Explanation of Names
Author of genus is Guerin-Meneville, 1831. From Greek lepto, thin, plus glossus, tongue (Internet searches).
Numbers
Nearctica.com lists 11 species:
Leptoglossus ashmeadi Heidemann 1909 (Leptoglossus)
Leptoglossus brevirostris Barber 1918 (Leptoglossus)
Leptoglossus clypealis Heidemann 1910 (Leptoglossus)
Leptoglossus concolor Walker 1871 (Anisoscelis)
Leptoglossus corculus Say 1832 (Anisoscelis)
Leptoglossus fulvicornis Westwood 1842 (Anisoscelis)
Leptoglossus gonagra Fabricius 1775 (Cimex)
Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann 1910 (Leptoglossus)
Leptoglossus oppositus Say 1832 (Anisoscelis)
Leptoglossus phyllopus Linnaeus 1767 (Cimex)
Leptoglossus zonatus Dallas 1852 (Anisoscelis)
Size
circa 18-20 mm (L. phyllopus)
Identification
Large coreids with hind femora expanded and leaf-like, usually brown with transverse white marking on body.
Range
Much of North America. The following ranges from The Great Lakes Entomologist may help narrow the choices for any given region:
L. ashmeadi: AL, MS, FL
L. brevirostris: southwest US, AZ, CA, TX
L. clypealis: central and southwest US east to IA
L. concolor: FL
L. corculus: NY south to FL, west to MO, southwest to TX
L. fulvicornis: MA and NY south to FL, west to TX
L. gonagra: gulf states, FL to TX
L. occidentalis: British Columbia and Alberta south to CA and TX, east to IN*
L. oppositus: NY south to FL, west to MN and IA, southwest to TX and AZ
L. phyllopus: NY south to FL, west to IA and KS, southwest to TX and CA
L. zonatus: lower half of CA, and southwestern US**
*now reported to have extended its range into many more eastern states
**now also reported in FL
Remarks
Florida has nine of the eleven species.
See Also
Acanthocephala, which generally has a longer and narrower expansion of the hind tibia.
Print References
Slater, pp. 58-59, describes L. phyllopus (illustration, fig. 91), L. oppositus, L. occidentalis.
(1)
Brimley, p. 64, lists for North Carolina: L. corculus, L. fulvicornis, L. oppositus, and L. phyllopus.
(2)Internet References
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists, for that state, with number pinned: corculus (31), fulvicornis (27), oppositus (164), phyllopus (292)
The Great Lakes Entomologist with a key to species of
Leptoglossus
Coreidae of Florida--has a key to Florida species
