Neogergithoides Sun, Meng & Wang

Sun, Yanchun, Meng, Rui & Wang, Yinglun, 2012, Neogergithoides, a new genus with a new species from China (Hemiptera: Issidae), Zootaxa 3186, pp. 42-53 : 43-44

Neogergithoides Sun, Meng & Wang , gen. nov.

Type species: Neogergithoides tubercularis sp. nov. by monotypy

Description. Body hemispherical. Head with eyes distinctly narrower than pronotum. Vertex more or less hexagonal, tricarinate, 1.7 times longer than broad, anterior margin weakly convex at middle, posterior margin shallowly emarginate, disc depressed. Frons smooth, 1.8 times longer than broad, anteriorly truncate and moderately produced above eyes, slightly convex and narrowed towards clypeus, disk elevated with median carina; lateral margin clearly carinated. Clypeus elongate and triangulate, strongly elevated at disc, median carina present. Rostrum long, reaching post-trochanters. Eyes oval, ocelli present. Pronotum short, about half of vertex in mid-line, anterior margin convex onwards between eyes, with two central pits at disc, median carina present or obsolete, posterior margin elevated. Mesonotum more or less triangular with median and lateral carinae, with two pits along each lateral margin. Tegula small. Tegmen longer than broad, semicoriaceous and without claval suture, approximately 2.0 times longer in midline than wide at widest part, veins distinct and reticulate. Wing translucent, veins distinct and netlike, longer than half length of tegmen. Legs moderately long, not dilated; lateral margin of hind tibia with two teeth. Spinal formula of hind leg 6–9–2.

Male genitalia. Anal segment in dorsal view mushroom-shaped. Pygofer in profile with dorsolateral angles strongly produced. Aedeagus slightly curved downward medially, with dorsal, lateral and ventral lobes, two short sword-like processes near middle. Genital styles in lateral view subtriangular, caudo-ventral angle rounded. Capitulum of style, in dorsal view, with two obtuse apical processes, and large lateral tooth.

Female genitalia. Sternite VII with apical margin distinctly convex at middle. Anal segment in dorsal view oval-like. Anterior connective laminae of gonapophysis VIII nearly quadrilateral, with three nearly parallel teeth at apical margin; lateral margin with three small teeth with carinae at apex. Posterior connective laminae of gonapophyses IX nearly square in lateral view, lateral fields flat, median field wide and single. Gonoplac nearly quadrilateral, in dorsal view, fused at base and forked at apical half along dorsal margin.

Remarks. The new genus is placed into the tribe Hemisphaeriini by the following combination of characteristics: body hemispherical; head with eyes narrower than pronotum; tegmen coriaceous and relatively thick, without claval suture; wing developed, and shorter than tegmen; lateral margin of hind tibia with two teeth.

This new genus resembles Gergithoides Schumacher but differs from the latter by the following characters: 1) ocelli present, absent in Gergithoides ; 2) vertex with tricarinate, about 1.7 times longer than wide, in Gergithoides , vertex with median carina or not, almost as long at base as wide in middle line; 3) frons without any tubercule and elevated at disc, posterior margin of pronotum with indistinct tubercules, in Gergithoides , frons with numerous tubercules along lateral margin and flat at disc, anterior and posterior margin of pronotum with distinct tubercules; 4) tegmen with a brown stripe along black anterior and apical margins, and anterior margin moderately convex at one third of base, Gergithoides without such stripe and anterior margin arc; 5) aedeagus with two short sword-like processes in basal half, Gergithoides with two processes at apical half.

This new genus is also similar to Macrodaruma Fennah , but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: 1) vertex more or less hexagonal, slightly produced, in Macrodaruma , vertex almost trapezoidal and strongly produced, tapering; 2) pronotum with indistinct median carina, absent in Macrodaruma ; 3) frons with lateral margin elevated, in Macrodaruma , lateral margin flat; 4) aedeagus with two short sword-like processes apex directed dorsally near middle, the Macrodaruma with two short processes apex directed basally at base.

The similarity of some characters of the new genus, particularly the presence of the median carina on the frons, indicates that it is probably closer to Gergithoides , Macrodaruma , Mongoliana and Choutagus than other genera in the subfamily Hemisphariini, but it needs to be verified based on further phylogenetic research by using molecular and morphologic data as well.

Etymology. The generic name “ Neogergithoides ” refers to the strong resemblance to Gergithoides . The genus is feminine in gender.