Phytocoris rileyi, Menard & Schwartz, 2023

Menard, Katrina L. & Schwartz, Michael D., 2023, Four new species of Phytocoris Fallen (Hemiptera, Miridae) from the Davis Mountains in Texas and further documentation of known species of Jeff Davis County, ZooKeys 1174, pp. 97-139 : 97

Phytocoris rileyi sp. nov.

Fig. 3

Type material.

Holotype male, pinned. Original label: "United States: Texas: Jeff Davis Co., Davis Mts. Resort, 5,800 ft, (Marqua residence), UV, 30.62842°N 104.0360°W, X-14-2011 E. G. Riley, X0891959" (TAMU). Paratypes: United States of America: Texas: Jeff Davis Co. McDonald Observatory, 2135 m, 10.ix.1988, RS Anderson, (AMNH_PBI 00419795-AMNH_PBI 00419796) (CNC) 2♂; same collecting event as holotype, X0893720 (UCONN), X0894589, X0894161 (TAMU) 3♂. Brewster Co. BBNP, Pine Canyon Camp Area no. 4: 4,700 ft, 29°15'59"N, 103°14'04"W, 1.x.2005, Raber & Riley, 1♂ (TAMU); New Mexico: Catron Co.: Rt. 12 at Sand Flat Road (B032), 5 km NE Aragon, 2125 m, 17.ix.2015, 33°54.887'N, 108°30.320'W, AG Wheeler & TJ Henry, ex. Baileya sp.? (USNM), 1♂; Sandoval Co.: Rt. 4, 6.5 km N of Jemez Springs, 2050 m, 14.ix.2015, at Jaromillo Creek, 2600 m, 39°53.4637'N, 106°29.771'W, AG Wheeler & TJ Henry, ex. Juniperus monosperma (USNM), 1♀.

Diagnosis.

Belonging to the hopi group and distinguished by the combination of the relatively large size, the overall pale-beige coloration of the hemelytra with dark brown stripes on lateral margins of the head and pronotum, the white medial line extending along the apex of the scutellum to the median of the tylus of head, the yellowish coloration of the claval vein, and the elongate shape of the right paramere.

Description.

Male (n = 5): Macropterous, relatively large, lateral margins weakly convex. Total length apex to apex membrane 5.5-6 mm, widest point across hemelytra 1.25-1.375 mm; general coloration beige and brown (Fig. 3A ).

Coloration. Head: primarily whitish beige with white midline stripe along length of head from base of vertex to median of tylus, dark narrow stripes along lateral margins of vertex as well as under eyes to antennal fossae, and horizontal dark stripe broken by vertical white stripe on top of vertex, frons with transverse dark markings associated with musculature attachment, maxillary plate whitish with dark ventral margin, buccula white, labrum white; first segment of labium pale, apical segments transitioning to dark brown; antennal segment I dark with dense white mottling and white stripe on latero-ventral surface extending three-fourths of basal length, segments II and III pale brown to beige with narrow band of white at basal joint with previous segments, segment IV completely dark brown; eyes pale pinkish brown. Thorax: propleura whitish beige with three narrow horizontal dark brown stripes corresponding with stripes on lateral side of head, anterior-most stripe corresponding to lateral margin of pronotum, mesopleura whitish beige with dark brown horizontal stripe roughly corresponding to medial stripe on propleura and additional dark stripe ventrally, metapleura mostly dark brown with ventral 1/2 of ostiolar peritreme, spiracle margins, and coxal margins white, pronotal collar with two sets of narrow vertical brown lines with one set corresponding to dorsal brown stripe of propleuron and other dark stripes on vertex, collar and pronotum primarily whitish yellow with elongate vertical white stripe with lateral dark brown margins extending to posterior margin of pronotum, at approximate median of pronotal length two additional vertical dark brown dashes on roughly parallel but removed from lateral margins, posterior of pronotum with diffuse darkening to pale brown adjacent to apical lateral margin above defined white line of posterior margin, mesoscutellum dark brown with two sets of whitish yellow markings adjacent to lateral angles, scutellum primarily whitish with dark brown M" shape medially; all coxae whitish beige with dark brown anterior margins on meso- and metacoxae, pro and mesofemora whitish yellow with dark brown spots forming diffuse vertical stripes on apical 1/2 to 2/3 length, metafemora primarily whitish yellow on ventral surface and dark brown on dorsal surface suffused with white spots, pro-tibiae and meso-tibiae white with faint pale brown spots, meta-tibiae whitish beige gradually darkening distally to pale brown adjacent tarsus and with short dark brown vertical stripe on ventral surface adjacent joint with femora as well as dark brown stripe ~ 1/5 of total length away from basal joint, all tarsal segments dark brown. Hemelytra: predominantly whitish beige to yellowish with dark brown stripes and markings, clavus whitish beige becoming more yellow in coloration adjacent claval vein, claval vein contrasting golden brown, corium anteriorly white suffusing with dark brown spots adjacent median of clavus, distally becoming yellow-white and then dark brown at apex with membrane, corium also with dark vertical lines corresponding with claval suture, cubitus and radial veins, brief white patch adjacent apex of radial vein on interior margin, cuneus beige-white with dark brown checkerboard patterning on interior margin with membrane, membrane with dense brown maculae and two white patches along lateral margins adjacent cuneus apex and along medial edge, anal ridge pinkish yellow, membrane veins beige. Abdomen: beige with defined horizontal black and white stripe along midline and diffuse dark brown horizontal streaks along dorsal and ventral surface, lateral tubercle beige, margin of genital segment thinly lined with dark brown to black.

Surface and vestiture. First antennal segment densely covered with whitish setae, dorsal surface of head, pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and hemelytra with long black erect setae mixed with silvery-sericeous setae distributed throughout as well as in defined areas such as patches of dark setae on apex of clavus, embolium, and interior margin of cuneus and white sericeous setae on medial stripe of mesoscutellum and scutellum, hemelytral surface texture otherwise matte; lateral margins of thorax and abdomen with distributed silvery sericeous setae.

Structure. Head: tylus and clypeus strongly produced and visible in dorsal view, tylus nearly projecting anteriorly beyond clypeus, vertex relatively flat and slightly declining posteriorly, and dorsal surface of eyes surpassing vertex in lateral view, eyes relatively small with total heigh eye> ½ total height head in lateral view, interocular distance greater than both eye widths combined, antennal segment I length greater than width of head, apex of labium extending almost to genital capsule. Thorax: collar relatively broad and well developed, pronotum elongate-trapezoidal in shape without well-developed calli and posterior margin relatively flat, mesoscutum and scutellum slightly rounded with declining margins towards clavus, legs narrow with hind legs especially elongate, pretarsus with convergent parempodia and developed pulvillus. Hemelytra: lateral margins parallel sided, cuneus with shallow declivity. Genitalia: Genital capsule with well-defined tubercle on left margin of gonopore (Fig. 3C ). Endosoma with primary membranous relatively weakly developed and not extending far beyond median to basal margins of sclerotized processes; right sclerotized process elongated and narrow, forming almost L-shape, ending bluntly in relatively rounded apex; left sclerotized process also very elongate and relatively sinuous, nearly parallel in curvature to right process excluding apex, which straightens to overlap apex of right sclerite (Fig. 3D ). Left paramere C-shaped with post-medial indentation on dorsal surface, broadening distally and terminating to small spine-like apex (Fig. 3F ). Right paramere relatively narrow, thinning towards distal 1/5 until widening again into leaf-like apex with distal point (Fig. 3E ).

Female. Similar to males in overall size and coloration, but with brachypterous wings whose apex barely surpasses median of abdomen length. Membrane reduced to sliver adjacent interior margins of cuneus (Fig. 3B ).

Measurements. Table 1 .

Hosts.

Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg. ( Cupressaceae ) and Baileya sp. ( Asteraceae ). Males also collected at a light sheet.

Distribution.

Jeff Davis Co., Texas and Catron Co. and Sandoval Co., New Mexico.

Etymology.

Named for Edward E. Riley, whose extensive fieldwork across Texas has led to the discovery of this species and many others. Noun in apposition.

Remarks.

This species clearly belongs in the Stonedahl (1988) hopi species group based on its possession of the following characters: the greyish brown coloration; the quadrate head with a prominent tylus; the small obovate eyes; the long first antennal segment; the narrow, black scalelike setae and silvery white, sericeous setae, and the endosoma with a reduced primary membranous sac of the endosoma with two large, sick-shaped sclerotized processes. Phytocoris rileyi sp. nov. appears to be most closely related to both P. nigrolineatus Knight and P. pallidilineatus Stonedahl based on the dark striped patterning on the pro-pleura, the coloration of the hemelytron, and the shape of the sclerites on the male endosoma. Both species are also found in Texas, but this species is separated from P. nigrolineatus by the yellow coloration of the claval vein versus the brown coloration of P. nigrolineatus , the fully developed black and white vertical lines on the first antennal segment (it is only a partial white line in P. rileyi , often not clearly defined), the differing shape of the right paramere (elongate in P. rileyi , squat and broad in P. nigrolineatus ), and the shape of the left paramere (apex of paramere in P. rileyi is relatively expanded, whereas in P. nigrolineatus widest pre-apically). Phytocoris pallidilineatus is also different from P. rileyi in the possession of two tubercles on the lateral margin of the gonopore versus the one tubercle found in P. rileyi , and the membrane between the sclerites in the male endosoma being more developed in P. pallidilineatus .

Only males were collected in Jeff Davis Co. and at lights, but subsequent investigation of undetermined Phytocoris material at the USNM revealed an additional single female and male specimen from New Mexico that included potential host plant information. As with other members of the hopi group, the female specimen is brachypterous with wings reduced to just the clavus and embolium. However, the overall coloration and patterning clearly matches the males, and we include this specimen’s information to round out our current knowledge of this species beyond Texas.

Figures

Figure 3. Phytocoris rileyi sp. nov. A male dorsal habitus B female dorsal habitus C male genital capsule in lateral view D endosoma E right paramere in lateral view F left paramere in lateral view.