Leucodellus zagdani ( Putshkov, 1970 )

Konstantinov, Fedor V., 2012, Leucodellus Reuter, 1906 (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylini): key to species, revised species composition and diagnosis, Zootaxa 3157, pp. 18-30 : 27

Leucodellus zagdani ( Putshkov, 1970)

Figures 2, 3 , 11 , 14

Heterochlorillus zagdani Putshkov 1970: 753 . Leucodellus zagdani: Li & Liu 2007: 39 .

Material examined. Paratypes: RUSSIAN FEDERATION: Karachay-Cherkessia Rep.: Teberda, 43.45 ° N 41.73333 ° E, 28 Aug 1969, Putshkov, Corylus sp. ( Corylaceae ), 13 ( AMNH _PBI 00237140), 1Ƥ ( AMNH _PBI 00237140) ( ZISP). Other Specimens Examined: AZERBAIJAN: Pirkulioba [Pirkuli], 41.54056 ° N 48.675 ° E, 0 1 Sep 1971, Putshkov, 33 ( AMNH _PBI 0 0 237146, AMNH _PBI 00237149), 2Ƥ ( AMNH _PBI 0 0 237146, AMNH _PBI 00237149) ( ZISP). GEORGIA: Gonio, Forest of Batumi, 41.55 ° N 41.55 ° E, 30 Jun 1975, Zagulyaev, 13 ( AMNH _PBI 00237288) ( ZISP). RUSSIAN FEDERATION: Krasnodar Terr.: Dzhubga, 44.3 ° N 38.7 ° E, 14 Jul 1971, Putshkov, 83 ( AMNH _PBI 0 0 237141 - AMNH _PBI 00237145), 6Ƥ ( AMNH _PBI 0 0 237141, AMNH _PBI 0 0 237143 - AMNH _PBI 00237145) ( ZISP).

Diagnosis. Recognized by the middle size, 3.9–4.3 male, 3.4–3.9 female, large eyes in males with vertex 1.0– 1.1 times as wide as eye, uniformly pale dorsum ( Fig. 2 ), bases of all tibiae and second antennal segment with distinct dark brown spot, anterior margin of hind femora with two contrastingly dark brown confluent spots near apex ( Fig. 3 ), relatively small and weakly sclerotized vesica, membranous lobe around secondary gonopore prominent, covered with numerous denticles arranged in several irregular rows, small blade of vesica gradually tapering, attenuated laterally, twisted at base and almost straight apically, large blade thin, gradually tapering and nearly round in cross section ( Fig. 14 ). Most similar to L. amygdali , see corresponding section for details.

Distribution. Caucasus; known from Krasnodar Territory and Karachay-Cherkessia Republic (formerly part of Stavropol Prov.) of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Host. Corylus avellana L. ( Corylaceae ) ( Putshkov 1970).

Discussion. The shape of the male genitalia offers the most consistent set of characters for discrimination of virtually all phyline species. However, several exceptions are known. For instance, Solenoxyphus adspersus (Reuter, 1904) and S. punctipennis (Reuter, 1879) are highly sympatric and well sampled species differing from each other exclusively in the color-pattern of the forewings (Konstantinov 2008). The same is true for Atomophora maculosa Reuter, 1904 and A. guttata Konstantinov, 2000 (see Konstantinov 2000 for details). L. zagdani is indistinguishable from L. amygdali in the genitalic structures and may represent a synonym of the latter. However, available material shows no intergradation in the color-pattern between these species and more sampling efforts are needed to clarify the status of L. zagdani .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Habitus images, males. 1 — Leucodellus albidus; 2 – 3 — Leucodellus zagdani: 2 — dorsal view, 3 — lateral view; 4 — Compsidolon nathaliae; 5 — Leucodellus amygdali.

FIGURES 6 – 11. Color pattern on ventral side of hind femur in males of Leucodellus spp. 6 — L. albidus; 7 — L. amygdali; 8 — L. pallescens; 9 — L. variegatus; 10 — L. xizangensis; 11 — L. zagdani.

FIGURES 12 – 17. Vesicae of Leucodellus spp. 12 — L. albidus; 13 — L. amygdali; 14 — L. zagdani; 15 — L. pallescens; 16 — L. variegatus; 17 — L. xizangensis.