Harpagophylus, Schuh & C. Weirauch, 2010

Schuh, R. T. & C. Weirauch, 2010, Myrtaceae-Feeding Phylinae (Hemiptera: Miridae) From Australia: Description And Analysis Of Phylogenetic And Host Relationships For A Monophyletic Assemblage Of Three New Genera, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2010 (344), pp. 3-94 : 12-13

Harpagophylus , new genus

Figures 1–6, 35–37; map 1; plate 1

TYPE SPECIES: Harpagophylus verticordii , new species.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized within the Melaleucoides genus group by the unique, greatly elongate right paramere with a bulbous base (60-2) and the long, decurved posterior process of the left paramere (58-3) (figs. 1– 6); size small, total length 2.10–2.63. Potentially confused with Thryptomenomiris , and small species of Melaleucoides on the basis of small size and association with the Myrtaceae . The structure of the parameres in Harpagophylus precludes any confusion with these other groups, however.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Body weakly elongate, weakly ovoid; small, total length 2.10– 2.63, width pronotum 0.70–0.96. COLORA- TION (pl. 1): Pale, with or without reddish areas on dorsum. SURFACE AND VESTI- TURE (fig. 5B): Dorsum with reclining simple setae matching background coloration and with some sericeous or woolly setae. STRUCTURE: Head (fig. 5A): Somewhat projecting; interocular space relatively large; eyes leaving gena moderately exposed in lateral view. Thorax: Pretarsus (fig. 5C): Parempodia fleshy, recurved, lyriform; pulvilli absent. GENITALIA (figs. 1–6): Endosoma: Base short, curving, C- or J-shaped; body without torsion, primary strap ventral to secondary gonopore, apically greatly elongate, nearly straight, angled relative to body of endosoma, without ornamentation; spinelike, elongate process present near gonopore on dorsal surface, erect, unornamented; spinelike, elongate process present near gonopore on ventral surface, recurved toward base of endosoma; secondary gonopore seen laterally in lateral view of endosoma. Phallotheca: Nearly erect, apical region of variable structure. Left paramere (fig. 5E): Horizontal; shaft at right angles to body; in dorsal perspective just exceeding margin of pygophore; in lateral perspective covering limited extent of lateral surface of pygophore; body narrowed toward apex; apex medially angulate, posterolaterally simple; anterior process in lateral view varying from triangular to undeveloped; posterior process very long, curving 90u toward base of paramere; base of posterior process without conspicuous shoulder. Right Paramere (fig. 5F): Body greatly elongate, bulbous at base; apex short, clawlike, decurved.

Female: Slightly more ovoid than male; small, total length 2.06–2.70, width pronotum 0.74–1.00. COLORATION (pl. 1): As in male. GENITALIA (fig. 6): Posterior wall laterally with distinct crescent-shaped interramal sclerites; posterolaterally with a distinct swelling covered with microtrichia; longitudinal fold on either side of midline along part of length; interramal lobes present, roughly symmetrical, erect, and not ornamented with spicules or with very few; vestibulum with medial plates weakly sclerotized or apparently absent, with caplike sclerotized guide with internal differentiation.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the hooklike form of the right paramere; from the Latin harpago, ‘‘grappling hook,’’ in combination with Phylus ; gender masculine.

DISCUSSION: The five new species described below as belonging to the genus Harpagophylus are well supported as a monophyletic group in both the equal weights and the implied weights analyses (figs. 35, 36). Based on overall appearance and their association with Myrtaceae in the tribe Chamelaucieae , they are easily confused with species of Thryptomenomiris , new genus, and the small species within Melaleucoides , new genus. The structure of the left and right parameres clearly distinguishes them from other members in the Melaleucoides genus group.