Brizica humeralis ( Horváth, 1915 ) Published, 2007

WALL, MICHAEL A., 2007, A revision of the Solomonius-group of the stinkbug tribe Halyini (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae), Zootaxa 1539 (1), pp. 1-84 : 38-39

Brizica humeralis ( Horváth, 1915) comb. nov.

( Figs. 16D , 18 J-L, 20C, 22A-B, 23)

1915 Neoptolemus humeralis Horváth , 244–245, figs. 11a, b. (keyed)

Diagnosis. Distinguished by relatively short labium, profemora armed with 7+ ventral barbs (distal two distinctly larger than proximal members of series), proctiger of male broadly inflated distally ( Fig. 18J ).

Redescription. Body 2X longer than broad ( Fig. 16D ). Vertex of head slightly convex, punctate. Juga apically pointed, swollen laterally. Juga and tylus subequal in length, depressed relative to remainder of head. First antennal segment surpassing apex of head. Eyes stalked; posterior margins converging with head at right angle. Pronotum rugose; anterolateral margins crenulate; lateral angles acute. Scutellum swollen anteriorly; apex broadly rounded, somewhat angulate, dorsally reflexed. Laterotergites with posterior angle produced into small thorn-like tubercles.

Bucculae produced, becoming obsolete prior to reaching posterior margin of head; anterior angle acute. Labium reaching abdominal third sternite (second visible); ratios 1:1.75:1.5:1. Peritreme 1/4 as long as distance from ostiole of metathoracic scent gland to lateral margin of metapleuron. Episternal ridge located 2/3 of distance between ostiole of metathoracic scent gland and lateral margin of metapleuron. Venter of abdomen primarily convex; median flattened to slightly sulcate. Profemora with 7–8 ventral thorn–shaped spines, spines becoming larger on distal portions.

Color and vestiture. Ground color straminous to testaceous with black shining punctures. Antennal segments I–III testaceous with piceous markings; segments IV–V piceous. Legs mostly straminous, tibiae with two castaneous bands on longitudinal ridges. Abdomen mostly straminous; lateral portions of abdominal second sternite (first visible) with dark metallic area surrounding spiracles; remainder of spiracles black; intersegmental sutures laterally black. Antennal segments I–II and proximal portion of segment III shiny with sparse vestiture, remainder of segment III and segments IV–V with dense short pile.

Male. Ventral rim of pygophore slightly emarginate; dorsal rim produced as short lateral lobes ( Fig. 18J– L ). Proctiger elongate, broadly dilated distally, distal portion wider than total length of proctiger; ventral surface sclerotized with microsculptured ridges ( Fig. 22 ); basal sclerite with posterior and anterior margins roughly straight ( Fig. 18L ).

Female. Eighth gonocoxa triangular, narrowly acute and falcate apically. Ninth laterotergites swollen, almost cylindrical in cross section, narrowed apically ( Fig. 20C ).

Variation. Specimens vary in ground coloration from straminous to testaceous to olivaceous.

Measurements. Males (n=4): body length 16.9 SD 0.7 (16.1–17.8), anterior pronotal width 3.0 SD 0.2 (2.8–3.3), humeral width 9.5 SD 0.5 (8.8–9.8), scutellar length 6.5 SD 0.2 (6.2–6.7), medial length of sixth sternite (fifth visible) 1.2 SD <0.1 (1.1–1.2), medial length of seventh sternite (sixth visible) 2.6 SD 0.05 (2.6– 2.7). Females (n=5): body length 17.9 SD 0.6 (17–18.7), anterior pronotal width 3.0 SD 0.3 (2.6–3.4), humeral width 9.3 SD 0.6 (8.3–9.8), scutellar length 6.5 SD 0.5 (5.9–6.8), medial length of sixth sternite (fifth visible) 3.9 SD 5.5 (1.4–13.9), medial length of seventh sternite (sixth visible) 2.6 SD 0.1 (2.4–2.8). Appendages in Table 3.

Specimens examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Central Province, Daradae , nr. Javarere, Musgorve R., elev. 100 m, [9° 27' S, 147° 37’ E], 3 October 1958, coll. J.L. Gressitt – sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Koitaki , elev. 1000 m, [9° 22' S, 147° 26’ E], 1 October - 30 November 1928 - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Laloki , nr. Port Moresby, [9° 23' S, 147° 18’ E], 30 August - 2 September 1959, coll. T. Maa - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Owen Stanley Range; Goilala: Loloipa , [8° 26' S, 146° 56’ E], 1–15 January 1958, coll. W. W. Brandt - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Rigo District , [9° 48' S, 147° 33’ E], 1–30 September 1928 - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; SE: Brown River , [9° 15' S, 147° 4’ E], 12–23 October 1968, coll. Tawi Mena - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; SE: Vanapa River , [9° 5' S, 146° 58’ E], 29 February 1960, coll. J. Sedlacek - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; St. Joseph’s River , [8° 50' S, 146° 34’ E], coll. W. MacGregor - 2 ♀♀ ( AM) ; Eastern Highlands, Kundiawa , [6° 1' S, 144° 58’ E], 3 December 1964 - 1 January 1965, coll. J. Sedlacek - ( BPBM) ; NE: Karimui, South of Goroka , elev. 1000–1080 m, [6° 30' S, 144° 51’ E], 7 June 1961, coll. J.L. Gressitt - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; same locality, 13 August 1963, coll. J. Sedlacek - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Milne Bay Province, Milne Bay, 10° 22' S, 150° 30’ E], 14–23 February 1969, coll. J. Sedlacek - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Morobe Province, Aseki , elev. 1200–1300 m, [7° 21' S, 146° 53’ E], 1–28 February 1972 - 1 ♂ ( UQIC) ; Garaina , elev. 800 m, [7° 52' S, 147° 7’ E], 15 January 1968, coll. J. Sedlacek - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Mt. Missim , elev. 1050–1100 m, [7° 13' S, 146° 48’ E], 1 October 1964, coll. J. Sedlacek - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Wau Ecology Institute , elev. 1100–1300 m, [7° 20' S, 146° 43’ E], 1 January 1961 - 31 December 1974 - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; same locality, 23 January 1974, coll. Bishop Acc 1982.491 - 1 ♀ ( BPBM) ; Northern Province, Mt. Lamington , [8° 56' S, 148° 10’ E], 1 January - 28 February 1929, coll. C, McNamara - 5 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂ ( AM) ; same locality, 1–30 June 1966, coll. S. Lippert - sex not recorded ( BPBM) ; Sangara , [8° 48' S, 148° 14’ E], 31 August - 2 September 1963, coll. J. Sedlacek - sex not recorded ( BPBM) .

Distribution. Primarily confined to the Papuan peninsula ( Fig. 23 ).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Brizica species, habitus. A. B. alacris Walker, B. B. exiguus (Distant), C. B. flyensis sp. nov., D. B. humeralis (Horváth), E. B. proximus (Schouteden), F. B. sphaeroides sp. nov., G. B. tubercularis sp. nov., H. B. vandoesburgi sp. nov..

FIGURE 18. Ventral, lateral, and dorsal views of pygophores of selected species of Brizica. A-C. B. alacris Walker, D- F. B. exiguus (Distant), G-I. B. flyensis sp. nov., J-L. B. humeralis (Horváth).

FIGURE 20. External female genitalia of selected species of Brizica. A. B. alacris Walker, B. B. exiguus (Distant), C. B. humeralis (Horváth), D. B. proximus (Schouteden), E. B. tubercularis sp. nov., F. S. vandoesburgi sp. nov..

FIGURE 22. Ventral view of male proctiger of Brizica humeralis (Horváth) (A, scale = 200µm) and associated microridging (B, scale = 20µm).

FIGURE 23. Distribution of Brizica exiguus (Distant), B. flyensis sp. nov., B. humeralis (Horváth), and B. tubercularis sp. nov. in New Guinea.