Plagiognathus polhemorum, SCHUH, 2001

SCHUH, RANDALL T., 2001, Revision Of New World Plagiognathus Fieber, With Comments On The Palearctic Fauna And The Description Of A New Genus (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2001 (266), pp. 1-267 : 195-196

Plagiognathus polhemorum , new species Figures 11 , 18 , 30

Plagiognathus ribesi Kelton 1982a: 169 (in part; specimens from Colorado misidentified).

HOLOTYPE: Male : ‘‘[ USA:] Colo [rado]: Douglas Co., Waterton, VI­14–81, D. A. Polhemus, on Ribes cereum (Squaw Currant) ’’. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the medium size, pale somewhat greenish coloration (fig. 11), black stripe on dorsal margin of all femora, antennal segment 1 without a black stripe on outer surface (fig. 18), and the form of the male genitalia (fig. 30). Distinguished from ribesi (fig. 12) by not having a black stripe on outer surface of antennal segment 1 and by the much less extensive fumose patch on the membrane. Similar to cibbetsi (figs. 6) and luteus (fig. 9) in uniform coloration and general structure of vesica in male, but cibbetsi more yellowish and without black stripe on dorsal surface of femora; luteus similar in size but intensely orange with antennal segment 1 black and a short black stripe on dorsal margin of hind femur only.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate, nearly parallel­sided, of moderate size; total length 3.49–4.02, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.34–2.65, width across pronotum 1.12– 1.20. COLORATION (fig. 11): General coloration pale, weakly greenish, translucent; membrane pale with a distinct fumose marking posterior to cuneus and cells; base of spine on interior surface of antennal segment 1 and extreme base of segment 2 black (fig. 18); labium infuscate at apex; all femora with a black stripe along almost entire length of dorsal surface, hind femur with a short black stripe distally on medioventral surface; dorsal tibial spines with dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SUR­ FACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, shining, weakly translucent. Vestiture of dorsum composed of reclining pale, golden­shining, simple setae with some very slightly darker setae on pronotum. STRUCTURE: Body flattened, relatively broad, corial margins nearly straight and parallel; frons weakly tumid, clypeus barely visible from above; anteocular distance 0.3 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by about diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching apex of hind coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 30): Body of vesica as in figure 30, base of vesica not reaching to base of secondary gonopore; apical spines relatively short, nearly straight, and strongly tapered toward apex, posterior spine distinctly shorter than anterior; flange narrow.

Female: Body more obviously ovoid than in male; coloration as in male. Total length 3.31–3.60, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.26–2.58, width across pronotum 1.08– 1.18.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for J. T. and D. A. Polhemus, collectors of many of the known specimens.

HOSTS: Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Colorado.

PARATYPES: USA.— Colorado: Douglas Co.: Waterton, June 11, 1981 – June 24, 1982, J. T. Polhemus, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 123, 16♀ (AMNH, PDA, USNM, CNC). Jefferson Co.: Red Rocks Park near Morrison, 5600 ft, July 15, 1983, R. T. Schuh and D. A. Polhemus, 2♀ (AMNH).

Figures

Fig. 11. Habitus figures of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. (see p. 263 for localities).

Fig. 18. Antennal segments 1 and 2 of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp.

Fig. 30. Male genitalia of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. ser = serrate.