Sciocoris sideritidis

Female Sciocoris, possibly(probably?) maculatus. The status of this species (maculatus) is listed as "Doubtful" for Portugal by Fauna Europaea so it may be worthwhile to send the image (or better yet a specimen) in to national experts for confirmation (?)
Note: Maybe sideritidis should be considered too after all ?!? See comments below ...

UPDATE: Based on the ID with the specimen on the photo below it is now indeed more likely that this would also be Sciocoris sideritidis(!)

comments (5)

Pudding4brains

Lion

Difficult genus from photo with many species in Iberia ... will have a look but not expecting to be able to ID further. Posted 8 years ago, modified 8 years ago
1. Pudding4brains
  
  Lion
  
  It should be either modestus or maculatus. Based on "looking at images" I was leaning toward modestus but I don't have a good key featuring that species(!) and going by the comments with this image:
  http://www.biodiversidadvirtual.org/insectarium/Sciocoris-modestus-img201064.search.html
  If the comment is correct and modestus doesn't have the alternating black/white connexivium, then your animal should be maculatus. The trustworthy images I have on the Corisa CD seem to corroborate that character, so I'll ID your image as maculatus.
  Please note that many (many!) of the images of "maculatus" on biodiversidadvirtual are probably wrong or at least very "iffy".
  In the south of France there is also Sciocoris sideritidis that is quite hard to separate from maculatus (by head shape and genitalia), but it has not yet been listed for Iberia(***) so for the time being it should be safe to assume maculatus.
  P.S. (***) It seems I may have to correct that: Biodiv has a bunch of images identified as Sciocoris (cf.?) sideritidis. Mostly from the east coast of Spain, but also as far inland as Madrid and Segovia :-X
  http://www.biodiversidadvirtual.org/insectarium/Sciocoris-sideritidis-Wollaston-1858-cat16155.html Posted 8 years ago, modified 8 years ago
2. 1. Pudding4brains
    
    Lion
    
    Meantime I've asked Berend for his opinion and he prefers to state that Sciocoris from southern Europe are notoriously iffy to identify without a genital preparation, even with the specimen in hand (let alone from photo).
    
    So, to be sure it would be best to find another specimen (preferably male) and send it in to an expert.
    
    Might be a worthwhile exercise though, as all likely candidates (IMHO) would be good to confirm or list as a first time for Portugal (!) Posted 8 years ago
  2. 1. RMFelix
      
      Lion
      
      I didn't had the chance to capture this specimen, but I'll try tomorrow, I hope to find it again because there were some 4-5 individuals in the same place. Let's see. By the moment, thanks so much for the identification! Cheers* Posted 8 years ago
    2. 1. RMFelix
        
        Lion
        
        I didn't had luck today, tomorrow I'll try again... Posted 8 years ago

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