Brachysandalus fulvipennis ( Walker, 1873 ), 2024

Liu, Yingqi & Cai, Wanzhi, 2024, Revision of Australian Brachysandalus with the description of nine new species including one cavernicolous species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), and observations on male extragenital structure and leg teratology, Zootaxa 5490 (1), pp. 1-112 : 39-45

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5490.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E939D165-05C8-4557-BF13-751B26188C39
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13309769
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0A0987BA-FFD0-FFD8-D69C-FAFDB6E4DD34
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Brachysandalus fulvipennis ( Walker, 1873 )
status	stat. nov.

Treatment

Brachysandalus fulvipennis ( Walker, 1873) stat. rev. & comb. nov.

( Figs. 17–20 View FIGURE 17 View FIGURE 18 View FIGURE 19 View FIGURE 20 )

Pirates fulvipennis Walker, 1873: 128 .

Type locality: Australia (Melbourne). Synonymized with Brachysandalus punctorius Stål, 1867 View in CoL by Cassis & Gross, 1995: 343. Synonymy discarded and status revalidated in present study, see notes under B. punctorius View in CoL below.

Pirates (Brachysandalus) flavo-pictus Stål, 1874: 60 . New name for Brachysandalus fuliginosus View in CoL var. b Stål, 1867: 260. Type locality: Australia (Adelaide, South Australia). Synonymized by Cassis & Gross, 1995: 343.

Sirthenea fulvipennis View in CoL : Lethierry & Severin (1896: 129); Maldonado Capriles (1990: 373); Chłond (2018: 3, 4), excluded from Sirthenea View in CoL without proposing a new status.

Brachysandalus flavopictus View in CoL : Maldonado Capriles (1990: 345).

Type specimens examined. Lectotype (present designation), macropterous male, 50.117, australia, NHMUK 013588781 ( NHM); Paralectotype (present designation), 1 macropterous male, 50.117, australia, NHMUK 013588782 ( NHM); Paralectotype (present designation), 1 macropterous male, Type, Melbourne 56 120, 108. Pirates fulvipennis . ( NHM). Lectotype of Pirates (Brachysandalus) flavo-pictus Stål, 1874 (present designation), macropterous male, Typus, Stål, Adelaide, flavopictus Stål, NHRS-GULI 000000121 ( NHRS).

Other specimens examined. [ M, macropterous; B, brachypterous]. VICTORIA. 1 M male, Hattah , Mallee, 1913, J.E. Dixon Collection Don Jan 1940 ( MV) ; 1 M male, Clarkefield , 25.ix.1920, F.E. Wilson ( MV) ; 3 M males, 1 B male (dissected), 2 B females, Broken River, Benalla Dist. , J.E. Dixon Don Jan 1940 ( MV) , 2 M males, Benalla Dist. , J.E. Dixon Collection, Don Jan 1940 ( MV) ; 1 M male (dissected), Yackandah, H.W. Davey ( MV) ; 2 M males (1 dissected), Springvale , Pirates flavipennis Wlk. Det B. Uvarov (MV) ; 1 M males, St Albans, 15.vi.1923, J.E. Dixon D-.5.23 ( MV) , 1 M male, same locality, 27.vi.1924, J.E. Dixon Collection Don Jan 1940 ( MV) ; 1 M male, S. Morang , J. E. Dixon, J.E. Dixon Collection Don Jan 1940 ( MV) ; 2 M males, Victoria, no locality, D. -.8.1923, J.E. Dixon ( MV) ; 1 M male, 1 B female, National Museum of Victoria Melbourne, no locality, ac.38 (on reverse of label) ( MV) .

Diagnosis.

Macropterous male, brachypterous male and female known, body small-medium sized. Blackish brown to black ( Figs. 17–19 View FIGURE 17 View FIGURE 18 View FIGURE 19 ), hemelytron of macropterous male with clavus and corium yellow except extreme bases dark brown, membrane brown except base yellow and with a yellowish white, flexed, wide stripe along R and M veins ( Figs. 17A View FIGURE 17 , 18A View FIGURE 18 , 19C View FIGURE 19 ), hemelytron of brachypterous individuals yellow except extreme base brown ( Fig. 19A&B View FIGURE 19 ). Fore femur armed below with two rows of minute tubercles, ventral surface of mid femur also armed with rows of tiny tubercles ( Figs. 17B View FIGURE 17 , 18B&C View FIGURE 18 ); fore tibia with fossula spongiosa occupying slightly more than 1/3 tibial length, mid tibia with fossula spongiosa no more than 1/3 its length ( Figs. 17B&C View FIGURE 17 , 18B&C View FIGURE 18 ); in male, abdominal sternite VII lacking extragenital process ( Fig. 18B View FIGURE 18 ); male genitalia with median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp and oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 20B View FIGURE 20 ), and spine-like, gradually narrowing to a point at apex while near base constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 20C View FIGURE 20 ); inner margin of lateral phallothecal sclerite with several sharp denticles ( Fig. 20I View FIGURE 20 ).

Redescription.

Macropterous male ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 , 18 View FIGURE 18 , 19C View FIGURE 19 )

Colouration ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 , 18 View FIGURE 18 , 19C View FIGURE 19 ): Blackish brown to black. Apical three antennal segments, third visible labial segment and tarsi brown; hemelytron with clavus and corium yellow except extreme bases dark brown, membrane brown except base yellow and with a yellowish white, flexed, wide stripe along R and M veins.

Structure ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 , 18 View FIGURE 18 , 19C View FIGURE 19 , 20 View FIGURE 20 ): Body small-medium sized. Most of body densely covered with yellowish white, short pilosity; antenna also with brown, suberect, short setae; lateral margins of head, lateral margins of pronotum and legs also with brown, erect, relatively long setae.

Head:Anteocular region elongate triangular, clypeus near its base slightly elevated and knobbed above mandibular plates. Interocular region with arcuate convex sulcus at posterior border of eyes, a small pit near base. Postocular region almost rounded to neck. Neck with lateral tubercles almost invisible. Antennae with all segments covered with short golden to yellowish brown pilosity and sparse longer setae; scape thickest, pedicel thinner, then basi- and distiflagellum thinnest. Eye relatively small, occupying 1/2 height of head in lateral view, width of eye distinctly shorter than width of interocular space in dorsal view. Ocelli weakly developed, slightly raised, separated from each other by nearly twice diameter of single ocellus, separated from eye by more than twice diameter of single ocellus.

Thorax: Anterior lobe of pronotum with distinct stripes, sulci indistinct, except median longitudinal sulcus on basal half of anterior pronotal lobe deep and surrounded with a shallow, oval depression. Posterior pronotal lobe short, arcuately quadrate, integument finely rugulose, humeri rounded, posterior margin of pronotum arcuate with median part relatively straight. Scutellum disc flat and finely rugulose, scutellar process knobbed, slightly directed obliquely in lateral view. Propleuron with integument finely faintly granulate, smoothly pilose, set off from dorsal surface by a faint carina. Mesopleuron integument finely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron finely granulate and granules somewhat striate, metapleural sulcus distinctly bicarinate and arcuate, pilose with whitish dense hairs posteriorly. All sternites with tiny granules, moderately pilose. Mesosternum slightly carinate in middle, metasternum with disc tumid and flat in middle. Hemelytron well developed, distinctly exceeding tip of abdomen.

Legs: Fore leg with coxa with yellowish brown pilosity; trochanter unarmed, sparsely hairy; femur strongly fusiform, greatly incrassate near base narrowing distally, much thicker than other femora, armed below with two rows of minute tubercles; tibia gradually thickened to apex, more or less straight but apex slightly reflexed, fossula spongiosa occupying slightly more than 1/3 tibial length. Mid leg with coxa globular; femur only slightly thickened, ventral surface also armed with rows of tiny tubercles; tibia with short golden to yellowish brown pilosity for whole length, with fossula spongiosa no more than 1/3 its length. Hind coxae separated from each other by slightly less than width of one coxa; femur cylindrical; tibia with brush of setae, denser at apex. Tarsi cylindrical, denser short pilosity ventrally.

Abdomen: Venter of abdomen with a median ridge running from posterior portion of second abdominal sternite to posterior portion of seventh abdominal sternite, slightly curved to right side of body, distinctly carinated and forming a knobbed preapical point on sternite VII ( Fig. 18B View FIGURE 18 ); sternite VII lacking extragenital process ( Fig. 18B View FIGURE 18 ). Connexivum with yellowish white to golden pilosity as elsewhere on sternum, abdominal sterna and terga entire. Spiracles situated below connexival suture, and each with two impressed shiny roundish areas, one postero-ventrally and one anteriorly near anterior margin of segment.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 20 View FIGURE 20 ): Median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp and oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 20B View FIGURE 20 ); spine-like, gradually narrowing to a point at apex while near base constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 20C View FIGURE 20 ). Parameres ( Fig. 20D&E View FIGURE 20 ) broad falcate, apical 1/4 of left paramere ( Fig. 20D View FIGURE 20 ) broadly rectangular with apex truncate, apical 1/4 of right paramere ( Fig. 20E View FIGURE 20 ) subtriangular, left paramere slightly longer and more curved in middle than right paramere. Phallus ( Fig. 20F–I View FIGURE 20 ) in resting condition with basal plate slightly shorter than basal plate bridge ( Fig. 20F View FIGURE 20 ), pedicel straight and shorter than basal plate ( Fig. 20H&I View FIGURE 20 ); length of struts distinctly longer than half length of phallosoma ( Fig. 20F View FIGURE 20 ); apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite rounded ( Fig. 20F View FIGURE 20 ); lateral phallothecal sclerite subquadrangular, inner margin with several sharp denticles ( Fig. 20I View FIGURE 20 ); pair of slender sclerites near base of venter of phallosoma strongly sclerotized ( Fig. 20G View FIGURE 20 ).

Brachypterous male and female ( Fig. 19A&B View FIGURE 19 )

Differs from macropterous male in: hemelytron yellow except extreme base brown; width of eye much shorter than width of interocular space in dorsal view; ocelli reduced and less elevated, separated from each other by about or more than twice diameter of single ocellus; anterior pronotal lobe nearly spherical, posterior pronotal lobe abbreviated, only slightly wider and much shorter than anterior lobe; scutellum much wider than long, scutellar process horizontal in lateral view; metapleural sulcus more curved than in macropterous male; hemelytron greatly reduced to a flap, subquadrangular with apex rounded, surpassing posterior margin of first abdominal tergite; dorsum of abdomen with three small scent gland scars of subequal width on terga III–IV, IV–V and V–VI; venter of abdomen flat in female, all sterna appearing narrow medially except VII very enlarged, sternite VII with some transverse wrinkles.

Measurements: [of lectotype macropterous male of Pirates fulvipennis when available, followed by one macropterous male and one brachypterous male, and one brachypterous female]. Body length 11.90, 12.15 (M ♂), 11.20 (B ♂), 13.26 (♀); maximum width of abdomen 3.74, 3.58 (M ♂), 3.30 (B ♂), 3.19 (♀); length of head 2.16, 1.71 (M ♂), 1.90 (B ♂), 1.82 (♀); length of anteocular region?, 0.76 (M ♂), 0.76 (B ♂), 0.68 (♀); length of postocular region?, 0.56 (M ♂), 0.53 (B ♂), 0.50 (♀); width of head 1.44, 1.36 (M ♂), 1.36 (B ♂), 1.36 (♀); width of interocular space 0.63, 0.64 (M ♂), 0.60 (B ♂), 0.60 (♀); width of interocellar space 0.22, 0.22 (M ♂), 0.19 (B ♂), 0.19 (♀); length of eye in dorsal view?, 0.53 (M ♂), 0.53 (B ♂), 0.53 (♀); width of eye in dorsal view?, 0.41 (M ♂), 0.34 (B ♂), 0.34 (♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 1.08, 1.06 (M ♂), 0.98 (B ♂), 0.98 (♀) / 2.07, 1.78 (M ♂), 1.63 (B ♂), 1.55 (♀) /1.98, 1.55 (M ♂),? (B ♂),? (♀) /?,? (M ♂),? (B ♂),? (♀); length of visible labial segments I–III?, 0.68 (M ♂), 0.79 (B ♂), 0.79 (♀) /?, 0.95 (M ♂), 1.10 (B ♂), 1.17 (♀) /?, 0.41 (M ♂), 0.42 (B ♂), 0.45 (♀); length of pronotum 3.42, 3.07 (M ♂), 2.62 (B ♂), 2.69 (♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe?, 1.90 (M ♂), 2.01 (B ♂), 2.12 (♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe?, 1.14 (M ♂), 0.60 (B ♂), 0.53 (♀); width of anterior pronotal lobe?, 2.28 (M ♂), 2.28 (B ♂), 2.43 (♀); width of posterior pronotal lobe, 3.51, 3.42 (M ♂), 2.28 (B ♂), 2.50 (♀); length of scutellum 1.26, 1.10 (M ♂), 0.85 (B ♂),1.06 (♀); maximum width of scutellum 1.44, 1.40 (M ♂), 1.21 (B ♂), 1.21 (♀); length of hemelytron 8.33, 8.11 (M ♂), 2.28 (B ♂), 2.65 (♀); length of fore tibia?, 2.00 (M ♂), 2.28 (B ♂), 2.28 (♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia?, 0.76 (M ♂), 0.90 (B ♂), 0.83 (♀).

Distribution. Australia (Victoria and South Australia). The specimens examined in the present study have come from Victoria, and the lectotype of Pirates (Brachysandalus) flavopictus Stål from South Australia (Adelaide).

Comparative notes. This species is more similar to B. fulvipes sp. nov. but could be separated from the latter by legs blackish brown to black (vs. legs yellowish brown in B. fulvipes sp. nov.) and abdominal sternite VII lacking extragenital process in male (vs. abdominal sternite VII with a small spine-like extragenital process on left side in male in B. fulvipes sp. nov.).