Felisacus webbi, 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 : 156-157

Felisacus webbi , sp. nov.

Figures 7 , 10N , 13Z , AA, 15N, 21

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the following combination of characters: head and pronotum yellow, pronotum with pair of brown markings near humeral angles (fig. 7); transverse depression delimiting occipital region present only dorsally; antennal segment I slightly widened; labium reaching abdominal segment V; dorsal surface of labial segment I elongate posteriorly (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: figs. 6D, 9C); ventral wall of genital capsule with outgrowth from right-hand side dorsally, its apex not curved dorsally (fig. 15N); both parameres narrow, sickle shaped, without outgrowths; right paramere swollen medially; outer angle of left paramere present, inner angle rounded (fig. 13Z, AA); vesica with long curved spicule (fig. 10N).

DESCRIPTION: Male. Total length 3.6–3.7. COLORATION (fig. 7): Head: Yellow, frons and clavus with reddish tinge. Labium: Uniformly yellow. Antenna: Segment I yellow with reddish stripe and apex, segments II–IV reddish brown. Thorax: Pronotum yellow with pair of dark brown markings posteriorly; scutellum uniformly yellow; thoracic pleura and scent gland evaporative area uniformly yellow. Hemelytron: Mostly colorless, transparent; clavus whitish yellow to brown; corium with reddish tinge posteriorly, marking along inner margin of corium yellow; embolium with yellow tinge, reddish apically; cuneus yellow along margins; membrane with grayish tinge; membrane cells yellow with reddish tinge. Abdomen: Yellow with reddish tinge. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Corium smooth, without punctures. STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENTS: Body ca. 4.2–4.3× as long as pronotum width. Head: Depression delimiting occipital region present dorsally and laterally; distance between depression and pronotum distinctly shorter than eye diameter; longitudinal sulcus on dorsal surface longer than eye diameter; distance from posterior margin of eye to pronotum as long as eye, not swollen laterally; vertex ca. 2.0× as wide as eye, upraised (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 6D). Labium (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: figs. 6D, 9C): Reaching abdominal segment V; segments I and II combined subequal to half of segment III; segment I shorter than wide; segment II slightly longer than wide, its dorsal surface elongate posteriorly; segment IV twice as long as segment III. Antenna: Segment I cylindrical (as in Namyatova et al., 2016: fig. 8A), ca. 1.5–1.6× 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 head width, ca. 1.2– 1.3× as long as pronotum width. Thorax: Anterior part of pronotum shorter than posterior part; collar delimited; posterior part of pronotum slightly upraised; posterior margin of pronotum concave, pronotum ca. 0.8× as wide as long and ca. 1.6× 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 at right angle relative to other segments. Genitalia: Genital capsule (fig. 15N) twice as long as wide; ventral wall ca. 1.3× as long dorsal wall, with posterior margin of ventral wall rounded, not folded; right side folded, left side not widened; paramere sockets more or less acute; distance between paramere sockets ca. 0.3× as long as genital capsule base. Right paramere (fig. 13Z) distinctly curved in apical half; anterior part straight posteriorly; medial part slightly wider than basal part, its outer margin concave and inner margin widened; outer angle distinct; inner angle rounded; basal part subequal to half of rest of paramere. Left paramere (fig. 13AA) sickle shaped, apical part without outgrowth(s); middle part slightly widened, bearing setae, its inner margin without swelling or outgrowth. Aedeagus (fig. 10N) conjunctiva membranous; with single large curved spicule; secondary gonopore placed at base of vesical in repose; sclerotization of ductus seminis surrounding secondary gonopore shorter than wide; vesica with single large curved spicule.

Female. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Madagascar (fig. 21).

HOST PLANTS: Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is names after Mick Webb, the curator in the Natural History Museum who helped the first author (A.A.N.) during her visit to the museum and loaned specimens of the genus Felisacus , including two specimens of this new species.

DISCUSSION: Felisacus webbi is most similar to F. ovalau in coloration and structure (figs. 6, 7). The latter species differs from F. webbi in the ventral wall of the genital capsule curved apically, without an outgrowth on the right-hand side (fig. 15F), the left paramere having three rounded outgrowths (fig. 13F), and the vesica having a number of small toothlike spinules and two large spicules (fig. 9G).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype: MADAGAS- CAR: Fianarantsoa: Ranomafana National Park, Setam Lodge Hotel, 21.2501 ° S 47.42678 ° E, 917 m, 04 Nov 2005 – 21 Nov 2005, G. Martin, D.L.J. Quicke and L.P. Holland, 13 (00019536) ( BMNH). Paratype: MADAGASCAR: Fianarantsoa: Ranomafana National Park, Setam Lodge Hotel, 21.2501 ° S 47.42678 ° E, 917 m, 04 Nov 2005 – 21 Nov 2005, G. Martin, D.L.J. Quicke and L.P. Holland, 13 (00019537) ( BMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Habitus of Felisacus species.

FIGURE 10. A, C–L, O, P. Apical part of aedeagus of Felisacus species B, E, M. Vesica of Felisacus species. N. Aedeagus of F.webbi.

FIGURE 13. Parameres of Felisacus species.