South African Field Trip September 2004

1. South African Field Trip September 2004 Pictured from left to right Senior Scientist Thomas Henry, Principal Investigator Randall (Toby) Schuh, PhD Candidate Dimitri Forero, Post Doc Denise Wyniger and Senior Scientist Michael Schwartz.

2. The shaded area shows where plant bugs were collected on this trip.

3. PBI expedition members visited the spectacular Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town where they familiarized themselves with the native flora and arranged for host identifications with the staff of the Compton Herbarium.

4. Professor Timothy Crowe and Chris Tobler, University of Cape Town, assisted the PBI field team with the storage of field gear and vital logistic support.

5. Denise, Toby & Tom prepare collecting equipment before heading to the field. In this photo they are preparing alcohol vials for specimens to be used in DNA sequencing.

6. The PBI team collecting on native vegetation just south of Citrusdal.

7. Details of the montane vegetation in the Citrusdal area with a dominant large flowering Euryops speciosissimusin evidence.

8. Tom collecting on native vegetation north east of Port Nolloth on the road to Lekkersing, northernmost Namaqualand.

9. Toby collecting on succulent Mesembryanthemaceae host of the endemic phyline genus Eminoculus. The PBI participants found shaking bug specimens from the plant to be much more effective than beating.

10. Denise demonstrates the collection of host voucher material. This an other specimens were identified at the Compton Herbarium in Cape Town.

11. Dimitri, Michael, Toby & Tom (pictured from left to right) compare specimens collected after returning to their vehicles.

12. A crucial aspect of field activities is the maintenance of the field note book where team members record locality and host data.

13. A vista of the exuberance of the Namaqualand wildflowers. See next slide for detail…

14. Collecting a new species of dimorphic orthotyline in fields of Dimorphotheca tragus.

15. Diosma ramosissima host of the endemic phyline Denticulophallus

16. Species of Wiborgia, one of which is shown here, serve as hosts to species of Pseudosthenarus.

17. This erect species of Mesembryanthemaceae serves as host to a distinct species of the endemic phyline genus Eminoculus.

18. Tripteris oppositifolia, host to a colorful new phyline, was found growing at mid-elevations on the escarpment east of Vanrhynsdorp.

19. After a long day in the field PBI members prepare the days catch and update our field database. Here they are at work in a beachside guesthouse in Port Nolloth.

20. Pressing host plant vouchers

21. Preparing host plant vouchers for drawing and identification at the Crompton Herbarium.

22. Guesthouse accommodations in Vanrhynsdorp. One of our favorite accommodations because of the adjacent rooms, convenient parking, exceptional South African hospitality and excellent meals.

23. The Garies Hotel, a welcome stop from an earlier day.

24. The Kamieskroon Bed & Breakfast and its proprietress Janet van den Heever, provided a welcome rest and working facility during our stay in central Namaqualand during both 2003 and 2004.

25. Insects, other than Miridae, that attracted the attention of the PBI field team included clockwise from the upper left a metallic wood borer, a cryptic grasshopper, a mantis with plumose antennae and a grasshopper with camouflage coloration.

26. Trip Results: • +12,000 plant bugs collected • At least ~75 new species discovered • 160 host plants documented