Metoisops akingbohungbei Herczek & Popov

Herczek, Aleksander & Popov, Yuri A., 2014, Revision of the genus Metoisops (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Miridae, Isometopinae) from late Eocene European amber, Zootaxa 3887 (3), pp. 401-421 : 409-411

Metoisops akingbohungbei Herczek & Popov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 9–11 )

Diagnosis. This species is different from all species of this genus by the most transversal head (almost 3 times as wide as long), the most transversal pronotum (2.65x wider than its length), the shortest claval commissura (shorter than mesoscutum and scutellum taken together), and also an unusual short hind tibia, which is shorter of femur.

Description. 2.5 mm or larger; body elongate oval, 2.2x as long as wide. General coloration green-bluish. Head smooth, pronotum and scutellum with scattered short setae; antennae covered with short adpressed setae about as long as segment thick. Pronotum and scutellum with sparse, short and golden hairs; pronotal disc weakly wrinkled; scutellum weakly punctate, almost shiny, yellowish pale ( Figs. 9, 10 ). Narrow part of anterior pronotum polished, remainder weakly rugulose. Corium and clavus of hemelytra punctate, densely pubescent with reclining golden hairs arising from articulate punctures; cuneus semi-transparence, inpunctate, apical portion dark. Head vertical with vertex visible dorsally, strongly transverse, 2.91x as wide as long, wider than anterior margin of pronotum; eyes semi-globular, somewhat flattened from above. Eye width, 2.8x wider than vertex width; 4th antennal segment 1.38x longer than 3rd one ( Fig.11 ); 3rd rostral segment 1.12x longer than 4th, 1st and 3rd equal size. Pronotum strongly trapezoidal and transversal, approximately 3x as wide as long; posterior margin straight; ratio length posterior/anterior margin 2.9x wider than median length. Visible portion of mesoscutum short 4.0x shorter than the scutellum length; claval commissural short, ratio length claval commissure/mesoscutum+scutellum 0.93x. Cuneus 3.9x shorter than corium length, 1.3x as long as wide; large cell of hemelytral membrane very long, 3.6x as long as wide. Apex of hind femur subapical of abdomen, moderately thickened, approximately 4.5x longer than wide, tibia (0.9 x) shorter than femur, with 3 long setae in distal portion; tibia 2.38x longer than tarsus; 2ed tarsal segment 1.7x longer than 1st segment.

Dimensions. Length of body 2.58, width 1.18; length of head 0.23, width 0.67, dorsal width of eye 0.28, width of vertex 0.10; antennal segments I:II:III:IV= 0.18:0.78:0.29:0.4; rostral segments I:II:III:IV= 0.27:0.32:0.28:0.25; length of pronotum 0.39, width 0.36 (ant.) and 1.0 4 (post.); length of mesoscutum 0.09; length of scutellum 0.36; claval commissure 0.42; length of corium 1.57; length of cuneus 0.39; length of hind femur 0.91, width 0.16; length of tibia 0.81; length of tarsus 0.34 (I+II = 0.13+0.22).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of the eminent Nigerian heteropterist A.E. Akingbohungbe, who made a great contribution to the study of the plant bugs, especially the subfamily Isometopinae .

Specimens Examined. Holotype, ♂, Nr. BB M HE 4, light yellowish and moderate-sized piece of amber (43 x 25 mm) of irregular shape. The holotype is deposited in the collection of Ernst Heiss, Tiroler Landesmuseum, Innsbruck, Austria.

Remarks. M. groehni has also large eyes like M. akingbohungbei , but its eyes are a little smaller (eye 2.45x wider than vertex width), and also shares a similar very transverse pronotum (a width 2.4x than its length).

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 11. Metoisops akingbohungbei — dorsal views, antennal segments.