Pelocoris bipunctulus (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1853)

Naucoris bipunctulus Herrich-Schaeffer, 1853: Wanzenart. Ins., 39–40.

Pelocoris bipunctulus: Stål, 1876: Kongl. Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl., 144.

Material examined. Itatí RS: 1 ♀, Itatí Rincón Island, 28°42.73’S, 58°6.69’W, 29.iii.2014 ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Itatí marsh, 28°42.78’S, 58°7.19’W, 29.iii.2014 ; 1 ♂, Estancia El Dorado, artificial pond, 28°45.60’S, 58°7.23’W, 31.iii.2014 . Laguna Iberá RS: 1 ♀, Lobo Cuá Stream, 28°32’52.66’’S, 57°12’38.56’’W, 2.xii.2012 ; 1 ♂, Iberá Lagoon, Fraga pier, 28°31’50.00’’S, 57°11’13.68’’W, 3.xii.2012 ; 2 ♂, Iberá Lagoon, 28°31’39,74’’S, 57°10’52,61’’W, 3.xii.2012 . San Ignacio RS: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, vehicle path, roadside marshland and ditches, 27°54.551’S, 56°53.254’W, 3.iii.2015; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, gate of “ Las 600”, roadside marshlands, 27°50.888’S, 56°53.037’W, 5.iii.2015 ; 1 ♀, road of “ Las 600” in front of Monte Grande, marshlands, 27°50.991’S, 56°53.543’W, 5.iii.2015 ; 2 ♂, 3 ♀, vehicle path, roadside ditches, 27°54’10.14’’S, 56°53’14.10’’W, 17.xi.2018; 1 ♀, Camping Monterrey, Aguará pedestrian path, marshland, 27°52’14.10’’S, 56°52’59.70’’W, 18.xi.2018 ; 1 ♀, Camping Monterrey, Aguará pedestrian path, pond, 27°52’17.46’’S, 56°52’45.18’’W, 19.xi.2018 . San Nicolás RS: 1 ♀, Carambola Stream, 28°12.165’S, 57°26.389’W, 13.xii.2013 ; 1 ♂, Carambola Stream, 28°11.878’S, 57°26.350’W, 13.xii.2013 ; 1 ♀, Carambola Stream, 28°11.605’S, 57°26.329’W, 13.xii.2013 ; 1 ♂, 5 ♀, Carambola Stream, 28°10.866’S, 57°26.224’W, 14.xii.2013 ; 1 ♀, Paraná Lagoon, 28°15.735’S, 57°26.169’W, 14.xii.2013; 1 ♂, Carambola Stream, 28°14.610’S, 57°26.378’W, 14.xii.2013 . Yahaveré RS: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Medina Lagoon, 28°34’35.1”S, 57°45’36.2”W, 7.xi.2015 .

General distribution. Colombia, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina (Nieser 1975; López Ruf & Nieser 1999; Moreira et al. 2011b).

Habitat. Pelocoris bipunctulus has been found in ponds (densely or scarcely vegetated), small lakes (densely vegetated), streams and rivers (Roback & Nieser 1974; López Ruf 1989, 1992; Melo & Nieser 2004; Torres et al. 2007).

Pelocoris bipunctulus was previously recorded from Iberá in association with Leersia hexandra, Egeria najas, Pontederia azurea and Cabomba caroliniana (Poi de Neiff 1993, 2003). During the present study, it was collected from unshaded margins with dense floating, emergent and submerged vegetation (mainly Azolla filiculoides, Pontederia azurea, P. crassipes, Myriophyllum aquaticum, Nymphoides indica, Cabomba caroliniana, Nymphaea prolifera and Salvinia biloba) in lentic habitats (Paraná Lagoon, Iberá Lagoon, Medina Lagoon, marshes, marshlands and ditches), and lotic habitats (Carambola Stream and Lobo Cuá Stream) in standing or slow-moving water.

Remarks. Pelocoris bipunctulus was collected together with P. politus and P. procurrens .