Psallus (Psallus) shulsangaricus, Linnavuori, 2010

Linnavuori, Rauno E., 2010, Studies on the Miridae (Phylinae, addenda to Deraeocorinae and Orthotylinae) of Khuzestan and the adjacent provinces of Iran (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 369-414 : 392-393

Psallus (Psallus) shulsangaricus sp. nov.

( Figs. 12A–G , 27C )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, IRAN: FARS: Shul – Sangar , 17.–18.vi.2003 . PARATYPE: J, same locality and date as holotype. The types will be deposited at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales (Cardiff, United Kingdom).

Description. Length 3.0– 3.5 mm (J).

Colouration. Head and pronotum pale brownish ( Fig. 27C ); eyes greyish brown. Antennae pale yellow. Rostrum yellowish. Scutellum brownish, basal angles slightly paler. Clavus and corium yellowish brown with reddish tinge, apical part of corium and cuneus red, basal margin of cuneus white; membranes grey, veins pale. Ventral surface brown. Ostioles of metathoracic scent gland pale. Legs pale yellowish, femora with numerous brown spots, tibial spines black, arising from small dark dots; tarsi pale.

Structure. Body 2.9× as long as basal width of pronotum. Upper surface with yellow pubescence. Head about 0.7× as long as broad basally, in anterior view 1.45× as broad as high, ocular index 1.60–1.67. Antennae gracile, length ratios of antennomeres 11: 52: 32: 24, antennomere 2 1.13–1.16× as long as width of head, 0.8× as long as basal width of pronotum. Rostrum extending to hind coxae. Pronotum 2.23× as broad as long in middle. Hind tibia 1.55× as long as basal width of pronotum; length ratios of hind tarsomeres 7: 13: 12; claws ( Fig. 12A ) gracile with small pulvilli. Male genitalia ( Fig. 12B–G ): pygophore conical; sensory lobe of left paramere with small tooth-like process; apical process of vesica slender and straight, entire lower margin with numerous teeth; subapical process short.

Differential diagnosis. Closely related to P. corsicus Puton, 1875 (= P. ericetorum Reuter, 1899 ) ( Figs. 13A–H , 27D ), redescribed by CARAPEZZA (1997: 147–151) and known from Corsica and Greece including Crete. Psallus corsicus differs from the new species in the red colouring, brown tibial spines and the male genitalia: the apical process of the vesica is curved and apically edentate, the subapical process is longer and the sensory lobe of left paramere has a longer process. Psallus siculus Reuter, 1878 , known from Italy and North West Africa, is also similar to P. corsicus and differs in the structure of male genitalia ( Fig. 14A–D ).

Habitat. Collected at light in hilly gardens with undergrowth of Amygdalus , Astragalus and Artemisia .

Etymology. Named after the type locality.

Distribution. So far known only from the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 12. Psallus shulsangaricus sp. nov. A – claw; B – right paramere; C–E – left paramere in different positions; F – theca; G – vesica.

Fig. 27. A – Plagiognathus bipunctatus albicans Reuter, 1901; B – Plagiognathus marivanensis sp. nov., paratype; C – Psallus shulsangaricus sp. nov., male holotype; D – Psallus corsicus Puton, 1875, specimen from Greece, Corfu Island.

Fig. 13. Psallus corsicus Puton, 1875: A – pygophore; B – theca; C – left paramere; D – right paramere; E – vesica; F–H – apex of vesica in different positions (after Car apezza 1997).

Fig. 14. Psallus siculus Reuter, 1875: A – vesica; B – apex of vesica; C – left paramere; D – right paramere (after Car apezza 1997).