Tytthus uniformis Henry

Henry, Thomas J., 2012, Revision of the Plant Bug Genus Tytthus (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Miridae, Phylinae), ZooKeys 220, pp. 1-114 : 69-70

Tytthus uniformis Henry sp. n. Figs 45 –4787–100179– 182

Diagnosis.

This species is distinguished by the contrasting black head and antennal segments I and II and the uniformly pale orange-brown pronotum and legs, and the slightly more smoky orange-brown hemelytra. All males are macropterous and all females examined, except two macropters, are brachpyterous.

Tytthus uniformis is most similar in overall appearance to Tytthus balli and Tytthus insperatus . It can be distinguished from Tytthus balli by uniformly brownish-orange pronotum and hemelytra; Tytthus balli is usually infuscated on the posterior half of the pronotum, and the inner half of the clavus and apical third of the corium are dark brown. It is distinguished from Tytthus insperatus by the uniformly pale orange pronotum and legs; Tytthus insperatus has a dark brown pronotum, each femur has a narrow dorsal and lateral red stripe, and the hind tibiae are fuscous.

Description.

Macropterous male (n= 10, plus holotype in parentheses) (Figs 45, 87, 88): Length to apex of hemelytron 2.45-2.60 mm (2.25 mm); length to base of cuneus 1.70-1.78 mm (1.68 mm); width across hemelytra 0.74-0.77 mm (0.74 mm). Head: Length 0.30-0.32 mm (0.30 mm), width across eyes 0.51-0.53 mm (0.51 mm); interocular width 0.29-0.30 mm (0.27 mm). Labium: Length 0.94-1.01 mm (0.90 mm). Antenna: Segment I, length (0.37 mm (0.34 mm); II, 1.17-1.20 mm (left 0.91 mm, right 1.06 mm); III, 0.67-0.69 mm (0.64 mm); IV, 0.42-0.43 mm (0.40 mm). Pronotum: Length 0.27 mm (0.24 mm), basal width 0.64-0.69 mm (0.67 mm).

Coloration: Head (Figs 89-91): Semishiny fuscous to black, pale spot on either side of vertex obsolete or indistinct. Labium: Antenna: Uniformly black, segment I very narrowly pale at apex on some specimens. Pronotum: Uniformly pale brownish orange, posterior angles sometimes slightly infuscated; collar pale or whitish; mesoscutum and scutellum uniformly pale brownish orange. Hemelytron: Uniformly pale, translucent, brownish orange; membrane translucent smoky brown. Ostiolar evaporative area (Fig. 92): Brownish orange to orange. Ventral surface: Thoracic segments orange to reddish orange; abdomen in males reddish orange dorsally, paler orange ventrally, with genital capsule becoming fuscous or black; abdomen in females infuscated dorsally, gradually fading to pale orange ventrally. Legs: Uniformly pale brownish orange; claw (Fig. 94).

Structure, texture, and vestiture: Head: Wider than long, interocular width subequal to length, impunctate, semishiny; set with a few, scattered, erect, nearly bristlelike dark setae. Labium: Extending beyond metacoxae to base of abbdomen. Pronotum: About 2.5 times as wide at base as long, lateral margins weakly concave, posterior margins moderately flared; set with short, semierect and recumbent setae. Mesoscutum: Broadly exposed. Scutellum: Slightly wider across base than on sides; set with short, semierect and recumbent setae. Hemelytron: Entire in males, cuneus nearly three times as long as wide at base, membrane fully developed, extending well beyond apex of abdomen; set with short, semierect and recumbent setae.

Male genitalia (Fig. 93): Left paramere (Fig. 179): Mitt-shaped; right arm long, slender, apically crenulate; left arm short, apically acute. Right paramere (Fig. 180): Oval. Endosoma (Fig. 181): Strongly C-shaped, apex bluntly pointed. Phallotheca (Fig. 182) slender, apically pointed.

Macropterous female (n= 2) (Fig. 46): Length to apex of hemelytron 2.65-2.75 mm, length to base of cuneus 1.88-2.00 mm, width across hemelytra 0.91-1.08 mm. Head: Length 0.32-0.34 mm, width across eyes 0.54 mm; interocular width 0.32 mm. Labium: Length 0.96-0.98 mm, extending to bases of hind coxae. Antenna: Segment I, length 0.34-0.35 mm, II 0.99-1.07 mm; III 0.74-0.77 mm; IV 0.50-0.51 mm. Pronotum: Length 0.30 mm, basal width 0.75 mm.

Brachypterous female (n= 8) (Figs 47, 95-100): Length to apex of abdomen 1.90-2.23, length to base of cuneus 1.63-1.75 mm, width across hemelytra 0.90-0.93 mm. Head: Length 0.34-0.35 mm, width across eyes 0.54-0.56 mm; interocular width 0.34 mm. Labium: Length 0.96-0.98 mm, extending to second or third visible abdominal segment. Antenna: Segment I, length 0.30-0.32 mm; II, 0.94-1.04 mm; III, 0.40-0.42 mm; IV, 0.40-0.45 mm. Pronotum: Length 0.26-0.27 mm, basal width 0.62-0.67 mm.

The hemelytra are abbreviated in nearly all females examined. The cuneal fracture is visible but the cuneus is greatly shortened, with only the narrow basal area of membrane along abbreviated cuneus present.

Etymology.

Named for the uniformly pale brownish-orange pronotum, hemelytra, and legs.

Host. Big sacaton, Sporobolus wrightii Munro ex Scribn. [ Poaceae ].

Distribution.

United States: Arizona and New Mexico.

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (00162002) (USNM): UNITED STATES:New Mexico:Hidalgo Co.: Rt 338, 26.3 km S of Animas, 31.71636°N, 108.82239°W, 1457 m, 15 May 2004, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Sporobolus wrightii ( Poaceae ). Paratypes:UNITED STATES:Arizona:Cochise Co.: Huachuca Mountains, 5354 Ash Canyon Road, 0.5 mi W of Hwy 92, 31.38194°N, 110.22444°W, 1554 m, 17 Aug 1992, N. McFarland, 1 ♀ (00162047) (USNM). Santa Cruz Co.: Audubon Research Ranch, SE of Elgin, 12 - 14 May 2004, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Sporobolus wrightii ( Poaceae ), 9 ♂♂ (00162021, 00162033 - 00162039, 00162046), 17 ♀♀ (00162022 - 00162032, 00162040 - 00162045) (USNM). New Mexico:Hidalgo Co.: Rt 338, 26.3 km S of Animas, 31.71636°N, 108.82239°W, 1457 m, 15 May 2004, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Sporobolus wrightii ( Poaceae ), 4 ♂♂ (00162033 - 00162036) (USNM).