On the Identity of Lygus simonyi, Reut., and Lygus vosseleri, Popp., in Kenya and Uganda

Abstract

For some years economic entomologists in Kenya and Uganda have recognised two species of Capsids of more than usual importance. Lygus simonyi, Reut., was a pest on coffee in Kenya, and Lygus vosseleri, Popp., was injurious to cotton in Uganda. The species were originally identified from the keys and descriptions of B. Poppius in his “Die Miriden der Äthiopischen Region” (Acta. Soc. Sci. Fenn. 41, no. 3, 1912, & 44, no. 3, 1914). This monograph although indispensable to anyone working on the systematics of the African Capsidae, is on the whole rather unsatisfactory. The illustrations are few and far between, the genera are often based on relative and overlapping characters and the specific differentiations are vague. It is not suprising therefore that the original determination of the coffee Capsid now proves to be incorrect. Thanks to the courtesy of Dr. Richard Frey, of the University Zoological Museum, Helsingfors, and Dr. Max Beier, of the Natural History Museum, Vienna, I have now been able to examine type material of these two species.