Kingdom Animalia Order Hemiptera Genus Sphaerocoris Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Family Scutelleridae Higher classification Sphaerocoris | |
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Similar Sphaerocoris, Dactylotum bicolor, Giant mesquite bug, Enallagma cyathigerum, Phylliidae | ||
Sphaerocoris annulus, common names Picasso Bug or Zulu Hud Bug, is a species of shield-backed bugs belonging to the family Scutelleridae.
Contents
Description
Sphaerocoris annulus can reach a length of about 8 millimetres (0.31 in). The basic color is green, with eleven ring-shaped spots on the elytra. 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). This species reproduces at the beginning of the dry season (November-December). The full development lasts 56 days.
Distribution
This species is present in the tropical Africa (Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia & Cameroon.).