Felisacus filicicola (Kirkaldy)

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 : 82-85

Felisacus filicicola (Kirkaldy)

Figures 5 , 8I , 11 AD, AE, 14N, 18

Hyaloscytus elegantulus var. filicicola Kirkaldy, 1908: 377 (original description).

Felisacus filicicola Knight, 1935: 200 (comb. nov.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the following combination of characters: coloration of dorsum generally yellow, often with reddish tinge or markings; cuneus often yellow to red, or at least with reddish (fig. 4); cylindrical antennal segment I (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), transverse depression delimiting occipital region extending laterally; vertex upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D); body length in male 3.5–3.8 and in female 3.5–4.2; labium reaching posterior margin of mesosternum; medial part of right paramere slightly wider than basal part, shorter than basal and apical parts combined; its outer margin straight (fig. 11AD); apical part of left paramere not widened, ca. 3× as long as wide (fig. 11AE); vesica with seven spicules, including spicules A, B, E, and G (fig. 8I).

REDESCRIPTION: Male. Total length 3.5–3.8. COLORATION (fig. 5): Head: Yellow to pale brown, somewhat darker dorsally, sometimes with reddish tinge and reddish markings; longitudinal sulcus on dorsal surface yellow to pale brown; clypeus often darkened apically rarely with reddish longitudinal stripe. Eye brown to dark brown, often with reddish tinge. Labium: Yellow to pale brown, segment I and III sometimes somewhat darker than other segments, segment III sometimes with reddish tinge. Antenna: Segment I yellow to reddish or reddish brown, often paler at base and darkened apically; segment II yellow to pale brown with reddish tinge, often darker than segment I; segments III–IV brown to dark brown. Thorax: Pronotum yellow to pale brown, sometimes with reddish longitudinal stripe at sides; posterior part of pronotum yellow or pale brown, sometimes posterior margin brown laterally; mesoscutum yellow to pale brown; scutellum yellow to pale brown, often brown to dark apically, sometimes mostly pale brown, yellow to pale brown basally; thoracic pleura yellow to pale brown; scent gland evaporative area whitish yellow to yellow, often with yellow or red apex. Hemelytron: Mostly translucent and colorless; inner part of clavus whitish yellow to pale brown, sometimes red or brown apically, sometimes opaque; outer margin of clavus sometimes whitish yellow, sometimes with brown tinge or pale brown apically; marking along inner margin of corium yellow to brown; embolium sometimes with yellow tinge, rarely with reddish margins and yellow or red apically; cuneus yellow to reddish yellow, often with whitish yellow outer part, rarely cuneus with yellow tinge and yellow margins; membrane sometimes yellow or with grayish tinge, with yellow to pale brown membrane cell. Legs: Coxae whitish yellow to yellow; femora whitish yellow to yellow, darkened apically, sometimes reddish apically; tibiae yellow to pale brown, paler apically, sometimes with reddish tinge basally, rarely uniformly colored; tarsi yellow to brown, often with tarsal segment I whitish yellow to yellow. Abdomen: Ventral and lateral sides of pregenital segments often whitish yellow to yellow, sometimes lateral and ventral side red; dorsal surface of pregenital segments often red, sometimes yellow with red medial longitudinal stripe; genital capsule yellow to pale brown, sometimes with reddish tinge. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Corium smooth, often with very shallow, scarce punctures. Body clothed with pale simple setae; dorsum and femora with setae subequal to or shorter than antennal segment II diameter; antennal segment I clothed with suberect setae mostly shorter than antennal segment II diameter; abdomen clothed with suberect setae, subequal to or shorter than width of antennal segment II. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Body ca. 4.2–4.4× as long as width of pronotum. 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 longer than eye diameter; distance between eye and pronotum slightly longer than eye diameter, not swollen laterally (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 4E); vertex ca. 1.6– 2.0× as wide as eye, upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D); buccula 0.15–0.2× as long as clypeus height. Labium: Reaching posterior margin of mesosternum or slightly surpassing it; segments I and II strongly reduced, combined shorter than half of segment III; segment I shorter than wide (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: figs. 6D, 9C); segment II slightly longer than wide, elongate dorsally; segment III slightly longer than ventral side of head length; labial segment IV ca. 1.5× as long as segment III. Antenna: Segment I cylindrical (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), ca. 1.6–1.8× as long as head width, ca. 1.0–1.2× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 1.9–2.1× as long as width of head, ca. 1.3–1.4× as long as pronotum width; segment III slightly longer than segment II, segment IV ca. 0.3× as long as segment III. Thorax: Anterior part of pronotum slightly shorter than posterior part; collar delimited, posterior part slightly upraised; pronotum ca. 1.2–1.3× as wide as long and ca. 1.4–1.6× as wide as head with posterior margin concave; mesoscutum more or less exposed. Hemelytron: Area along inner mar- gin of corium almost flat; inner margin of corium convex (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 13E), outer margin of corium ca. 2.5–3× as long as base. Abdomen: Genital capsule rotated left at right angle relative to rest of abdomen. Genitalia: Genital capsule (fig. 14N) ca. 1.5× as long as wide; ventral wall ca. 1.5× as long as dorsal wall, with posterior margin of ventral wall semioval, smooth, not curved, without outgrowth(s), its apex placed medially; margins not modified; right paramere socket slightly acute and left paramere socket rounded; distance between paramere sockets ca. 0.7× as long as genital capsule broad at base. Right paramere (fig. 11AD) distinctly curved in apical half, apex straight; medial part only slightly wider than basal part, bearing setae, with outer margin straight and inner margin convex; outer angle distinct, not swollen; inner angle rounded, without setae; basal part of right paramere ca. 0.15–0.2× as long as rest of paramere. Left paramere (fig. 11AE) L-shaped; apical part not flattened, with toothlike outgrowth on posterior side medially (as in fig. 11G) and without outgrowth on dorsal surface; middle part widened, without swelling or outgrowth; setae only on middle part near outer margin. Aedeagus (general view as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 22I) vesica weakly sclerotized, secondary gonopore placed at base of vesica in repose; sclerotization of ductus seminis around secondary gonopore shorter than wide; vesica with seven spicules, including spicules A, B, and G (fig. 8I).

Female. Total length 3.5–4.2. COLORATION (fig. 5): Head: Similar to male, rarely head uniformly yellow with reddish tinge. Labium: Similar to male, segments I–II sometimes with reddish tinge. Antenna: As in male. Thorax, legs, and hemelytron: As in male. Abdomen: Ventral and lateral sides of pregenital segments and segment VIII often whitish yellow to yellow, sometimes pale brown, sometimes lateral sides partly reddish, rarely entire lateral and ventral surfaces red; ventral and lateral sides of segment IX yellow to reddish, sometimes pale brown, often darker than other segments; dorsal surface of abdomen red. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: As in male. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Structure as in male; body ca. 4.1–4.5× as long as pronotum width; vertex ca. 1.6–1.9× as wide as eye diameter; antennal segment I ca. 1.4–1.9× as long as head width, ca. 0.9–1.3× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 1.8–2.2× as long as head width, ca. 1.2–1.4× as long as pronotum width; pronotum ca. 1.2–1.3× as wide as long and ca. 1.4–1.7× as wide as 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: Fiji ( Viti Levu Is., Ovalau Is., Kioa Is., Qamea Is., Laucala Is., Taveuni Is.), Western Samoa (Upolu Is.) and American Samoa (Tau Is.), Vanuatu ( Efate Is. ) (fig. 18).

HOST PLANTS: Brackenlike ferns ( Kirkaldy, 1908).

DISCUSSION: Felisacus filicicola was described by Kirkaldy (1908) from Fiji without noting the type deposition. According to Kirkaldy, this species is similar to F. elegantulus , but its coloration is suffused with red. Kirkaldy’s types are usually preserved in BPBM, BMNH, or CAS, but we did not find his filicicola material in the BPBM nor in the BMNH. In addition, the website of CAS (http://research.calacademy.org/ redirect?url = http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/entomology/typesDB/default. asp) does not refer to them.

We have examined numerous specimens from Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa that fit the description of F. filicicola of Kirkaldy (1908). Felisacus filicicola is variable externally and can be confused with a number of species, including F. albus , F. amboinae , F. dauloi , F. insularis , F. javanus , F. linae , F. ochraceus , and F. solomonicus (figs. 4–7). All of them differ from F. filicicola by the shape and number of vesical spicules (figs. 8A, B, G, L, M, P, 9F, L). Felisacus albus and F. insularis differ in the medial part of the right paramere twice as wide as its basal part (figs. 11A, 12C). Felisacus javanus and F. ochraceus differ in the medial part of the right paramere being distinctly concave (figs. 12G, 13C).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: AMERICAN SAMOA: Manu’a Islands: E of Tau Village, Tau, Manua, 14.22929 ° S 169.51111 ° W, 160 m, 18 Feb 1965, G.A. Samuelson, 13 (00042335) ( BPBM). Tavalogi Ridge, Tau Is., 14.23185 ° S 169.46567 ° W, 160 m, 16 Feb 1965 – 19 Feb 1965, G.A. Samuelson, 1♀ (00042336) ( BPBM). FIJI: Central Division: Bilo nr Lami, Viti Levu Is., 18.11092 ° S 178.41011 ° E, 20 m, 27 Sep 1979, M.K. Kamath, S.N. Lal, G.A. and S.L. Samuelson, 23 (00042231, 00042232) ( BPBM). Colo-i-suva [Tholo-i-Suva], Viti Levu Is., 18.02336 ° S 178.42032 ° E, Mar 1951, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042346), 1 sex unkown (00042347) ( BPBM). Lami, Viti Levu Is., 18.11092 ° S 178.41011 ° E, Mar 1951, N.L.H. Krauss, 1♀ (00042270) ( BPBM). Lami, Viti Levu Is., 18.11092 ° S 178.41011 ° E, 100 m, Jan 1979, N.L.H. Krauss, 1♀ (00042269), 13 (00042230) ( BPBM). Levuka, Ovalau Is., 17.68039 ° S 178.82994 ° E, 100 m, Dec 1978, N.L.H. Krauss, 5♀ (00042359– 00042363), 23 (00042353, 00042354) ( BPBM). Levuka, Ovalau Is., 17.68039 ° S 178.82994 ° E, 20 Oct 1924, E.H. Bryan, Jr., 63 (00042333, 00042334, 00042348–00042351), 3♀ (00042355– 00042357) ( BPBM). Northern Division: Dreketilailai, Vanua Levu Is., 16.56009 ° S 178.92191 ° E, 50 m, 12 Oct 1979, S.N. Lal, G.A. and S.L. Samuelson, 23 (00042344, 00042343), 1♀ (00042332) ( BPBM). Nadilo, Qamea Is., 16.79355 ° S 179.7641 ° W, 25 m, 03 Oct 1979, M.K. Kamath, S.N. Lal, G.A. and S.L. Samuelson, 2♀ (00042275, 00042276), 33 (00042237, 00042250, 00042342) ( BPBM). Qilo Bay, Laucala Is., 16.75841 ° S 179.68381 ° W, 25 m, 03 Oct 1979, M.K. Kamath, S.N. Lal, G.A. and S.L. Samuelson, 13 (00042236), 1♀ (00042358) ( BPBM). Savusavu, Vanua Levu Is., 16.77786 ° S 179.33976 ° E, 100 m, Mar 1978, N.L.H. Krauss, 2♀ (00042272, 00042273) ( BPBM). S coast to center, Kioa Is., 16.65143 ° S 179.91088 ° E, 30 m, 04 Oct 1979, M.K. Kamath, S.N. Lal, G.A and S.L. Samuelson, 33 (00042233– 00042235), 1♀ (00042271) ( BPBM). Waiyevo, Taveuni Is., 16.78411 ° S 179.98011 ° W, 50 m, Jan 1972, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042345) ( BPBM). SAMOA: Upolu: Afiamalu, 13.91666 ° S 171.71666 ° W, 640 m, 06 Jan 1956, T.E. Woodward, 13 (00037409) ( QM). Malololelei, 13.9 ° S 171.75 ° W, 610 m, 19 Jan 1956, R.A. Cumber, 13 (00037408), 2♀ 00037406, 00037407) ( QM). Mt. Vaea, 13.85 ° S 171.75 ° W, 427 m, Sep 1969, N.L.H. Krauss, 1♀ 00042312) ( BPBM). VANUATU: Shefa: Efate Is. : Klem Butte, Efate Is. , New Hebrides, 17.66666 ° S 168.26666 ° E, 175 m, 05 Dec 1978, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042229) ( BPBM). Vila, Efate Is. , 17.41836 ° S 168.34517 ° E, Aug 1950, N.L.H. Krauss, 13 (00042242) ( BPBM). Vila, Efate Is. , 0–100 m, 17.74097 ° S 168.32099 ° E, Mar 1978, N.L.H. Krauss, 133 (00042238, 00042320– 00042328, 00042330, 00042249, 00042226), 6♀ (00042256–00042261) ( BPBM); Nov 1978, N.L.H. Krauss Coll., 103 (00042244–00042246, 00042239, 00042240, 00042316, 00042318; 00042319, 00042331), 8♀ (00042220, 00042241, 00042251–00042255, 00042221), 3 juvenile (00042222, 00042225, 00042243) ( BPBM); Dec 1978, N.L.H. Krauss, 23 (00042248, 00042227), 4♀ (00042262–00042265), 1 sex unknown (00042267) ( BPBM); Feb 1981, N.L.H. Krauss, 3♀ (00042223, 00042224, 00042266), 23 (00042228, 00042247) ( BPBM), 33 (00018424, 00018425, 00018429), 3♀ (00018426–00018428) ( MZH).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Habitus of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 8. Vesical spicules of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 11. Parameres of Felisacus species.