Agaveocoris Henry and Menard, 2020

Henry, Thomas J. & Menard, Katrina L., 2020, Revision and Phylogeny of the Eccritotarsine Plant Bug Genus Caulotops Bergroth, with Descriptions of Four New Genera and 14 New Species (Hemiptera Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) Associated with Agave (Agavoideae Asparagaceae) and Related Plant Genera, Zootaxa 4772 (2), pp. 201-252 : 210-211

Agaveocoris Henry and Menard , new genus

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:74C5431F-A068-401C-B840-4FA69D605549

Type species: Caulotops agavis Reuter, 1909 . By present designation.

Caulatops [sic]: Reuter 1909: 1 (original description, in part).

Caulotops: Carvalho 1957: 94 (catalog, in part); Knight 1968: 78 (key); Henry 1985: 322 (note, key, in part); Henry and Wheeler 1988: 265 (catalog, in part); Schuh 1995: 540 (catalog, in part), Schuh 2002 –2013 (online catalog, in part).

INCLUDED SPECIES. A. agavis (Reuter) , n. comb.; A. barberi (Knight) , n. comb.; A. barrerai , n. sp.; A. bimaculatus , n. sp.; A. dimidiatus , n. sp.; A. distanti (Reuter) , n. comb.; A. marginalis , n. sp; A. roseus , n. sp.; A. rostratus , n. sp.; A. schaffneri , n. sp.; and A. scutellatus , n. sp.

DIAGNOSIS. This new genus is recognized by a combination of the weakly stylate eyes extending laterally outside anterior margin of pronotum by half or more the width of an eye ( Fig. 2 ); the weakly punctate pronotum, the well-developed, strongly raised calli with a V-shaped depression between them in dorsal view ( Figs. 2, 4 , 13, 14 ), the stout, apically rounded (rarely more spinelike, fig. 120) invaginated tubercle ( Figs. 119, 121, 122 ) on the upper left margin of the genital capsule, the elongate right paramere transversing the anterior margin of the genital capsule with the apex hooking around the tubercle ( Figs. 6, 7 ), and the two lateral spines in the female vestibulum ( Fig. 138 ).

DESCRIPTION. Male: Macropterous, small to medium-sized, elongate oval. Total length of included species from apex of clypeus to cuneal fracture 2.08–4.15 mm in males, 2.12–4.00 mm in females, length from apex of clypeus to apex of hemelytral membrane, 3.01–5.35 mm in males, 3.14–5.40 mm in females; widest point across hemelytra 1.15–2.46 mm in males, 1.28–2.37 mm in females; general coloration pale to dark bluish-black, often with a pale to red or reddish-orange thorax, head, and scutellum. COLORATION. Head: Pale yellowish brown to red, frons and vertex with dark brown to black dorsal transverse lines; clypeus and labrum dark brown; antennal segments pale yellowish brown to black. Thorax: Pale yellowish brown to red. Pronotum: Anterior area pale yellow to red, with small brown patches, posterior half grayish yellow to dark brown, often darker than anterior half, calli pale brown, reddish orange, to blackish brown; mesoscutum and scutellum yellow to reddish orange; pleural areas of thorax concolorous with posterior half. Coxae pale yellow to brown; femora and tibiae pale yellow, brown to black, or reddish orange; tarsomeres pale brown to dark brown; claws dark brown. Hemelytron: Yellowish brown, grayish brown, to dark bluish black, often with a bluish sheen, sometimes extensively red on corium; membrane pale translucent brown to darker smoky brown, veins brown to dark brown or black. Abdomen: Pale brown to dark brown, apex of lateral tubercle and genital opening sometimes tinged with red. SURFACE AND VESTITURE. Head: Smooth, with relatively dense, recumbent simple setae; antennal segments with dense, semierect, simple setae of uniform length. Thorax: Pronotum weakly rugulose, with dense, recumbent, simple setae, more dense near furrows of calli; scutellum with simple setae. Hemelytron: Setae recumbent, simple, sometimes with a bluish sheen, veins with simple setae present along dorsal surface. Abdomen: Clothed with simple setae. STRUCTURE. Head: Wider than high, clypeus not visible in dorsal view, greater than one half height of head below ventral surface of eyes, vertex and frons convex, vertex declining posteriorly toward anterior pronotal margin, eyes substylate, posterior margin removed from anterior margin of pronotum; interocular width greater than twice the width of one eye, nearly equal to length of antennal segment I; antennal segment I length longer than one half to subequal the length of antennal segment II, antennal segment II narrower than I, length of antennal segment II subequal to interocular distance, segments III and IV half the width of segment I, individual lengths nearly subequal to length of segment I; labium stout, extending from middle coxae to well onto abdomen. Thorax: Anterior and posterior lobes of pronotum clearly demarcated, trapeziform with weakly concave lateral margins, a weak carina present along lateral margins, anterior margin with a narrow flat collarlike area ( Figs. 2, 3 ); pronounced calli separated by dorsal, lateral, and medial furrows, posterior lobe sometimes medially invaginated anteriorly, posterior margin straight to weakly concave; mesoscutum exposed; scutellum equilateral, with raised lateral, margins forming V-shaped ridge. Metathoracic scent gland auricle and evaporative area: Elongate, narrow, horizontal along ventral margin of metathorax ( Fig. 5 ). Legs: Typical length relative to other mirids of similar size, pretarsus typical of eccritotarsines. Hemelytron: Lateral margins moderately convex; cuneus well developed; membrane with one closed cell, length greater than half the total length of membrane. Abdomen: Broadly rounded, with a blunt, oval aperture, upper left margin of genital capsule with a stout apically blunt to tapered tubercle, serving as a hook to hold right paramere in situ ( Fig. 6, 7 ); tubercle not visible in dorsal view.

Male genitalia: Endosoma (e.g., Figs. 70, 77 , 80, 83 ) simple with an elongate sclerotized ductus seminis enclosed in membrane; phallotheca thin and simple. Left paramere (e.g., Figs. 71, 73, 75 ) small and C-shaped. Right paramere (e.g., 72, 74, 76) large, elongate, shallowly C-shaped, with an upturned hook at apex.

Female: (n = 5): Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 2.12–4.00 mm; length from apex of head to apex of membrane 3.14–5.40 mm; widest point across hemelytra 1.28–2.37 mm.

Similar to male in size, shape, and coloration.

Female g enitali a: Vestibulum ( Fig. 138 ) with two enlarged plates protruding anteriorly into abdomen, invaginated inward, lateral plate on left side of vestibulum with two pronounced spines, right plate with some serrations and protruding sclerotizations, right lateral side of vestibulum connected to a medium-sized lateral arm ( Fig. 138 ) that extends adjacent to base of ovipositor, with basal point articulating with dorsal surface of sclerites on vestibulum; dorsal surface of second gonopophysis ( Fig. 142 , bottom) with coarse serrations along margin, more minute serrations on first gonopophysis ( Fig. 142 , top); dorsal labiate plate with barely visible, weakly sclerotized ring structures; posterior wall membranous, with base of ovipositor rounded, not touching it dorsally.

ETYMOLOGY. The generic name of this new genus is derived from the plant name Agave , the known host genus of most included species, and the suffix “coris,” meaning bug. The gender is masculine.

DISCUSSION. The taxa included in Agaveocoris are clearly distinguished from Caulotops based the presence of a large tubercle on the genital capsule and the greatly elongate and curving right paramere. Further, biogeographically Agaveocoris and the other genera in this study are separated not only by a great distance between continents, but also host plant usage. Agaves and their relatives, which are the major host plants of this new genus, are not native to South America where the monotypic Caulotops occurs. Agavecoris can be separated from the other genera in this study based on the apically hooked right paramere, the two spines on the left plate of the vestibulum ( Fig. 138 ) in the females, and the blunt shape of the abdominal tubercle (e.g., Figs. 119, 121, 122 ), except for A. barberi , which has a more elongate, apically pointed tubercle.

Figures

FIGURES 2–7. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of Agaveocoris agavis. 2, head and pronotum, dorsal aspect. 3, head and pronotum, lateral aspect. 4, head, frontal aspect. 5, metathoracic scent gland opening and ostiolar evaporative area. 6, genital capsule, showing right and left paramere and tubercle, caudal aspect. 7, genital capsule, showing right paramere and tubercle, lateral aspect.

FIGURES 8–20. Caulotops and Agaveocoris spp. 8–10, Caulotops platensis. 8, male (dorsal aspect). 9, male (lateral aspect). 10, female (dorsal aspect). 11–20. Agaveocoris spp. 11, A. agavis (Reuter), male (dorsal aspect). 12, A. agavis, male (lateral aspect). 13, A. agavis, female (dorsal aspect). 14, A. barberi (Knight), male (dorsal aspect). 15, A. barberi, female (dorsal aspect). 16, A. barrerai, n. sp., male (dorsal aspect). 17, A. barrerai, n. sp., female (dorsal aspect). 18, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., male (dorsal aspect). 19, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., male (lateral aspect). 20, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., female (dorsal aspect).

FIGURES 119–128. Male genital tubercles of Agaveocoris spp. 119, A. agavis. 120, A. barberi. 121, A. barrerai, n. sp. 122, A. bimaculatus, n. sp. 123, A. dimidiatus, n. sp. 124, A. distanti. 125, A. roseus, n. sp. 126, A. rostratus, n. sp. 127, A. schaffneri, n. sp. 128, A. scutellatus, n. sp.

FIGURES 138–141. Female vestibula and ovipositors. 138, Agaveocoris agavis (left arrow pointing to ventral labiate plates; right arrow pointing to lateral arm). 139, Laterospinocoris cyaneipennis (arrow pointing to ventral labiate plates; right arrow pointing to lateral arm). 140, Nigrotomocoris nigrus (arrow pointing to ventral labiate plates and opposing deeply tooth structures; right arrow pointing to lateral arm). 141, Schaffnerocoris pallipes, n. sp. (arrow point to ventral labiate plates and opposing deeply toothed structures; right arrow pointing to lateral arm).

FIGURES 67–77. Male genitalia of Caulotops and Agaveocoris spp. Caulotops platensis: 67, genital capsule. 68, left paramere. 69, right paramere. Agaveocoris agavis: 70, endosoma. 71, left paramere. 72, right paramere. A. barberi: 73, left paramere. 74, right paramere. A. barrerai, n. sp.: 75, left paramere. 76, right paramere. A. bimaculatus, n. sp.: 77, endosoma. 78, left paramere. 79, right paramere.

FIGURES 80–93. Male genitalia of Agaveocoris spp. A. dimidiata, n. sp.: 80, endosoma. 81, left paramere. 82, right paramere. A. distanti, n. sp.: 83, endosoma. 84, left paramere. 85, right paramere. A. marginalis, n. sp.: 86, endosoma. 87, left paramere. 88, right paramere. A. roseus, n. sp.: 89, right paramere. 90, left paramere. A. rostratus, n. sp.: 91, endosoma. 92, left paramere. 93, right paramere.

FIGURES 142–145. Female ovipositors, left lateral view (top: first gonopophysis; bottom: second gonopopysis). 142, A. agavis. 143, L. cyaneipennis. 144, N. nigrus. 145, S. pallipes, n. sp.