitch (Pentatomidae), large clusters were related
to molting behavior.
Acknowledgements
We express our gratitude to T. J. Henry (Systematic Ento-
mology Laboratory, USDA, Washington, D.C.) and the
anonymous reviewer for making numerous constructive com-
ments on this manuscript. This work was supported by the
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cienticas y Tcnicas
(CONICET PIP No. 0545) and National Geographic grant
No. 710401.
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Figs. 35. Largus rupennis Laporte. (3) Instar IV, dorsal view; (4) instar V, dorsal view; (5) abdomen of instar V ventrally. Scale line:
1mm.