Coleotichus blackburniae
| Coleotichus blackburniae | |
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| Species: | C. blackburniae
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| Binomial name | |
| Coleotichus blackburniae White, 1881[1]
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Coleotichus blackburniae is a species of insect in the family Scutelleridae, the jewel bugs. It is commonly known as the Koa bug or the Koa shield bug.[1] It has been dubbed the stinkless stink bug for its lack of the malodorous defensive chemicals present in other heteropterans.[2] It is Hawaii's largest endemic true bug.
Description
The exoskeletons of Koa bugs contain many different iridescent colours.[3]
The eggs hatch approximately 9 days after being laid. They are only a few millimetres wide, and are laid in a tight cluster. They are green in colour at first, and then turn red as they develop.[3]
Distribution and habitat
This insect occurs on all the main islands of Hawaii.[4][5] They are found on `a`ali`i (Dodonaea viscosa) bushes[6] and koa (Acacia koa) trees.[4][6]
Also found on Formosa Koa
Behaviour and diet
Common to all true bugs, this species has no mouth parts with which to bite, cut, or chew its food. Instead it has a tube-like structure that it uses to suck the contents from the seeds of several types of koa and `a`ali`i plants.[3]
Numbers of this insect were greatly reduced on most of the Hawaiian islands. A parasitoid fly which preys on hemipterans, Trichopoda pennipes was introduced with the intention of controlling a similar insect, but also attacked the koa bug. Today, it is common in only a few areas of the Big Island.[4]
References
- ^ a b Coleotichus blackburniae (Koa Sheild Bug)
- ^ Coleotichus blackburniae (Scutellaridae) - HEAR species info
- ^ a b c http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/affiliates/prism/documents/KoaBugLesson.pdf Koa Bug Investigation
- ^ a b c Koa Bug
- ^ Species Profile for Koa shield bug (Coleotichus blackburniae)
- ^ a b Insects of Hawaii: Coleotichus blackburniae (Koa bug)
External links
- Images
- Egg images
- Image showing range in Hawaii
- Koa Bug Investigation: Many excellent images of adults, nymphs, eggs, and anatomical details
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