Felisacus elegantulus (Reuter)

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 : 77-79

Felisacus elegantulus (Reuter)

Figures 5 , 8H , 11Z , AA, 18

Hyaloscytus elegantulus Reuter, 1904: 2 (original description).

Hyaloscytus elegantulus var. filicicola Kirkaldy, 1908: 377 (original description); Knight, 1935: 200 (revised status).

Hyaloscytus elegantulus var. javanus Reuter, 1908: 187 (original description; synonymized by Poppius, 1914: 148 with Felisacus glabratus ( Motschulsky, 1863) .

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the following combination of characters: dorsum mostly yellow to pale brown, without reddish tinge or any red markings; humeral angles of pronotum often brown to dark brown; antennal segment I cylindrical (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A); transverse depression on head extending laterally; labium reaching posterior margin of mesosternum; dorsal surface of labial segment II elongate posteriorly (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D); cuneus ca. 3× as long as base; medial part of right paramere as long as apical part, only slightly wider than basal part; outer margin of right paramere straight (fig. 11Z); api- cal part of left paramere not widened, ca. 3× as long as wide (fig. 11AA); vesica with five spicules, including spicule B (fig. 8H).

REDESCRIPTION: Male. Total length 4.0–4.2. COLORATION (fig. 5): Head: Whitish yellow to pale brown, rarely with greenish tinge, often dorsal surface and sometimes lateral side and frons somewhat darker than rest of head; head often with brown, dark brown, or red markings; clypeus whitish yellow to pale brown, often brown to dark brown apically. Eye dark brown, sometimes with reddish tinge, rarely eyes pale brown. Labium: Whitish yellow to yellow, segments I–II sometimes with greenish tinge, segment III sometimes with reddish tinge ventrally. Antenna: Segment I pale brown to brown with yellow base, rarely yellow with reddish tinge; segment II pale brown to dark brown, rarely with reddish tinge; segments III–IV brown to dark brown. Thorax: Pronotum whitish yellow to yellow, rarely with reddish tinge; anterior margin of pronotum sometimes pale brown; humeral angles of pronotum often pale brown to dark brown; pronotum sometimes uniformly colored; mesoscutum and scutellum whitish to yellow, scutellum sometimes brown apically, often paler than mesoscutum; punctures between mesoscutum and scutellum pale brown; thoracic pleura whitish yellow to yellow, rarely with greenish tinge; scent gland evaporative area uniformly whitish, rarely with greenish tinge. Hemelytron: Mostly translucent, colorless; inner part of clavus sometimes opaque, and yellow with margins yellow to brown; corium with marking along inner margin of corium yellow to brown; embolium sometimes opaque and yellow, with pale brown to brown margins; cuneus with yellow to brown margins, outer margin often somewhat darker than inner margin; membrane often with yellow or grayish tinge; membrane cell yellow to pale brown. Legs: Coxae whitish yellow to yellow; femora whitish yellow to yellow basally and darker, yellow to pale brown, apically, sometimes with reddish tinge; tibia whitish yellow to pale brown, often with paler, whitish to yellow, apical part, sometimes with reddish stripe; tarsi yellow to pale brown, sometimes tarsal segment I paler, whitish yellow to yellow. Abdomen: Whitish to yellow, sometimes with greenish tinge. SUR- FACE AND VESTITURE: Corium smooth, with shallow punctures. Dorsum, antennal segment II, and femora clothed with setae as long as or shorter than antennal segment II diameter; abdomen clothed with short erect setae, distinctly shorter than width of antennal segment II. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Body ca. 4.2–4.4× 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 longer than eye diameter; distance from eye to pronotum distinctly longer than eye diameter, not swollen laterally (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 4E); vertex ca. 1.7–1.9× as wide as eye, upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D); buccula ca. 0.2–0.25× as long as clypeus. Labium (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: figs. 6D, 9C): Reaching posterior margin of mesosternum or slightly surpassing it; segments I and II strongly shortened, combined shorter than half of segment III; segment I shorter than wide; segment II as long as wide, its dorsal surface elongate posteriorly; segment IV ca. 1.5× as long as segment III. Antenna: Segment I cylindrical (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), ca. 1.5–1.8× as long as head width, ca. 0.9–1.0× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 1.9–2.1× as long as width of head, ca. 1.1–1.2× as long as pronotum width; segment III slightly longer than segment II; segment IV subequal to half of segment III. Thorax: Anterior part of pronotum only slightly shorter than posterior part; collar delimited; posterior part slightly upraised; posterior margin concave; pronotum ca. 1.3–1.4× as wide as long and ca. 1.7–1.9× as wide as head; mesoscutum 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 right angle relative to rest of abdomen. Genitalia: Genital capsule (Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 22L) ca. 1.5× as long as wide; ventral wall ca. 1.5× as long as dorsal wall, with posterior margin semioval, smooth, without outgrowth, slightly pointed, its apex slightly inclined leftward, not curved; sides of genital capsule not modified; right paramere socket slightly pointed, left paramere socket rounded; distance between paramere sockets subequal to half of genital capsule width at base. Right paramere (fig. 11Z) distinctly curved apically; apex straight; medial part only slighter wider than basal part, bearing setae, with outer margin straight or slightly concave and inner margin convex; outer angle distinct, slightly swollen; inner angle absent, without setae; basal part ca. 0.25× as long as rest of paramere. Left paramere (fig. 11AA) L-shaped; apical part not flattened, with toothlike outgrowth on posterior side medially and without outgrowth on dorsal surface; middle part widened, without swelling or outgrowth(s); setae only on middle part near outer margin. Aedeagus (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 five spicules, including small spicule B and unique large bifurcate spicule ventrally (fig. 8H).

Female. Total length 4.1–4.7. COLORATION (fig. 5). Similar to male, rarely coloration of body, pronotum, thoracic pleura and inner part of clavus pale brown, abdomen whitish to pale brown, rarely with greenish tinge, sometimes reddish apically. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: As in male. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Structure as in male; body ca. 4.2–4.3× as long as width of pronotum; vertex ca. 1.8–2.1× as wide as eye diameter; antennal segment I ca. 1.4–1.7× as long as head width, ca. 0.8–0.9× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 1.9–2.1× as long as head width, ca. 1.1–1.2× as long as pronotum width; pronotum ca. 1.3–1.4× as wide as long and ca. 1.7–1.8× 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: Australia, New Zealand (fig. 18).

HOST PLANTS: The species was collected mostly from ferns and a few specimens were also collected from angiosperms. The host plant for F. elegantulus is primarily Pteris tremula R.Br. (Pteridaceae) in New Zealand (35 specimens). Woodward (1954) also reported that many specimens of F. elegantulus were collected from Hypolepis muelleri N.A. Wakef. (Dennstaedtiaceae) in New South Wales, Australia (5 specimens); Pteris sp. (Pteridaceae) in New Zealand (2 specimens); and Polystichum sp. (Dryopteridaceae) in New Zealand (35 specimens). Plant records among angiosperms are considered sitting records only, and include Acmena smithii (Poir.) Merr. (Myrtaceae) in New South Wales (1 female specimen); Dendrocnide excelsa (Wedd.) Chew (Urticaceae) in Queensland (1 female specimen); and Pomaderris apetala Labill. (Rhamnaceae) in Tasmania (2 specimens).

DISCUSSION: Felisacus elegantulus was described by Reuter (1904) from two males and we could not locate the syntypes, which we presume are lost. Nevertheless, there are abundant specimens, collected throughout Australia and New Zealand, fitting the original description. This species has been treated as F. elegantulus by Eyles and Schuh (2003), and we also consider it as conspecific to F. elegantulus . There is another species of Felisacus , collected in Queensland, but it has different coloration from the species, described by Reuter (1904) (see F. australicus ). See generic discussion for the explanation of nomenclatural confusion in literature.

Felisacus elegantulus is similar to F. caledonicus , F. lordhowensis , and F. schuhi in the coloration and the structure. Felisacus caledonicus differs in the lateral margins of the collar being often brown, the humeral angles of the pronotum are whitish yellow, the apical part of the left paramere is broad, twice as long as wide (fig. 11Q), and there are four vesical spicules, including spicules A and B (fig. 8F).

Felisacus lordhowensis differs from F. elegantulus in the labium reaching the posterior margin of the metasternum, the humeral angles of the pronotum is whitish yellow to yellow, the pronotum is brown posteriorly, and there are six vesical spicules, including spicules B and E (fig. 8R).

Felisacus schuhi differs from F. elegantulus in the humeral angles often yellow to pale brown, the inner part of the clavus often brown, the labium only slightly surpassing the middle of the mesosternum, and there are five spicules, including spicules A, B, and C (fig. 9J).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Bola Creek, Royal National Park, 34.11495 ° S 151.06544 ° E, 27 Feb 1989, G. Cassis, 23 (00017724, 00017725), 1♀ (00017735) ( AM). Jamieson Park, Narrabeen, 33.7169 ° S 151.28207 ° E, 01 Feb 1996, B. Day and P. Serov, 3♀ (00017739–00017741) ( AM). Kings Rd. , Federal, 28.65331 ° S 153.43432 ° E, 02 Jan 2012, G. Cassis, 103 (00400524, 00400110– 00400116, 00400524, 00191459), 11♀ (00191458, 00191460, 00400501, 00400118– 00400123, 00400501, 00191458), 2 sex unknown (00191460, 00400117), 10 juvenile (00400124–00400133) ( UNSW). Minnamurra Falls nr Kiama, 34.63333 ° S 150.71666 ° E, 07 Jan 1961, D.K. McAlpine, 13 (00017552) ( AM). Mount Keira , 34.24 ° S 150.51 ° E, 09 May 1970, D.K. McAlpine and G.A. Holloway, 1♀ (00017738) ( AM). Porter’s Dam Road, 16 km NM of Milton , 35.17925 ° S 150.44048 ° E, 09 Feb 1974, Z. Liepa, 23 (00033774, 00033775) ( ANIC). Rotary L /out, Pigeon House Ra NW of Milton, 35.35061 ° S 150.26785 ° E, 22 Feb 1979, Z. Liepa, 1♀ (00033771) ( ANIC). Royal National Park , Warumbul Picnic Area , 34.06667 ° S 151.1048 ° E, 20 m, 14 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Hypolepis muelleri N.A. Wakef. (Dennstaedtiaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW666413, 33 (00021377, 00021375, 00021376), 2♀ (00021373, 00021374) ( AM). S Coast of Durras Lake, 35.65613 ° S 150.27268 ° E, 22 Feb 1965, D.H. Colless, 2♀ (00033769, 00033770), 1 sex unknown (00033772), 23 (00033777, 00033778) ( ANIC). Sydney Lea, 33.87309 ° S 151.16901 ° E, no date provided, collector unknown, 13 (00017723) ( AM). Wallaga Lake , Bermagui, 36.42279 ° S 150.06441 ° E, 21 Jul 1973, Z. Liepa, 3♀ (00033766–00033768), 13 (00033776) ( ANIC). Wentworth Falls , Blue Mountains , 33.71083 ° S 150.37497 ° E, 20 Nov 1958, D.K. McAlpine, 1♀ (00017557) ( AM). approx. 24 km NNW of Gloucester, 32.048 ° S 151.903 ° E, 05 Dec 1990, G. and T. Williams, Acmena smithii (Poir.) Merr. and L.M. Perry (Myrtaceae) , 1 ♀ (00017737) ( AM). Queensland: 5 mi E Paluma, Northern Queensland, 19.00392 ° S 146.24205 ° E, 18 Jan 1970, G.A. Holloway, 1♀ (00017558) ( AM). Conondale Range, Bundaroo Creek , 26.683 ° S 152.617 ° E, 03 Dec 1985, G. Cassis and D. Bickel, 5♀ (00017726–00017730), 4 juvenile (00017731–00017734), 83 (00017663– 00017667, 00017720–00017722) ( AM). Mt. Edith Forest road, 1.5mi off Danbulla Road, 17.1 ° S 145.633 ° E, 06 May 1967, D.H. Colless, 1♀ (00034248) ( ANIC). Mt. Glorious , 27.333 ° S 152.767 ° E, 16 Feb 1961 – 20 Feb 1961, L. and M. Gressitt, 13 (00042309) ( BPBM). Mt. Hypipamee , National Park “The Crater,” 17.42388 ° S 145.48388 ° E, 25 Apr 1998, G. Cassis, Dendrocnide excels (Urticaceae) , 1♀ (00017736) ( AM). Pinnock [Pinock] R., Gorge Hogback Ra., WSW of Bundaberg, 25.03481 ° S 151.80731 ° E, 23 Sep 1972, H. Frauca, 23 (00033779, 00033780) ( ANIC). Woombye, nr. Nambour, 26.665 ° S 152.976 ° E, 11 Oct 1965 – 16 Oct 1965, D.H. Colless, 2♀ (00033764, 00033765), 13 (00033773) ( ANIC). Tasmania: Mt. Field National Park , Russell Falls Visitor Centre, 42.68151 ° S 146.7168 ° E, 167 m, 16 Jan 2004, M.D. Schwartz and P.P. Tinerella, Pomaderris apetala Labill. (Rhamnaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW658218, 13 (00021542) ( AMNH). Victoria: [Victoria], no date provided, Unknown, 2♀ (00005120) ( MVMA). NEW ZEALAND: Auckland: Cremorne St, Herne Bay , Auckland, 36.84291 ° S 174.73087 ° E, 30 Dec 1997, G. Cassis, Polystichum sp. (Dryopteridaceae) , 203 (00017562, 00017563, 00017742–00017745, 00017783–00017796), 1 juvenile (00017559), 14♀ (00017797–00017810) ( AM). Upokorau Valley , 15 km W Takou Bay, Northland, 35.13883 ° S 173.84274 ° E, 16 Jan 1998, G. Cassis, 103 (00017746–00017755), 2 sex unknown (00017560, 00017561), 7 juvenile (00017756– 00017762), 20♀ (00017763–00017782) ( AM) North Auckland: Auckland, 36.8667 ° S 174.7667 ° E, 14 Mar 1996, Tomkovich, 13 (00271527) ( ZISP). Wellington: Whirokino [Wh i r i k i no], Manuw atu, 4 0. 5 1 8 2 6 ° S 175.25021 ° E, 7 m, 07 Jan 1953, T.E. Woodward, Pteris sp. (Pteridaceae) , 13 (00018975), 1♀ (00018974) ( ISNB) ; 27 Jan 1957, T.E. Woodward, 1♀ (00021557) ( AMNH) .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Habitus of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 8. Vesical spicules of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 11. Parameres of Felisacus species.