Physoderes muluensis, Hwang & Weirauch, 2017

Hwang, Wei Song & Weirauch, Christiane, 2017, Uncovering hidden diversity: phylogeny and taxonomy of Physoderinae (Reduviidae, Heteroptera), with emphasis on Physoderes Westwood in the Oriental and Australasian regions, European Journal of Taxonomy 341, pp. 1-118 : 89-90

Physoderes muluensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E7064A8C-5E3B-44A5-A137-A17351E26074

Figs 8 , 15 , 19–20 ; Appendix

Diagnosis

This species is recognized among congeners by the males having the anterior pronotal lobe narrower than the posterior lobe, the median pronotal depression being contiguous with the transverse sulcus, the fore femur slightly incrassate and by the narrow transverse bridge of the pygophore. This species is distinguished from other species of Physoderes by the distinctly small size and the anterior pronotal lobe not being inflated in males.

Etymology

The name muluensis is a noun in apposition derived from the type locality Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak.

Material examined

Holotype

MALAYSIA: ♂, Sarawak, Mulu National Park, near Base Camp , 4th division Gn. [= Garrison?], 3.97444° N, 114.93638° E, 100 m, no date provided, collector unknown ( UCR_ENT 00069405 ) ( BMNH).

Paratypes

MALAYSIA: Sarawak: 2♂♂, Gunong Mulu National Park, 3.96638° N, 114.78305°E, 215 m, May–Aug. 1978, P.M. Hammond and J.E. Marshall leg. ( UCR _ENT 00069401, UCR _ENT 00069403) ( BMNH); 2 ♀♀, same collection data as preceding ( UCR _ENT 00069409, UCR _ENT 00069410) ( BMNH); 1 ♀, Mulu National Park, near Base Camp, 4th division Gn. [= Garrison?], 3.97444° N, 114.93638° E, 100 m, May–Aug. 1978, P.M. Hammond and J.E. Marshall leg. ( UCR _ENT 00069411) ( BMNH); 1 ♂, same collection data as preceding ( UCR _ENT 00069400) ( BMNH).

Other material

MALAYSIA: 2 juvs, Sarawak, Gunong Mulu National Park, 3.96638° N, 114.78305° E, 215 m, May– Aug. 1978, P.M. Hammond and J.E. Marshall leg. ( UCR _ENT 00069402, UCR _ENT 00069404) ( BMNH).

Description

Male

BODY LENGTH. Small, total length 7.35 mm, SD ± 0.27 (Appendix).

COLORATION ( Fig. 15 ). Brown. Head brown, lighter towards apex. Scape of antenna brown, pedicel brown with apex straw brown, basi- and distiflagellomeres basally brown and apically straw brown or straw brown entirely. First segment of labium brown, second segment gradation from brown to straw-colored, third segment straw-colored. Pronotum of thorax brown, sometimes posterior pronotal lobe lighter brown, scutellum brown, pleuron brown, sternum brown. Corium of hemelytron brown, membrane brown. Fore femur of legs brown entirely or basally dark brown, fore tibia straw-colored, basally brown, tarsus and claws straw-colored, mid femur entirely brown or brown with basally straw brown coloration, mid tibia, tarsus and claws brown and straw-colored, hind femur brown and basally straw-colored or straw-colored with medial brown band, hind tibia brown and straw brown, tarsus and claws straw brown. Abdomen dorsally orange-yellow, ventrally brown, connexivum brown with posterior third light brown, exposed part of pygophore brown.

VESTITURE. Sparsely setose. Head with some flat, curved setae or with widespread short, fine, adpressed setae, ventral surface of postocular lobe with sparse, setigerous tubercles, with pair of long, straight setae on postocular lobe posterior to ocelli. Anterior lobe of thorax with irregular row of tuberculated, short, curved setae on lateral margins and short, setigerous tubercles dispersed on dorsal surface, posterior lobe with only short, sparse setae. Corium of hemelytron with short, sparse, adpressed setae. Legs with two rows of spines and setigerous tubercles, tibia with a few prominent tuberculated, stout, sharp setae. Posterior margin of connexivum of abdomen with long, fine setae.

HEAD. Elongate conical; maxillary plate truncate apically; scape reaching apex of clypeus; eye hemispherical in dorsal view, less than 1/5 length of head.

THORAX. Antero-lateral paired projections acute, diverging; surface of anterior lobe with low ridges; median pronotal depression contiguous with transverse sulcus; paramedian carina weakly defined; anterior pronotal lobe of equal length to and narrower than posterior lobe, level with posterior lobe in lateral view; parascutellar lobe rounded, skewed towards median; scutellum rounded triangular, scutellar process short, apex rounded or subacute.

HEMELYTRON. Not attaining tip of abdomen.

LEGS. Same as genus description.

ABDOMEN. Connexival margin slightly undulating, posterior margin not elevated.

GENITALIA. Anterior margin of mediosternite 8 undulating, without medial apodeme; transverse bridge of pygophore broad, margin of anterior opening angular, apodeme present, apical margin of posterior opening with slight medial protuberance; cup-like sclerite apically rounded, with adjacent paired round protuberances; arms of basal plate parallel to each other; ductifer membranous; endosomal struts conical, subacute apex, divided into two arms basally; shape of dorsal phallothecal sclerite subacute with lateral broad, plate-like prolongations, broad plates angularly oriented towards basal plate.

Female

Similar in size and shape to males.

Ecology

According to labels, specimens were collected in alluvial forest litter from tropical forests. A few specimens were collected using pitfall traps. Specimens collected are often partially or entirely encrusted with debris.

Distribution

Only known from around the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 8. Dorsal view of the male pygophore in species of Breviphysoderes gen. nov., Macrophysoderes gen. nov., Paraphysoderes Villiers, 1962 and Physoderes Westwood, 1845. For an explanation of the colored arrows, see keys on pages 37 and 66.

Fig. 15. Dorsal habitus images for species of Physoderes Westwood, 1845 (partial). For an explanation of the colored arrows, see key on page 66. Scale bars = 2 mm.

Fig. 19. Dorsal view of the phallus in species of Physoderes Westwood, 1845 (partial).

Fig. 20. Distribution map for species of Physoderes Westwood, 1845 (partial).