Myrmicella verticospinosa, Chłond, Dominik & Baňař, Petr, 2013

Chłond, Dominik & Baňař, Petr, 2013, Myrmicella, a new genus of Harpactorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) from Madagascar, Zootaxa 3718 (5), pp. 483-495 : 492-494

Myrmicella verticospinosa sp. nov.

( Figs 1–43 )

Material examined. Holotype, male: ‘ZOM/ Jan.2013/12 MADAGASCAR / ZOMBITSE N.P.; Andalabiby, 771m / S22°52’58.0‘‘ E44°42’06.3‘‘; 26.i.2013 / sifting litter; Winkler app. extr.; L.S. / Rahanitriniaina & E.M. Rabotoson lgt. // HOLOTYPE / Myrmicella verticospinosa / gen. et sp. nov. / D. Chłond & P. Baňař det. 2013 ’ (MMBC). Paratypes: 1 male: ISL/ Jan.2013/02 MADAGASCAR / ISALO N.P., Analalava forest; 719m / S22°35’11.4‘‘ E45°07’49.1‘‘; 17.i.2013 / sifting litter; Winkler app. extr.; L.S. / Rahanitriniaina & E.M. Rabotoson lgt. // PARATYPE / Myrmicella verticospinosa / gen. et sp. nov. / D. Chłond & P. Baňař det. 2013’ (MMBC); 1 female: ‘ZOM/ Jan.2013 /YPT MADAGASCAR / ZOMBITSE N.P.; 816m, 26.i.2013 / S22°53’11.4‘‘ E44°41’31.8‘‘; / YPT; L.S. Rahanitriniaina / & E.M. Rabotoson lgt. // PARATYPE / Myrmicella verticospinosa / gen. et sp. nov. / D. Chłond & P. Baňař det. 2013’, right fore, middle and hind legs mounted separately, specimen gold-plated for SEM study, genitalia not dissected (MMBC); 1 female: ISL/ Jan.2013/04 MADAGASCAR / ISALO N.P., Analalava forest; 725m / S22°35’05.0‘‘ E45°07’51.8‘‘; 17.i.2013 / sifting litter; Winkler app. extr.; L.S. / Rahanitriniaina & E.M. Rabotoson lgt. // PARATYPE / Myrmicella verticospinosa / gen. et sp. nov. / D. Chłond & P. Baňař det. 2013’ (MMBC).

Description. Color. Body generally dark brown (females black to dark brown) with pale parts of connexiva, antenna, posterolateral parts of posterior lobe of pronotum, and wings (optically indicating narrowing of thorax ( Figs 1–4 )). Setae on all body faces pale. Head dark brown (with black postocular part and dark brown area between ocelli in females). First and second visible segments of labium dark brown, second visible segment with paler apical part, third visible segment pale. Labrum brown. Eyes black (dark brown with black central facets and paler marginal facets in females). Scapus, pedicellus, and basiflagellomere brown, distiflagellomere with brown basal half and yellowish apical half. Anterior lobe of pronotum dark brown, darker laterally. Posterior pronotal lobe black with pale lateral margins and medial part. Thorax dark brown with black markings. Hemelytra pale, scutellum brown. Coxae brown with black markings. Trochanters dark brown, pale basally and apically. Femora dark brown with distinctly darker basal part. Tibiae brown, tarsi light brown. Abdominal tergites brown with black posterior part (black with irregular dark brown markings medially and laterally, as well as abdominal tergite VII with distinctly paler lateral parts in females). Connexiva bicolorous—black with yellowish posterior part. Ventral side of abdomen black (with paler medial part of sternites III–V in females). Pygophore black.

Structure. Head fusiform with flattened ventral side in lateral view. Postocular part of head 1.18 times as long as anteocular part and distinctly higher laterally. Eyes large, globular, slightly elongated vertically with flattened posterior margin in lateral view. Ocelli not pigmented. Setae on scapus scarce, short, and suberected. Pedicellus and basiflagellomere covered by dense, short, erected and suberected setae. Setation on distiflagellomere very dense, various sized, adherent, and erected. Pair of trichobothria on clypeus, gula, and basal part of first visible labial segment. First visible labial segment enlarged apically. Second labial segment slightly enlarged medially. Third visible segment short and wide. All labial segments with scarce, very short and erected setae and distinctly longer trichobothria. First visible labial almost reaching posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum covered mostly by scarce, short, erected setae. Distinctly developed collar covered medially by white, short, and flat setae. Spines on lateral parts of collar distinctly enlarged in basal part. Anterior pronotal lobe enlarged, distinctly gibbous with very distinct and deeply depressed line posteriorly. Posterior pronotal lobe with distinct sculpture (visible mostly posteriorly) and with distinctly visible punctuation interiorly (near transversal suture) and laterally. Transversal suture wide with distinct punctuation. Scutellum with vertical and very long, rounded apex. Vertical part of scutellum with wide basal part and slightly curved margins. Horizontal part of scutellum shiny with distinctly visible lateral sculptures (convex and curved lines). Reduced hemelytra distinctly curved and covered by pale, short, dense, and suberected setae. Femora covered by sparse, long, erected setae. Tibia with dense various sized, erected setae and very dense, short adherent setae. Abdomen ovoid in dorsal view with dull medial part of tergites. Lateral parts of tergites with distinct sculpturing. Middle part of posterior margin of each tergite curved (tergites 3– 5 curved distinctly towards dorsal abdominal glands). Sternites dull with small shiny spots and delicate sculpture laterally. Abdomen, pygophore, and parameres covered by sparse, various sized, erected setae.

Male genitalia. Genital capsule as in Figs 35–36 , elongate, with regular rows of long, erected to semierected setae directed posteriorly. Apical part with two symmetrical, hook-like processes. Posterolateral margins of genital capsule covered with a row of straight setae, directed posteriorly. Paramere ( Figs 37–38 ) long, narrow, regularly rounded apically, on dorsolateral surface densely covered with long, erected setae. Articulatory apparatus of phallus long and thin ( Fig. 41 ). Phallus ventrally with weakly sclerotized membrane, overlapping non-inflated phallus in its whole length; dorsally with paired dorsal phallothecal sclerite ( Figs 39–40 ), reaching proximal twothirds of phallus. Endosoma very complicated, showing strongly different details in inflated and uninflated phallus, with conspicuously three-dimensional, variously shaped, sclerotized, and denticulate structures. Some such structures show ventralmost ( Fig. 42 ) and inner ( Fig. 43 ) part of endosoma. Missing left dorsal sclerotized plate ( Fig. 40 ) showing sclerotized structures from dorsal view.

Female genitalia. Valvifer 1 subtriangular with robust setae on outer surface and elongated, revolute apex ( Fig. 30 ). Valvula 1 thin and elongated, sickle-curved with wider apical part ( Fig 30 ). Valvula 2 and valvifer 2 thin and elongated (together x-shaped) ( Fig. 29 ). Valvula 3 with two pairs of erected and robust setae ( Fig. 28 ).

Measurements (in mm), male holotype (female paratypes in parentheses). Total body length —5.55 (5.92– 5.95). Head. Total length (without neck)—1.25 (1.11–1.31); diatone-0.93 (0.83–0.84) dorsal synthlipsis (minimum interocular distance)—0.45 (0.39–0.44); length of anteocular part: 0.50 (0.43–0.44); length of postocular part— 0.50 (0.51–0.53); Labium. Total length—1.65 (1.42–1.51); segment I, length—0.80 (0.62–0.75); segment II, length—0.65 (0.53–0.60); segment III, length—0.20 (0.20–0.23). Antenna. Segment I, length—1.40 (1.56–1.60); segment II, length—1.05 (0.93–0.95); segment III, length—1.05 (0.95–1.04); segment IV, length—1.25 (1.13– 1.24). Pronotum. Total length (maximum)—1.26 (1.02–1.21); anterior lobe maximum length—0.81 (0.76–0.74); posterior lobe, maximum length—0.45 (0.45–0.44); anterior lobe, width (maximum)—0.90 (0.87–0.88); posterior lobe, width (maximum)—1.05 (0.98–1.03). Scutellum. Total length (maximum)—0.23 (0.33–0.33). Forewing. Maximum length—0.33 (0.30–0.43). Maximum width of abdomen: 1.52 (1.85–1.88).

Etymology. The name of this species is connected with the vertical scutellar spine.

Habitat and collecting method. All specimens of Myrmicella verticospinosa were collected in semideciduous forests with a canopy height up to 10 m. Three specimens were sifted using a sieve and subsequent extraction in Winkler apparatus. A single female was collected (although micropterous) in the yellow pan trap in the forest.

Distribution. South-west Madagascar, Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park and Isalo National Park ( Fig. 44 ).

Figures

FIGURE 44. Distibution of Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov. in Madagascar.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., male holotype, 1 — dorsal habitus; 2 — head and thorax, dorsal view; 3 — abdomen, dorsal view; 4 — thorax, ventral view. Scale bar in mm.

FIGURES 5 – 10. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., female paratype, 5 — dorsal habitus; 6 — head, dorsal view; 7 — head, lateral view; 8 — ocellus; 9 — thorax, lateral view; 10 — forewing, lateral view.

FIGURES 11 – 16. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., female paratype, 11 — thorax, dorsal view; 12 — scutellum, dorsal view; 13 — spiracles on abdominal basis, lateral view; 14 — abdomen, dorsal view; 15 — dorsal abdominal gland on tergite IV; 16 — abdomen, lateral view.

FIGURES 17 – 24. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., female paratype, 17 — right fore coxa, anterior view; 18 — right fore femur insertion, dorsal view; 19 — right fore tarsus, anterior view; 20 — apex of right fore tibia, ventral view; 21 — right middle tarsus, posterior view; 22 — right hind tarsus, anterior view; 23 — right middle leg, posterior view; 24 — right hind leg, anterior view.

FIGURES 25 – 30. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., female paratype, 25 — right fore leg, anterior view; 26 — right middle leg, posterior view; 27 — right hind leg, anterior view; 28 — valvula 3, outer view; 29 — valvula 2 and valvifer 2, outer view; 30 — valvula 1 and valvifer 1. Scale bar in mm.

FIGURES 31 – 34. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., phallus, 31, 32, holotype, 33, 34, paratype, 31 — partly inflated, dorsal view; 32 — partly inflated, ventral view; 33 — non – inflated, dorsal view; 34 — non – inflated, ventral view. Scale bar in mm.

FIGURES 35 – 43. Myrmicella verticospinosa gen. et sp. nov., male genitalia, 35 – 39, 41, holotype, 40, 42 – 43, paratype, 35 — genital capsule, lateral view; 36 — genital capsule, ventral view; 37 – right paramere, dorsal view; 38 — right paramere, lateral view; 39 — inflated phallus, dorsal view; 40 — non – inflated phallus, dorsal view (left sclerotized dorsal plate omitted); 41 — articulatory apparatus of phallus, dorsal view; 42 — ventralmost sclerotized part of endosoma, ventral view; 43 — inner sclerotized part of endosoma, ventral view. Lettering: dsp—dorsal phallothecal sclerite; sc—sclerite of endosoma. Scale bar in mm.