Cardiastethus exiguus Poppius

Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae: Cardiastethini

Antennal segment II much longer than segment III and IV, respectively. Eye sexually dimorphic. Male tibia with a row of teeth in ventral surface. Hemelytra with maximum width of endocorium much wider than twice of embolium. Omphalus present and roundly curved, almost fused with a little posteriorly to anterior margin of abdominal sternum VII. Male genitalia as illustrated, with apex of parameroid process slightly broadened and blunt.

Sexual dimorphism is observed in the head and antenna. In female, frontovertex is broad with small eyes and in male, frontovertex is comparatively narrower with much larger eyes. Antennal segments are noticeably broader / thicker in males than females.

It is similar in appearance to Cardiastethus affinis Poppius, which is also a major predator of Opisina arenosella Walker along with C. exiguus (Yamada et al., 2008). Yamada et al. (2008) provided a key to the Indian species of the genus.

  Head - male (left) and female (right)
 Osteolar peritreme
 Head and thorax (dorsal view)
 Hemelytra
   Abdominal apex - male (left) and female (right)
 Male genitalia

     Adult - dorsal view
   Eggs

A major predator of coconut black-headed caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker, along with C. affinis Poppius, which it closely resembles.

Mass production is done on UV-irradiated eggs of Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton). Three to six releases of 50 adults or nymphs per palm at weekly intervals are recommended with the first release coinciding with egg laying by O. arenosella.