Boxia, CHINA, 1943

Namyatova, Anna A. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2016, Systematic revision and phylogeny of the plant bug tribe Monaloniini (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) of the world, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 176 (1), pp. 36-136 : 85-86

BOXIA CHINA

Figures 8 , 11C , 13F , 14 M-O, 22

Boxia China, 1943 b: 287 (gen. nov.; type species: Boxia khayae China, 1943 by monotypy); China, 1944: 179 (key to gen.); Carvalho, 1952: 60 (cat.); Carvalho, 1955: 42 (key to gen.); Carvalho, 1957: 143 (cat.); Lavabre, 1977a: 50 (key to gen); Schuh, 1995: 526 (cat.); Schuh, 2002 –2013 (cat.); Namyatova et al., in press (phylogeny).

Boxiopsis Lavabre, 1960: 715 (gen. nov.; type species Boxiopsis madagascariensis Lavabre, 1960 by monotypy); Lavabre, 1960: 716 (key to gen.); Decazy, 1977: 124 (disc.); Lavabre, 1977a: 52, 60 (key to gen., descr.); Schuh, 1995: 526 (cat.); syn. nov., this work.

Diagnosis: Boxia belongs to the Odoniella -group (see discussion for the tribe), and can be separated from other genera of this group by the following characters: ASII straight; ASIII incrassate towards apex; ASIV only slightly clavate, spotted coloration ( Fig. 8 ); pronotum and scutellum impunctate, with dense longitudinal and transverse raised wrinkles ( Fig. 11C ); posterior margin of pronotum almost straight; body clothed with very small rounded setae ( Fig. 13F ); spermathecal gland placed near middle of posterior margin of DLP.

Redescription: Male: Length 7–8 mm. COLORATION ( Fig. 8 ). Mainly yellow, orange or pale brown with brown to dark brown markings, sometimes with reddish tinge; pronotum and hemelytron with dense brown to dark brown markings, hemelytron also with large dark brown marking posteriorly. TEXTURE. Body without tuber- cles; flattened areas or on vertex absent, head without wrinkles laterally; pronotum and scutellum impunctate, with dense longitudinal and transversal upraised wrinkles ( Fig. 11C ); pair of punctures between mesoscutum and scutellum, punctures on clavus and on R + M absent; striations on lateral margins of scutellum present; semicircular depression between scutellum and mesoscutum absent. VESTITURE. Head, pronotum anteriorly, thoracic pleura and hemelytra clothed with short rounded setae ( Fig. 13F ), most part of pronotum without setae, those on thoracic pleura very rare; appendages clothed with short, adpressed dark simple setae, not very dense; black spinules on femora and tibiae present, irregularly distributed. STRUCTURE. Head. Distance between eye and pronotum very short, distinctly shorter than eye diameter (as in Fig. 10H ); occipital region not delimited with depression; longitudinal depression on vertex absent or very short; eyes stylate (as in Fig. 10H ), directed outwards, c. 0.2–0.25× as wide as head; distance between antennal fossa c. 1.5–2× as long as antennal fossa diameter; frons distinctly swollen, without ridges, outgrowths or longitudinal depression; anterior view of head c. 1.7× as wide as high; eye c. 1.2× as high as distance between eye and apex of clypeus; antennal fossa oval, diameter subequal to half of eye height, not raised (as in fig. 3B in Namyatova et al., in press); inferior margin of fossa placed near inferior margin of eye; base of clypeus placed slightly above inferior margin of antennal fossa, distinctly delimited with depression; head flat in lateral view; gula shorter than buccula, straight or convex. Labium. Reaching posterior margin of mesosternum; LS I c. 4× as long as wide; LSII c. 5× as long as wide, subequal to LSII in length; LSIII c. 4× as long as wide, slightly longer than LSII; LSIV c. 6× as long as wide, c. 1.5× as long as LSIII. Antenna. Reaching base of cuneus; ASI c. 1.5× times as long as wide, subequal to quarter of head width, widened basally (as in fig. 8E in Namyatova et al., in press); ASII c. 5–6× as long as ASI, as long as head and pronotum combined, slightly widened towards apex; ASIII c. 0.6–0.7× as long as ASII, incrassate towards apex, without swellings basally or medially; ASIV 0.7–0.8× as long as ASIII, clavate. Thorax. Collar distinct, contiguous with calli posteriorly, flat; calli separated, flat (as in Fig. 10H ); depression delimiting callosite region absent; humeral angles of pronotum rounded, not dilated (as in Fig. 10H ); posterior margin of pronotum straight or sinuate (as in Fig. 10H ); scutellum moderately swollen, triangular, not covering posterior margin of pronotum, acute apically, without outgrowth, ridge or medial depression ( Fig. 11C ); metepimeron enlarged, twice as high as long, angulate, subtriangular (as in Fig. 13E ); metasternum with medial projection to abdominal segment II (as in fig. 17A in Namyatova et al., in press). Hemelytron. Costal margin slightly rounded, slightly concave anteriorly; claval commissure c. 0.5–0.7× as long as scutellum, straight (as in fig. 12E in Namyatova et al., in press); R + M distinct only anteriorly, not reaching middle of corium (as in fig. 12E in Namyatova et al., in press); medial fracture strongly inclined towards midline; corium without swelling posteriorly; cuneus c. 1.2–1.3× as long as wide, as long as half of pronotum, medial margin almost straight (as in fig. 13B in Namyatova et al., in press); membrane cell slightly surpassing apex of cuneus, forming right angle, c. 0.7– 0.8× as long as pronotum (as in fig. 13B in Namyatova et al., in press); auxiliary vein absent; distance from cell to apex of membrane c. 0.8× as long as cell. Legs. Forecoxae contiguous (as in fig. 17A in Namyatova et al., in press); femora only indistinctly swollen apically, straight; foretibia shorter than head and pronotum combined; swellings on tibiae absent; segment I of hind tarsus slightly longer than segment II and subequal to segment III; claw broadly rounded (as in fig. 10C in Namyatova & Cassis, 2013b); basal tooth on claw short and triangular (as in fig. 10B in Namyatova & Cassis, 2013b). Genitalia ( Fig. 14M, N ). Genital capsule as long as wide, without outgrowth(s), its ventral wall not shortened anteriorly; left paramere distinctly r-shaped; phallobase sclerite of primary gonopore subtriangular, straight apically, without outgrowths supporting ductus seminis; ductus seminis not sclerotized basally or apically, slightly longer than phallotheca, with coils, forming wide tube, attached to phallobase medially; sclerotized part of phallotheca wide, occupying entire dorsal part, rounded apically, with subtriangular uprising basally, without ridge or outgrowths; endosoma with two elongate spicules and two fields of small spicules, one of them placed close to secondary gonopore.

Female: Length varying from 6 to 10 mm. Coloration, texture, vestiture and structure as in male ( Fig. 8 ). Genitalia. DLP without sclerotized bands, with distinct paired areas of striations at sides; lateral oviducts attached at middle of striated areas, widely separated, placed near lateral margin of DLP, at half way of DLP; spermathecal gland placed in posterior part half of DLP, at equal distance from each lateral oviducts.

Distribution: Ghana, Madagascar ( Fig. 22 ).

Host plants: Both species are known to feed on cocoa ( Lavabre, 1960; Leston, 1970; Decazy, 1977; Entwistle, 1977). Boxia khayae is also affiliated with Khaya grandifoliola C.DC. ( China, 1943) and Entandrophragma sp. (Meliaceae) ( Piart, 1977).

Figures

Figure 8. Habitus photographs. Boxia khayae ♂ AMNH_PBI 5065, ♀ type 19448; Boxia madagascariensis ♀ AMNH_PBI 19532; Bryocoropsis laticollis var. infuscata ♂ AMNH_PBI 18947, ♀ AMNH_PBI 18946; Bryocoropsis soror ♂ AMNH_PBI 5115, ♀ AMNH_PBI 5117; Sahlbergella singularis ♂ AMNH_PBI 19118, ♀ AMNH_PBI 19057; Distantiella theobromae ♂ AMNH_PBI 5016, ♀ AMNH_PBI 5019; Odoniella rubra ♂ AMNH_PBI 18951, ♀ AMNH_PBI 18958; Odoniella similis ♂ AMNH_PBI 5036; Volkeliopsis arecae ♂ HT AMNH_PBI 19516; Volkeliopsis mindanao ♀ AMNH_PBI 5237; Platyngomiris coreoides ♀ HT of P. coreoides AMNH_PBI 19643; ♂ HT of Platyngomiriodes apiformis AMNH_PBI 19471, ♀ PT of P. apiformis no USI label (BMNH); Platyngomiris quadrimaculatus ♀ AMNH_PBI 20253; Platyngomiris typicus ♂ AMNH_PBI ♀; Yangambia macarangae ♂ AMNH_PBI 34057, ♀ AMNH_PBI 20192; Yangambia vesiculata ♂ AMNH_PBI 19079, ♀ AMNH_PBI 19086; Volkelius carvalhoi ♂ AMNH_PBI 19309, ♀ AMNH_PBI 20197; Volkelius sulcatus ♀ PLT AMNH_PBI 5047; Volkelius maculatus ♂ AMNH_PBI 19043, ♀ AMNH_PBI 19386.

Figure 10. Scanning electron micrographs. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. A, Mansoniella nitida ♀ AMNH_PBI 46067; B, Poppiusia leroyi ♀ AMNH_PBI 5838; C, Chamus bellus ♀ AMNH_PBI 5223; D, Lycidocoris mimeticus ♀ AMNH_PBI 5043; E, Physophoropterella bondroiti ♂ AMNH_PBI 19110; G, Odoniellia reuteri ♂ AMNH_PBI 19090; H, Volkelius carvalhoi ♀ PT AMNH_PBI 19630; I, Yangambia vesiculata ♀ AMNH_PBI 19084; J, Ragwelellus suspectus ♂ AMNH_PBI 19629. Head, dorsal view. F, Sahlbergella tai ♀ AMNH_PBI 5106. Head, anterior view. K, Parachamus bellus ♀ AMNH_ PBI 5837. Head, lateral view. L, Poppiusia leroyi ♀ AMNH_PBI 5838. Frons, dorsal view. M, Poppiusia leroyi ♀ AMNH_PBI 5838.

Figure 11. SEM images. Scutellum, dorsal view. A, Chamus tuberculatus ♂ AMNH_PBI 5025; B, Volkeliopsis mindanao ♀ PT AMNH_PBI 45979; C, Boxia khayae ♂ AMNH_PBI 5065; D, Bryocoropsis soror ♂ AMNH_PBI 5115; E, Odoniella reuteri ♂ AMNH_PBI 19090; F, Pseudodoniella typical ♂ AMNH_PBI 45978; G, Sahlbergella tai ♀ AMNH_PBI 5106; H, Pseudodoniella pacifica ♂ AMNH_PBI 46080; I, Yangambia vesiculata ♀ AMNH_PBI 19084; J, Sahlbergella singularus ♂ AMNH_PBI 19053; K, Physophoropterella bondroiti ♂ AMNH_PBI 19110. Small tubercules on pronotum. L, Chamus tuberculatus ♂ AMNH_PBI 5025.

Figure 13. Scanning electron micrographs. Metepimeron. A, Helopletis pellucida sex unknown AMNH_PBI 19628; B, Afropeltis hyalospilosus ♂ AMNH_PBI 5137; C, Poppiusia leroyi ♀ AMNH_PBI 5838; D, Pachypeltis reuteri ♂ AMNH_PBI 45980; E, Odoniella reuteri ♂ AMNH_PBI 19194. Setae on hemelytron. F, Boxia khayae ♂ AMNH_PBI 5065. Fore- and middle femora. G, Physophoropterella bondroiti ♂ AMNH_PBI 19110. Hind femur. H, Helopeltis pellucida sex unknown AMNH_PBI 19628. Hind tarsus. I, Physophoropterella bondroiti ♂ AMNH_PBI 19110. Claw, lateral view. J, Chamus sp. sex unknown, not databased; K, Pachypeltis brevirostris sp. nov. sex unknown, not databased; L, Helopeltis bradyi sex unknown, not databased.

Figure 14. Male genitalia, dorsal view. Afropeltis hyalospilosus AMNH_PBI 5137. A, aedeagus; B, right paramere; C, left paramere; D, genital capsule. Arculanus marshalli AMNH_PBI 5102. E, aedeagus; F, right paramere; G, left paramere; H, genital capsule. Arthriticus eugeniae AMNH_PBI 19573. I, aedeagus; J, right paramere; K, left paramere; L, genital capsule. Boxia khayae AMNH_PBI 5065. M, aedeagus; N, left paramere; O, genital capsule. Distantiella theobromae AMNH_PBI 19056. P, aedeagus; Q, right paramere; R, left paramere; S, genital capsule. Chamus bellus AMNH_PBI 19059. T, aedeagus; U, right paramere; V, left paramere; W, genital capsule. Chamus conradti AMNH_PBI 19048. X, aedeagus; Y, right paramere; Z, left paramere; AA, genital capsule. Chamus overlaeti AMNH_PBI 19073. AB, aedeagus; AC, right paramere; AD, left paramere; AE, genital capsule. The smaller scale is for genital capsule, the larger scale is for aedeagi and paramers.

Figure 22. Distribution maps of Afropeltis, Arculanus, Arthriticus, Boxia, Chamus, Eupachypeltis, Helopeltis, Mansoniella, Physophoropterella, Pseudodoniella and Sahlbergella.