Rhopalidae, commonly known as scentless plant bugs is a family of phytophagous heteropterans that currently comprises 236 species classified in 26 genera (Coreoidea Species File, 2021). This family was for a long time considered a subfamily of Coreidae until Chopra (1967) gave it family rank. Several rhopalids are considered to have an economic importance, because they feed on crops; however, with a relatively low impact (Schaefer & Kotulski, 2000). In Chile this family is represented by 15 species classified in six genera (Faúndez, 2016; Faúndez et al., 2020).

Xenogenus Berg is a bispecific genus of scentless plant bugs, widely distributed in the Americas (Diez & Coscarón, 2015; Melo & Montemayor, 2016). In Chile, to date, this genus is represented just by Xenogenus gracilis (Reed, 1899) which was described from Baños de Cauquenes, O’Higgins region. After that, no additional references on this genus have been published in the country (Melo & Montemayor, 2016). The purpose of this contribution is to provide new distributional records for X. gracilis in Chile as well as the first records of Xenogenus picturatum Berg in the country.

Photos were taken with a digital camera adapted to a stereoscopic microscope. Maps were developed with QGIS. The collections cited in the text are from Museo Entomológico Luis Peña, Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal, Universidad de Chile [MEUC], and Heteroptera Reference Collection of the CEBCh [HRCC].

Xenogenus gracilis (Reed, 1899) (Figs. 1A, 1B, 2A)

(Harmostes gracilis Reed, 1899)

This species is currently distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Peru towards the Andes mountains (Gollner-Scheiding, 1980; Diez & Coscarón, 2015; Melo & Montemayor, 2016). In Chile, so far, it is known just from the type locality Baños de Cauquenes O’Higgins region. Here we provide the first records for Tarapacá, Coquimbo, Metropolitan and Los Ríos regions.

Material Examined: Chile: Tarapacá region: Mamiña, II-2016, J. F. Campodonico leg., 2♂♂ [HRCC]; Mamiña, 29-IX-1967, R. Charlin leg., 1♂ [MNNC]; La Tirana, II-2016 J. F. Campodonico leg., 1♀ [HRCC]; Coquimbo region: Llanos de la Higuera, Ruta 5 Norte, Km 537, 11-X-2015, J. F. Campodonico leg, 1♂ [HRCC]; Vicuña, 4-X-1966, R. Charlin leg. 1♀ [MEUC] Metropolitan region: Maipú, Quebrada de la Plata, 33º29'S. 70º53'W. 520m, 4-XI-2015, J. F. Campodonico leg., 2♂♂ [1MEUC,1HRCC]; Rinconada de Maipú, 19-II-1963, R. Charlin leg., 1♀ [MEUC]; Rinconada de Maipú, IV-1963, R. Charlin leg., 1♀ [MEUC]; Rinconada de Maipú, 29-I-1956, R. H. González leg., 1♀ [MEUC]; Los Ríos region: Pirihueico Lake, 20-I-2011, R. Perez de Arce leg., 1♂ [HRCC].

Xenogenus picturatum Berg, 1883 (Figs. 1C, 1D, 2B)

(=Xenogenus extensus Distant, 1893)

(=Darmistidius maculatus Uhler, 1893)

This species is the most widely distributed in the genus Xenogenus, recorded from Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay and USA (including Puerto Rico) (Gollner-Scheiding, 1980; Diez & Coscarón, 2015; Melo & Montemayor, 2016). Here we provide the first records from Chile.

Material examined: Chile Metropolitan Region, Maipú, Quebrada de la Plata, 33º 29' S. 70º 53' W. 520 m, 4. XI. 2015, J. F. Campodonico leg., 2♂♂ [1 MEUC, 1 HRCC]; Chile, Metropolitan Region, El Alfalfal, III-2009, R. Perez de Arce leg. 1♂1♀ [HRCC] Maule región: Armerillo, 35º42’ S. 71º05’ W. 500 m., II-2015, J. F. Campodonico leg., 1♂ [HRCC]; Quinamavida, 13- XI-1966, R. Charlin leg., 1♂2♀♀ [MEUC].

Remarks.Xenogenus species are hard to identify because of their variability; however, male genitalia characters are strongly useful (Gollner-Scheiding, 1980,Diez & Coscarón, 2015; Fig. 1). Furthermore, to identify females, these are usually just associated with males correctly identified using genitalia (Diez & Coscarón, 2015). The presence of X. picturatum in Chile is not rare as it is widely present in the surrounding countries.

Although the new records here provided extend considerably the distribution of both species, there are still several distributional gaps that may have been influenced by the lack of collecting, or hard climates in the Atacama Desert (the most arid desert in the world). Therefore, further prospection is needed to totally elucidate the whole distribution of these species in the country. Finally, with the recent introduction of the North American Box elder bug, Boisea trivittata (Say) (Faúndez et al., 2020), the Rhopalidae diversity of Chile included 15 species in six genera. With the new addition of X. picturatum, the number of species rises to 16.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

JFC is beneficiary of the scholarship ANID-PFCHA 2019-21190918 for National Doctoral studies.

LITERATURE CITED

Chopra, N.P. (1967) The higher classification of the Family Rhopalidae (Hemiptera). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London, 119, 363-399.

Coreoidea Species File (2021) Coreoidea Species File Online. Version 5.0/5.0. Accessed on Jan 18, 2021. Available at http://Coreoidea.SpeciesFile.org

Diez, F., & Coscarón, M.C. (2015) Contribution to the knowledge of Patagonia, Argentina: redescription of the genus Xenogenus Berg 1883 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) and description of immature stages of Xenogenus gracilis Reed, 1899. Zootaxa, 3919(3), 573-582.

Faúndez, E.I. (2016) The Coreoidea Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Magallanes Region: Checklist and identification key to the species. Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia, 44(1), 39-42.

Faúndez, E.I., Carvajal, M.A., & Sarmiento, C. (2020) Detection of the Box elder bug Boisea trivittata (Say, 1825) (Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) in Chile. Heteroptera Poloniae Acta Faunistica, 14, 125-126.

Göllner-Scheiding, U. (1980) Einige bemerkungen zu den gattungen Corizus Fallén, 1814, und Xenogenus Berg, 1883 (Heteroptera, Rhopalidae). Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 54, 111-121.

Melo, M.C., & Montemayor, S.I. (2016) Biodiversity of the scentless plant bugs (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae) in southern South America. Journal of Natural History, 50(3-4), 163-200.

Reed, E.C. (1899) Sinopsis de los Hemípteros de Chile, Primera parte (continuación). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural, 3(4), 37-49.

Schaefer, C.W., & Kotulski, J. (2000) Plant scentless bugs (Rhopalidae). Heteroptera of Economic Importance. (ed. Schaefer, C.W., & Panizzi, A.R.), pp. 309-319. CRC press, Boca Raton.

Author notes

juan.campodonico@ug.uchile.cl