Breviphysoderes fulvopicta, Hwang & Weirauch, 2017

Hwang, Wei Song & Weirauch, Christiane, 2017, Uncovering hidden diversity: phylogeny and taxonomy of Physoderinae (Reduviidae, Heteroptera), with emphasis on Physoderes Westwood in the Oriental and Australasian regions, European Journal of Taxonomy 341, pp. 1-118 : 20-22

Breviphysoderes fulvopicta gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:27A9078A-D5EB-45B2-A579-5D8F5746288D

Figs 4–6 ; Appendix

Diagnosis

Recognized among species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov. by having the head and anterior pronotal lobe distinctly covered with dense, short, curved, setigerous tubercles, the pronotal paramedian carina deeply defined, the apical veins of the external cell of the hemelytron (Cu +M) and the apex of the scutellar process with distinct straw-colored marks, and the hemelytron not attaining the tip of the abdomen. This species is most similar to B. hobbyi comb. nov. and B. decora comb. nov. It can be differentiated from the former species by the hemelytron not attaining the tip of the abdomen, the straw-colored apical veins of the external cell and the shorter external cell length. It differs from B. decora comb. nov. in having the scape surpassing the apex of the clypeus and in having the apical veins of the external cell straw-colored. The straw-colored mark on the apical veins of the external cell is also present in B. vestita comb. nov. and B. shelfordi comb. nov., but the anterior pronotal lobe is wider in B. vestita comb. nov. and the hemelytron is longer and surpasses the tip of the abdomen in B. shelfordi comb. nov.

Etymology

The name fulvopicta is an adjective derived from Latin “fulvus” meaning reddish yellow and “pictus” meaning decorated to describe the distinctive straw-colored apical veins of the external cell of the hemelytron.

Material examined

Holotype

MALAYSIA: ♂, Sarawak, River Kapah, tributary of River Tinjar , 3.34261° N, 114.30208° E, 174 m, 23 Nov. 1932, B.M. Hobby and A.W. Moore leg. ( UCR_ENT 00018487 ) ( BMNH).

Paratypes

MALAYSIA: 1 ♂, Sarawak, foot of Mt. Dulit, junction of Rivers Tinjar and Lejok, 3.32388° N, 114.14722° E, 730 m, 28 Aug. 1932, B. M. Hobby and A. W. Moore leg. ( UCR _ ENT 00018512) ( BMNH); 1 ♂, same collection data as preceding but 5 Sep. 1932 ( UCR _ ENT 00018488) ( BMNH).

Description

Male

BODY LENGTH. Small size, total length 7.07 mm.

COLORATION ( Figs 4–5 ). Light brown to dark brown. Head light brown to dark brown. Scape of antenna straw-colored, with apex brown, pedicel straw-colored and medially brown, basiflagellomere dark brown, distiflagellomere dark brown with straw-colored apex. First segment of labium brown or dark brown, second segment light brown and basally and apically brown or dark brown entirely, third segment brown or dark brown. Anterior lobe of pronotum dark brown with straw-colored ridges, posterior lobe light brown or brown, scutellum dark brown with straw-colored apex, pleuron dark brown entirely or with brown suffusion, sternum dark brown. Corium of hemelytron brown, membrane brown with apical veins of external cell (Cu +M) straw-colored. Femora of legs straw-colored or light brown with medial and apical dark brown annulations, tibiae straw-colored or brown with basal, medial and apical dark brown annulations, tarsi and claws light-brown or brown. Abdomen not examined dorsally, ventrally light brown medially with lateral suffusion to dark brown or entirely dark brown, anterior half of connexivum dark brown and posterior half straw-colored, or dark brown entirely, exposed part of pygophore variable, light brown to dark brown.

VESTITURE. Densely setose. Head with widespread curved, setigerous tubercles, ventral surface of postocular lobe with sparse, setigerous tubercles, without pair of long, straight setae on postocular lobe posterior to ocelli. Anterior lobe of thorax with tuberculated, short, curved setae on lateral margins and along dorsal ridges, posterior lobe with short, curved, setigerous tubercles along lateral margins and sparsely distributed on dorsal surface. Corium of hemelytron with short, curved setae. Fore femur of legs with two rows of spines and setigerous tubercles, fore tibia with regular rows of tuberculated, stout, sharp setae. On abdomen, posterior margin of connexivum with short, curved setae.

HEAD. Scape surpassing apex of clypeus; eye distinctly projecting in dorsal view, about 1/5 length of head, not attaining ventral margin of head in lateral view.

THORAX. Antero-lateral paired projections acute, diverging; median pronotal depression contiguous with transverse sulcus; paramedian carina strongly defined; scutellar process long, with rounded apex; mesosternite with median irregular, tuberculated protrusion between fore and mid coxae.

HEMELYTRON. Not attaining tip of abdomen.

LEGS. Same as genus description.

ABDOMEN. Elongate ovoid, with straight terminal margin; connexival margin slightly undulating, posterior margin slightly elevated.

GENITALIA. Not examined.

Female

Unknown.

Ecology

This species is found in the tropical forest of Borneo and has been collected from the undergrowth, sapwood just under bark, and flood refuse and cut reeds at the junction of rivers.

Distribution

This species is known only from the type locality of Mt Dulit in Sarawak, north-central Borneo. All three specimens were collected near each other, at the foot of Mt Dulit near the River Tinjar.

Remarks

This species is described based on three specimens originally designated as paratypes of B. hobbyi ( Miller, 1940) comb. nov. Even though they share the same collecting event and locality as that of B. hobbyi , closer examination shows distinct, consistent, morphological differences and the specimens are therefore described as a separate species. The specimens were collected by B.M. Hobby and A.W. Moore during the Oxford University Expedition in 1932. The darkened scutellum and overlapping distribution shared with B. hobbyi comb. nov., B. decora comb. nov., B. planicollis comb. nov. and B. tenebrosa gen. et sp. nov. suggest that they are likely to be closely related.

Figures

Fig. 4. Dorsal habitus images for species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov. For an explanation of the colored arrows, see key on page 17. Scale bars = 2 mm.

Fig. 5. Ventral habitus images for species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov. Scale bars = 2 mm.

Fig. 6. Distribution map for species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov.