Afrocalisius, Heiss, Ernst, 2015

Heiss, Ernst, 2015, New taxonomic assignments of Calisiinae with description of two new genera (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Aradidae), Zootaxa 4000 (3), pp. 363-376 : 372

Genus Afrocalisius new genus

Type species: Calisius lativentris Horvath 1913

Diagnosis. Afrocalisius differs from Neotropical Calisius sensu Stål as well as from Palaearctic Aradosyrtis Costa by the following set of morphological characters. From Calisius , separated by different structure of antennae, with its segment IV about as long as the preceding I–II (slightly longer than III in Calisius ) and beset with distinct plaques (not present in Afrocalisius ), lateral margins of pronotum straight and converging anteriorly (sinuate), disk with 2 ring-shaped granular carinae on posterior lobe (4 straight carinae), exposed tergite VIII of male triangularly produced posteriorly and cup-shaped (transverse and narrow), lateral margins of deltg II–VII with 4 dorsal and 5 ventral round tubercles (3 dorsal and ventral) and spiracles II–VI ventral, VII lateral (II–V ventral, VI–VII lateral).

It is distinguished from Aradosyrtis by the structure of antennae with long segment IV (shorter), ring-shaped granular carinae on posterior lobe of pronotum (4 straight carinae), triangular cup-shaped exposed tergite VIII (transverse sclerite), lateral margins of deltg II–VII with 4 dorsal and 5 ventral tubercles (3 dorsal and ventral) and venter without sublateral tubercles on vltg II–VII (with tubercles).

These essential differences of Afrocalisius compared to Calisius and Aradosyrtis justify the erection of a new genus for Calisius lativentris . Further studies will reveal which other African Calisiinae belong to and should be assigned to this genus.

Etymology. Named after Africa, the continent of origin of the type species and Calisius .