Neolygus fuscovultus, Yasunaga, 2024

Yasunaga, Tomohide, 2024, New species of the plant bug genus Neolygus Knight from Japan, Taiwan and Thailand (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirini), Zootaxa 5446 (4), pp. 451-487 : 473

Neolygus fuscovultus n. sp.

Figs. 1I , 11J–L , 20A–F

Material examined. Holotype (♀). TAIWAN: Nantou Co., Huiseun Forest Area, forest trail no. 45 toward Guandao trail, 24.0828, 121.0319, 1000–1200 m alt., 14 Mar 2017, T. Yasunaga et al. ( NMNS) ( AMNH _ PBI 00378772 ).

Diagnosis. Currently known only by the holotype female. Recognized readily by its oval, stout body ( Fig. 1I ); shiny chocolate brown head; narrow vertex; short antennal segment II that is shorter than labium; and semi-circular spot at apex of corium. This new species can be distinguished from any other Asian congeners by a combination of these characters; however, its closest relative is yet to be determined.

Description. Holotype female: Body moderate in size, ovoid, stout; general coloration pale green ( Fig. 1I ), with densely distributed, pale, simple, reclining or semierect setae. Head wholly shiny chocolate brown, with sparsely distributed, short setae ( Fig. 20A ); vertex narrow; basal transverse carina of vertex slightly narrower than pronotal collar. Antenna pale brown; apical half of segment II, entire III and IV fuscous; segment II shorter than labium. Labium reddish brown, reaching apex of mesocoxa. Pronotum, scutellum and thoracic pleura pale green; scent efferent system pale brown, with narrow peritreme ( Fig. 20C ). Clavus tinged with brown; apex of corium with dark, semicircular spot; membrane pale smoky brown, with pale veins and two obscure spots at middle and near apex of cuneus. All coxae and legs pale green; metafemur with two apical brown rings. Ventral side of abdomen pale green.

Female genitalia (11J–L, 20D–F): Sclerotized rings small, elongate ovoid, mesially separated to each other ( Fig. 11L ); posterior wall as in Figs. 11K , 20D–F ; interramal sclerite with sparsely distributed spinules between inner bases of interramal lobes ( Fig. 20E–F ); interramal lobe wide, with fields of micro-spines laterally and inner corner ( Fig. 20D ); lateral lobe narrow, fused mesially ( Fig. 20F ).

Measurements: See Table 1 .

Etymology. From Latin, fuscus (= dark) combined with vultus (= countenance), referring to the uniquely fuscous head; an adjective.

Distribution. Taiwan (Nantou).

Biology. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus imagesof living individualsof Neolygus spp.A–B.N.autumnusn. sp.,male.C.N. honshuensis(Linnavuori). D. Same, female. E–G. N. chikanoshima n. sp., female. H. N. roseus (Yasunaga), female. I. N. fuscovultus n. sp., holotype female. J. N. chaiyaphum n. sp., holotype male.

FIGURE 11. Male (A–C, F–H) and female (D–E, I–L) genitalia of Neolygus babai n. sp. (A–E), N. formosaroseus n. sp. (F–I) and N. fuscovultus n. sp. (J–L) A, F, Left paramere. B, G, Right paramere. C, H, Vesica. D, I, L, Female genital chamber. E, K, Posterior wall of bursae. J, Apex of ovipositor (gonapophysis I). Scale bars 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 20. Scanning electron micrographs for Neolygus fuscovultus n. sp., holotype female (A−F) and N. rufifemoratus n. sp., male (G–O). A, Head, frontal view. B, Pronotum, frontal view. C, Thoracic pleura, left lateral view. D–E, Posterior wall. F, Lateral lobe. G, Anterior body, left lateral view. H, Metathoracic scent efferent system (left). I, Metatarsus. J, Pretarsal structure of metaleg. K, Apex of pygophore (genital segment), left lateral view. L, Same, dorsal view. M, Left paramere. N, Right paramere. O, Vesica.