Cuspicona Dallas, 1851

Photo © Emma Betts, Australian Museum

Type species:

Rhynchocoris thoracica Westwood, 1837 by subsequent designation.

Number of Australian species:

21

Extralimital Distribution:

Australian Region - Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Sulawesi (Celebes)), New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu; Oriental Region - India, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra), Malaysia, Philippines.

Australian Distribution:

Temperate, subtropical, tropical and arid regions; New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Biology:

Cuspicona simplex is a pest of potatoes and tomatoes. McDonald & Grigg (1980) detailed the life history for Cuspicona simplex.

Host(s):

Cuspicona apothoracica associated with Hakea sericea Schrad. & J.C. Wendl. [PROTEACEAE]; Leptospermum sp. [MYRTACEAE].

Cuspicona carneola associated with Eucalyptus gillii Maiden [MYRTACEAE].

Cuspicona cygniterrae associated with Agonis linerafolia (DC.) Sweet [MYRTACEAE].

Cuspicona eremophilae associated with Eremophila freelingii F.Meull. [MYOPORACEAE] Stony Poverty Bush.

Cuspicona forticornis associated with Solanum mauritianum Scop. [SOLANACEAE] Wild Tobacco Tree.

Cuspicona intacta associated with Eremophila freelingii F.Meull. [MYOPORACEAE] Stony Poverty Bush.

Cuspicona longispina associated with Callitris preissi Miq. [CUPRESSACEAE] Native Pine and Melaleuca lanceolata Otto [MYRTACEAE].

Cuspicona obesula associated with Leptospernum coriaceum (Miq.) Cheel [MYRTACEAE], Leptospernum myrsinoides Schltdl. [MYRTACEAE], Leptospernum sp. [MYRTACEAE], Melaleuca sp. [MYRTACEAE].

Cuspicona ooldeae associated with Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. [MYRTACEAE] River Red Gum, Melaleuca sp. [MYRTACEAE].

Cuspicona phi associated with Callitris sp. [CUPRESSACEAE].

Cuspicona privata associated with Rubus fructicosis L. [ROSACEAE] Blackberry.

Cuspicona simplex associated with Lycopersicon esculentum Mill [SOLANACEAE] Tomato, Solanum aviculare G. Forst. [SOLANACEAE] Kangaroo Apple, Solanum hermanni Dunal [SOLANACEAE] Apple of Sodom, Solanum hispidum Pers. [SOLANACEAE], Solanum mauritianum Scop. [SOLANACEAE] Wild Tabacco Tree, Solanum nigrum L. [SOLANACEAE] Deadly Nightshade, Solanum tuberosum L. [SOLANACEAE] Potato.

Diagnosis:

Colour

Generally yellow or greenish tinged pale brown to medium brown, sometimes with dark brown, black and reddish brown banding and punctations on head, prontoum and scutellum.

Texture

Densely and uniformly punctate dorsally and ventrally.

Vestiture

Glabrous.

Structure

Body - Elongate-ovoid; dorsally convex. Length 5.0 mm - 10.0 mm; width 4.0 mm - 9.0 mm.

Head - Elongate triangular or subhemispherical, moderately dorsoventrally orientated, as long or longer than pronotum; jugae equal in length to clypeus, pointed apically, lateral edges carinate; antennifer processes absent; five antennal segments, first segment shorter than distance between eyes, inserted below mid-height but above ventral margin of eyes; bucculae elongate (posteriorly beyond antennifers); vertex flattened or convex; labium extending to third or fourth abdominal sterna, first segment as long as bucculae; eyes not stylate, directed laterally.

Pronotum - Calli present; anterior lobe surface flat, level; humeral angles rounded to angulate, may or may not be greatly expanded laterally; lateral margins carinate to slightly rounded; anterolateral margins straight or concave; posterolateral margins concave to sinuate; posterior margin concave or straight.

Scutellum - Triangular; apex narrowly to broadly rounded; lateral calli either present or absent; medial callus absent.

Thoracic sterna - Prosternum, mesosternum and metasternum with raised keel.

External efferent system - Evaporative scent gland covering between half and all of metepisternum; peritreme elongate; apically pointed.

Hemelytra - Macropterous, either longer or shorter than abdomen; membrane veins linear and mostly subparallel.

Legs - fore tibia rounded or dorsally flattened.

Abdomen - Connexiva either visible or not visible dorsally; laterotergites armed with small posteriorly directed spines; abdominal sterna II with a small rounded bump.

Remarks:

Cuspicona simplex is commonly known as the Green Potato Bug.

    
Copyright © Australian Museum 2002
Authors: Gerry Cassis, Emma Betts and Michael Elliott