Ambracius pallescens (Distant)

Ferreira, Paulo Sérgio F. & Henry, Thomas J., 2010, Revision of the genus Ambracius Stål, 1860 (Heteroptera: Miridae: Deraeocorinae: Clivinematini), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 2485, pp. 1-15 : 8-9

Ambracius pallescens (Distant)

(Fig. 6)

Fundanius pallescens Distant, 1884: 291 (n. sp.); Atkinson, 1890: 45 (cat.). Schuh, 1995: 588 (cat.). Fundanius albomaculatus Distant, 1884: 291 (n. sp.); Atkinson, 1890: 45 (cat.). Synonymized as a male of A. pallescens by Carvalho, 1981: 1.

Ambracius albomaculatus: Carvalho, 1952b: 2 (n. comb.); Carvalho, 1957: 38 (cat.); Carvalho, 1981: 1 (note).

Diagnosis: Head uniformly colored, without a stripe or band. Pronotum with two round black spots on calli, anterior lateral margin not carinate. Scutellum pale with a longitudinal, slender, black stripe from base to apex. Hemelytron with clavus uniformly or predominantly pale; corium without a transverse stripe; hemelytral membrane clear, with an irregular longitudinal fuscous band.

Redescription: Female (Fig. 6a) (measurements taken from two specimens): Body length 3.84–4.40; width 2.08–2.24. Head length 0.66–0.66; width 0.88 (same for both); distance between eyes 0.50 (same for both); length of antennal segments I 0.38–0.40, II 1.30–1.40, III and IV missing; labium length 1.36–1.62. Pronotum length 1.20–1.30; width 1.62–1.84; length from anterior margin to transverse suture 0.40–0.58. Posterior legs missing. Scutellum length 0.70–0.78; width 0.76–0.80. Hemelytron length 3.88–3.96; width 1.04–1.12; length from base to cuneal fracture 2.20– 2.12; length from cuneal fracture to apex of membrane 1.76 (same for both); cuneal length 0.84–0.94; cuneal width 0.60–0.80.

General coloration pale castaneous to reddish, with reddish-brown to fuscous areas. Head pale to dark brown, with base and apical area of clypeus fuscous; labium brown, becoming darker apically; antennal segments pale brown, with base of segment I and apical 2/3 of segment II black. Pronotum yellowish brown to reddish, with two black spots behind calli [absent in one example]. Scutellum pale red to reddish brown, with a slender, black stripe from base to apex. Hemelytron pale reddish to reddish brown, more or less hyaline; apex of embolium, corium near cuneal fracture, fracture and apex of cuneus fuscous; membrane clear, with irregular, brown spots; veins fuscous. Ventral side with coxae, pro-, meso- and metasternum black; central area of abdomen fuscous; ostiolar peritreme whitish. Body with short adpressed pubescence.

Genitalia (Figs. 6b–c): Posterior wall (Fig. 6b) triangular, entire anterior margin moderately notched with medial surfaces rounded; sclerotized rings (Fig. 6c) simple, not twisted, with lateral margins thin.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution: Known only from Guatemala ( Carvalho, 1981).

Host: Unknown.

Material examined: 2 Ƥ, Puerta Parada, Guatemala, 22 June 1985, W. E. Clark ( TAMU).