Neocrassocoris, Bai & Heiss & Cai, 2019

Bai, Xiaoshuan, Heiss, Ernst & Cai, Wanzhi, 2019, Neocrassocoris, a new apterous genus of Carventinae from China (Heteroptera: Aradidae), Zootaxa 4612 (1), pp. 95-102 : 95-96

Neocrassocoris gen. nov.

Type species. Neocrassocoris pingbianensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Apterous, of medium size (5.1–6.7 mm), body elongate oval; coloration reddish to blackish brown, surface rough, granulate and rugose; legs and antennae with setigerous tubercles; thoracic segments fused to mtg I+II, a median longitudinal ridge reaching from pronotum to meso- and metanotum is followed by a deep furrow on fused mtg I+II, fusion line between metanotum and mtg I+II marked by a suture, mtg III to VI fused into a subquadrangular tergal plate; spiracles II–VII lateral and visible from above; deltg VII of male with a shiny sublateral callus on lateral rim.

Neocrassocoris gen. n. resembles Paracrassocoris Bai, Heiss & Cai, 2018 from Yunnan Province of China sharing basic habitus. It is distinguished from the latter genus by a set of morphological features: median longitudinal ridge along meso- and metanotum smooth without longitudinal sulcus, irregularly rugose posteriorly; median deep furrow on fused mtg I+II without a longitudinal carina on bottom; mtg III to VI fused into a subquadrangular tergal plate; spiracles II–VII lateral and visible from above; presence of a shiny callus on male deltg VII (vs. median longitudinal ridge along meso- and metanotum with a longitudinal sulcus; median deep furrow on fused mtg I+II with a longitudinal carina on bottom; mtg III to VI fused into a subpentagonal tergal plate; spiracles II–IV ventral, V–VII lateral and visible from above and callus lacking in Paracrassocoris ).

Description. Head. Longer than wide across eyes; genae slender, short; antenniferous tubercles stout, conical, apically pointed; antennae long and slender, first segment stout and clavate, longer than second, latter cylindrical, third longer than first and cylindrical, fourth fusiform as long as second; eyes small, semiglobose, with convex face; postocular tubercles small and not reaching outer margin of eyes, converging posteriorly to constricted neck; rostrum arising from a slit-like atrium not reaching limits of rostral groove.

Thorax and mtg I+II. Pronotum attenuated anteriorly, anterolateral angles produced and forming blunt or rounded lobes, slightly protruding beyond collar, disc with a median groove, separated from mesonotum by a transverse intersegmental furrow; meso- and metanotum separated only laterally of elevated median smooth elongate triangular ridge, this without longitudinal sulcus, irregularly rugose posteriorly; lateral sclerites with longitudinal elevations; metanotum separated from fused mtg I+II by a narrow transverse sulcus; mtg I+II completely fused, with a deep median groove flanked by a pair of oblique longitudinal ridges and rugosities.

Abdomen. Mtg III to VI fused into a subquadrangular tergal plate, elevated along midline with usual pattern of large and small callous spots and dots; mtg VII strongly elevated posteriorly in male and female; deltg II+III completely fused, spiracles II–VII lateral and visible from above; pygophore cordate; paratergites VIII clavate or lobiform.

Venter. Prosternum raised and with a Y-shaped carina at middle, flanked by a pair of depressions; meso- and metasterna fused, flattened medially with a deep and wide round depression marking segmental borders; spiracle VIII terminal on ptg VIII; rim of male vltg VII laterally with a small shiny callus.

Legs. Long and slender, without spines, preapical comb on fore tibia present, femora subcylindrical, claws with fine pulvilli.

Etymology. The generic name is formed by the Greek prefix neo - (meaning “new”) and the generic name Crassocoris , reflecting the similarity of the two genera and also the closely related Paracrassocoris .

Distribution. China (Yunnan).