Gold Coast Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera)Assassin Bug (Pristhesancus plagipennis) Common Milkweed Bug (Arocatus rusticus) Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus) Eucalyptus Tip-wilting Bug (Amorbus alternatus) Green Jewel Bug (Lampromicra senator) Green-faced Wattle Hopper (Hackerobrachys viridiventris) Mallotus Harlequin Bug (Cantao parentum) Orange Assassin Bug (Gminatus australis) Red Spiny Assassin Bug (Scipinia arenacea) Shield Bug (Antestiopsis cederwaldi)
The species Cantao parentum, also known as the Mallotus Harlequin Bug are sap suckers, whose preferred flora species are the Australian rainforest plant Mallotus claoxyloides (Green Kamala) and Mallotus philippensis (Red Kamala). They belong to the group of bugs that are commonly known as Jewel Bugs. They are also known as Shield-backed Bugs and Scutelleridae Bugs.
The female of the species lay their eggs on the underside of the Mallotus, staying to guard the eggs (usually sitting on them) and the young nymphs. Once the eggs hatch, they are off to work using a rostrum to suck sap out of the host plant.
Cantao parentum are able to exude a secrection that has a burnt and smelly scent as nymphs and as adults. The bright colour (a form of mimicry) helps in detering birds and other predictors.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hemiptera
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Infraorder: Pentatomomorpha
- Superfamily: Pentatomoidea
- Family: Scutelleridae
- Subfamily: Scutellerinae
- Genus: Cantao
- Species: Cantao parentum
Footnote & References
- Photographs © Stefan Jones
- Cantao parentum (White, 1839), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/394deb7b-6156-46c4-a5ef-36808ce265ee
Gold Coast InsectsAntlions, Lacewings, and Allies (Neuroptera) Ants Bees Beetles Bugs (Hemiptera & Heteroptera) Buterflies & Moths Flies (Diptera) Wasps
QueenslandGold Coast Region Lamington National Park Southern Downs QLD