Dindymus (?) talaudensis 1861

Stehlík, Jaroslav L. & Jindra, Zdeněk, 2006, Five new species of the genus Dindymus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 46, pp. 21-30 : 28-29

Dindymus (?) talaudensis sp. nov.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♀, ‘Talaud Islands’, no further data ( HNHM).

Description. Female. Head, callar lobe, pronotal lobe except posterior margin, lateral margin of pronotum skirting callar lobe, scutellum, pleura and basisterna I-III black. Very short apical part of antennomere I, base of labial segment I, upper part of posterior pleural flange I, and pronotal epipleuron blackish (not entirely black). Antennomere I (remaining segments missing), labium (except base of segment I), clavus, corium and legs pale red. Clavus basally somewhat darkened. Pronotal collar, interrupted band on hind margin of pronotum, ventral surface of prosternal collar, more than half of ventral side of posterior pleural flange I, upper half of posterior pleural flange II, entire posterior pleural flange III and all epicoxal lobes light yellowish. Yellowish band on hind margin of pronotum medially with broader interruption, reaching posterior angles of pronotum, where it turns laterally and dwindles towards the callar lobe. Membrane grey.

Body rather small and slender (compared to related species). Head rather small, narrow, eyes slightly convex. Frons in lateral view pronouncedly convex anterior to eyes, depressed towards clypeus. Fore femur in apical part with two denticles. Head, entire pronotum including yellow band on base of pronotum (except pronotal collar), and sternum shiny.

Pronotal lobe with very dense and coarse puncturation (except the yellow band) stretching to area where the yellow band is broadly interrupted.

Punctures on clavus and corium small and concolorous except more conspicuous punctures on both sides along claval suture and subcosta.

Measurements (mm). Body length 10.58. Head: width (including eyes) 1.89, interocular width 1.03. Antenna: antennomere I 2.32 (antennomeres II-IV lost). Pronotum: length 1.94, width 3.02. Scutellum: length 1.30; width 1.51. Corium: length 5.13; width 1.84.

Differential diagnosis. This new species is similar to Dindymus albicornis (Fabricius, 1803) and D. daiacus Breddin, 1901 . Both are markedly different from the new species in having antennomere I, labium, clavus (except the apex) and almost the entire basal half of corium black or almost black. In addition, D. daiacus has black bases of the legs and its distal part of the corium is pale yellow instead of red. It also has a shiny yellowish band on the base of the pronotal lobe, but this is not interrupted medially and terminates distant from the posterior angles of the pronotum. Dindymus albicornis has two large, usually dull yellow spots on the pronotal base. Both of these species are bigger, have a wider head and pronotal base, more convex eyes, in lateral view the frons is almost flat in front of the eyes and evenly inclined towards the clypeus, and the punctures on the clavus and corium are more conspicuous. Dindymus daiacus has an even wider vertex (1.35 mm) and base of pronotum (3.46 mm).

The new species is closest to D. albicornis and therefore the measurements of this species are given for comparison (in mm, as means with ranges in parentheses): Females. Body length 12.26 (11.93-12.47). Head: width (including eyes) 2.24 (2.13-2.31), interocular width 1.19 (1.13-1.24). Antenna: antennomere I 2.53 (2.46-2.59), antennomere II 1.61 (1.46-1.75), antennomere III 1.48 (1.40-1.57), antennomere IV 2.54 (2.32-2.70). Pronotum: length 2.29 (2.21- 2.38), width 3.24 (3.13-3.29). Scutellum: length 1.43 (1.35-1.51), width 1.64 (1.57-1.73). Corium: length 5.71 (5.51-5.94), width 2.00 (1.94-2.05).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the name of the Talaud Islands.

Distribution. Indonesia, Talaud Islands, situated halfway between Halmahera ( Moluccas) and Mindanao ( Philippines).

Comments. The subgeneric position of this species remains unresolved (see also STEHLÍK 2005).