Homoiacoris, Magnien, 2023

Magnien, Philippe, 2023, New genera, species and subspecies of tessaratomine true bugs (Heteroptera: Tessaratomidae, Tessaratominae), Zootaxa 5375 (4), pp. 533-549 : 544-545

Homoiacoris gen. nov.

Type species. Homoiacoris annemarieae sp. nov., by present designation.

Diagnosis. Medium sized Tessaratomini , characterized by the following set of characters: head very small, with eyes large and ocellae less so (ocular index 1.4, ocellar index 2.1–2.5), antennae long, about 50 % of habitus length (♂ 55 %, ♀ 45–51 %); metasternal process long, its free part rounded; connexivum bicolourous; phallus conjunctiva bearing four pairs of processes, ventral very large, scythe shaped; posterior ductus of spermatheca accordion folded on all its length.

Description. Habitus ( Figs. 8–9 ): body of common pentatomoid shape, general hue bronze brownish above, of a slightly lighter brownish for underside, apex of fourth antennomere, apex of scutellum and fore part of each connexivum segment yellowish, anterior margin of pronotum and callosities somewhat golden-green tinged.

Head. Triangular, mandibular plates surpassing tylus, entirely punctated save for a small area around ocellae; antennae 4-segmented, long; eyes large and ocellae relatively large (ocular index 1.3–1.5, ocellar index 2.2–2.5).

Thorax. Pronotum sexangular, anterior, posterior and antero-lateral margins straight, postero-lateral margins slightly bisinuous; callosities conspicuous, slightly marked. Scutellum triangular longer than wide, its apex lanceolate. Metasternum with an elevated plate between coxae, bearing a rounded lanceolate process surpassing fore coxae, almost reaching anterior margin of prosternum, slightly curved upwards at apex; evaporatoria small ( Fig. 28 ), in accordance with description given for tribe in Kment & Vilimova (2010). Apical spines of femora very small.

Abdomen. Abdominal margins straight; spiracles closer to margin than to middle of sternites, trichobothria closer to middle, aft of transverse furrow.

Male genitalia. Eighth segment visible ventrally, representing little more than a third of visible length of genital segments, pygophore (Fig. 11) simple, its posterior margin concave, in large V-shape, parameres ( Fig. 26 ) with sensorial lobe about as wide as stem of paramere, apophyse long and apically rounded; conjunctiva of phallus ( Figs. 24–25 ) with four pairs of processes, as follow: dorso-distally one pair of membranous processes sidewards oriented, three pairs of strongly sclerotized processes, one medio-lateral, another dorsal, last distoventral, very large, scythe-shaped, with a small tooth on inner side.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 27 ). Ring sclerites conspicuous; spermatheca differing from common type in Tessaratomini by its posterior duct which lacks usual anterior striated dilation; apical receptacle (distal bulb) spherical with a basal “neck”, intermediate part (pump apparatus) with two well developed flanges; spermathecal duct bipartite, anterior duct slender, posterior duct much larger, accordion folded, its rear part greatly widening posteriorly.

Discussion. The habitus of Homoiaocoris gen. nov. is similar to that of other tessaratomine genera, the closest being Hypencha and Oukhypencha . It differs from Hypencha for the same reasons as Oukhypencha . Conjunctiva of Homoiaocoris bears four pairs of processes but their disposition is not at all homologous with that of Oukhypencha clemenceae , the only species of the genus with four pairs of processus. The membranous dorsal one is in the same position but it points sidewards instead of dorsally in Oukhypencha . The ventro-lateral one is big as in Oukhypencha , but it is flattened, scythe-shaped, not biramose and it has a small tooth at inner side. It lacks ventral membranous and sclerotized processes, while Oukhypencha lacks medio-lateral and dorsal ones. Apophysis and sensorial lobe of parameres are more prominent than those of Oukhypencha species. Female genitalia are also very different, posterior ductus with its accordion fold, without striated dilation being quite unique in Tessaratominae .

Some other differences can be found in the habitus. Antennae are relatively long for a tessaratomine, but only 50 % of length of habitus, whereas in Oukhypencha it can reach 70 %. The ocellae are about two times smaller.

Etymology. The name derives from the Greek words ὁμοιος, similar, which refers to the fact that its habitus is very similar to that of Oukhypencha , and κόρις, bug. Gender feminine.

Distribution. Only known from its type locality on Palawan, Philippines.

Figures

FIGURES 7–9: habitus.—7 Oukhypencha stali n. sp. ♀ (holotype); 8–9: Homoiacoris annemarieae n. sp.—8: ♂ (holotype)— 9: ♀ (paratype). Scale 10 mm

FIGURES 24–28: Homoiacoris annemarieae n. sp. (holotype ♂, paratype ♀); 24: phallus (lateral view)—25: ventral processus (ventral view, right side)—26: paramere (dorsal and lateral view, pilosity omitted in lateral view)—27: spermatheca and sclerotized rings—28: evaporatoria. Abbreviations: ad—anterior duct, ev—evaporatoria field, ip—intermediate part, o—ostiole, pd—posterior duct, pw—posterior wall of vagina, r—receptacle, rs—ring sclerite, sd— striated dilation, sld—sclerified latero-dorsal processus, slv—slerified latero-ventral processus, sml—slerified medio-lateral processus. All scales 1 mm.