Probergrothius angolensis, sometimes known as the Welwitschia bug, is a species of true bug found in the Namib desert and nearby regions.
| Welwitschia bug | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult on Welwitschia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Heteroptera |
| Family: | Pyrrhocoridae |
| Genus: | Probergrothius |
| Species: | P. angolensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Probergrothius angolensis | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Odontopus angolensis[2] | |
Relationship with Welwitschia
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They are best known for their association with the unusual plant Welwitschia mirabilis, also endemic to the area, but it is in doubt whether they actually serve a role in pollination or only drink Welwitschia sap.[3] In addition, they may spread a fungus, Aspergillus niger, in the process, which is harmful to developing seeds.[citation needed]
Comparison with Probergrothius sexpunctatus
editThe species has been recognized under a misattributed name, Probergrothius sexpunctatus, for several decades, but P. sexpunctatus is a separate species that occurs farther to the north.[4] P. angolensis is yellowish with four black markings on its wings, while P. sexpunctatus is more reddish, and the anterior spots are separate, so the wings have six black markings.
References
edit- ^ UniProt entry
- ^ "Probergrothius angolensis". NCBI.
- ^ Wetschnig, W.; Depisch, B. (1999). "Pollination biology of Welwitschia mirabilis HOOK. f.(Welwitschiaceae, Gnetopsida)" (PDF). Phyton-Horn. 39: 167–184.
- ^ Sudakaran, Sailendharan; Retz, Franziska; Kikuchi, Yoshitomo; Kost, Christian; Kaltenpoth, Martin (2015). "Evolutionary transition in symbiotic syndromes enabled diversification of phytophagous insects on an imbalanced diet". The ISME Journal. 9 (12): 2587–2604. doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.75. PMC 4817627. PMID 26023876.
External links
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