Synonymy of two important crop pests of burrower bugs, Cyrtomenus mirabilis and C. bergi (Hemiptera: Cydnidae), based in a multi-source approach

Abstract

Burrower bugs are unique among true bugs, recognized by the morphological adaptations for digging, and include several species of economic importance for causing damages in roots and ground pods. Damage records has been growing in the last two decades in the Neotropics, but taxonomic problems still hampers studies in these group of insects. Cyrtomenus bergi Froeschner and C. mirabilis (Perty), species of economic interest and widely distributed in the Neotropics, have no clear morphological differentiation raising doubts about the correctness of identifications made to date, even validity of these species. Taxonomic problems, as species delimitation and identification, can benefit from different approaches, bringing tools and complementary information for establishing a species status. In this work, we use the different sources (morphology, distribution, linear and geometric morphometric), to access the identity of C. bergi and C. mirabilis and define the recognition of both as separated species. Results shows overlapping of geographical distribution and lack of quantitative and qualitative morphological differences, supporting C. bergi as a junior synonym of C. mirabilis; studies about this important pest species should consider only the latter as valid species.

Population dynamics, vertical distribution and damage characterization of burrower bug in peanut

“…During counting, bugs were categorized into adults and nymphs above 2.5 mm in length, followed by the estimated totaling of nymphs and adults for each square meter of the plots. The identification of species was based on a comparison of morphological characteristics with previously identified specimens based on data in the literature (Avendaño et al, 2017;2018). A representative sample of the collected specimens was dry assembled and deposited in the Hemiptera Collection of the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo (MZ−USP).…”

Flutuação populacional do percevejo-preto, Cyrtomenus mirabilis (Perty, 1836) (Hemiptera: Cydnidae) com o uso de armadilhas em amendoim

“…No entanto, Avendaño et al (2018) afirmam que C. bergi seria sinônimo júnior de C. mirabilis em função da sobreposição da distribuição geográfica e falta de diferenças morfológicas quantitativas e qualitativas e que se deve considerar apenas esta última como espécie válida.…”

Insecticides Efficacy to Control the Neotropical Peanut Burrower Bug Cyrtomenus mirabilis (Perty, 1830) (Hemiptera: Cydnidae) Under Laboratory Conditions

“…The identification of the species was based on the morphological characteristics, using identification keys and by comparing them with previously identified specimens (Avendaño et al 2017;2018).…”