Lygaeus creticus explained

Lygaeus creticus is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae.^[1] It is found in areas around the Mediterranean Sea.^[2]

Taxonomy

Lygaeus creticus was first formally named in 1853 by French entomologist Hippolyte Lucas in Essai sur les animaux articulés qui habitent l'île de Crète.^[3]

Description

Both nymphs (image) and adults (image) of Lygaeus creticus are aposematically colored.^[4]

Reproduction

Egg mean clutch size has been noted as 20.7 ± 1.76 for once‐mated females.^[5] Males have been observed to harass female Lygaeus equestris.^[6]

Diet

Lygaeus creticus is phytophagous^[7] on Nerium oleander and Sorbus cretica.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lygaeus creticus. iNaturalist.
2. van der Heyden T . First records of Lygaeus creticus Lucas, 1854 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae: Lygaeinae) for Albania and France. . Arquivos Entomoloxicos . 2017 . 18 . 65–6 .
3. Web site: Lygaeus creticus Lucas, 1853. GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility .
4. Burdfield-Steel ER . 2012 . The causes and consequences of reproductive interference in the Lygaeidae (Doctoral dissertation) . Ph.D. . University of St Andrews .
5. Burdfield-Steel ER, Shuker DM . The evolutionary ecology of the Lygaeidae . Ecology and Evolution . 4 . 11 . 2278–301 . June 2014 . 25360267 . 4201440 . 10.1002/ece3.1093 .
6. Shuker DM, Currie N, Hoole T, Burdfield-Steel ER . The extent and costs of reproductive interference among four species of true bug . April 1, 2015. Population Ecology. 57. 2. 321–331 . 10.1007/s10144-014-0470-1. free. 10023/6103. free.
7. Cianferoni F, Ceccolini F, Dioli P . New records for Lygaeus creticus Lucas, 1854 in Italy and Corsica (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae). . January 24, 2018. Natural History Sciences. 5. 1. sisn.pagepress.org. 10.4081/nhs.2018.346 . it. free.