Petascelis inconditus, Brailovsky, Harry, 2008

Brailovsky, Harry, 2008, Notes on the genus Petascelis Signoret and description of one new species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Coreinae: Petascelini), Zootaxa 1749, pp. 18-26 : 20-21

Petascelis inconditus n. sp.

( Figs. 1, 4 , 10 , 12)

Description. Holotype male. Head length 1.96; width across eyes 2.80; interocular space 1.50; interocellar space 0.70; antennal segment length I, 5.50, II, 4.18, III, 3.10, IV, 6.00; pronotum length 6.00; width across humeral angles 10.10; scutellar length 3.30; width 4.50; maximum width of abdomen 13.50; total body length 28.10. Dorsal coloration.-Head yellowish orange; antennal segments I to IV reddish brown; pronotum dark orange, anterior third including calli reddish brown; scutellum reddish brown suffused with dark orange; clavus dark orange, claval commisure reddish brown; corium dark orange, costal margin reddish brown; hemelytral membrane translucent, yellow with pale-brown scattered spots; connexival segments III to VI reddish brown, VII reddish brown with anterior third yellow; abdominal segments II to V shiny orange, VI shiny orange and with large black spot laterally, VII shiny orange, with large black quadrate spot medially, and posterior margin reddish brown. Ventral coloration.-Head black suffused with reddish brown; rostral segments reddish brown; thorax, abdomen, genital capsule dark reddish orange scattered with reddish brown marks; legs reddish brown; ventral dilation of hind tibia with external margin orange; anterior and posterior lobe of metathoracic peritreme pale brown. Structure.- Head.- Antennal segment IV gently clavate, apex acute ( Fig. 1 ). Thorax.- Middle third of metasternum remarkably produced into two large lobes, these freely directed downward ( Fig. 4 ). Legs.- Fore and middle tibiae with outer margin dilated, and inner almost straight. Abdomen.- Midportion of posterior margin of abdominal sternite III extending posteriorly onto sternite IV to produce a flat, wide truncate tubercle ( Fig. 10 ). Genital capsule.- Simple; posteroventral edge straight, slightly exposed.

Female. Head length 2.30; width across eyes 3.00; interocular space 1.62; interocellar space 0.72; antennal segment length I, 5.30, II, 4.20, III, 3.10, IV, 6.28; pronotum length 7.22; width across humeral angles 11.02; scutellar length 3.34; width 4.55; maximum width of abdomen 14.00; total body length 29.90. Coloration similar to male. Head ventrally pale orange; hind leg pale to dark orange; tarsi dark brown; corium and clavus entirely pale orange; connexival segment VII pale orange with reddish brown spot at midpoint; connexival segments VIII and IX pale orange, upper margin reddish brown; dorsal abdominal segments III to IX pale orange, scattered with few reddish brown marks; genital plates pale yellowish orange. Structure.- Head.- Antennal segment IV gently clavate with apex acute. Thorax.- Middle third of metasternum armed laterally with two short and slender tubercles. Legs.- Fore and middle tibiae with outer margin dilated, inner margin almost straight. Abdomen.- Abdominal sterna unarmed.

Types. Holotype male, AFRICA: Deutsch West Africa: Tanzania, Hinterland, Nuguru, S. G. Rohrbeck (without date) (ZMHB). Paratypes. AFRICA: 4 males, 1 female, Deutsch West Africa, Hinterland, Tanzania, Nuguru, S. G. Rohrbeck (without date) (UNAM, ZMHB); 1 female, Deutsch West Africa, Tanzania, Hinterland, Bagamoyo, Nuguru-Mpapua, S. G. Rohrbeck (without date) (ZMHB).

Comments. Petascelis inconditus is easily distinguished from other species by having the middle third of male metasternum conspicuously produced into two large lobes, freely directed downward ( Fig. 4 ); and by having the middle portion of posterior margin of the male’s abdominal sternite III extending posteriorly onto sternite IV to produce a flat, wide, truncate tubercle ( Fig. 10 ). In female, the middle third of the metasternum is armed laterally with two short and slender tubercles, and the abdominal sterna are unarmed.

In the other known species the male metasternum is not elongate ( Figs. 2, 6 ), and the middle portion of abdominal sterna III and IV have another condition ( Figs. 7–9 ).

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the Latin adjective, inconditus , meaning irregular, and referring to the irregular projections on the metasternum.

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 6. Petascelis spp. 1. Antennae of P. inconditus n. sp. 2 – 6. Mesothorax, metathorax and abdominal sterna in lateral view. 2. Petascelis affinis Dallas. 3. Petascelis remipes Signoret. 4. Petascelis inconditus n. sp. 5. Petascelis foliaceipes Distant. 6. Petascelis laminipes Fairmaire.

FIGURE 7 – 11. Mesosternum, metasternum and abdominal sterna of Petascelis spp. 7. Petascelis affinis Dallas. 8. Petascelis remipes Signoret. 9. Petascelis foliaceipes Distant. 10. Petascelis inconditus n. sp. 11. Petascelis laminipes Fairmaire.