Psallus (Halopsallus) taehwana Duwal

Duwal, Ram Keshari & Lee, Seunghwan, 2015, Additional descriptions of the plant bug genus Psallus from the Korean Peninsula (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Zootaxa 3926 (4), pp. 585-594 : 590-591

Psallus (Halopsallus) taehwana Duwal sp. nov.

Figures: 1D −E, 3A −D, 4A, 5A

Diagnosis. Recognized by the dull brownish or blackish body, distinct pale posterior margin at the base of vertex, fuscous antennal segment I with pale apex, black or brown hemelytron with castaneous black or red exocorium and cuneus, and fuscous metafemora with black spots arranged in two rows towards the base, and pale tibiae with large dark brown or brown spots at bases of black spines ( Fig. 1 D −E), J-shaped endosoma with distinctly different apical process ( Fig. 3 A).

Description. Male. Body small and oval. COLORATION ( Fig. 1 D −E): Head black except for posterior margin of vertex pale; antennal segment I dark brown or greyish with pale extreme apex, segment II and III entirely pale yellow and segment IV slightly darker; labium brown with darker apex. Pronotum black except for dark brown or blackish brown meso-scutum and scutellum. Hemelytron dark brown or entirely black with lateral margin of exocorium red and cuneus castaneous black (in dark brown or blackish specimens) or brown tinged with red (in brown specimens), with pale base and apex, membrane greyish brown with pale and brown pattern at base and pale spot near apex of cuneus. Venter, blackish brown or black, ostiolar peritreme anteriorly greyish and posteriorly pale. All legs darker, coxae dark brown or black with pale extreme apices; metafemora blackish brown or brown with black irregular spots sub-apically arranged in two rows towards base; tibiae pale (sometimes tinged with red in brown specimens) with large dark brown or brown spots at base of black spines; tarsus pale with dark apex. Abdomen dark brown or blackish in color. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Head, pronotum, meso-scutum and scutellum dull (or shagreened), with uniformly distributed pale simple reclining setae and moderately flattened sericeous appressed setae; hemelytron comparatively polished with uniformly distributed black semi-erect setae, reclining pale setae and appressed sericeous setae. STRUCTURE: Head width across eyes sub-equal to mesal length of pronotum, length of antennal segment II equal to combined length of segments III and IV and/or half the length of metatibiae; antennal segment II thick relative to other segments; interocular space wide; labium reaching apex of metacoxae. Thorax trapezoid, with distinctly curved postero-lateral margin and sinuate posterior margin. Abdomen small and triangular. GENITALIA ( Figs. 3 A −D, 4A): Endosoma: J −shaped, with broad apex furnished with several short or long lateral processes, and a bunch of spinules at base of apical process; and secondary gonopore nearly mesal in position ( Figs. 3 A, 4A). Left paramere: Body short, anterior process slender and elongated, and posterior process short and blunt ( Fig. 3 D). Right paramere: Simple leaf like with sub-apical short apical protuberance ( Fig. 3 B). Phallotheca: Narrow apex with hook like sub-apical process ( Fig. 3 C).

Female. Similar to color and texture as males, only having slightly larger body width. GENITALIA ( Fig. 5 A): Sclerotized rings oval, anteriorly tapering to form a pointed structure, and posteriorly broad and rounded.

MEASUREMENTS. (♂/♀) (n=5/5). Body length3.22−3.51/ 3.46−3.68; length from apex of tylus to cuneal fracture 2.67−2.83/ 2.61−2.79, width of head across eyes 0.79−0.85/ 0.77−0.86; width of vertex 0.40−0.45/ 0.40−0.42, lengths of antennal segments 0.21−027, 1.00−1.07, 0.52−0.59, 0.31−0.39/ 0.20−0.27, 0.86−0.98, 0.51−0.63, 0.32−0.36; mesal length of pronotum 0.75−0.84/ 0.74−0.87; basal width of pronotum 1.37−1.52/ 1.41−1.51; maximum width across hemelytron 1.77−1.82/ 1.75−1.86; and lengths of metafemora, tibiae and tarsus 1.34−1.43, 1.97−2.09, 0.52−0.55/ 1.33−1.144, 1.90−2.02, 0.49−0.57.

Etymology. Named for the type locality, Mt. Taehwa where specimen of this species were first detected during survey; an adjective.

Distribution. Korea (South*).

Specimen examined. Holotype. ♂, South Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Gwanju-si, Docheok-myeon, Sanglim-ri, Mt. Taehwa, Seoul National University Experimental Forest, on light trap, 15-17.vi.2013, R.K. Duwal (SNU). Paratypes: South Korea: 1♂, 2♀, same data as for holotype; 6♂, 6♀, Gyeonggi-do, Namyangju-si, Hwado-eup, Mt. Cheonma, on Morus sp. ( Moraceae ), 9.v.2014, R.K. Duwal (SNU).

Remarks. This species is placed in the subgenus Hylopsallus , based upon the overall appearance of its endosoma being similar to those of congener’s, i.e. having short and stout lateral processes and spinulus on membrane either at base or middle of the apical process.

The new species is morphologically close to Psallus tonnaichanus in color and vestiture but can be easily separated from P. tonnaichanus by the largely fuscous antennal segment II, absence of tuft of stiff setae on either side of genital segment and different structures of apical processes of endosoma ( Fig. 3 A).

Although the holotype of Psallus taehwana was collected on light trap, several paratypes were observed on Morus sp. ( Moraceae ) which is confirmed as host plant for this species as several nymphs and teneral specimens aggregated on it.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus images of Psallus spp. A − B. P. sanguinarius; C. P. injensis; D − E. P. taehwana; F − G. P. yongdaeri.

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia of Psallus taehwana. A. Endosoma; B. Right paramere; C. Phallotheca; D. Left paramere. Scale bars: 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 5. Images of female genital structure: Bursa copulatrix. A. Psallus taehwana; B. P. yongdaeri.