Germalus Stål, 1862

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 : 259-261

Germalus Stål, 1862

( Figs. 1–8 )

Germalus Stål, 1862: 311 –312.

Type species: Henestaris kinbergi Stål, 1859 , fixed by Distant, 1910.

Redescription. Body elongate.

Head: with clypeus rounded and exceeding jugae; ocular sulcus complete; head smooth, without punctures ( Figs. 1–3 ); eyes slightly stylate, touching pronotal margin (e.g., Figs. 2 , 28 ), excepting G. coloratus in which the stylate part slants forwards ( Fig. 63 ); bucculae produced near base as flaps, then narrow, gradually diminishing posteriorly almost to surface of head, joining roughly in a V near base of head. Labium with 4th segment shortest, other segments subequal in length. Antennae with 1st segment shortest, 2nd and 4th segments subequal.

Thorax: Pronotum with lateral margins almost straight and rounded at anterior and posterior angles, gradually narrowed from posterior to anterior and narrowly carinate; width at anterior margin subequal to median length, dorsally distinctly punctate, calli smooth and impunctate (e.g., Figs. 1 , 9 ). Thoracic pleura with coarse punctures; metathoracic scent gland opening narrow and directed posteriorly; evaporative area distinct. Scutellum wider than long, finely and thickly punctured, with triradiate impunctate elevation (e.g., Figs. 10 , 63 ). Hemelytra hyaline, extending well beyond apex of abdomen. Corium with costal margin gradually slightly dilated, widest at about mid length, with more or less three rows of very small thickset brown punctures ( Figs. 1 , 98 ), first row in its basal third running near costal margin, then somewhat deviating from it, second row in the middle, third near claval suture and indistinctly continuing from its apex along apical margin of corium to apex of first row. Clavus hyaline, parallel in its basal third, then widening a little toward commissure, with sparse punctures in inner and outer rows. Membrane hyaline, veins often indistinct (e.g., Figs. 1 , 45 , 80 ).

Abdomen: Spiracles III and IV dorsal on connexiva, II located on edge of connexivum still dorsal, V–VII ventral. Sutures between terga IV–V slightly and V–VI strongly curved caudad from margin to meson and with distinct scent gland scars these being subequal in width; scar between VI–VII indistinct (e.g., Figs. 4 , 12 ). Inner laterotergites present. All terga impunctate (e.g., Figs. 4 , 12 ). Trichobothria on sternum III in a loose triangle, those on IV almost linear, variable in spacing and degree of development, sometimes one trichobothrium reduced or absent altogether ( Fig. 5 ), those on V–VII are in full (trichobothrial) complement (3:3:2), and in all the inner of the 2 posterior trichobothria is the smallest.

Female genitalia: Spermatheca ( Fig. 6 ) saccoid, with flange near base sclerotized, and unevenly expanded; duct part behind flange wide but gradually narrowing to a uniformly thin duct of variable length. Ovipositor with first ramus traversing to almost entire length of first gonapophysis; second gonapophysis spatulate with sparse minute setae along margins; second gonocoxae crescentic ( Figs. 7, 8 ).

Male genitalia: Pygophore posteriorly gradually rounded, lacking processes (e.g., Fig. 19 ). Paramere (e.g., Figs. 24–26 ) with dorsal flange more prominent than ventral lobe which has long setae; blade sickle-shaped, broadly pointed or apically truncated and slightly fluted. Aedeagus as in Figs. 20–22 . Ejaculatory reservoir (e.g., Fig. 23 ) with body, wings and neck well developed. Body in addition with or without produced sclerotised winglike transverse processes, on either side behind neck (e.g., Fig. 23 ). Vesica adjoining helicoid process with or without sclerotised lobes, lobes when present irregular in shape and variable in number. Helicoid process coiled; ejaculatory duct inside vesica with 1–3 turns; gonoporal process beyond helicoid process with variable number of coils; secondary gonopore simple, not flaring.

Notes. This genus differs from Geocoris by having the labial segment 2 and 3 subequal; the ocular suture long, clearly reaching tip of head; and the hemelytra macropterous; and from the closely related Stylogeocoris by having the abdominal terga III & IV impunctate.

Figures

FIGURES 1 − 3. Germalus kinbergi, female, dorsal view: 1, habitus; 2, head, pronotum, and scutellum enlarged; 3, head enlarged.

FIGURES 4 – 8. Germalus kinbergi, female: 4, abdominal dorsum; 5, abdominal venter; 6, spermatheca; 7, 8, ovipositor. Abbreviations: bl, bulb; d, duct; fl, flange; Ga, gonangulum; 1 Gpo, 2 Gpo, first and second gonapophysis; 1 Gx, 2 Gx, first and second gonocoxa; ptVIII, ptIX, eighth and ninth paratergite; 1 r, 2 r, first and second ramus; sp 8, spiracle of eighth segment.

FIGURES 27 – 29. Germalus australis, dorsal view: 27 a, (female, Geraldton WA) and b (male, Gol Gol NSW, Figs 27 b – 29), habitus; 28, head, pronotum and scutellum enlarged; 29, head enlarged.

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

FIGURES 9 – 11. Germalus victoriae, male, dorsal view: 9, habitus; 10, head, pronotum and scutellum enlarged; 11, head enlarged (Figs. 9 – 11 a, Victoria Desert SA; 11 b, Careel Bay NSW; 11 c, Bogan River NSW).

FIGURES 98 – 100. Germalus littoralis, female, dorsal view: 98, habitus; 99, head, pronotum and scutellum enlarged; 100, head enlarged.

FIGURES 45 − 47. Germalus lineolosus, female, dorsal view: 45, habitus; 46, head, pronotum, and scutellum enlarged; 47, head enlarged.

FIGURES 80 − 82. Germalus fuscovittatus, female, dorsal view: 80 a (Mt Lamington PNG), 80 b (Darnley Island Qld, Figs 80 b – 82), habitus; 81, head, pronotum and scutellum enlarged; 82, head enlarged.

FIGURES 12 – 16. Germalus victoriae, female: 12, abdominal dorsum; 13, abdominal venter; 14, spermatheca; 15, 16, ovipositor.

FIGURES 17 − 26. Germalus victoriae, male: 17, abdominal dorsum; 18, abdominal venter; 19, pygophore, dorsal view; 20 – 22, aedeagus, different views; 23, ejaculatory reservoir, enlarged; 24 – 26 paramere, different views. Abbreviations: b, body; c, conjunctiva; gp, gonoporal process; hp, helicoid process; ilt, inner laterotergite; ph, phallotheca; sp, spiracle; ssc, scent gland scar; v, vesica; w, wing; III – VII, abdominal tergites.