Brizica proximus ( Schouteden, 1906 ) Published, 2007

WALL, MICHAEL A., 2007, A revision of the Solomonius-group of the stinkbug tribe Halyini (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae), Zootaxa 1539 (1), pp. 1-84 : 40-41

Brizica proximus ( Schouteden, 1906) comb. nov.

( Figs. 16E, 17B, 19 A-C, 20D, 21)

Anchises proximus Schouteden, 1906: 139–140 ; Bergroth, 1908: 155 (list); Kirkaldy, 1909: 369 (list)

Neoptolemus proximus: Horváth, 1915: 244 , 246–247, figs. 12a, b. (description, keyed, synonymy); Schouteden, 1933: 48 (record)

Neoptolemus assimilis Horváth, 1915 , 247–248, figs. 13a, b. (keyed) (syn. nov.)

Brizica assimilis: Black, 1968: 563 . (record)

Diagnosis. Distinguished by relatively short labium, profemora armed with 7+ ventral barbs, proctiger of male narrowly wedge–shaped ( Fig. 19B), outer ventral rim of pygophore bearing large medial process ( Fig. 19A).

Redescription. Body 2X longer than broad ( Fig. 16E). Vertex of head slightly convex, punctate. Juga apically pointed, swollen laterally. Juga and tylus subequal in length, depressed relative to remainder of head. First antennal segment surpassing apex of head. Eyes stalked; posterior margins convex. Pronotum deeply punctuate; anterolateral margins crenulate; lateral angles acute. Scutellum swollen anteriorly; apex broadly rounded, somewhat angulate; dorsally reflexed. Laterotergites with posterior angle produced as small lobes.

Bucculae produced, becoming obsolete prior to reaching posterior margin of head; anterior angle of bucculae distinct, acute, directed anteroventrally. Labium reaching third abdominal sternite (second visible); ratios 1:1.5:1.5:1. Peritreme 1/4 as long as distance from ostiole of metathoracic scent gland to lateral margin of metapleuron. Episternal ridge located 2/3 of distance between ostiole of metathoracic scent gland and lateral margin of metapleuron. Venter of abdomen primarily convex; median flattened to slightly sulcate. Profemora with 7–8 ventral thorn–shaped spines; spines becoming larger on distal portions.

Color and vestiture. Ground color straminous to testaceous with black shining punctures. Antennal segments I–II testaceous with piceous markings, segments III–V piceous. Legs mostly straminous; tibiae with two castaneous bands on longitudinal ridges. Abdomen mostly straminous; lateral portions of second abdomi- nal sternite (first visible) with dark metallic area surrounding spiracles; remainder of spiracles black; intersegmental sutures laterally black. Antennal segments I–II and proximal portion of segment III shiny with sparse vestiture, remainder of segment III and segments IV–V with dense short pile.

Male. Ventral rim of pygophore with single large medial tubercle, tubercle shallowly bilobed; dorsal rim produced as lateral lobes ( Fig. 19A–C). Proctiger elongate, wedge–shaped ( Fig. 19B); ventral surface sclerotized with microsculptured ridges; basal sclerite with posterior margin, anterior margin straight ( Fig. 19C).

Female. Eighth gonocoxa broadly triangular at base, quickly becoming acute posteriorly, swollen along medial margin. Ninth laterotergites, large, subrectangular, broadened posteriorly ( Fig. 20D).

Variation. Specimens vary in coloration. Darker specimens with castaneous lateral bands on venter. Ventral lobe of pygophore varying in breadth, and in depth of emargination.

Measurements. Males (n=2): body length 16.5 SD 1.0 (15.8–17.3), anterior pronotal width 3.2 SD 0.3 (2.9–3.4), humeral width 8.8 SD 0.5 (8.5–9.1), scutellar length 6.0 SD 0.2 (5.9–6.2), medial length of sixth sternite (fifth visible) 1.0 SD <0.1 (1.0–1.1), medial length of seventh sternite (sixth visible) 2.4 SD <0.1 (2.4– 2.4). Females (n=4): body length 17.6 SD 0.8 (17.1–18.7), anterior pronotal width 3.3 SD 0.3 (2.9–3.7), humeral width 9.4 SD 0.6 (8.8–10.1), scutellar length 6.5 SD 0.5 (6.2–7.3), medial length of sixth sternite (fifth visible) 1.5 SD 0.1 (1.4–1.7), medial length of seventh sternite (sixth visible) 2.2 SD 0.1 (2.1–2.4). Appendages in Table 3.

Specimens examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Morobe Province, Bulolo , elev. 700 m, [7° 12' S, 146° 39’ E] , 28 November 1959, coll. J. Sedlacek - 1 ♂ ( BPBM); same locality , 27 March 1969, coll. J. Sedlacek - 1 ♀ ( BPBM); Huon Pen., Pindiu , elev. 870–1300 m , 21–22 April 1963, coll. J. Sedlacek - 1 ♀ ( BPBM); Lae , [6° 44' S, 147° 0’ E] , 18 January 1961, coll. R. Ferraria - 1 ♂ ( UQIC); same locality , 2 June 1969, coll. J. Sedlacek - 1 ♀ ( BPBM) ; New Britain, Gazelle Pen., Kerawat , elev. 60 m, [4° 19' S, 151° 59’ E] , 29 August 1955, coll. J.L. Gressitt - 1 ♂ ( BPBM); Gazelle Pen., Upper Warangoi , elev. 250–600 m, [4° 29' S, 152° 9’ E] , 28–30 November 1962, coll. J. Sedlacek - 1 ♂ ( BPBM) ; New Ireland, Camp Bishop, 12 km up Kait R., elev. 240 m, [4° 27' S, 152° 29’ E] , 16 July 1956 - 1 ♀ ( BPBM); Schleintiz Mts., Lelet Plateau , [3° 20' S, 152° ', 1–30 October 1959, coll. W. W. Brandt - 1 ♂ ( BPBM).

Distribution. Middle elevational areas of New Britain, New Ireland, and the upper portions of the Papuan peninsula ( Fig. 21).

Comments. Holotypes of B. proximus and N. assimilis appear conspecific with only some minor variation in size. B. proximus has priority.