Phytocoris sagarmathanus, Yasunaga & Duwal, 2016

Yasunaga, Tomohide & Duwal, Ram Keshari, 2016, Three noteworthy mirine plant bugs inhabiting subalpine zones of the Nepalese Himalayas (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 51 (1 - 2), pp. 33-49 : 45-46

Phytocoris sagarmathanus sp. nov.

( Figures 1 (f, g), 2(c− f), 6)

Type material

Holotype. Male, NEPAL, Khumbu Himal, Sagarmatha National Park , Namche–Phorte [Phurte], 27.81°N, 86.69°E, 3400−3500 m altitude, on Abies spectabilis , 29 August 2005, T. Yasunaga ( AMNH _ PBI 00380460 ) ( NMTU) . Paratypes. Seven males, three females, same data as for holotype ( NMTU, TYCN) .

Diagnosis

Recognized by its moderate size; noticeable erect setae on antennal segment I ( Figure 1 (f, g)); narrowly darkened posterior margin of pronotum arranging creamy yellow spots ( Figure 2 (c, e)); and form of male genitalia ( Figure 6 ).

Description

Body elongate oval, parallel-sided, moderate in size ( Figure 2 (c, e)); basic coloration brown to dark brown; dorsal surface matte, widely mottled, with uniformly distributed, dark, simple, semi-erect setae and sparsely distributed, sericeous, short, reclining setae. Head brown, matte, irregularly speckled with darker or whitish maculae, rather vertical; eyes comparatively small; frons somewhat striolate. Antenna dark brown; segment I speckled with pale, small spots, with noticeable, silky, long, erect setae; segment II with yellow base and in female with median yellow ring; extreme base of segment III yellow. Labium shiny reddish brown, exceeding apex of metacoxa and reaching abdominal sternum VI ( Figure 2 (d, f)). Pronotum matte, brown medially, darkened laterally, with darkened narrowly fuscous posterior margin furnished with creamy yellow spots; calli irregularly rugose; collar fuscous, mottled with brown medially, about as thick as antennal segment I; scutellum brown, weakly shining, mottled with pale spots, somewhat arched, with yellow apex; pleura rather shining, widely chestnut brown except for creamy yellow ventral margins and ostiolar peritreme. Hemelytron weakly shining, widely dark brown, partly reddish, speckled with pale semitransparent portions; apex of corium usually with a velvety, slush-like macula; base of cuneus dark brown, mottled, with paler basal part; membrane smoky brown, more or less mottled with small, semitransparent spots. All coxae pale brown, sometimes narrowly darkened basally. Leg chestnut brown; all femora speckled with pale spots as in antennal segment I but their basal parts usually paler; metafemur somewhat flattened; each tibia speckled with pale, small spots, with two or three yellowish annulations; tibial spines pale brown, prominent; apical part of each tarsomere III somewhat darkened. Abdomen brown; ventral median part more or less mottled with white maculae. Male genitalia as in Figure 6 . Pygophore smooth, without noticeable process near bases of parameres. Parameres generally slender; left paramere L-shaped, with triangular protuberance on sensory lobe; right paramere weakly curved at middle, with tapered hypophysis. Endosomal membranous lobe not developed; comb-shaped sclerite enlarged, thin; secondary gonopore narrow, ovoid; seminal duct weakly expanded subapically; phallotheca smooth, without any elaboration along apical margin. Female genitalia as in Figure 6 . Genital chamber simply membranous; sclerotized ring small, narrow.

Measurements

Males/females: Total length of body 6.4–6.6 / 6.2–6.6; head width including eyes 0.93– 0.95 / 0.95–0.96; vertex width 0.30–0.32 / 0.39–0.43; lengths of antennal segments I–IV 0.93–0.94, 2.41–2.47, 0.95–1.05, 0.93–1.01 / 0.95–0.97, 2.28–2.32, 0.98–1.03, 0.87–0.95; labial length 2.62–2.70 / 2.96–3.04; mesal length of pronotum including collar 0.85– 0.90 / 0.87–0.95; basal width of pronotum 1.53–1.56 / 1.67–1.73; maximum width across hemelytron 1.93–2.00 / 2.28–2.32; and lengths of metafemur, tibia and tarsus 2.62–2.66, 4.18–4.22, 0.74–0.78 / 2.71–2.85, 4.27–4.37, 0.76–0.80.

Etymology

Named for its occurrence in Sagarmatha (Everest) region.

Distribution

Nepal (Khumbu District).

Biology

Eleven adults including some teneral individuals were captured simultaneously from Abies spectabilis , which is assumed to be its breeding host.

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus images and subalpine habitats of new mirine plant bugs. (a) Rhododendron azalea in Langtang Himal, habitat for Lygocoris laligurans; (b) same, in Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park, Khumbu Himal; (c) Lygocoris laligurans, female adult; (d) an East Himalayan Fir, Abies spectabilis, habitat (and possibly breeding host) for both Khumbumiris schwartzi and Phytocoris sagarmathanus; (e) K. schwartzi, holotype male (AMNH_PBI 00380458); (f–g) P. sagarmathanus, females.

Figure 2. Habitus images of dry-preserved specimens. (a, b) Lygocoris laligurans; (c–f) Phytocoris sagarmathanus; (g–k) Khumbumiris schwartzi (AMNH_PBI 00380458); (i) pretarsus of foreleg; (j) metathoracic scent efferent system; (k) metatarsus.

Figure 6. Male and female genitalia of Phytocoris sagarmathanus, named on the figures. Scale bars 0.2 mm.