Graphosoma italicum

Graphosoma italicum
G. italicum
Warsaw, Poland
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea
Family: Pentatomidae
Genus: Graphosoma
Species: G. italicum
Binomial name
Graphosoma italicum
(Müller, 1766)

Graphosoma italicum is a species of shield bug in the family Pentatomidae. It is also known as the Italian striped bug.

Taxonomy

Graphosoma italicum had been regarded as either a subspecies, or a mere synonym to G. lineatum. The validity of G. italicum has since been reestablished; the closest species to G. lineatum is the spotted bug Graphosoma semipunctatum.[1][2][3]

Subspecies

  • G. i. italicum (O.F. Müller, 1766) - nominal subspecies
  • G. i. sardiniensis (Lupoli, 2017)[3] - with reddish legs, similar to G. lineatum. Occurs only in Sardinia.

Description

G. lineatum can reach a length of 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in). The body is almost round, with a large shield. The basic color of the upperside of the body is bright red, with wide black longitudinal stripes. The pronotum has six black bands. The antennae are black. Also the sides of the abdominal segments (connexivum) are red with many small black spots. The legs are black.

The bold red and black warning colours (aposematism) indicate that the insects are foul-tasting, protecting them from predators. The nymphs do not have the red-black stripe pattern, instead they are mostly brownish or grayish.

These shield bugs are frequently found on the umbels of Apiaceae (Heracleum, Anthriscus, Foeniculum, etc.) and often on the flowers of the greater pignut, Bunium bulbocastanum.

Similar species

  • Graphosoma lineatum (Linnaeus, 1758) - Similar, but yellow-orange in colour, with reddish legs. Only occurs in North Africa.
  • Graphosoma semipunctatum (Fabricius, 1775) - The legs are orange, the red and black bands are interrupted on the pronotum, where they form black points. The distribution is restricted to the Mediterranean region.
  • Graphosoma melanoxanthum, Horvath, 1903 - Dark connexivi with small red points, it is distributed in South Russia, Turkey, and Iran.

Distribution

G. l. italicum is common across most of Europe. The subspecies G. i. sardiniensis is endemic to Sardinia.

Habitat

G. lineatum is an insect of warm and sunny areas. It prefers warm slopes and meadows located on south-facing slopes.

References

  • Johansen, A. I. (2009) Adaptive change in protective coloration in the striated shieldbug Graphosoma lineatum (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Dissertation, Stockholm university.
  • Larsson, F. K. (1989) Female longevity and body size as predictors of fecundity and egg length in Graphosoma lineatum L. Deutsche Entomol. Zeitschr. 36: 329-334.
  • Sˇlachta, M et al. (2002) Entering diapause is a prerequisite for successful cold-acclimation in adult Graphosoma lineatum (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). J. Ins. Physiol. 48: 1031-1039.
  • Michael Chinery, Insectes de France et d'Europe occidentale, Flammarion, May 2005, 320 p.
  • Dusoulier et Lupoli, Synopsis des Pentatomoidea de France, Nouvelle Revue d’entomologie,
Specific
  1. ↑ Ribes & al., 2008
  2. ↑ R. Lupoli & F. Dusoulier, Les Punaises Pentatomoidea de France, Ancyrosoma, 2006 ISBN 9782953666113
  3. 1 2 R. Lupoli, Graphosoma lineatum (L., 1758) and G. italicum (O.F. Müller, 1766), two valid and distinct species, probably derived from the Zanclean mediterranean transgression (Hemiptera Pentatomidae), L'Entomologiste T73 n°1, 2017, pp. 19-33
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