Felisacus caledonicus, Namyatova & Cassis, 2016

Namyatova, Anna A. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2016, Revision And Phylogeny Of The Fern-Inhabiting Genus Felisacus Distant (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) Anna A. Namyatova And Gerasimos Cassis, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2016 (403), pp. 1-169 : 63-65

Felisacus caledonicus , sp. nov.

Figures 4 , 8F , 11P, Q , 14G , 17

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the following combination of characters: dorsum mostly whitish yellow to yellow coloration with lateral sides of collar often brown; humeral angles whitish yellow (fig. 4), cylindrical antennal segment I (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), transverse depression delimiting occipital region present dorsally and laterally, vertex upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D); labium reaching posterior margin of mesosternum; cuneus ca. 3× as long as base; apical part of left paramere widened, twice as long as wide (fig. 11Q); vesica with four spicules, including spicules A and B (fig. 8F).

DESCRIPTION: Male. Total length 3.5–3.8. COLORATION (fig. 4): Head: Mostly whitish yellow to yellow, sometimes pale brown dorsally, sometimes with reddish tinge and markings; longitudinal sulcus yellow to pale brown. Eye pale brown to dark brown, often with reddish tinge laterally. Labium: Whitish yellow to yellow, segment I sometimes somewhat darker than other segments, segment III sometimes with reddish stripe ventrally. Antenna: Segment I yellow to pale brown often darker apically, sometimes with reddish tinge; segment II varying from almost yellow to pale brown or reddish brown, sometimes with reddish tinge, often darker than segment II; segments III–IV brown to dark brown. Thorax: Pronotum whitish yellow to yellow with anterior margin pale brown to brown, often lateral sides of collar brown; collar rarely with reddish tinge; posterior part of pronotum sometimes with pair of brown markings on posterior margin at distance from humeral angles; mesoscutum whitish to yellow, scutellum whitish to whitish yellow, sometimes somewhat paler than mesoscutum; thoracic pleura yellow to pale brown, sometimes with pale brown to brown marking; scent gland evaporative area whitish yellow, rarely with greenish tinge. Hemelytron: Mostly translucent, colorless; inner part of clavus sometimes yellow with yellow to pale brown margins; area along inner margin of corium whitish yellow to pale brown; embolium often with yellow apex and yellow to pale brown margins; margins of cuneus yellow to brown; membrane cell yellow. Legs: Coxae whitish yellow; femora whitish yellow basally and yellow apically, rarely uniformly yellow, sometimes with red apices; tibia uniformly whitish yellow to yellow, sometimes with red bases; tarsi pale brown, often segment I and sometimes segment II whitish to yellow. Abdomen: Ventral and lateral side of abdomen whitish yellow, dorsal surface of pregenital segments and entire genital capsule yellow to pale brown, sometimes abdomen uniformly yellow to pale brown. SUR- FACE AND VESTITURE: Corium smooth, often with very shallow, indistinct punctures. Dorsum, antennal segment I, femora and abdomen clothed with setae mostly subequal to or somewhat shorter than antennal segment II diameter, those setae sometimes; abdomen clothed with erect short setae subequal to or shorter than antennal segment II diameter. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Body ca. 4.3–4.6× as long as pronotum width. Head: Depression, delimiting occipital region present dorsally and laterally (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 4E); distance between depression and pronotum distinctly shorter than eye diameter; longitudinal sulcus on dorsal surface of head subequal to eye diameter; distance from eye to pronotum longer than eye diameter, not swollen laterally (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 4E); vertex ca. 1.8–2.1× as wide as eye diameter; upraised (Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D). Labium (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: figs. 6D, 9C): Reaching posterior part of mesosternum or slightly surpassing it; segments I and II reduced, combined shorter than half of segment III; segment I shorter than wide; segment II slightly longer than wide, its dorsal surface elongate posteriorly; segment III subequal to length of head ventral side; segment IV ca. 1.5× longer than segment III. Antenna: Segment I cylindrical (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), ca. 1.5–1.9× as long as head width, ca. 1.0–1.3× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 2.1–2.3× as long as head width, ca. 1.4–1.5× as long as pronotum width; segment III slightly longer than segment II; segment III ca. 0.3× as long as segment IV. Thorax: Anterior part of pronotum slightly shorter than posterior part; collar delimited; posterior part slightly upraised; posterior margin slightly concave, pronotum ca. 1.1–1.3× as wide as long and ca. 1.4–1.6× as wide as head; mesoscutum exposed or not exposed. Hemelytron: Area along inner margin of corium almost flat; inner margin of cuneus convex (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 13E), outer margin of cuneus ca. 3× as long as base. Abdomen: Genital capsule rotated left at almost right angle relative to rest of abdomen. Genitalia: Genital capsule (fig. 14G) almost as long as wide, ventral wall ca. 1.5× as long as dorsal wall, with posterior margin of ventral wall rounded, smooth, not curved, without outgrowth(s); apex of genital capsule slightly inclined rightward; sides of genital capsule not modified; right paramere socket slightly acute and left one rounded; distance between paramere sockets ca. 0.4× as long width of genital capsule at base. Right paramere (fig. 11P) apical part distinct, straight; medial part only slightly less than twice as wide as basal part, bearing row of setae, with outer margin straight or slightly concave, and inner margin swollen; outer angle present; inner angle rounded, without setae or outgrowth; basal part ca. 0.5× as long as rest of paramere. Left paramere (fig. 11Q) widened, L-shaped, only slightly curved; apical part straight, twice as long as wide, with toothlike outgrowth on posterior side medially (as in fig. 11G); middle part widened, without outgrowth; setae only on middle part near outer margin. Aedeagus (general view as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 22I) conjunctiva weakly sclerotized; secondary gonopore placed at base of vesica in repose; sclerotization of ductus seminis around secondary gonopore shorter than wide; vesica with four spicules, including A and B (fig. 8F).

Female. Total length 3.7–4.0. COLORATION (fig. 4): Head: Similar to male, sometimes head uniformly pale brown. Labium: Similar to male, rarely uniformly pale brown. Antenna: Similar to male, coloration of segment I varying from yellow to pale brown, sometimes darker apically or with reddish tinge. Thorax: Similar to male, scent gland evaporative area whitish yellow. Legs and hemelytron. As in male. Abdomen: Whitish yellow ventrally and yellow to pale brown dorsally, sometimes segment IX uniformly yellow to pale brown, sometimes abdomen uniformly whitish yellow to pale brown. SURFACE AND VESTI- TURE: As in male. STRUCTURE AND MEA- SUREMENTS: Structure as in male; body ca. 4.2–4.4× as long as pronotum width; vertex ca. 2.0–2.3× as wide as eye diameter; antennal segment I ca. 1.7–1.8× as long as head width, ca. 1.0–1.1× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 2.1–2.3× as long as head width, ca. 1.2–1.4× as long as pronotum width; pronotum ca. 1.2– 1.4× as wide as long and ca. 1.6–1.7× wider than head. Genitalia (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 23F, G): Dorsal labiate plate wider than distance between apodemes of second valvula; mostly smooth, without distinct striations, with semicircular sclerite and distinct sclerotized rings laterally; lateral oviducts placed almost medially, very close to each other, spermathecal gland placed between lateral oviducts; dorsal labiate plate with distinct tubercles, without membranous lobe medially.

DISTRIBUTION: New Caledonia, Loyalty Is. (fig. 17).

HOST PLANTS: Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is named after New Caledonia from where the type material was collected.

DISCUSSION: Felisacus caledonicus is very similar to F. elegantulus in external morphology (fig. 4) but the latter species can be separated by the following combination of characters: the lateral margins of the collar are yellow; the humeral angles of the pronotum are often brown to dark brown; the apical part of the left paramere is not broad, ca. 3× as long as wide; and the presence of five vesical spicules, including spicule B.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype: NEW

CALEDONIA: Province Sud: Yahoué, 22.19686 ° S 166.6655 ° E, 20 Feb 1963, C.M. Yoshimoto, 13 (00042285) ( BPBM). Paratypes: NEW CALEDONIA: Province Nord: Hienghene , 20.68793 ° S 164.9434 ° E, 80 m, 14 Aug 1979 – 17 Aug 1979, G.M. Nishida, 23 (00042282, 00042283), 4♀ (00042289– 00042292) ( BPBM). Province Sud: Col de la Pirogue, 22.08161 ° S 166.3165 ° E, 330 m, 14 Feb 1963, N.L.H. Krauss, 4♀ (00042298–00042300, 00042303) ( BPBM). Col de la Pirogue, 22.08161 ° S 166.3165 ° E, 23 Jan 1962, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042286) ( BPBM) ; 14 Feb 1963, N.L.H. Krauss, 4♀ (00042296, 00042297, 00042301, 00042302) ( BPBM). Crouen, 21.53333 ° S 165.88333 ° E, Mar 1959, N.L.H. Krauss, 2♀ (00042294, 00042295) ( BPBM). Les Bois de Sud, 22.17 ° S 166.76 ° E, 200 m, 23 Apr 2005, Cassis, Wall, Tatarnic, Monteith, 13 (00039957) ( AM). Monts des Koghis , 22.15151 ° S 166.53394 ° E, 500 m, Jan 1969, N.L.H. Krauss, 23 (00042279, 00042281) ( BPBM) ; Feb 1973, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042280) ( BPBM). Mt. Koghi , 22.16666 ° S 166.53333 ° E, 525 m, Dec 1983, N.L.H. Krauss, 2♀ (00042287, 00042288) ( BPBM). Yahoué, 22.19686 ° S 166.6655 ° E, Feb 1976, N.L.H. Krauss, 1♀ (00042293), 13 (00042284) ( BPBM). Province des Iles Loyauté: Fayaoue, Ouvea Is., 20.65774 ° S 166.54238 ° E, 25 m, Dec 1968, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042306) ( BPBM). New Caledonia, 1940, unknown collector, 13 (00042304) ( BPBM) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Habitus of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 8. Vesical spicules of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 11. Parameres of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 14. Genital capsule of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 17. Distribution of Felisacus species.