Anaxilaus Stål, 1876

Photo © Emma Betts, Australian Museum

Type species:

Pentatoma camatula Dallas, 1851 (=Cimex vesiculosus Herrich-Schaeffer, 1840) by monotypy.

Number of Australian species:

Three.

Extralimital Distribution:

Australian Region - Papua New Guinea.

Australian Distribution:

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

Biology:

Unknown.

Host(s):

Anaxilaus musgravei associated with Cassia sp. [CAESALPINIACEAE], Eucalyptus sp. [MYRTACEAE], Prostanthera sp. [LAMIACEAE].

Anaxilaus oliva associated with Atriplex sp. [CHENOPODIACEAE], Muehlenbeckia gunnii (J.D.Hook) Endl. [POLYGONACEAE].

Anaxilaus vesiculosus associated with Acacia longifolia (Labill.) F.Muell. [MIMOSACEAE], Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. [SOLANACEAE] Tomato, Senecio lautus Willd. [ASTERACEAE].

Diagnosis:

Colour

Dorsally medium to dark brown with orange or red patches.

Texture

Dorsally moderately to densely punctate, ventrally moderately punctate.

Vestiture

Glabrous.

Structure

Body - Elongate-ovoid, dorsally convex. Length 4.6 mm - 7.4 mm; width 3.1 mm - 5.3 mm.

Head - Triangular or subtriangular, moderately to strongly dorsoventrally orientated, longer than prontoum; jugae equal in length to clypeus, pointed apically, laterally carinate; antennifer processes absent, five antennal segments, first antennal segment shorter than distance between eyes, inserted into head below ventral margin of eyes; bucculae elongate (posteriorly beyond antennifers); vertex cross-section shape convex; labium elongate, extending to second or third abdominal sterna; first labial segment equal in length to bucculae; eyes not stylate, directed laterally.

Pronotum - Calli present but sometimes hard to distinguish; lateral margins carinate; anterior lobe surface flat to marginally excavate; humeral angles subangulate; anterolateral margins simple and straight; posterolateral margins straight to slightly sinuate; posterior margin 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 less than half of metepisternum; peritreme elongate, apically pointed.

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

Legs - Fore tibia sulcate.

Abdomen - Connexiva only marginally visible dorsally; laterotergites unarmed.

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