Zeraikia Gil-Santana & Costa, 2003

Gil-Santana, Helcio R., 2017, A new species of Zeraikia Gil-Santana & Costa with taxonomic notes on Zeraikianovafriburguensis Gil-Santana & Costa (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Peiratinae), ZooKeys 716, pp. 105-126 : 107-109

Zeraikia Gil-Santana & Costa, 2003

Zeraikia Gil-Santana & Costa, 2003: 4 [key; description], 7 [discussion]; Forero 2004: 155 [diagnosis], 155-156 [comments], 187 [key]; Cai and Taylor 2006: 51 [citation], 54 [Key]; Gil-Santana et al. 2015: 327 [key].

Type species.

Zeraikia novafriburguensis Gil-Santana & Costa, 2003: 4-7, by monotypy.

Diagnosis.

Head somewhat longer than fore lobe of pronotum; transverse sulcus distinct, shallowly impressed. Postocular region in dorsal view converging to neck from a point considerably posterior to eyes. Meso and metapleural sutures curved. Prosternal process ending short of apices of fore coxae. Space between mid coxae and hind coxae slightly smaller and wider than coxal diameter, respectively. Fore and mid tibia with spongy fossa. Spongy fossa of fore tibia occupying somewhat less than half length of the tibia, ventrally; spongy fossa of mid tibia about half size in comparison with that of fore tibiae, occupying approximately distal fourth of mid tibia, ventrally.

Description.

Small sized (maximum length 10.7-12.8). Structure: integument mostly shiny. Head: integument mostly finely granulose and rugulose; on postocular region and lateral tubercles of neck there are larger granules; shorter than pronotum; somewhat longer than fore lobe of pronotum; anteocular portion longer than postocular and elongated. Transverse sulcus distinct, shallowly impressed with a small anterior median depression. Eyes of medium size, somewhat more than half as wide as interocular space in dorsal view, reaching near and far from outline of head dorsally and ventrally, respectively; in lateral view, at level of midportion of labial segment III (second visible). Distance between ocelli approximately or somewhat more than twice diameter of ocellus. Area immediately posteroventral to eyes, somewhat prominent. Antennae inserted near eyes, elongated; segment I shortest and thickest, enlarged toward apex; remaining segments longer and progressively thinner. Labium robust, segment III (second visible) longest; segment IV thinnest, tapering; integument smooth on segments III–IV. Postocular region in dorsal view converging to neck from a point considerably posterior to eyes. Neck with a conspicuous pair of lateral tubercles, integument generally smooth and shiny. Thorax: integument mostly finely or coarsely granulose and rugulose; pronotal collar moderately developed, with prominent lateral lobes. Fore lobe of pronotum longer than hind lobe, lateral margins rounded in dorsal view; hind lobe enlarged toward posterior margin; lateral margins of fore and hind lobe carinate; humeral angles rounded and posterior margin convex; transverse furrow well-marked, curved, subparallel to posterior margin; fore lobe strongly longitudinally depressed in middle of posterior third, with shallow medial sulcus at anterior two-thirds and similar lateral sulci; integument finely granulose on the sulci and mostly shiny and smooth among sulci. Scutellum triangular; apical margin rounded. Prothoracic acetabula broad. Meso and metapleural sutures curved. Prosternal process elongated, tapering, ending short of apices of fore coxae, with stridulitrum occupying its midline, ventrally. Meso and metasternum finely punctuated. Mesosternum with a midlongitudinal shallow crest. Fore coxae thickened, somewhat thinner toward apices, elongated, implanted near each other; space between them smaller than width of each coxa and occupied by the prosternal process. Mid and hind coxae subglobular, progressively more widely separated from each other; space between mid coxae and hind coxae slightly smaller and wider than coxal diameter, respectively. Fore femora thickest, hind femora longest, mid femora somewhat thicker than hind femora. Fore and mid tibiae slightly shorter than respective femora and bearing spongy fossa. Fore tibiae conspicuously enlarged and somewhat curved upwards at approximately apical half; spongy fossa large, occupying somewhat less than half length of the tibia, ventrally, and surpassing its apex approximately to level of basal portion of second tarsomere. Mid tibiae somewhat enlarged at apical third to apical fourth; spongy fossa about half size in comparison with that of fore tibiae, occupying approximately distal fourth of the tibia, ventrally, and surpassing its apex approximately to the level of middle portion of first tarsomere. Hind tibiae slightly longer than femora, almost entirely straight, sometimes somewhat thickened or curved subapically. Hemelytra generally dull, not surpassing tip of abdomen in females but extending somewhat beyond it in males; on extreme base of dorsal surface, laterally, a small, somewhat elevated, translucent, rugulose area present. Abdomen suboval, larger in females; dorsal connexival segments also more prominent in females. Integument very finely rugulose and granulose. Sternite II (first visible) with dull and rugulose integument, granulose on median portion, sometimes also finely granulose on lateral portions. Sternites III–VII with shiny integument, variably rugulose; their median portion generally smoother, mainly in females, in which the segments are more enlarged; on sternite III a shallow median carina, sometimes in complete, not evident on posterior half of the segment. In males, only posterior margin of sternite VIII visible, in which there is a median posterior elongated subtriangular prolongation with the apex rounded; the remaining segment, i.e., the non-exposed part, less pigmented and less sclerotized; basal margin curved backwards on midportion ventrally. Integument somewhat rugulose on exposed portion of genital segments.

Male genitalia: asymmetrical. Exposed portion of pygophore subquadrate to subrectangular in ventral view; its non-exposed portion almost unpigmented and less sclerotized; basal margin curved backwards on midportion ventrally; median process large, elongated, strongly curved in ventral view, somewhat narrower at basal and apical portions; tip of apex blunt in ventral view and acute in lateral view. Parameres subtriangular, margins rounded; left paramere slightly longer than right paramere, with its apical portion more slender; a subapical process (sp) present on inner surface of both parameres, small on left paramere and larger on right paramere; just below this process, at one side, a longitudinal crest (lc) present on inner surface, somewhat shorter and more prominent on right paramere. Phallus suboval in shape when not inflated. Articulatory apparatus with moderately short basal plate arms (bpa); basal arms and basal plate bridge (bpb) forming a subtriangular set; basal plate bridge somewhat narrower than basal plate arms; pedicel (pd) moderately elongated, curved in lateral view. Dorsal phallothecal sclerite (dps) asymmetrical, twice curved in lateral and dorsal views, elongated; at its approximately median third there is a pair of asymmetrical rounded flat lateral expansions (fle); somewhat depressed at median portion, longitudinally, on dorsal surface of approximately distal half; apex rounded in dorsal view. Endosoma with three main processes: 1 - a globose to elongate subbasal larger process (sbp) formed by diffuse thickening; two processes formed by several to numerous variably sclerotized elements; 2 - an apical, elongated curved process (ap), formed by numerous sclerotized spined elements, in which the tip is surrounded by a globose expansion of endosoma (ge); and 3 - another process, which varies in shape, located basally or apically inside the subapical tubular projection of endosoma (stp). Endosoma wall longitudinally and transversely finely striated; finely rugose in some portions, especially on apical part; sometimes forming a globose small lateral lobe (gl); with a very long, conspicuous, subapical tubular projection (stp) which is apparent only after careful detachment and expansion of it apart from the surrounding tissues; in a resting position, most part of it remains embedded in phallosoma. Length of this tubular projection, when fully stretched, approximately as long as or somewhat longer than anteroposterior length of phallus.

Female genitalia: simple. Tergites IX and X obliquely directed backwards, clearly separated by a thin line; in posterior view, subtrapezoidal and subrectangular in shape, respectively.

Vestiture: integument generally covered by numerous, short, adpressed, pale to silvery setae, sometimes forming a pubescence; long to very long, darkened, stiff, straight or variably curved setae and stiff, darkened, straight or variably curved moderately short setae. Head covered with pale to silvery pubescence which is somewhat rarer ventrally and in postocular region, and also with scattered long oblique darkened stiff setae. Neck glabrous, except on lateral tubercles which are covered by pubescence. Eyes glabrous. Antenna: segment I less setose; pubescence and sparse, stiff, obliquely curved, short setae more numer ous toward apex, with a few, longer, stiff, somewhat curved to straight, darkened setae, one of them, implanted on approximately median portion of dorsal surface, is conspicuously thicker than the others. Segments II and III covered by dense pubescence formed by numerous thin, oblique, short pale setae, and scattered, longer, stiff, oblique, darkened setae. On segment II, some trichobothria present, which are variable in length, some of them very long; a conspicuous, subbasal, strong, stiff, straight, very long, darkened, dorsal seta and a subapical, dorsal, somewhat long, stiff, somewhat curved darkened seta. On segment IV, the setae forming the dense pubescence are even thinner and more adpressed, while the stiff oblique setae are somewhat longer, thinner and more numerous along the segment. Labium less setose, segments III and IV with some scattered stiff long straight setae only. Thorax with short, pale pubescence and variable long, stiff, straight or variably curved setae. Lateral lobes of pronotal collar with a single conspicuous, stiff, long, darkened seta. Integument glabrous on shiny and smooth areas among sulci of fore lobe of pronotum. Femora and tibiae with scattered, conspicuous, long to very long, straight, stiff, darkened setae, with variable areas also covered with pale pubescence. Pubescence on tibiae generally denser, mainly on ventral and dorsal surfaces of mid and hind tibiae; towards apical portion of the segment, tufts formed with very numerous, stiff, short, oblique, yellowish to golden-yellowish setae on ventral surface of fore tibiae, and dorsal and ventral surfaces of mid and hind tibiae. Tarsi densely covered with stiff, pale, yellowish to golden-yellowish, oblique to curved setae of variable lengths, somewhat shorter and more numerous on ventral surfaces of the segments. Hemelytra moderately setose on lateral portions of base and costal area of corium, sparsely on other portions, in which most if not all the setae are implanted on veins, with glabrous areas among them; membrane glabrous. Abdomen: each dorsal connexival segment with a single conspicuous long, stiff, darkened, somewhat curved to straight setae implanted just above posterolateral angle. Pubescence formed by very short and adpressed setae on connexivum and lateral portions of sternites; the latter with variable number of scattered long stiff darkened setae. In males, posterior margin of segment VII with some to several, very long, conspicuous, somewhat curved, stiff, darkened setae. Genitalia covered by short thin setae and longer stiff scattered setae on exposed portions. Parameres glabrous on basal portion; covered by numerous, moderately long, thin setae and a few, conspicuously longer, larger setae scattered on the exposed (outer) surface; inner surface mostly glabrous with a few rows of moderately long, thin setae basally to the inner crest and on the latter, in which the setae are more numerous and longer.