Heteroplea stictosoma Cook

Cook, Jerry L., 2011, A new genus and species of Pleidae (Hemiptera) from Venezuela, with notes on the genera of Pleidae, Zootaxa 3067, pp. 26-34 : 28-32

Heteroplea stictosoma Cook , n. sp.

( Figs. 1–6 )

Holotype. Female deposited in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Snow Entomology Collection. Type locality. Venezuela, Amazonas State, Tobogan de la Selva (5°23.207´N, 67°36.922´W), 125m elevation, 13 IX, 2007, A. E. Z. Short collector.

Paratypes. 20 specimens (10 male and 10 female); 14 deposited in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Snow Entomology Collection from Venezuela, from three locations in Venzuela, Amazonas State, Tobogan de la Selva (5°23.207´N, 67°36.922´W), 125m elevation, 13 IX, 2007, A. E. Z. Short collector; Amazonas State, near Iboruwa (5°48.414´N, 67°26.139´W), 14 IX 2007, A. E. Z. Short collector; and Bolivar State, about 15km N. Los Pijiguaos (6°45.560´N, 67°44.479´W), 17 IX 2007, A. E. Z. Short collector and 6 deposited in the Sam Houston State University Entomology Museum from Amazonas State, Tobogan de la Selva (5°23.207´N, 67°36.922´W), 125m elevation, 13 IX, 2007, A. E. Z. Short collector.

Description. Note: All measurements are in millimeters and were taken from 82 adult specimens, which include the type series. The holotype is listed first followed by the average of specimens and the range in parenthesis (holotype; average (largest-smallest)).

Body Size: Total length, 1.34; 1.33 (1.46–1.24) ( Fig. 1 ); greatest body width, 0.87; 0.86 (0.96–0.79); BSI, 65; 65 (60–71).

Color: Pronotum and most of head golden; callus on vertex of head and elytraceous hemelytra olive-grey to reddish grey; Notum of thorax golden brown; legs golden, sternum and venter golden; eyes red to golden to silver in dried specimens ( Fig. 1 ).

Head: Head width at widest point including eyes, 0.67; 0.65 (0.60–0.71). Head width at narrowest point between eyes, 0.25; 0.24 (0.27–0.22) ( Fig. 1 C). OI, 37; 37 (42–32). Callus (thickened and raised sclerite) of vertex generally in the shape of a “W” anteriorly, color is darker than rest of head, with coarse punctures (about 0.02mm in diameter) arranged somewhat in rows ( Fig. 1 ) and with each containing a short hair. Eyes large, covering about half the length of the head in side view. Frons light tan in color anteriorly and next to eyes with darker brown area in the center towards the vertex ( Fig. 1 C). Labium short, 4-segmented as is typical for the family; distal segment colored dark brown and contrasting with other, golden segments. Antenna 3-segmented and inconspicuous on most specimens, 0.15mm on holotype.

Pronotum: Tergum fused into shield-like covering with distinct humeral bulge; entire tergum punctate with large (0.004 mm) punctures throughout ( Fig. 1 , 2 ); pronotum width 0.87; 0.86 (0.96–0.79); pronotum length 0.47; 0.47 (0.53–0.41); PI 54; 54 (59–48).

Hemelytra: Complete to posterior; punctures generally in rows (0.02 mm in diameter) ( Fig. 2 ); no underlying honeycomb structure as is seen in many pleid species; scutellum length 0.36; 0.35 (0.38–0.32); scutellum width 0.49; 0.46 (0.56–0.40); SI 73; 76 (89–68); SLI 27; 26 (28–23); claval suture distinct, complete.

Appendages of thorax: Legs as in Fig. 3 . Holotype measurements: prothoracic leg coxa 0.18, trochanter 0.11, femur 0.42, tibia 0.31, first tarsomere 0.02, second tarsomere 0.07, third tarsomere 0.06, pretarsal claw 0.09; mesothoracic leg coxa 0.17, trochanter 0.13, femur 0.38, tibia 0.23, first tarsomere 0.02, second tarsomere 0.06, third tarsomere 0.06, pretarsal claw 0.07; metathoracic leg coxa 0.16, trochanter 0.15, femur 0.32, tibia 0.37, first tarsomere 0.03, second tarsomere 0.07, third tarsomere 0.08, pretarsal claw 0.08. Hind wings membranous, fully developed, completely concealed by hemelytra.

Median ventral keel: Thoracic portions distinct, each thoracic segment with a consistent, separate keel; abdominal keel variable, sometimes partially fused between segments; keel of segments 2–3 always relatively large and distinct but variable in shape, keel on segments 4–6 small or lacking; percentage of individuals with keel on segments 2–3 (3%), 2–4 (27%), 2–5 (43%), 2–6 (27%).

Characters of female: Ovipositor roughly rectangular and mostly smooth, without obvious spurs or teeth ( Fig. 4); length about 0.15mm; a few faint dimples on lateral ovipositor; ovipositor usually with pair of setae at apex along with 0–8 smaller setae along edges near apex; apex of ovipositor broadly truncate along dorsal apex; operculum (subgenital plate) wider than long ( Fig. 5 ), width about 0.4, length about0.33.

Characters of male: Aedeagus bulbous and somewhat assymetrical in the typical fashion of the family; operculum (subgenital plate) longer than wide ( Fig. 5 ), width about0.27, length about 0.37; parameres slightly assymetrical as is typical for the family ( Fig. 6 ), length about 0.11.

Ecology. The habitat is unlike other pleids in that it is found in a hygropetric zone. This habitat includes shallow water films across rocks that can be generally vertical or at least sloping. These insects are general found in cracks or amid vegetation but usually not in areas of fast flowing water. One collection site is shown in Fig. 7 . Etymology. the specific epithet combines two Greek roots, sticto- meaning punctured and –soma meaning body. Thus the name refers to its heavily punctate dorsum.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Heteroplea stictosoma n. sp. A. Dorsal habitus with distinct callus at occiput of head. B. Lateral view. C. Front of head.

FIGURE 2. Dorsal habitus of Heteroplea stictosoma n. sp. Drawing by Kendra Koch.

FIGURE 3. Legs of Heteroplea stictosoma n. sp. Prothoracic leg is on left, mesothoracic in the middle and metathoracic leg is on right. Drawings by Kendra Koch.

FIGURE 5. Subgenital plates of Heteroplea stictosoma n. sp., male is on the left and female on the right. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Dorsal view of parameres of male Heteroplea stictosoma n. sp. Scale bar = 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 7. Example of habitat where Heteroplea stictosoma n. sp. is found in Venezuela.