Loricula nikko Yasunaga and Yamada, 2017

Yasunaga, Tomohide & Yamada, Kazutaka, 2017, Review of the microphysid genus Loricula Curtis in Japan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Microphysidae), with descriptions of three new species, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 51 (21 - 22), pp. 1209-1227 : 1222-1223

Loricula nikko Yasunaga and Yamada , sp. nov.

( Figures 2 (d), 3(a), 6(d), and 7)

Type material

Holotype. Female, JAPAN: Honshu, Tochigi Pref., Nikko City , Shobugahama, N shore of Chuzenji Lake , 36.75°N, 139.45°E, 13 July 2005, S. Maehara ( TKPM) ( AMNH _ PBI 00380525 ).

Paratypes. Same data as for holotype except for date, 20 July 2005, 1 female ( TKPM) and 1 July 2006, 1 female ( TYCN) .

Diagnosis

Currently known only by female adults; readily recognised by its micropterous form; tiny size; shiny, clear, two-tone coloured body, with orange-brown head and thorax and fuscous, discoid abdomen; short antenna; and truncate, elongate pronotum. This new species is most similar in general appearance to L. elegantula (Baerensprung) , from which it can be distinguished by the rectangular, modified shape of the scutellum, tiny, rounded, reduced fore wings that are broadly separated from each other mesally, and more discoid, rather flattened abdomen.

Description

Female. Micropterous; body shiny orange-brown, small, pot-shaped, with fuscous, discoid abdomen. Head polished, porrect, truncate anteriorly. Antenna yellow, with very short vestiture. Labium yellowish brown. Pronotum shining, weakly carinate laterally, with noticeable collar that is thicker than any antennal segment; mesoscutum with shallow, finely wrinkled, transverse canal along anterior margin, laterally with whitish brown, matte hemelytral pads that are widely separated from each other; scutellum reduced, tiny; pleura shiny orange-brown, except for scent efferent system somewhat matte. All coxae reddish brown; all legs yellowish brown; each femur slightly brownish. Abdomen shiny fuscous. Female genitalia: Valvulae shorter than those of other coleopteroid species.

Male. Unknown.

Measurements

Female (n = 2): Total body length 1.38–1.45; width of head across compound eyes 0.27– 0.29; length of head 0.35–0.37; lengths of antennal segments I–IV 0.10–0.11, 0.24–0.25, 0.15–0.17, 0.24–0.25; total length of labium 0.40–0.55; mesal length of pronotum 0.36– 0.37; basal pronotal width 0.41–0.45; maximum width across abdomen 0.85–0.89; and lengths of metafemur, tibia and tarsus 0.45–0.49, 0.49–0.52, 0.11–0.12.

Etymology

Named for the type locality of this new species, Nikko; a noun in apposition.

Distribution

Honshu (Tochigi Pref., around Chuzenji Lake ) .

Biology

All specimens of this intriguing new species were collected by S. Maehara. According to him, one female adult (collected in 2005) was crawling on a fallen Japanese elm, Ulmus davidiana Planch ; two additional females (in 2006) were collected by beating a fungal rotten log. Loricula nikko is sympatric with L. miyamotoi , but the population density of the former is even lower. No other information is currently available.

Figures

Figure 2. Habitus images of dry-preserved specimens of Japanese Loricula species.(a–c) L. miyamotoi sp. nov. (d) L. nikko sp. nov. (e) L. pilosella Miyamoto.