Thaumastocoris nadeli Noack, Cassis & Rose

Noack, Ann E., Cassis, Gerasimos & Rose, Harley A., 2011, Systematic revision of Thaumastocoris Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Thaumastocoridae), Zootaxa 3121, pp. 1-60 : 38-41

Thaumastocoris nadeli Noack, Cassis & Rose n.sp.

(Figures: 6A,B; 13A–H; 19A)

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Ryan Nadel, from the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, who collected the type series and many additional specimens.

Holotype: 3, WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Swan River, Perth, 16 m. 31°57.998’S 115°50.732’E, 30 May 2008, R Nadel, ex Eucalyptus camaldulensis ( WAM). Paratypes: 53, 5 Ƥ, same data as holotype (AM; UNSW); 23, Cape Naturaliste National Park, 50 m, 33°32’25”S 115°00’44”E, 14 December 1997, RT Schuh, G Cassis, H Brailvosky, locality code WA97-L49-H89, ex Dryandra sessilis (Knight) Domin ( PERTH 05055288) (AM); 23, 2Ƥ, South West Hwy, Boyanup, December 2010, A.E. Noack, ex Eucalyptus nicholii ; 1Ƥ, Conspicuous Beach, Walpole-Nornalup National Park, 10 km E of Nornalup, 30 m, 35°02’14”S 116°5’39”E, 17 December 1997, RT Schuh, G Cassis, H Brailovsky and A Asquith, locality code WA97-L58-H116, ex Agonis flexuosa (Wild.) Sweet ( PERTH 05055423) K157158 (AM); 23, 2Ƥ, South West Hwy, Donnybrook, December 2010, A.E. Noack, ex Eucalyptus scoparia ; 23, 3Ƥ, Exmouth, Truscott Crescent, opposite Pony Club, 21.94606S 114.1358E, 31 October 2004, G Cassis, MA Wall, C Weirauch, N Tatarnic and C Symonds, locality code PBI-WA04-L29-H195, ex Acacia sp. (AM; UNSW); 183, 16Ƥ, 1 nymph, Forest Grove Road, 0.9 km E of Caves Road, 60 m, 30°04’20”S 115°02’46”E, 15 December 1997, RT Schuh, G Cassis, H Brailovsky and A Asquith, locality code WA97-L51-H97, ex Kunzea glabrescens ( PERTH 05056330) (AM; UNSW); 13 Highbury, 33° 00,828S; 115° 13,838E, 329 m, ML Moir, 1 July 2008, ex Eucalyptus wandoo MLM 0 0 687 ( MMPC); 13 Highbury, 329 m, 33° 00,828S; 117° 13,838E, 0 2 July 2008; M.L. Moir, (beat) ex Eucalyptus sideroxylon MLM00677 ( MMPC); 133, 6Ƥ, 6 nymphs Mosman Park, Perth 32°01’33”S 115°45’57”E sea level, 7 August 1999 G. Cassis (L2) Eucalyptus sp. (AM); 53, 3Ƥ, 3 nymphs Mosman Park, Perth 32°01’33”S 115°45’57”E 20 m 5 December 1998 G. Cassis [98-L22] Eucalyptus sp. ( PERTH 05227313) Host/98-31, (AM); 23 Mosman Park, Perth 32°01’33”S 115°45’57”E 20 m, 24 November 1998 G. Cassis [98-L1] Agonis flexuosa (Wild.) Sweet ( PERTH 05227410) Host/98-1 (AM); 1Ƥ Mosman Park, Perth 32°01’33”S 115°45’57”E 20 m, 30 November 1998, G Cassis [98-L10] Hemiandra glabra Benth. ( PERTH 05227348) Host/98-21 (AM); 53, 4Ƥ Perth: Coles store on Falkirk and Morrison St. Alt. 20 m, S31°55.784’; E115°53.830’ 30 May 2008, R. Nadel, Eucalyptus camaldulensis , (AM; UNSW); 33, 3Ƥ Perth: Cnr. Fyfe and Bullcreek St., Alt. 28 m, S32°03.073’; E115°51.431’ 31 May 2008, R. Nadel, Eucalyptus camaldulensis , (AM; UNSW); 33, 3Ƥ Perth: Thomas Oval, Medina Park, Alt. 8 m, S32°13.974’; E115°47.938’ 31 May 2008, R. Nadel, Eucalyptus camaldulensis (AM).

Diagnosis. Thaumastocoris nadeli is recognised by the following characters: body elongate ( Figure 6 A,B); mandibular plates strongly recurved laterally ( Figure 13 A); bucculae weakly arcuate, strongly explanate distally ( Figure 13 B); pronotum strongly constricted medially.( Figure 6 A,B; 13A); pygophoral lock is triangulate, weakly concave medially, narrowing apically to an oblique sharp angle; paramere subquadrate ( Figure 19 A). It can be distinguished from T. peregrinus by the apical margin of the pygophoral lock which is rounded and not obliquely angled (cf. Figure.19 B). The females of the two species can be distinguished by the colouration of the pronotal disc. The disc of female T. nadeli is fuscous and strikingly darker than the cream disc of the males ( Figure 6 A,B), whereas the disc of both male and female T. peregrinus is cream (cf. Figure 7 A,B).

Description. Submacropterous. Male length 2.37–2.88, width 0.74–0.92; female 2.53–2.92, width 0.89–1.05. Females larger and darker in colouration, especially hemelytra and pronotum. Colouration. Dorsum cream to yellowish brown with contrasting dark brown to fuscous markings. Head: mostly cream-coloured; vertex and clypeus yellowish brown; lateral aspect of mandibular plates and genae with brown to fuscous stripe; genae, gula and bucculae cream-coloured. Antennae: mostly yellowish brown; subapical half of AIV dark brown to fuscous ( Figure 6 A,B). Labium: straw-coloured; apex of LIV fuscous. Pronotum: mostly yellowish brown, pronotal disc cream medially. Thoracic pleura and sterna: mostly yellowish brown; propleura posterior margin more cream-coloured; prosternum cream. Scutellum : dark brown, posterior two-thirds of midline straw-coloured. Hemelytra: yellowish brown, with clavus cream-coloured; medial margin of corium dark brown; membrane cream, medially infused with brown ( Figure 6 A,B). Legs: mostly straw-coloured, with distal half of second tarsomere dark brown. Abdomen: uniformly yellowish brown. Texture. Dorsum moderately polished, with scattered shallow to deep setose punctures. Head: vertex mostly impunctate, with transverse puncticulate rows sometimes visible, punctures shallow; epicranial suture with irregular distribution of shallow to moderately deep punctures; mandibular plates irregularly punctate, denser posteriorly, punctures shallow ( Figure 13 A). Pronotum: callosite region sparsely punctate, punctures shallow, denser along midline and anterolateral angles; disc densely and regularly punctate, punctures deep, posterolateral angles impunctate ( Figure 13 A). Thoracic pleura and sterna: propleuron with regular distribution of fine punctures posteroventrally ( Figure 13 D); thoracic sterna mostly with sparse, irregular distribution of shallow punctures; mesosternum strongly polished. Scutellum : densely and regularly punctate, punctures deep, midline polished ( Figure 6 A,B). Hemelytra: clavus and corium with uniform distribution of deep punctures, larger than on pronotal disc. Abdomen: impunctate, moderately polished. Vestiture. Dorsum with uniform distribution of setose punctures, setae short, erect, straw-coloured. Lateral aspects with irregular distribution of fine, straw-coloured, decumbent setae, most densely distributed posteroventral on propleura and ventrally mesopleura ( Figure 13 E). Ventral surface with irregular distribution of fine setae, most densely distributed on mandibular plates ( Figure 13 B). Antennae: uniform distribution of decumbent setae intermixed with fine, erect setae; AIII–AIV with same setae on lateral margins, otherwise bare ( Figure 13 C). Male genitalia: pygophore with irregular distribution of fine setae, more elongate and dense near genital opening, pygophoral lock with sparse and distribution of irregular setae; paramere evenly beset with setae, becoming sparse apically ( Figure 19 A). Structure. Head: mandibular plates elongate, surpassing clypeus by length of clypeus, contiguous medially, flared anteriorly, concave dorsally, anterolateral margins strongly recurved ( Figure 13 A); bucculae weakly arcuate, strongly explanate posteriorly ( Figure 13 B). Eyes: moderately pedicellate. Antennae: AI to AIII cylindrical; AII weakly distally expanded; AIV weakly lanceolate ( Figure 13 C). Labium: short, reaching past anterior margin of prosternum (figure 13B). Pronotum: strongly constricted medially; callosite region and disc subequal in length, disc a little broader; anterolateral angles strongly tuberculate; lateral margins of disc weakly arcuate ( Figure 13 A). Thoracic sterna: prosternum weakly swollen medially, lateral margins rounded ( Figure 13 B). Hemelytra: at rest extending to abdominal TIX; medial margin of corium straight to weakly convex, apex of corium at membrane strongly narrowed medial margin less than 45° to costal margin ( Figure 6 A,B). Legs: forecoxal separation equal to slightly wider than coxal width ( Figure 13 B); fore and mesofemora strongly incrassate; fossula spongiosa elongate, reaching distal half of second tarsomere ( Figure 13 B); 3–4 foretibial teeth, 3–4 mesotibial teeth, without metatibial teeth. Male Genitalia: pygophoral lock triangulate, weakly concave medially, narrowing apically to oblique sharp angle; paramere subquadrate ( Figure 19 A).

Measurements. Table 2

Distribution. Thaumastocoris nadeli is known from southwestern Australia, suburban Perth, and Exmouth, north of Perth ( Figure 20 B).

Host plants. Thaumastocoris nadeli has been collected from four different plant families, with most of the records from the family Myrtaceae ( Table 3 ). It has been collected on numerous species of Eucalyptus spp, particularly Eucalyptus camaldulensis . It is also known from the myrtle species, Agonis flexuosa and Kunzea glabrescens in southwest Western Australia. East of Perth it has been collected on Eucalyptus sideroxylon and E. wandoo , and with the latter record it was found in association with T. freomooreae . Some 1000 km north of Perth, at Exmouth, it was collected on an unidentified species of Acacia (Fabaceae) . The records of Hemiandra glabra (Lamiaceae) and Dryandra sessilis (Proteaceae) are possibly sitting records, with two specimens taken from each plant.

Remarks. This species is the only known species Thaumastocoris where the female is easily recognised from conspecific males by colouration alone. Typically, females of Thaumastocoris are slightly darker in colouration, but in this species the pronotal disc is strikingly fuscous to black, whereas in males it is cream-coloured. This sexual dimorphism in colouration is consistent in all populations.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Habitus, dorsal view. A and B Thaumastocoris nadeli. C and D Thaumastocoris ohallorani. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Habitus, dorsal view. A and B Thaumastocoris peregrinus. C and D Thaumastocoris petilus. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 13. Scanning electron micrographs: Thaumastocoris nadeli. A 3 head and pronotum, dorsal view. B 3 head and pro sternum, ventral view. C 3 antenna, dorsal view. D 3 head and propleura, lateral view. E 3 thorax, lateral view. F 3 midtarsus, lateral view. G 3 genitalia, ventral view. H Ƥ genitalia, ventral view. tt = tibial tooth. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 19. Male genitalia. A. Thaumastocoris nadeli, ventral view. B. Thaumastocoris peregrinus, ventral view C. Thaumastocoris petilus, ventral view D. Thaumastocoris roy, ventral view E. Thaumastocoris safordi, ventral view F. Thaumastocoris slateri, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 20. Distribution map. A. Thaumastocoris australicus, T. busso, T. freomooreae and T. hackeri B. Thaumastocoris kalaako, T. majeri, T. macqueeni and T. nadeli.