Unicageocoris Malipatil

Malipatil, M. B. & Blacket, M. J., 2013, Review and revision of Australian Germalus Stål, with new genera and further new species of Australian Geocorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Geocoridae), Zootaxa 3746 (2), pp. 257-300 : 290-294

Genus Unicageocoris Malipatil , gen. nov.

( Figs. 124–141 )

Description. Body elongate ovate, appearing shorter and more robust than Germalus . Body above and below generally with sparse and fuscous punctures ( Fig. 124 ).

Head: With ocular sulcus complete, with distinct punctures in middle but indistinct elsewhere on head ( Fig. 126 ). Eyes stylate, touching pronotal margin. Bucculae produced near base as flaps to level of base of antennae, then diminish rather abruptly, continuing posteriorly and joining roughly in a V near base of head.

Thorax: Pronotum coarsely punctate (except smooth impunctate calli); each callus with a short curved fine, transverse groove on posterior border ( Fig. 125 ). Scent gland opening narrow and directed posteriorly; evaporative area indistinct but punctate. Scutellum distinctly and irregularly punctate all over; with an indistinct median Yshaped laevigate ridge. Hemelytra hyaline, extending well beyond apex of abdomen; corium with costal margin gradually slightly arcuate, widest at middle; punctures in rows only along inner and outer margins, elsewhere in irregular pattern (inner half of corium with large impunctate areas). Clavus with irregular dense punctures all over, except one outer row adjoining corium incomplete in apical 1/3, one inner row adjoining scutellum distinct only near base and along claval commissure; membrane hyaline, without distinct veins.. Legs short, femora, particularly fore femora, relatively more incrassate than in Germalus .

Abdomen: Spiracles on tergum II on edge of connexivum or appear almost ventral particularly in males, those on III and IV dorsal, on V–VII ventral ( Figs. 127, 128 , 132, 133 ). Inner laterotergites narrow (in females much reduced, so obscure). Dorsal scent gland scars set in pale areas surrounded by sclerotised areas; scars between terga IV–V and V–VI subequal in width; sutures between terga IV–V slightly, and V–VI moderately, curved caudad from margin to meson ( Fig. 127 ). Trichobothria on sternum III arranged in a loose triangle to almost linear, those on IV almost linear, varying in spacing and degree of development (sometimes one trichobothrium reduced or absent), those on V–VII are in full (trichobothrial) complement (3:3:2), and in all the inner of the 2 posterior trichobothria is the smallest. Male with internal apodeme on anterior margin of sternum VII broad, blunt, and extending to about 2/3 length of sternum VI (e.g., Fig. 133 ).

Female genitalia: Spermatheca ( Fig. 129 ) saccoid, bulb lightly sclerotised and almost subspherical in shape, with a flange near base sclerotised and unevenly expanded; duct part behind flange wide, gradually narrowing to a uniformly thin tube with 6–8 twists and 3–4 loose coils; basal part of duct short and narrow. Ovipositor with first ramus traversing to almost 9/10 length of first gonapophysis ( Fig. 130 ).

Male genitalia: Aedeagus with gonoporal process beyond helicoid process very thin, with 7–10 coils; basal 2– 3 coils large and loose; apical 5–7 coils much smaller and tighter. Secondary gonopore simple ( Figs. 135–137 ). Type species: Unicageocoris griseus Malipatil , sp.nov.

Notes. This genus differs from all Australian genera by the short curved, transverse, line-like shallow groove on the posterior border of each pronotal callus, and from the genus Germalus in particular by the rather short and robust body, the head dorsally with medial punctures, and by the distinct but irregular punctation all over the scutellum. By possessing shallow impressed grooves on the posterior of the pronotal calli (the character reported present only in the family Lygaeidae [Henry 1997]), this genus can be considered unique [hence its etymology “ unicus ” L. = unique, unusual bug] and its placement in the family Geocoridae is only tentative. However, in other major characters such as reniform eyes and the ventral placement of abdominal spiracles on segments V–VI, it is a member of Geocoridae .

Figures

FIGURES 124 – 126. Unicageocoris griseus, male, dorsal view: 124 a (Boorabin Rock WA), 124 b (Teatree Gully SA, Figs 124 b – 126), habitus; 125, head, pronotum and scutellum enlarged; 126, head enlarged.

FIGURES 127 − 131. Unicageocoris griseus, female: 127, abdominal dorsum; 128, abdominal venter; 129, spermatheca; 130, 131, ovipositor.

FIGURES 132 - 141. Unicageocoris griseus, male: 132, abdominal dorsum; 133, abdominal venter; 134, pygophore, dorsal view; 135 – 137, aedeagus, ventral, lateral and dorsal views; 138, ejaculatory reservoir, enlarged; 139 – 141, paramere, different views.