Podisus crassimargo (Stål, 1860)

Telepta crassimargo Stål, 1860: 10 (Holotype female in NHRS, Figs 3a–c).

Arma crassimargo Walker 1867: 137 .

Podisus (Podisus) crassimargo Stål 1867: 497 .

Podisus volxemi Distant, 1887 syn. nov. (Holotype female in RBINS, Figs 3d–f)

Apateticus (Eupodisus) crassimargo Schouteden 1907: 71 .

Apateticus (Eupodisus) volxemi Schouteden 1907: 73 .

Apateticus (Podisus) crassimargo Kirkaldy 1909: 18 .

Apateticus (Podisus) volxemi Kirkaldy 1909: 21 .

Podisus (Podisus) crassimargo Buckup 1960: 12 .

Podisus crassimargo Thomas 1992: 85 .

Types examined. Telepta crassimargo Stål 1860, Holotype ♀, labels: Brasil // F.Sahlb. // Type. // Typus // NHRS-GULI 000067362, (NHRS) Figs 3a–c .

Podisus volxemi Distant 1887, Holotype ♀, labels: Apateticus volxemi . Distant. // Podisus volxemi Dist. // Type // Therezopolis (-22.4129, -42.9729) // M.R. Belg. // 1763 // Coll. Camille Van Volxem. // Holotype, (RBINS) Figs 3d–f .

Non-types examined. Podisus crassimargo (Stål, 1860) – BRAZIL: Minas Gerais [Virgínia] 1♀, Faz. dos Campos 1500m Virgínia – E. de Minas (-22.3309, -45.0886), 21-XI-1921 J.F. Zikán // No. 201 J.F. Zikán // Coleção J.F. Zikán // MN, (MNRJ) . Rio de Janeiro [Teresópolis] 1♀, Terezopolis E. do Rio, Brasil (-22.4129, -42.9729) // Zajciv // MN, (MNRJ) . São Paulo [Campos do Jordão] 1♂, São Paulo Campos do Jordão (-22.7317, -45.5825) 26.XII.1944 F. Lane col. // Col. MRCN 000262 // Apateticus crassimargo Stal, 1860 V. Gapud det. 1976, (UFRG) . Paraná [Ponta Grossa] 1♂, Brasil – Paraná Ponta Grossa (-25.1072, -50.1569) Camargo col. XII 38 // MZSP, (MZUSP) . Santa Catarina [Seara] 1♀ Brasilien Nova Teutônia (-27.1511, -52.3100) Fritz Plaumann 300–500 m I-6-1950 // Ex. Coll. H. Ruckes // AMNH // AMNH_ IZC 00319652, (AMNH) . Rio Grande do Sul [São Francisco de Paula] 2♂, S.F. de Paula – RS (-29.4167, -50.3966) Bianchi, F.M. 22-11-2011 00619/620, (UFRG) .

Comments. Images of the holotypes of Telepta crassimargo Stål (Figs 3a–c) and Podisus volxemi Distant (Figs 3d–f) were examined. The type of P. volxemi is deposited in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), not in the Natural History Museum (NHMUK) where most of Distant’s types are deposited. Donald B. Thomas did not examine either of the two holotypes for his monograph published in 1992. The author explains: “I have identified the species [ P.volxemi] as a form occurring in the Andean region [Ecuador]”, and characterized it as follows: “the abdominal spine is long, reaching between the mesocoxae. The legs are pale with contrasting dark spots” (page 85). Both types are from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and, based on our studies and examined specimens, the species occurs only in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest biome, in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. The length of the abdominal spine, and the presence of dark spots in the legs are not compatible with the type of P. volxemi, which presents the abdominal spine not reaching the mesocoxae and no dark spots in the legs (Fig. 3e).

Besides the collection site, the type of P. volxemi presents the main diagnostic features of P.crassimargo: general body coloration brown, distinct inflated and pale anterolateral margins of pronotum, and presence of a dark spot in the apex of the radial vein. Based on the information here presented, we consider P.volxemi a junior synonym of P.crassimargo .

The specimens used by Thomas (1992) to characterize P.volxemi may be compatible with the new species Podisus awajun, here described (see below).