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Biology
Themonocoris species seem to be associated with ‘masses of partially dead plant material which usually retain a high humidity and harbour a rich fauna of small insects’ (Carayon et al. 1958). T. kinkalanus was mostly collected in the nests of weaver birds (Ploceus species) but they also seem to be associated with oil palm trees (likely Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) where they are found in the inflorescences and seed clusters which harbour a rich micro-fauna. Similarly T. endroedyi was found to be associated with clusters of dead leaves of Aloe arborescens Mill. (Fig. 22). Fair numbers of adults and nymphs were collected by DHJ by beating such leaf clusters. The bugs also seemed to be somewhat gregarious as some leaf clusters yielded several specimens while many others did not yield any.
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Fig. 22. Aloe arborescens Mill. vegetation in the Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve with clusters of old leaves from which series of Themonocoris endroedyi spec. nov. were collected. Photo: D.H. Jacobs. |
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Fig. 23. Map of Africa south of the Sahara [Central and South Africa] showing the known distribution of the species of Themonocoris. |
Themonocoris species are undoubtedly predators but it is uncertain which prey they favour. Carayon et al. (1958) were unable to rear T. kinkalanus on a diet of psocids and a variety of larvae and adults of small Coleoptera and reported that only the caterpillars of a pyralid moth were taken. The raptorial front legs of Themonocoris are rather delicate; they are armed with long spines bearing long apical setae (like those present in many species of Emesinae). This suggests that the legs are touch-sensitive to detect and hold specific prey. It is likely that their diet consist of specific soft-bodied arthropods like spiders, midges or Lepidoptera and other larvae.