Alice Springs Fauna •
Alice Springs True Bugs (Heteroptera)Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug Ground Shield Bug (Choerocoris paganus) Ippatha australiensis Soapberry Bugs, Leptocoris sp Spilostethus sp Water Scorpion
Leptocoris is a genus of the subfamily Soapberry Bugs that are found throughout Africa, South Asia, and Oceania. They are also found across Australia.
The Leptocoris sp. vary from 9 to 13 mm in length. They are variable in colour (particular patterns, size and colouration can be found within particular regional areas). Their colour is purplish red or brick red, although species that are ochre or dark brown have also been documented. Their membrane and appendages are dark brown to black in colour. The coxae (the first or basal segment of the leg of the insect) are always reddish or yellowish, depending on the overall colour of the Leptocoris. The rostrum (snout-like projection from the heads) barely reaches the fourth abdominal segment.
Pictured here is thought to be the species Leptocoris tagalicus, commonly known as the Red Eyes Bug.
The following images are of a honey bee sharing the same flower on the Needlewood Hakea with the Soapberry Bug.
Checkout our section on Insects > Hemiptera | Leptocoris sp | Leptocoris tagalicus
Check out our section on Flora > Hakea > Needlewood (Hakea leucoptera). There is more information on the Needlewood (Hakea leucoptera) in our Alice Springs Flora.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Pentatomomorpha
- Superfamily: Coreoidea
- Family: Rhopalidae
- Subfamily: Serinethinae
- Genus: Leptocoris
- Species: Leptocoris tagalicus
Footnote & References
- Leptocoris Hahn, 1833, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/371523cb-5254-40bd-a6f3-61732b91a536
- Leptocoris tagalicus Burmeister, 1834, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/4560f354-1d7e-4ab6-94e5-499261ad4601
- Soapberry Bugs, Ask an Expert, Queensland Museum, https://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Explore/Find+out+about/Ask+an+Expert/Question+of+the+month/Question+Archive/Questions/2009/December+2009#:~:text=Soapberry%20bugs%20do%20not%20feed,and%20then%20pump%20in%20saliva%20.
- Soapberry Bug, Leptocoris tagalicus, Queensland Museum, https://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Explore/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Insects/Sucking+Bugs/Common+species/Soapberry+Bug
- Leptocoris, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptocoris (last visited Oct. 29, 2022).
- Red Eyes Bug – Leptocoris tagalicus, Brisbane Insects and Spiders, https://brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_coreidbugs/RedEyesBugs.htm
- Browse Species, Soapberry Bugs of the World, Rhopalidae Serinethinae, http://www.soapberrybug.org/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2
- Leptocoris tagalicus, Soapberry Bugs of the World, Rhopalidae Serinethinae, http://www.soapberrybug.org/01_cms/details.asp?ID=110
Alice Springs True Bugs (Heteroptera)Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug Ground Shield Bug (Choerocoris paganus) Ippatha australiensis Soapberry Bugs, Leptocoris sp Spilostethus sp Water Scorpion
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