Australocoris monticolus Malipatil, 2012

Malipatil, M. B., 2012, Australocorinae, a new subfamily of Geocoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) from Australia, with descriptions of a new genus and two new species, Zootaxa 3554, pp. 75-88 : 82-86

Australocoris monticolus Malipatil , sp. nov.

( Figs. 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, 21–23)

Type specimens: Holotype male, Bellenden Ker Range, Cable Tower 3, 1054 m, 17.x.–5.xi.1981 EARTHWATCH/ QLD MUSEUM, Beating, rainforest, in QM . Paratypes: 1m, 1f, Bellenden Ker Range, summit TV stn, 1560m, 17.x.–5.xi.1981, Pyrethrum knockdown, EARTHWATCH/QLD MUSEUM; 2 m, 2 f, same except Beating, rainforest; 3 m, 1f, same except Cable Tower 3, 1054 m, Pyrethrum knockdown; 2 m, 1f, same except beating rainforest; 1 f, same except Malaise trap, rainforest, all in QM .

Other specimens: QUEENSLAND 1 f, Black Mtn , 17 km ESE of Julatten, 29–30. iv.1982, 800 – 1000 m, Monteith, Yeates & Cook, Pyrethrum knockdown, in QM ; 1 m, Hugh Nelson Ra 21 km S Atherton, 13.iii–1.vi. 1984, Malaise trap, in QDPI ; 1 f, Mt Fisher, 7 km SW Millaa Millaa, Whiteing Rd , 5.v.1983, 1200 m, Monteith & Yeates, pyrethrum knockdown rainforest, in QM ; 1 f, South Bell Peak, Malbon Thompson Ra , 20–21.xi. 1990, 900 m, Monteith & Thompson, in QM .

FIGURES 14–18. Female genitalia. 14, 15, 17 of A. kurandae ; 14, 15, ovipositor; 17, spermatheca. 16, 18, A. monticolus , spermatheca. Scale for Figs 17, 18 = 0.15 mm. Abbreviations: Ga, gonangulum; 1Gpo, 2Gpo, first and second gonapophysis; 1Gx, 2Gx, first and second gonocoxa; ptVIII, eighth paratergite; 1r, 2r, first and second ramus; sp8, spiracle of eighth segment.

Description. Coloration ( Fig. 3): Generally as in A. kurandae except: Antenna with 4 th segment almost wholly fuscous, except extreme base. Pronotum without a fuscous line down the middle, but with 5 short fuscous patches or spots along posterior margin. Abdomen above usually with distinct fuscous pattern ( Figs. 10, 13).

Measurements: holotype male, followed by ranges of 3 paratype specimens within round brackets.

Body: Obovate, parallel-sided, length 5.20 (5.45–5.75), maximum width clearly more than head width across eyes, 1.84 (1.80–2.11).

Head ( Fig. 5): As in A. kurandae , except eyes rather slightly wrapped around anterior margin of pronotum, interocular space less than 0.6 times as wide as pronotal posterior margin. Head across eyes slightly less than maximum body width. Length of head 0.76 (0.73–0.85); width across eyes 1.68 (1.68–1.70); interocular space slightly over 2 times interocellar space, 0.92 (0.94–1.03); interocellar space 0.37 (0.32–0.41); eye-ocellar space 0.27 (0.27–0.29); eye length 0.50 (0.49–0.50); eye width 0.29 (0.29–0.32). Antennae, length of segments: I 0.37 (0.33–0.39); II 0.75 (0.78–0.86); III 0.52 (0.55–0.64); IV 0.73 (0.72–0.80). Bucculae as in Fig. 7. Labium extending to about mid coxae, length of segments: I 0.57 (0.62–0.64); II 0.57 (0.59–0.69); III 0.55 (0.55–0.62); IV 0.50 (0.49–0.52).

Thorax: Pronotum ( Figs. 3, 5), median length 1.03 (1.05–1.08); width at posterior margin 1.65 (1.74–1.80). Scutellum ( Fig. 3, 5) length 0.73 (0.74–0.75); width 0.85 (0.85–0.90). Hemelytra ( Fig. 3), length 3.68 (3.91–4.28); length of corium 2.56 (2.66–2.76); claval commissure 0.43 (0.50–0.52).

Abdomen & genitalia: Male. Of similar pattern as A. kurandae except median band on dorsum of phallotheca more prominent as in A. fuscomaculatus . Female. Abdominal terga sclerotised in pattern as in Fig. 10; posterolateral margins of 2 nd tergum with conspicuous fuscous spot. Sternum with small irregular fuscous spots on sublateral margins of sterna III–VI ( Fig. 11). Spermatheca (Figs. 16, 18) short, bulb small and rather subspherical; duct gradually narrowing from base of bulb, short, without turns or loops. Ovipositor as in A. kurandae .

Distribution. Only northern Queensland, from near Julatten (north of Cairns) to Bellenden Ker area in the north, but mostly restricted to higher altitudes, 800 to about 1560 m.

Etymology. The species name “ monticolus ” alludes to its usually montane (high altitude, 800–1560 m) distribution.

Notes. The species exhibits considerable variation in colour markings and the intensity and pattern of punctation even within one population.

This species differs from A. kurandae in the characters in the key and the following combination of characters: Head with interocular space less than 0.6 times as wide as pronotal posterior margin, head across eyes slightly less than maximum body width, interocular space slightly over twice interocellar space, pronotum without a fuscous line down medially (but with only 5 short fuscous patches or spots along pronotal posterior margin), posterolateral margins of 2 nd tergum in male with conspicuous fuscous spot, and spermatheca (Fig. 16) short, with bulb rather subspherical, and duct gradually narrowing without turns or loops.