Sthenaropsis zeydoonica, Linnavuori, 2010

Linnavuori, Rauno E., 2010, Studies on the Miridae (Phylinae, addenda to Deraeocorinae and Orthotylinae) of Khuzestan and the adjacent provinces of Iran (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 369-414 : 396-398

Sthenaropsis zeydoonica sp. nov.

( Figs. 15F–J , 29C–D )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, IRAN: KHUZESTAN: Zeydoon , 26.–28.iv.2007 . PARATYPES: 2 JJ, same locality and date as holotype. The types will be deposited at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales (Cardiff, United Kingdom).

Description. Length 3.5–3.75 mm (J).

Colouration. Relatively shiny, black ( Fig. 29C ). Head shiny black ( Fig. 29D ); eyes greyish brown. Antennae yellow, extreme base of antennomere 1 dark. Rostrum black. Membranes of hemelytra dark blackish grey. Ventral surface of body black. Femora black with extreme apex yellow, other parts of legs yellow; tibial spines pale, those of hind tibia arising from very small dark dots.

Structure. Body 2.9–3.4× as long as basal width of pronotum. Upper surface of body with dense adpressed pale pubescence. Head about 0.8× as broad as basal width of pronotum, in anterior view about 1.4× as broad as high; basal margin of vertex carinate; ocular index 1.8–2.0. Antennae gracile, with short adpressed pale pubescence; length ratios of antennomeres 15: 61: 34: 25, antennomere 2 1.02–1.09× as long as basal width of head and 0.77–0.87× as long as basal width of pronotum. Rostrum extending to base of venter. Pronotum 2.1–2.2× as broad as long in middle, lateral margins slightly sinuous; pronotal disk, scutellum and hemelytra with dense fine punctation. Hind femur 1.33× as long as basal width of pronotum. Length ratios of hind tarsomeres 9: 11: 10. Pygophore conical, male genitalia as in Fig. 15F–J .

Differential diagnosis. The new species is near to Sthenaropsis gobica V. G. Putshkov, 1977 , in which the males ( Fig. 16D ) are black with the hemelytra with a wide stripe along the middle, and the outer apical margin and outer apex of the corium and the apex of the cuneus are blackish brown. Females of S. gobica ( Figs. 16E , 17C ) with paler colouration. Male genitalia of S. gobica as in Fig. 16G–H .

Moreover, Sthenaropsis convolvuli Linnavuori, 1984 has antennae more incrassate, with antennomeres 3 and 4 apically somewhat infuscated; body broader, 2.7× as long as basal width of pronotum; upper surface of body, especially hemelytra, densely covered with long adpressed scale-like silvery hairs; vesica as in Fig. 18C–E .

Sthenaropsis schachrudica Linnavuori, 1964 has ocular index (J) 2.17–2.37; antennae dark ochraceous, antennomere 2 short, 0.67× as long as basal width of pronotum; pubescence of dorsal body surface short; pronotum, scutellum and hemelytra shiny, finely punctate; vesica as in Fig. 20B–C .

Habitat. Collected at light at a river bank with Tamarix and Phragmites and in a date-palm garden with rich undergrowth and brook with Phragmites .

Etymology. Named after the type locality.

Distribution. So far known only from the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 15. A–E – Sthenaropsis fedori sp. nov. A – right paramere; B – left paramere; C–D – theca in two aspects; E – vesica, slide mount. F–B – S. zeydoonicus sp. nov. F – right paramere; G–H – left paramere in two aspects; I – theca; J – vesica, slide mount.

Fig. 29. A–B – Sthenaropsis fedori sp. nov. A – dorsal aspect; B – head in frontal aspect. C–D – S. zeydoonicus sp. nov. C – dorsal aspect; D – head in frontal aspect.

Fig. 16. A – Sthenaropsis gracilicornis Linnavuori, 1964. B – S. piperata Linnavuori, 1964. C – S. variegata Poppius, 1912. D–H – S. gobica V. G. Putshkov, 1977: D – male; E – female; F – claw; G – vesica; H – left paramere (after Put shkov 1977).

Fig.17. Head in frontal aspect: A – Sthenaropsis variegata Poppius, 1912 (J); B – S. gracilicornis Linnavuori, 1964 (J); C – S. gobica V. G. Putshkov, 1977 (♀); D – S. obscura Poppius, 1912 (♀); E – S. piperata Linnavuori, 1964 (J) (after Put shkov 1977).

Fig. 18. A–B – Sthenaropsis lamellaris Linnavuori, 1986, vesica.C–E – S. convolvuli Linnavuori, 1984: C – vesica; D–E – apex of vesica (after Linnavuor i 1984, 1986).

Fig. 20. A – Sthenaropsis obscura Poppius,1912, vesica (specimen from Parvand, Khorasan).B–C – S.schachrudica Linnavuori, 1964: B – vesica; C – apex of vesica. D – S. variegata Poppius, 1912, vesica.E – S. piperata Linnavuori, 1964, vesica (after Linnavuor i & Modar r es 1999 (A–C) and Put shkov 1977 (D–E)).