Eurygaster maura

Eurygaster maura, also known as tortoise bug,[2] is a species of true bugs or shield-backed bugs belonging to the family Scutelleridae.

Eurygaster maura
Eurygaster maura, adult
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hemiptera
Suborder:
Heteroptera
Family:
Scutelleridae
Genus:
Eurygaster
Species:
E. maura
Binomial name
Eurygaster maura
Synonyms[1]

Distribution

This species is widespread in Europe,[3] but also in large parts of Asia and North America.[4]

Habitat

Their habitats are calcareous grasslands with wild grasses.

Description

Eurygaster maura can reach a length of 8–11 millimetres (0.31–0.43 in).[5][2] The body is oval and slightly convex and the head is triangular and smoothly rounded, with a small pair of compound eyes. The pronotum has slightly protruding hind corners. The scutellum covers the wings and the whole abdomen. The ground color is mostly brown, but can be light gray or also black.[2][5]

This species is rather similar to Eurygaster testudinaria, but it is slightly smaller and smoothly rounded, with less protruding hind corner.[2]

Biology

Eurygaster maura is a univoltine species. These shield-backed bugs can be found from May to August, becoming adult from July.[2] The females lay their eggs in the spring in small packages on the underside of the leaves surface. After a few weeks the eggs hatch the young nymphs. After five molts, they are fully developed and ready to overwinter in leaf litter.[5]

Both the adults and their larvae are very harmful to crops.[6] They feed on various grasses[5][2] and grain plants (wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats, corn and millet).[6]

  • Life cycle:
    1: Wintering imago
    2: Egg layering in spring
    3: Flight for cereals
    4: Feeding
    5: Symptoms of damages
    6: Pupation and new generation overwintering
    7: Herb feeding on wintering place
  • Early nymph
  • Late stage nymph
  • Imago

See also

References
  1. Biolib
  2. British Bugs
  3. Fauna Europaea
  4. Ekkehard Wachmann, Albert Melber, Jürgen Deckert: Wanzen. Band 4: Pentatomomorpha II: Pentatomoidea: Cydnidae, Thyreocoridae, Plataspidae, Acanthosomatidae, Scutelleridae, Pentatomidae. - Goecke & Evers, Keltern 2008, ISBN 978-3-937783-36-9
  5. Insekten Box (in German)
  6. Economic Plants and their Diseases
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