Germalus coloratus Distant

Malipatil, M. B. & Blacket, M. J., 2013, Review and revision of Australian Germalus Stål, with new genera and further new species of Australian Geocorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Geocoridae), Zootaxa 3746 (2), pp. 257-300 : 276-280

Germalus coloratus Distant

( Figs. 63–79 )

Germalus coloratus Distant, 1918: 178 –179.

Type specimens: Holotype female, “Kuranda, Qld May 0 4 F. P. Dodd, “ Type, Germalus coloratus Dist type [in Distant’s handwriting], in NHM.

Other specimens: 2 male, 1 female (dissected), Kuranda, 2.i.1921, FP Dodd; 1 male, 3.i.1921, same data; 1 male (dissected), ii.1921, same data, in SAM; 1 male, Cairns dist., AM Lea, in SAM; 1 female, Cairns dist., trapped by sticky seeds of Pisonia brunoniana , FP Dodd, in SAM; 1 female, Bellenden Ker Range, Cableway Base Stn, 100 m, 17.x–9.xi.1981, EARTHWATCH/QLD MUSEUM, in QM.

Redescription. Colouration ( Figs. 63–65 ): Head ochraceous with three black spots: one near apex, and one encircling each ocellus; eyes purplish-red, each eye stalk ( Fig. 65 ) with one irregular fuscous spot; antennae pale ochraceous; tip of labium fuscous; pronotum ( Fig. 64 ) bluish-grey, coarsely darkly punctuate, calli area slightly oblique, impunctate, and ochraceous, posterior angles prominently black; scutellum bluish-grey, prominently ochraceously carinate; corium ( Fig. 63 ) subhyaline with its apical and outer margins narrowly black, reflecting the black abdomen beneath, and lateral margins and some central spots dark ochraceous; body beneath and legs ochraceous.

Measurements: are of holotype, followed by ranges of all non-type specimens measured within round brackets.

Body: Elongate ovate ( Fig. 63 ), length 5.10 (5.15–5.30); maximum width 1.84 (1.75–1.92).

Head: Shiny, particularly between ocelli and eyes; eyes conspicuously stylate, stylate parts (bases) and eyes laterally slightly directed forward, so that an imaginary straight line drawn through posterior margins of eyes does not touch anterior margin of pronotum. Length of head 0.80 (0.87–0.89); width across eyes 1.56 (1.56–1.58); interocular space 0.81 (0.78–0.87); interocellar space 0.32 (0.30–0.32); eye-ocellar space 0.28 (0.25–0.27); eye length 0.52 (0.49–0.55); eye width 0.29 (0.28–0.28). Labium extending to mid coxae, length of segments: I 0.69 (0.57–0.64); II 0.50 (0.50–0.52); III 0.64 (0.59–0.59); IV 0.50 (0.43–0.50). Antennae with 1st segment shortest, about half as long as 2nd segment; length of segments: I 0.39 (0.34–0.39); II 0.85 (0.79–0.80); III 0.69 (0.57–0.60); IV 0.57 (0.71–0.75).

Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 64 ) with lateral margins narrowly carinate and slightly sinuate near middle indistinctly separating anterior and posterior lobes; dorsally coarsely and darkly punctate (except smooth and impunctate calli). Median length 1.15 (1.05–1.19); width at posterior margin 1.61 (1.54–1.74). Scutellum length 0.73 (0.70–0.70); width 0.85 (0.82–0.96). Hemelytra with corial punctures obscure, one almost complete row along inner margin, one almost complete submarginal (costal) row, remainder with indistinct punctures; clavus hyaline glass-like in distal 2/3, with sparse punctures as follows: one outer row following claval suture almost complete, one inner row distinct only near base and along claval commissure area. Length of hemelytra 3.54 (3.4–3.77); length of corium 2.16 (2.39–2.48); claval commissure 0.46 (0.41–0.41).

Abdomen: Below with long pilose setae in addition to pubescence; in males these setae denser and more prominent near median area of abdominal venter ( Fig. 72 ); in females few and sparse ( Fig. 67 ). Trichobothria on sternum III in a loose triangle to linear; those on sternum IV almost linear, varying in spacing and degree of development. Abdominal terga only slightly sclerotised ( Figs. 66 , 71 ). Male with internal median apodeme on anterior margin of sternum VII broad and blunt and extending to about middle of sternum VI.

Female genitalia: Spermatheca ( Fig. 68 ) short, bulb small, slightly sclerotised and almost conical in shape, with a flange near base sclerotised and unevenly expanded; duct part behind flange wide, gradually narrowing to a uniformly thin tube with 2–4 shallow tight twists in basal half; basal part of duct narrow and short. Ovipositor as in Figs. 69, 70 .

Male genitalia: Paramere ( Figs. 77–79 ), with about basal half of blade distinctly wider than apical half which narrows to an acute point; with a tuft of long bristly setae on ventral aspect. Aedeagus ( Figs. 74–76 ) with phallotheca moderately pigmented all over in a broad plate particularly on dorsal aspect; conjunctiva tubular, membranous, gradually narrowed towards upper end; neck and body of ejaculatory reservoir not produced posteriorly. Vesica without distinct lobes or processes; helicoid process about 1–2 coiled, with irregular sclerotised areas; ejaculatory duct inside vesica with 3–4 turns; gonoporal process beyond helicoid process with 3–4 small uniform coils; secondary gonopore simple.

Distribution. Only northern Queensland.

Notes. There is some variation in colour markings among the specimens examined. For instance, in some specimens the black spots between each eye are almost joined near the base of the head; the median apical black spot on the head may be reduced or incomplete, or even completely lost; the abdomen above may be ochraceous (as in the rest of the abdomen) not black; and outer parts of the first antennal segments may be fuscous.

Figures

FIGURES 63 − 65. Germalus coloratus, male, dorsal view: 63, habitus; 64, head, pronotum, and scutellum enlarged; 65, head enlarged.

FIGURES 66 − 70. Germalus coloratus, female: 66, abdominal dorsum; 67, abdominal venter; 68, spermatheca; 69, 70, ovipositor.

FIGURES 71 − 79. Germalus coloratus, male: 71, abdominal dorsum; 72, abdominal venter; 73, pygophore, dorsal view; 74 – 76, aedeagus, ventral, lateral and dorsal views; 77 – 79 paramere, different views.