Edessa ovina, Dallas, 1851

Fernandes, Jose Antonio Marin & Silva, Valeria Juliete Da, 2021, A new species group to Edessa, the E. ovina group, with description of a new species (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Edessinae) from Brazil, Zootaxa 4958 (1), pp. 628-642 : 629-631

The Edessa ovina species group

Diagnosis. Medium-sized specimens (11.9–18.6 mm). Dorsally darker than ventrally ( Figs 32–39 ). Humeral angles slightly produced, not longer than head width; apex concolorous with surface ( Fig. 36 ), pale yellow ( Fig. 34 ), or black ( Figs 32, 38 ). Punctures of dorsal surface heterogeneous in size, usually large punctures are brown to dark brown and small ones are concolorous with background. Punctures of costal margin of corium darker, deeper and larger than those on disk ( Figs 32, 36 ). Apex of the metathoracic wings narrowing distally ( Fig. 1 ). Ventral surface of the thorax densely punctate ( Figs 33, 35, 37, 39 ). Spiracles elliptical inserted in a calloused area, lighter than the ventral surface ( Fig. 37 ). Trichobothria placed laterad to the spiracle line, inserted in an area lighter than the ventral surface ( Fig. 35 ). Pygophore with superior process of genital cup laminar, entire, oblique to proctiger ( Figs 5 , 11 , 19 , 27 ). Parameres with head expanded and forming two divergent projections ( Figs 5 , 11 , 19 , 27 ). Ventral surface of the pygophore with a median tumid area projected caudally ( Figs 6 , 12 , 20 , 28 ). Gonocoxites 8 uniformly punctate; subrectangular, contiguous medially. Laterotergites 9 surpassing mediotergite 8 but not reaching the level of laterotergites 8 ( Figs 8 , 14 , 22 , 30 ). Capsula seminalis small, with three digitiform processes directed towards the annular anterior crest and surpassing the posterior crest ( Figs 9 , 15 , 23 , 31 ).

Head: Mandibular plates with margins yellow, deeply sulcate medially; contiguous and curved ahead of clypeus. Bucculae wide, setulose, subrectangular; anterior margins rounded. Rostrum setulose, yellow with the fourth segment having a black spot at apex; length of segments I<II>III>IV. Antennae setulose.

Thorax: Scutellum with punctures large and sparse anteriorly and small, densely and uniformly distributed posteriorly; distal region concave medially ( Figs 32, 36 ). Corium densely punctate punctures small and uniformly distributed; veins concolorous with its surface. Embolium with punctuation larger and deeper than the rest of coria. Membranes of hemelytra brown with metallic shine ( Figs 32, 34, 36, 38 ). Ventral surface of thorax with punctures deep and uniformly distributed. Evaporatorium dull and rugose. Metapleuron with large, rounded, lateral, calloused yellow area gently wrinkled. Peritreme ruga-like, yellow ( Figs 33, 35, 37, 39 ). Metasternal process yellow, longer than wide; apex of arms, in lateral view, flat or slightly concave; arms of anterior bifurcation short, slightly divergent; apex truncated and laterally expanded ( Figs 2 , 16 , 24 ). Legs setulose; distal margins of femora with three black dorsal calli and black lateral expansion, each one with a small tooth.

Abdomen: Dorsally dark, densely punctate with punctures concolorous with its surface, small, deep, uniformly distributed. Connexivum densely punctate punctures concolorous with its surface, deep, uniformly distributed; posterolateral angles slightly projected and sharp. Posterolateral angles of segment VII projected posteriorly but not reaching the level of laterotergites 9 in females.

Male genitalia: Pygophore with a coarse dorsal rim. Posterolateral angles rounded, slightly developed ( Figs 4 , 10 , 18 , 26 ). Superior process of the genital cup textured like scales. Parameres: base narrow; head with one large, anteriorly directed lobe and a small, laterally directed lobe. Proctiger subcylindrical or ogival; lateral side constricted with a dense band of short setae along the edge of the triangular ( Figs 5 , 11 , 19 , 27 ) and gently wrinkled posterior face. Ventral rim excavated medially. Ventral surface of the pygophore densely punctate with punctures concolorous with its surface, small and deep ( Figs 6 , 12 , 20 , 28 ). Phallus ( Figs 7 , 13 , 21 , 29 ) light brown, elongated, tapering and curved. Vesica short, about 1/10 of length of phallotheca, convex, with a pair of convergent tooth-like sclerotized dorsal processes. Ductus seminis distalis short not surpassing the limits of vesica.

Female genitalia: Gonocoxites 8 convex, setulose and subrectangular. Gonocoxites 9 trapezoidal, carinated medially. Laterotergites 8 punctate, punctures deep; distal margins dark, acutely projecting posteriorly. Laterotergites 9 triangular; the base of each slightly excavated; apices acute, black. Segment X rectangular ( Figs 8 , 14 , 22 , 30 ), sulcate, setulose. Thickening of vaginal intima narrow. Annular crests convergent ( Figs 9 , 15 , 23 , 31 ).

Comments: Currently, Edessa is formed by three subgenera: Edessa , Aceratodes , and Dorypleura . The target group of this study is part of the nominal subgenus diagnosed by humeral angle conical; apex globose or depressed, posteriorly curved, impunctate, shiny and black in most of the species, according to Stål (1872). Recently, Valéria Silva (the second author) revised most of the species of the subgenus Edessa (in preparation) and the cladistic analysis indicates this subgenus as a monophyletic taxon. The subgenus Edessa assembles more than 150 species, most of them still undescribed.

The E. ovina species group can be recognized by the apex of the metathoracic wings narrowed, and the ventral surface of the pygophore with a central tumid area projected posteriorly. The E. ovina species group is clearly divisible into two morphological subgroups of species based in coloration; punctures of the dorsal and ventral surface; surface of the metasternal process; and shape of parameres. The first subgroup gathers E. ovina and E. impura , both having dorsal surface uniformly green; metasternal process flat; and the central tumid area of the pygophore poorly projected posteriorly. While the species E. sahlbergii and E. graziae sp. nov. have the dorsal surface variegated (green and brown, sometimes also yellow); metasternal process raised anteriorly, in lateral view, and punctate; and the central tumid area of the pygophore strongly projected posteriorly. These species are found only in South America and three out of four species were registered mainly at the very endangered Atlantic Forest biome.

Very little is known about these species concerning biology or ecology. Only two records about the host plant are known and both are on Bignoniaceae of the tribe Bignonieae . Edessa ovina was collected on Dolichandra unguis-cati (L.) L.G.Lohman and E. graziae sp. nov. on Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers. Edessa graziae was observed and collected by the first author several times over a few years in his garden in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The nymphs were observed on slender branches and adults on woody parts of the branches, both never observed feeding on fruits or seeds. Specimens stood still when gently disturbed, walking away when effectively disturbed, rarely flying away, preferring to fall freely (thanatosis) on the ground, disappearing into the leaf litter. They were active only during the summer (January–March), disappearing during the rest of the year. Part of the specimens were captured in autumn (October–December) in diapause under roof tiles and at the base of hibiscus plants, in both cases in the accumulated leaf litter.

Distribution ( Fig. 40 ): TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO; GUYANA; COLOMBIA; BRAZIL: Rondônia, Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul; PARAGUAY: Asunción, Caazapá; ARGENTINA: Jujuy, Misiones, Catamarca, Córdoba, Entre Rios.

Figures

FIGURE 40. Distribution of the species of the E. ovina group.

FIGURES 32–39. Facies dorsal and ventral. 32–33, Edessa ovina; 34–35, Edessa impura; 36–37, Edessa sahlbergii; 38–39, Edessa graziae sp. nov. (Scale = 5 mm).

FIGURES 1–9. Edessa ovina Dallas, 1851. 1—Membranous wing. 2−3 Metasternal process; 2—ventral view; 3—lateral view. 4−6 Male, pygophore; 4—dorsal view; 5—posterior view; 6—ventral view. 7—Phallus; 8—Female, genital plates. 9—Female, genital internal. (aac—anterior annular crest; ch—chitinellipsen; cs—capsula seminalis; dr—dorsal rim; dre—ductus receptaculi; gcx8—gonocoxites 8; gcx9—gonocoxites 9; gp.—superior process of genital cup; mp—metasternal process; ltg8—laterotergites 8; ltg9—laterotergites 9; par—paramere; pac—posterior annular crest; pc—processes of capsula seminalis; pha— Phallus; pi—pars intermedialis; pla.—posterolateral angle; pyg—pygophore; pro—proctiger; ta—swelling of ventral surface; tiv—thickening of vaginal intima; vs—vesica; vr—ventral rim; VII-tergite VII; X—abdominal segment X. Scale = 1 mm).

FIGURES 10–15. Edessa impura Bergroth, 1891. 10–12, male, pygophore; 10—dorsal view; 11—posterior view; 12—ventral view. 13—Phallus.14—Female, genital plates. 15—Female, genital internal (Scale = 1 mm).

FIGURES 16–23. Edessa sahlbergii Stål, 1872. 16–17, metasternal process; 16—ventral view; 17—lateral view; 18−20, male, pygophore; 18—dorsal view; 19—posterior view; 20—ventral view. 21—Phallus. 22—Female, genital plates. 23—Female, genital internal (Scale = 1 mm).

FIGURES 24–31. Edessa grazia sp. nov. 24−25, metasternal process; 24—ventral view; 25—lateral view; 26–28, male, pygo- phore; 26—dorsal view; 27—posterior view; 28—ventral view. 29—Phallus. 30—Female, genital plates. 31—Female, genital internal (Scale = 1 mm).