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Alydid (Broad headed bug)

Mutusca brevicornis

Photo by Mark Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

A small creature that seems to be mimicking a seed. 10mm long and very narrow; some stripes full length; plain pale underneath (pic#2);

Habitat:

Long coarse grasses (with seeds)

Notes:

Today I noticed that all our long grasses have gone to seed. I also noticed 3 new creatures, all tiny, and all seem to be mimicking grass seed. (So surprise me. ) Thanks for ID to Dr Mali Malipatil (Vic DPI) who also commented that these are usually restricted to northern Australia.

http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Mutusca+brevicornis#

Reference Links:

http://morwellnp.pangaean.net/cgi-bin/show_species.cgi?find_this=Mutusca%20brev…

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (10)
MaryEvans2
Another interesting looking bug. Nice spotting
Mark Ridgway
Ok now I see the proboscis. I'll be after some closer pics of this one if possible.
MartinL
Good ID Argybee, I'm sure it is correct. Check this side profile pic compared with yours http://bugguide.net/node/view/434620/bgpage you can see the proboscis a bit more clearly than in your pic.
Mark Ridgway
Thanks LivanEscudero. I found some Aus examples from your direction. Never seen these before. It's great to find something new.
LivanEscudero
This is definitively a True Bug. I think I can see the proboscis in the first pic; as for the division on the underside, I think that is where the proboscis is placed when foldd flat against the body. I believe it is a Broad-headed Bug from the family Alydidae. Furthermore I would not be surprised if it's a Rice Bug (Genus Stenocoris) or some close kin in the subfamily Micrelytrinae. See some American samples here: http://bugguide.net/node/view/475907/bgpage
Mark Ridgway
I'm getting curious about the structure of this creature. Pic #2 is ventral view head down. What do you think about the apparent division from the mouth parts to the abdomen? On a big blowup it really looks obvious. Think I'll put up that pic...
MartinL
I cannot reconcile those tiny back legs to any orthopteran hopper and the hemipteran hoppers either. Flying short distances is typical of true bugs. I think you'll find it there. Even the antennae belong to a hemipteran .
Mark Ridgway
Hi martin. The beastie did fly in short but quick bursts to get to the next grass. (like mini locusts) I'm unable to confirm any proboscis. I did think some kind of hopper. Thanks for the comment. Some digging to do.
MartinL
Argybee. The best candidate for tiny phasmid is candovia http://www.flickr.com/photos/34449831@N05/4366350406/ These always have forelimbs that start thin and thicken as to fit around the head when held forwards. The body shape, legs and head all look wrong. The longer I look the more it seems to be a hemipteran bug. It would have wings and a proboscis. What do you think?

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Dandenong Ranges - fauna & flora
Mission
Backyard Habitats of the World
Photographed
PublishedFebruary 13, 2012

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