Parathyginus acuminatus, Malipatil, 2021

Malipatil, M. B., 2021, Revision of Australian Parathyginus with description of two new species, along with first detailed description of aedeagus in the family Heterogastridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea), Zootaxa 5016 (4), pp. 503-522 : 516-518

Parathyginus acuminatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 43–55 )

Type specimens: Holotype male, AUSTRALIA, South Australia, Near Victory Well , Everard Pk Stn., at light, 3 xi. 1970, G.F. Gross , Paratypes, 50 male, 43 female, same data as holotype, all in SAM .

Other specimens examined: SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 9 male, 8 female, Musgrave Ra., NG 04, 8 km NE Mt Woodroofe, 26 17 10 S 131 48 20E, Pitjantjatjara Lands survey, at light, 14.x.1994, in SAM ; 2 male, 1 female, Musgrave Ra. , NG03, 7 km NE, 26 16 42S 131 47 44E, at light, 15.x.1994, in SAM; 1m , Blue Hills Bore, 27 7 52S 132 51 58E, Pitjantjatjara Lands survey, pitfall, 22.iii.1993, in SAM ; 1 female, 0.6 ESE Mt Lindsay, gorge access, 27 02 04S 129 53 23E, Pit Lands survey WAT0103, at light, 20.x.1996, in SAM , 4 female, same data as above, 2.xi.1970, EG Matthews, in SAM ; 3 male, 2 female, Everard Rgs SA to Warburton Rgs WA, A. Brumby, in SAM . NORTHERN TERRITORY: 4 male, 5 female, Tindal , 14 31S 132.22E, light trap, 1-20 xii.1967, W.J.M. Vestjens, in ANIC ; 1 female, Horn Islet, Sir Edward Pellew Group , 25-31. i. 1968, B. Cantrell, in QM ; 1 male, 1 female, same locality and collector, 15-21.ii.1968, in QM , 4 female, same locality and collector, 22-28.ii.1968, in QM ; 1 male, 3 female, 16 40S 135 51E, Bessie Springs 8 km ESE Cape Crawford, 26.x.1975, M.S. Upton, in ANIC ; 1 female, 16.34S 135.41E, 14 km NW Cape Crawford , 6.xi.1975, M.S. Upton, in ANIC ; 1 female, Stuart Hwy , 26 km S Tennant Creek, 29.xi.1972, D.H. Colless, in ANIC ; 1 female, Aileron , 5-6.xi.1974, at light, E.M. Exley & R.I. Storey, in QM ; 1 male, 48 miles [ca 77 km] WEW Alice Springs , 10.ii.1966, Britton, Upton & McInnes, in ANIC ; 1 female, west of Mulga Park , at light, 22.x.1960, J. Findlay, in SAM . WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1 female, 14.49S 126.49E Carson escarpment, Drysdale survey 1975-site B1, 9-15.viii.1975, I.F.B. Common & M.S. Upton, in ANIC ; 2 male, 1 female, 21.20S 117.15E GPS Millstream-Chichester N.P. Black Hill Pool , 1.v.2003, T. Weir, in ANIC ; 1 male, 2 female, W side North West Cape , N of Cape Range Park, 27-28.vii.1978, H. & A. Howden, in ANIC . QUEENSLAND: 1 male, 1 female, Bucasia , 11.xii.2003, K.J. Sandery, in ANIC , 2 female, same locality and collector, 14.i.2004, in ANIC , 1 female, same locality and collector, 11.xi.2005, in ANIC , 1 female, same locality and collector, 21.xi.2005, in ANIC ; 1 female, 23.83554, 151.26086, Gladstone , central port entrance, panel trap (-pinene-EtoH lure), 29.xi.-13.xii.2016, D. O’Hara, in QDPI ; 1 female, 26 16S 151 25E, Koy property, Brigooda , 15.xii.1994, Monteith & Thompson, in QM .

Description. Colour. Male ( Figs. 45, 46 , 49, 50 ): Body ground colour white-stramineous, with following dark brown: head above and below, most of anterior lobe of pronotum, most of basal area of scutellum, apical 1/3 of corium, small irregular patch along claval commissure, short diffuse streak along costal vein, thoracic pleura, and subapical incomplete ringlike area on hind femora. Antennae with most of 4 th, apical about ½ of 3 rd, and apical area of 2 nd darker than remainder. Bases of hind tibiae and all claws dark brown. Membrane with transverse dark fascia as in Fig. 45 . Abdomen ventrally castaneous. Female ( Figs. 43, 44, 47, 48 ): generally, slightly darker than male. Fore and mid femora also with subapical incomplete fuscous rings. Abdominal venter like thoracic pleura, connexiva of each segment with yellow brown patches ( Fig. 48 ).

Body (measurements are of holotype male, followed by ranges of 5 specimens (male and female) in parentheses). Elongate ovate, slightly shiny above. Body investiture as in P. signifer , golden pubescence, short dense bristly setae all over, and long sparse bristly setae that are less prominent on legs and corium; length including wings 5.46 (4.60–6.86); maximum width across abdomen 1.52 (1.97–2.12).

Head. Juga with carina faintly developed, eyes not stylate in males, head length 0.87 (0.76–1.06); width across eyes 1.22 (1.10–1.48); interocular space 0.72 (0.57–0.87); interocellar space 0.40 (0.27–0.49); eye-ocellar space 0.08 (0.07–0.08); eye length 0.38 (0.34–0.45); eye width 0.30 (0.26–0.34). Lengths of antennal segments: I 0.38 (0.35–0.45), II 0.98 (0.87–1.17), III 0.83 (0.72–0.95), IV 0.95 (0.83–0.98).

Labium extending to middle coxae in males, to hind coxae in females, 1 st segment reaching to or almost to base of head, lengths of labial segments: I 0.63 (0.70–0.91), II 0.72 (0.72–0.95), III 0.57 (0.57–0.72), IV 0.42 (0.41–0.49).

Thorax. Pronotum short, subequal to head length, median length of pronotum 0.95 (0.83–1.10); width at anteri- or margin 0.91 0.83–1.06; width at posterior margin 1.48 (1.29–1.90). Length of scutellum 1.1.7 (1.10–1.52), width 0.91 (0.76–1.14). Hemelytra well exceeding abdomen, clavus punctate with 3 rows and some irregular punctures between middle and inner rows, all punctures similar sized; length of hemelytra 3.50 (3,26–4.60); length of corium 2.31 (2.16–2.96); claval commissure 0.26 (0.26–0.38).

Abdomen. All terga and sterna moderately dark except for connexival area that is pale. Terga II–VI medially with dense fine punctures ( Fig. 49 ). Scent gland scars between terga IV–V and V–VI of subequal width ( Fig. 49 ). Inner laterotergites absent (but in some Northern Territory specimens very narrow inner laterotergites present between tergites III–V). Trichobothria reduced, trichobothrial bases surrounded by small pale areas.

Male genitalia. Male with sterna narrowly pale along connexiva of segments II to VI, but not VII ( Fig. 50 ). Posterolateral angles of segments IV, V and VI without acute spinules. Pygophore roundish in overall shape, posterior margin with a median small pointed process (visible in undissected specimen) ( Fig. 51 , arrowed).

Paramere with blade broad ( Fig. 52 ), tip narrowly rounded and with a subapical indentation on outer surface, and without tooth on inner surface. Aedeagus as in P. signifer , except slightly reduced ejaculatory reservoir, and vesica as in Figs. 53, 54 .

Female genitalia. Spermatheca ( Fig. 55 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet “ acuminatus ” is Latin adjective = pointed, sharpened, alludes to the pointed median projection on posterior margin of the pygophore, a major diagnostic character of this species.

Comments. There is slight variation in coloration in examined specimens, even within one series of specimens. For example, Bucasia (Queensland) specimens are slightly darker overall ( Figs. 47, 48 ); in some female specimens, most of the posterior pronotal lobe is also dark like the anterior lobe, and connexiva have intersegmental areas with broad dark bands; and in male specimens the abdominal venter is dark.

Most of the specimens examined were collected from arid interior regions, often along escarpment and mountain ranges in South Australia, Western Australia, and Northern Territory. Some specimens were collected by light trapping and from pit traps.

Distribution. Australia (South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland).

Figures

FIGURES 43–48. Parathyginus acuminatus: 43–46, paratypes—43, female body dorsal view; 44, female anterior part of body; 45, 46, male, body dorsal and lateral views. 47, 48, Bucasia (Queensland), female body dorsal and lateral views, both same scale.

FIGURES 49–55. Parathyginus acuminatus paratypes: 49–54, male—49, 50, abdomen, dorsal and ventral views; 51, pygophore, posterior view; 52, left paramere, dorsal view; 53, 54, endosoma. 55, spermatheca. Abbreviations: co, conjunctiva; er, ejaculatory reservoir; sd, seminal duct; sp, spermatheca; ve, vesica.