Breviphysoderes shelfordi ( Miller, 1940 ) Hwang & Weirauch, 2017

Hwang, Wei Song & Weirauch, Christiane, 2017, Uncovering hidden diversity: phylogeny and taxonomy of Physoderinae (Reduviidae, Heteroptera), with emphasis on Physoderes Westwood in the Oriental and Australasian regions, European Journal of Taxonomy 341, pp. 1-118 : 30-31

Breviphysoderes shelfordi ( Miller, 1940) , comb. nov.

Figs 4 , 6 ; Appendix

Physoderes shelfordi Miller, 1940: 551 , fig. 91.

Diagnosis

This species is recognized among other species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov. by the scape surpassing the apex of the clypeus, the antero-lateral pronotal projection oriented anteriorly, the deeply defined pronotal paramedian carina, the distinct straw-colored mark on the apical veins of the external cell of the hemelytron (Cu+M) and hemelytron surpassing the tip of the abdomen. It is most similar to B. hobbyi comb. nov. and B. planicollis comb. nov. It can be differentiated from B. tenebrosa gen. et sp. nov. by the overall coloration and a narrower postocular lobe. It differs from B. planicollis comb. nov. by the orientation of the antero-lateral pronotal projection and the straw-colored mark on the apical veins of the external cell.

Material examined

Holotype

MALAYSIA: ♂, Sarawak, Kuching , Capt. [= Capital?], 1.53055° N, 110.34388° E, 12 m, 14 Aug. 1899, Dyak Collection ( UCR_ENT 00018538 ) ( BMNH).

Redescription

Male

BODY LENGTH. Medium, total length 9 mm.

COLORATION ( Fig. 4 ). Light brown with dark brown patterns. Head light brown to dark brown. Scape of antenna straw-colored with light brown apex, basal half of pedicel straw-colored and apical half brown, basi- and distiflagellomeres missing. Labium light brown. Pronotum dark brown with brown suffusion, scutellum dark brown with light brown apex. Corium of hemelytron brown, membrane brown with apical veins of external cell (Cu+M) straw-colored. Femora of legs light brown with medial and apical dark brown annulations, tibiae brown with basal, medial and apical dark brown annulations, tarsi and claws light-brown or brown. Abdomen not examined dorsally, ventrally light brown medially with lateral brown suffusion, anterior half of connexivum dark brown and posterior half straw-colored.

VESTITURE. Sparsely setose. Head with some flat, curved setae, without pair of long, straight setae on postocular lobe posterior to ocelli. Anterior lobe of thorax with tuberculated, short, curved setae on lateral margins and along dorsal ridges, posterior lobe with short, curved, setigerous tubercles along lateral margins and sparsely distributed on dorsal surface. Corium of hemelytron with short, curved setae. Legs with two rows of spines and setigerous tubercles, tibiae with regular rows of tuberculated, stout, sharp setae. Posterior margin of connexivum with short, curved setae.

HEAD. Scape surpassing apex of clypeus; eye distinctly projecting in dorsal view, about 1/5 length of head, not attaining ventral margin of head in lateral view.

THORAX. Antero-lateral paired projections acute; median pronotal depression contiguous with transverse sulcus; paramedian carina strongly defined; posterior lobe medially rugose (damaged/obscured medially by pin); scutellar process long, with rounded apex; mesosternite obscured.

HEMELYTRON. Surpassing tip of abdomen.

LEGS. Same as genus description.

ABDOMEN. Elongate ovoid, with rounded terminal margin; connexival margin slightly undulating, posterior margin slightly elevated.

GENITALIA. Not examined.

Female

Unknown.

Ecology

Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Distribution

This species is only known from the type locality in north-western Borneo, Kuching.

Remarks

This species is redescribed based on the holotype specimen. Breviphysoderes shelfordi comb. nov. is removed from Physoderes and transferred to Breviphysoderes gen. nov. because it possesses the synapomorphies of this genus (parascutellar lobes are semicircular, males do not possess an inflated anterior pronotal lobe and have prominent setigerous tubercles on the dorsal ridges of the anterior pronotal lobe). This species is quite similar to other members of the genus found in Sarawak, Borneo, but is recognized as a separate species based on the diagnostic characters listed above. More specimens from this area will be needed to further test the status of these closely related species.

Figures

Fig. 4. Dorsal habitus images for species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov. For an explanation of the colored arrows, see key on page 17. Scale bars = 2 mm.

Fig. 6. Distribution map for species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov.