Proteophylus occidentalis, Randall T. Schuh & Michael D. Schwartz, 2016

Randall T. Schuh & Michael D. Schwartz, 2016, Nineteen new genera and 82 new species of Cremnorrhinina from Australia, including analyses of host relationships and distributions (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylininae: Cremnorrhinini), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 401, pp. 1-279 : 169

Proteophylus occidentalis , new species

Figure 73, map 19, table 1, plates 24, 25

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by pale background coloration with castaneous ornament; antennae castaneous, segment 2 terete; pronotal calli wrinkled (pl. 24); endosoma with an elongate, slender, beaklike, apical spine (fig. 73, pl. 25). Most similar to P. grevilleae in terete antennal segment 2, but pale background coloration with castaneous antennae, wrinkled pronotal calli, and elongate, slender, apical spine of endosoma distinctive for this species.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 2.49, mean pronotum width 0.91. COLORATION (pl. 24): Mottled, castaneous markings on pale background, antennae castaneous; membrane pale with pale veins, small cell mostly castaneous. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (pl. 24): Dorsum granular, dull; vestiture of recumbent simple dark setae and shining lepidote setae. STRUCTURE: Body form robust, not flattened. Head (pl. 24): Globular with protuberant globular eyes; frons swollen, clypeus visible in dorsal view; eyes occupying two-thirds height of head in lateral view; antenna inserted barely above ventral margin of eye, eye emarginate above insertion; labium reaching to apex of mesocoxa. Antenna: Segment 1 enlarged, segment 2 strongly terete, short (0.52), 0.81 times width of head. Thorax (pl. 24): Pronotum with calli wrinkled, somewhat elevated, and distinct, posterior lobe conspicuously elevated, lateral margins weakly concave, posterior margin weakly concave; mesoscutum moderately exposed. Hemelytron: Corial margin weakly convex; cuneus short and broad. GENITA- LIA (fig. 73, pl. 25): Pygophore: As in generic description. Endosoma: Small; region distad of middle slightly bent to left; ventral strap terminating with several short stout spines proximal to secondary gonopore; dorsal strap strongly narrowed to form long, slender, curv ‐ ing spine distad of secondary gonopore. Phallotheca: Dorsal crest short, weakly produced; apex narrowed. Parameres: As in generic description, except anterior process of left paramere relatively short, with prominent apical seta; right paramere with prominence on posterior angle.

FEMALE (pl. 24): Coloration and structure as in male; mean total length 3.06, mean pronotum width 1.06.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Latin, occidentalis , “western,” in reference to its occurrence in Western Australia.

HOSTS: Collected on Grevillea hookeriana (pl. 35D), G. paradoxa , and G. wittweri (pl. 35G) ( Proteaceae ); also recorded from Leptospermum erubescens (Myrtaceae) , but this is certainly an error introducing during specimen handling.

DISTRIBUTION (map 19): Known from the Coolgardie region of Western Australia.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 123 km W of Coolgardie on Great Eastern Hiway, 31.23414°S 120.1562°E, 17 Nov 1999, R.T. Schuh, G. Cassis and R. Silveira, Grevillea hookeriana apiciloba (Proteaceae) , det. Perth staff PERTH 0 5670187, 1d (AMNH_PBI 00128984) (WAMP).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 2 km E of Nungarin on Rt 50, 31.43596°S 118.2627°E, 330 m, 16 Nov 1999, R.T. Schuh, G. Cassis, and R. Silveira, Grevillea hookeriana apiciloba (Proteaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5670195, 1♂ (00129305), 1d (00129809) (AMNH). 15 km E of Merredin, 31.37749°S 118.6933°E, 330 m, 16 Nov 1999, R.T. Schuh, G. Cassis, and R. Silveira, Grevillea paradoxa D. C. ( Proteaceae ), det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5670616, 1♂ (00389987) (AM). 123 km W of Coolgardie on Great Eastern Hiway, 31.23414°S 120.1562°E, 17 Nov 1999, R.T. Schuh, G. Cassis, and R. Silveira, Grevillea hookeriana apiciloba (Proteaceae) , det. Perth staff PERTH 0 5670187, 1d (00390179) (AM), 1♂ (00128986) (AMNH), 1♂ (00128985) (WAMP). 135 km W of Coolgardie on Great Eastern Hiway, 31.27202°S 120.0059°E, 489 m, 17 Nov 1999, R.T. Schuh, G. Cassis, and R. Silveira, Grevillea hookeriana apiciloba (Proteaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5670187, 1d (00413025) (AMNH). Pallarup Nature Reserve, west side, 33.26485°S 119.7565°E, 310 m, 0 5 Dec 1997, Schuh, Cassis, Brailovsky, Asquith, Leptospermum erubescens Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5056373, 2d (00087396, 00087570) Grevillea wittweri McGill. (Proteaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5099900, 1♂ (00131376) (AM), Grevillea wittweri McGill. (Proteaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5099900, 1d (00131372), 1♂ (00131375) (AMNH), 1d (00131373), 1♂ (00131374) (WAMP).