Burrowing bugs of the genus Scaptocoris Perty in Colombia (Heteroptera: Cydnidae)

Abstract

AbstractScaptocoris Perty, 1833 (Cephalocteinae) is an economically important genus of burrowing bug because its species attack various crops like pastures, soybean and cotton in South America. The genus Scaptocoris has seven described species in the Neotropical region. Given a confusing history of identifications of its species in Colombia, there is uncertainty about which species occur in the country, hampering the implementation of effective control measures. Therefore, a synopsis of the burrowing bugs of the genus Scaptocoris occurring in Colombia is presented. Three species are recorded from Colombia: Scaptocoris castanea Perty, 1833, a new country record, Scaptocoris divergens Froeschner, 1960, and Scaptocoris minor Berg, 1894, whose identity is confirmed with voucher specimens for the first time. Diagnosis, distribution maps, photographs and plant associations for all three species are presented. The male aedeagus is documented for the first time for Scaptocoris species, although it has no obvious diagnostic characters for them. The importance of voucher specimens for studies in economic entomology is highlighted and discussed.