Plautia

Glossary
References
Using this Key

Plautia Stål, 1865

Photo © Matthew Bulbert, Australian Museum

Type species:

Cimex fimbriatus Fabricius, 1794 (= Pentatoma crossota Dallas, 1851) by subsequent designation.

Number of Australian species:

Three.

Extralimital Distribution:

Afrotropical Region - Gambia, Madagascar; Australian Region - East Timor, Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Maluku, Sulawesi (Celebes), West Timor), New Caledonia, Nuie, Palau, Papua New Guinea (Including Bismarck Archepelago); Oriental Region - Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand; Palaearctic Region - China (People's Republic), Japan.

Australian Distribution:

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

Biology:

Panizzi et al. (2000) noted the biology of Plautia affinis.

Host(s):

Plautia affinis associated with Coffea arabica L. [RUBIACEAE] Coffee, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. [SOLANACEAE] Tomato, Morus sp. [MORACEAE], Oryza sativa L. [POACEAE], Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) [FABACEAE], Prunus armeniaca L. [ROSACEAE] Apricot, Rubus idaeus L. [ROSACEAE] Raspberry, Salvia splendens Ker. Gawl. [LAMIACEAE], Solanum nigram L. [SOLANACEAE] Deadly Nightshade, Solanum tuberosum L. [SOLANACEAE] Potato, Spinacia oleracea L. [CHENOPODIACEAE], Vitis vinifera L. [VITACEAE] Grape.

Diagnosis:

Colour

Dorsally and ventrally green or greenish brown with dark brown markings on the pronotum and hemlytra. Legs and antennae green and pale brown banded.

Texture

Moderately and shallowly punctate.

Vestiture

Glabrous.

Structure

Body - Elongate-ovoid, dorsally convex. Length 5.8 mm - 9.4 mm; width 4.1 mm - 7.1 mm.

Head - Subtriangular, moderately dorsoventrally orientated, marginally shorter or as long as pronotum; jugae as long as clypeus, pointed apically, laterally carinate; antennifer processes absent; five antennal segments, first antennal segment shorter than distance between the eyes, inserted into head below mid-height but above ventral margin of eyes; bucculae elongate (posteriorly beyond antennifers); vertex cross-sectional shape convex; labium extending between middle coxae and the second abdominal sterna, first labial segment either as long or longer than bucculae; eyes not stylate, directed laterally.

Pronotum - Calli present but very faint; pronotal collar present; anterior lobe surface flat; humeral angles aubangulate; lateral margins carinate; anterolateral margins simple and straight to slightly sinuate; posterolateral margins straight to sinuate; posterior margin concave to straight.

Scutellum - Triangular, apex broadly rounded; lateral calli present; medial callus absent.

Thoracic sterna - Prosternum flat; mesosternum with a low raised keel; metasternum flat.

External efferent system - Evaporative scent gland covering about half the metepisternum; peritreme elongate, apically pointed.

Hemelytra - Macropterous, longer than abdomen; membrane veins linear and moslty subparallel.

Legs - Fore tibia sulcate.

Abdomen - Connexiva not visible or only marginally visible dorsally; laterotergites armed with minute posteriorly directed spines.

Remarks:

Plautia affinis is commonly known as the Green Stink Bug.