Sphaerocoris annulus

Sphaerocoris annulus, common names Picasso bug or Zulu hud bug (Zulu: "iCikwa"), is a species of shield-backed bugs of the family Scutelleridae.[1]

Sphaerocoris annulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hemiptera
Family:
Scutelleridae
Genus:
Sphaerocoris
Species:
S. annulus
Binomial name
Sphaerocoris annulus
(Fabricius, 1775)

Description

Sphaerocoris annulus can reach a length of about 15 millimetres (0.59 in).[2][3] The basic color is green, with eleven ring-shaped spots on the scutellum. The colors and the design of these bugs represent a warning to predators. They also emit a noxious odour when disturbed. Main host plants are Gossypium species (Malvaceae), Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae), Citrus species (Rutaceae) and Vernonia amygdalina (Asteraceae).[4] This species reproduces at the beginning of the dry season (November–December). Eggs are laid on the underside of leaves, and nymphs will spend a majority of their time in flowers feeding. Once they molt into adults, however, their feeding becomes more generalized. The full development lasts 56 days.[5][6] Sphaerocoris annulus nymphs are a creamy-white color with black stripes and dots, and gain their colorful spots when they reach maturity. [2]

Distribution

This species is present in tropical and subtropical Africa (Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia[3] and Zimbabwe).

References
  1. Organism Names
  2. wernereslin (2021-01-15). "Nature's calling - Picasso bug". Southlands Sun. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  3. van der Heyden, T. (2017): A recent record of Sphaerocoris annulus (FABRICIUS, 1775) in Zambia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Scutelleridae). - Heteropteron, 49: 23-25.
  4. Le monde des insectes
  5. Mbondji, P. M.; Pluot-Sigwalt, D. Biological data on Sphaerocoris annulus (F.) in Cameroon (Heteroptera, Scutelleridae) Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 2000 Vol. 105 No. 1 pp. 23-30 ISSN 0151-0517
  6. "Picasso Bug". Project Noah. Retrieved 2023-05-31.


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