| Welwitschia bug | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult on Welwitschia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Heteroptera |
| Family: | Pyrrhocoridae |
| Genus: | Probergrothius |
| Species: | P. angolensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Probergrothius angolensis | |
| Synonyms | |
Odontopus angolensis [2] | |
Probergrothius angolensis, sometimes known as the Welwitschia bug, is a species of true bug found in the Namib desert and nearby regions.
The species is best known for its association with the unusual plant Welwitschia mirabilis , also endemic to the area, but it is in doubt whether they actually serve a role in pollination or only drink Welwitschia sap. [3]
The species has been recognized under a misattributed name, Probergrothius sexpunctatus, for several decades, but P. sexpunctatus is a separate species that occurs farther to the north. [4] P. angolensis is yellowish with four black markings on its wings, while P. sexpunctatus is more reddish, and the anterior spots are separate, so the wings have six black markings.
