Felisacus malayensis, 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 : 121-122

Felisacus malayensis , sp. nov.

Figures 6 , 9A , 12Y, Z , 15A, 19

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the following combination of characters: head and pronotum mostly yellow to pale brown with posterior part of pronotum mostly brown, cuneus red; marking along inner margin of corium brown, not reaching R+M anteriorly; cylindrical antennal segment I (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), transverse depression on head extending laterally, vertex upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D), body length in male 3.2–3.7, in female 3.8; labium reaching posterior margin of metasternum or slightly surpassing it; cuneus ca. 3× as long as base; medial part of right paramere only slightly wider than basal part, shorter than basal and apical parts combined (fig. 12Y); vesica with five spicules, including spicules A, B, and C (fig. 9A).

DESCRIPTION: Male. Total length 3.2–3.7. COLORATION (fig. 6): Head: Mainly pale brown, anterior part of head and frons with reddish tinge. Eye dark brown, reddish at sides. Labium: Uniformly yellow. Antenna: Segment I yellow, darker apically; segment II pale brown, brown apically; segments III–IV brown to dark brown. Thorax: Anterior part of pronotum pale brown with collar brown; posterior part of pronotum mostly brown, pale brown anteriorly; mesoscutum and scutellum pale brown, scutellum brown apically; thoracic pleura brown; scent gland evaporative area yellow, pale brown apically. Hemelytron: Mostly translucent; inner part of clavus opaque, pale brown; outer part of clavus colorless, yellow to pale brown apically; corium colorless, whitish with marking along inner margin of corium brown; embolium mostly colorless, with yellow apical part and reddish apex, margins pale brown; cuneus sometimes opaque, red; membrane colorless with pale brown cell. Legs: Mostly yellow, with tarsal segments II and III often yellow to pale brown. Abdomen: Whitish yellow to yellow with brown dorsal surface and segment IX. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Corium smooth, with shallow and scarce punctures. Dorsum with suberect setae subequal to or shorter than antennal segment II diameter; antennal segment I and femora with suberect setae shorter than antennal segment II diameter; abdomen clothed with suberect, mostly short simple setae. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Body 4.0–4.4× 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 longer than eye diameter distance from eye to pronotum eye slightly longer than eye diameter, not swollen laterally (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 4E); vertex ca. 1.6–1.9× as wide as eye; upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D); buccula ca. 0.2–0.25× as long as clypeus. Labium: 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 longer than wide, its dorsal surface elongate posteriorly; segment III slightly longer than ventral side of head; 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– 1.7× as long as head width, ca. 1.1× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 1.8–2.0× as long as head width, ca. 1.2–1.3× as long as pronotum width; segment III slightly longer than segment II; segment IV ca. 0.4–0.5× as long as segment IV. Thorax: Anterior part of pronotum slightly shorter than posterior part; collar delimited; posterior part slightly upraised; posterior margin of pronotum slightly concave; pronotum ca. 1.2– 1.3× as wide as long and ca. 1.5× 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 ca. 3× as long as base. Abdomen: Genital capsule rotated at right angle relative to rest of abdomen. Genitalia: Genital capsule (fig. 15A) twice as long as wide; ventral wall ca. 1.5× as long as dorsal wall, its posterior margin smooth, semioval, without outgrowth(s), not curved dorsally; its apex inclined rightward; sides of genital capsule not modified; margins of paramere sockets more or less rounded; distance between paramere sockets ca. 0.7× as long as genital capsule base. Right paramere (fig. 12Y) distinctly curved in apical half; apex slightly concave; medial part slightly wider than basal part, bearing setae, with outer margin concave and inner margin widened; outer angle distinct, widened; inner angle rounded, without setae; basal part of paramere ca. 0.15–0.2× as long as rest of paramere. Left paramere (fig. 12Z) L-shaped; apical part flattened, with tooth on posterior side medially 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) 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 spicules A, B, and C (fig. 9A).

Female. Total length 3.8. COLORATION (fig. 6): Mostly pale brown, dorsal surface, frons, and areas below antennal fossa with reddish tinge, antennal segment I with reddish tinge, antennal segment II brown to dark brown, inner part of clavus yellow. Thorax and legs: As in male. Hemelytron: Similar to male, but outer part of clavus pale brown, brown apically; cuneus red with brown outer margin and paler outer part; membrane with pale brown tinge, membrane cell brown. Abdomen: Yellow with segments VIII–IX and dorsal surface red. SUR- FACE AND VESTITURE: As in male. STRUC- TURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Structure as in male; body ca. 4.0× as long as pronotum width; vertex ca. 2.2× as wide as eye; antennal segment I ca. 1.4× as long as head width, ca. 0.9× as long as pronotum width; segment II ca. 1.9× as long as head width, ca. 1.2× as long as pronotum width; pronotum ca. 1.3× as wide as long and ca. 1.6× 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. Antennae are lost in females.

DISTRIBUTION: Malaya (Penang) (fig. 19).

HOST PLANTS: Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is named after the Malaya Peninsula, where it was collected.

DISCUSSION: Felisacus malayensis is similar to F. bau , F. bellus , and F. jacobsoni in coloration (cf. figs. 4, 5, 6) and shape of the right paramere having a long apical process (cf. fig. 12Y with figs. 11H, J, 12E). Felisacus jacobsoni differs from F. malayensis in the larger size, the body length is 4.4–4.7 mm in males and 4.6–4.8 mm in females, and in the shape and configuration of the spicules (fig. 8M). Felisacus bellus can be separated from F. malayensis in the presence of six vesical spicules, including spicules A, B, and G (fig. 8E). Felisacus . bau differs from F. malayensis in the cuneus twice as long as its base and the presence of six vesical spicules, including spicules A and C (fig. 8D).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: MALAYSIA: Pulau Pinang [Penang], 5.26553 ° N 100.48428 ° E, 12 Jan 1959 – 14 Jan 1959, L.W. Quate, 23 (00017857, 00017858), 1♀ (00017859) ( BPBM).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Habitus of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 9. Vesical spicules of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 12. Parameres of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 19. Distribution of Felisacus species.