Namaquaropus, Akingbohungbe, E., 2004

Akingbohungbe, E., 2004, A new genus and four new species of Isometopinae (Hemiptera: Miridae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 728, pp. 1-14 : 2

Namaquaropus gen. nov.

Female broadly oval, male unknown. Head inclined forwards with frons broadly visible from above; basal two­fifths considerably reflexed, occluding anterior pronotal margin; in front subglobose, slightly broader than high, broadest across postgenae. Gena high, slightly less than half as high as eye. Antennophore located at apex of gena, far from ventral eye margin. Antennal segment II inflated, distinctly fusiform, about 2.5x as thick along the middle as segment I. Eyes distinctly separated mesally on frons, maximum width 2.4x as broad as minimum interocular space. Hemelytra with distinctly raised radial vein; embolium explanate at base, tapering towards apex; cuneus broader than long; membrane somewhat abbreviated, distinctly bi­areolate.

Type species: Namaquaropus niger sp. nov.

Comments

This new genus belongs in the tribe Myiommini, the commissure being very distinct and indeed slightly longer than the scutellum. Unlike the other two genera belonging to this tribe in Africa (i.e., Myiomma Puton and Slateropus Akingbohungbe ), a short gula is present and, hence, the head in the new genus is inclined forwards. Unlike Myiomma but similar to Slateropus , the eyes are widely separated mesally in front of the ocelli, the maximum width of each being less than 3x minimum frontal interocular space. In contrast to the known females in these two other genera, the second antennal segment is prominently inflated and fusiform. Within the Myiommini, two New World genera, Brailovskiocoris Henry and Wetmorea Gibson , feature similarly inflated second antennal segments. However, the head in these genera is vertical and not inclined forwards; and the hemelytra are slightly to distinctly indented laterally rather than being broadly arcuate as in this new genus