Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) hippophaes ( Fieber, 1861 )

Carapezza, Attilio & Rădac, Ioan Alexandru, 2021, The genus Tuponia Reuter, 1875 in Romania, with two new synonymies (Heteroptera: Miridae), Zootaxa 5023 (1), pp. 59-76 : 61-62

Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) hippophaes ( Fieber, 1861)

( Figs. 1A , 2A–F , 3 )

Material examined. ROMANIA: Alba County: Aiud , 46.300375°N 23.710413°E, 12.viii.2019, on Tamarix sp. , 18 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀ ; Arad County: Mâsca , 46.295505°N 21.669309°, 24.viii.2019, on Tamarix sp. , 55 ♂♂ 44 ♀♀ ; Argeș County: Valea Ursului , 44.887028°N 24.779433°E, 26.vii.2019, 7 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀; on Tamarix sp .; Bihor County: Săcuieni , 47.352525°N 22.106100°E, 15.vii.2019, on Tamarix sp. 1 ♂ ; Constanța County: Constanța, 44.170797°N 28.662722°E, 20.vi.2017, 4 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀, on Tamarix sp .; Techirghiol , 44.057772°N 28.636702°E, 20.vi.2017, 16 ♂♂ 18 ♀♀, on Tamarix sp .; Hunedoara County: Deva , 45.871055°N 22.902765°E, 14.ix.2019, 30 ♂♂ 18 ♀♀, on Tamarix sp .; Geoagiu , 45.916196°N 23.199997°E, 14.ix.2019, 28 ♂♂ 28 ♀♀, on Tamarix sp .; Satu Mare County: Negrești-Oaș , 47.855727°N 23.426137°E, 17.vii.2019, 3 ♂♂ 1 ♀, on Tamarix sp .; Timiș County: Recaș , 45.798313°N 21.501182°E, 07.vii.2019, 11 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀, on Tamarix ramosissima ; Sânnicolau Mare , 46.072048°N 20.618326°E, 23.ix.2019, on Tamarix sp. , 5 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ ; Timișoara , 45.741743°N 21.211696°E, 05.vii.2019, 4 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀, on Tamarix ramosissima ; Tormac , 45.521115°N 21.492135°E, 07.vii.2019, 2 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀, on Tamarix ramosissima ; Valcani , 46.001876°N 20.395155°E, 30.viii.2019, 14 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, Tamarix sp .; Vâlcea County: Drăgășani , 44.657973°N 24.270541°E, 15.vii.2018, 11 ♂♂ 27 ♀♀ on Tamarix ramosissima .

Diagnosis. Tuponia hippophaes , the type species of the subgenus Chlorotuponia , is recognized by the following combination of characters: dorsally uniformly green ( Fig. 1A ) or with minute green round spots, with paler whitish areas along anterior four fifths of exocorium, inner angle of corium and basal margin of cuneus; body length 2.0– 3.4 mm in males, 2.0– 2.9 mm in females (in Romanian specimens: 2.6–3.0 mm in males, 2.3–2.6 mm in females); body elongate with parallel sides in males, more ovate in females; ocular index 1.1–1.8 in males, 2.4–3.0 in females; labium reaching between meso- and metacoxae or slightly surpassing the latter; male genitalia ( Figs. 2A–E ): parameres and phallotheca not surpassing apex of genital capsule ( Fig. 2A ); right paramere ( Fig. 2B ) short, ovoid, apically truncate; left paramere ( Fig. 2C ) with short, pointed sensory lobe and very elongate apical process; phallotheca ( Fig. 2D ) apically straight; vesica ( Figs. 2E–F ) J-shaped, with secondary gonopore in subapical position and with three apical processes, one very elongate, lanceolate, distinctly surpassing apex, the other two finger-like, shorter, slightly surpassing apex. Carapezza (1997) studied the clinal variability of the three apical vesical processes in the whole geographic range of the species; in Romanian specimens their relative lengths correspond to the arrangement commonly found in Balkan Peninsula.

Similar in color pattern to T. prasina but differing from it in the more elongate body, brighter dorsal green, tibial spines not arising from basal dark dots, lower ocular index, genital capsule ( Fig. 2A ) apically distinctly bending to the right, differently shaped parameres, vesica with well sclerotized secondary gonopore and sclerotized apical blades.

Distribution and biology. Holomediterranean element, widely distributed in Southern Europe, North Africa and Middle East, including Iran; in the last twenty years its original range, which included also the area of the Alps in Central Europe (southern Germany, Switzerland) has extended northwards to Central and Northern Europe ( Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, United Kingdom), probably as a consequence of global warming and of the increased popularity of Tamarix , extensively introduced as ornamental plants along the coasts and in inland gardens of Central and North European countries ( Bryja & Kment 2002; Rabitsch 2002; Baugnée & Chérot 2004; Kment 2004; Telfer 2019). The species lives on Myricaria germanica , Reaumuria vermiculata and various species of Tamarix (Tamaricaceae) ( Hoberlandt 1956; Tamanini 1964; Wagner 1975; Drapolyuk 1982; Carapezza, 1997; Linnavuori 2010). In Romania, based on available data so far, T. hippophaes is the single species of the genus still active at the end of summer. The presence of adults over the span of four months (June–September) indicates that the species is probably bi- or multivoltine in Romania.

Discussion. This is the first record for Romania. Distribution in Romania is shown in Fig. 3 .

Considering that our survey revealed that T. hippophaes is the most widespread and commonest Tuponia species in Romania, it is rather surprising that it had never been recorded from the country. A possible explanation is that in the past it was overlooked and misidentified as T. prasina , on the wrong assumption that all green Tuponia in Romania belonged to that species. An alternative explanation could be that T. hippophaes has reached Romania recently, either by natural range expansion or accidental introduction.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) spp.: A T. (C.) hippophaes (Fieber, 1861): male from Sicily (2.8 mm), ACPI; B T. (C.) prasina (Fieber, 1864): male from Greece (2.4 mm), ACPI. (Photos by A. Carapezza)

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) spp.: A–E: T. (C.) hippophaes (Fieber, 1861): A genital capsule, B right paramere, C left paramere, D phallotheca, E vesica in lateral view, F apex of vesica in different view; G–K: T. (C.) prasina (Fieber, 1866): G genital capsule, H right paramere, I left paramere, J phallotheca, K vesica in lateral view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm for Figs. A and G, 0.1 mm for Figs. B–E and H–K. (Original)

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) hippophaes (Fieber, 1861) and T. (C.) prasina (Fieber, 1866) in Romania.