Myrmus calcaratus Reuter, 1891

Rédei, Dávid, 2018, A review of the species of the tribe Chorosomatini of China (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhopalidae), Zootaxa 4524 (3), pp. 308-328 : 317-318

Myrmus calcaratus Reuter, 1891

( Figs. 21–24 )

Myrmus calcaratus Reuter, 1891: 181 . Holotype: ♂, [ Russia:] Osnatjennaja [= Oznachennaya]; MZHF.

Myrmus hirsutus Jakovlev, 1903: 191 . Lectotype ( Putshkov & Kerzhner 1983: 81): ♀, [ Ukraine, Crimea:] Theodosia [= Feodosia]; ZMAS. Synonymized by Kerzhner & Jaczewski (1964: 820).

Myrmus varicornis Hsiao, 1964: 253 , 260. Holotype: ♀, China, Sinkiang [= Xinjiang], Qapqal; NKUM! Synonymized by Kerzhner (1966: 586) (suspected) and Hsiao (1977: 267). Confirmed subjective synonym.

A complete list of synonyms was provided by Dolling (2006: 26).

Myrmus calcaratus: Reuter (1910: 76) (correction to original description), Stichel (1961a: 722) (catalogue, distribution), Stichel (1962: 202) (catalogue, distribution), Kerzhner & Jaczewski (1964: 820) (in key, figures), Kerzhner (1966: 584, 586) (in key, figure, distribution, bionomics, host plants, variability), Kerzhner (1973: 80, 89) (listed), Kiritshenko & Kerzhner (1972: 396) (records, distribution, host plants), Göllner-Scheiding (1983: 112) (catalogue, distribution, bibliography), Putshkov (1986: 106, 109) (in key, diagnosis, figures, distribution, bionomics, host plants), Zheng et al. (1988: 3) (distribution), Ma et al. (1991: 129) (distribution), Wang et al. (1992: 18) (distribution, host plants), Liu et al. (1994: 106) (distribution), Xi et al. (1997: 32) (distribution), Hua (2000: 184) (distribution), Dolling (2006: 26) (catalogue, distribution), Vinokurov et al. (2010: 221) (catalogue, distribution).

Myrmus hirsutus: Stichel (1960: 441) (in key, distribution), Stichel (1961a: 722) (catalogue, distribution), Putshkov (1962: 150, 153) (in key, redescription, figure, habitat, bionomics, host plants, distribution), Stichel (1962: 202) (catalogue, distribution).

Myrmus varicornis: Hsiao (1965a: 60) (in key, redescription, records), Yang et al. (1991: 27) (type material).

Type material examined. Myrmus varicornis . Holotype : macropterous ♀, “<Xinjiang:> [ch, pr] <Shate> [ch, hw] \ <1860 m> [ch, hw] \ <Chinese Academy of Sciences> [ch, pr]” [with pr horizontal line between lines 2 and 3], “1957. VIII.11 [hw] \ <collector: Ren Huang > [ch, pr]”, “ Myrmus [hw] \ varicornis [hw] \ Hsiao [hw] \ <holotype Hsiao Tsaiyu identified> [ch, pr] 19 [pr]” [red, with pr black frame]; pinned, body broken between meso- and metathorax by pin, right fore wing lacking (NKUM) ( Figs. 21–24 ).

Additional specimens examined. CHINA. Xinjiang : Mongolküre (= Zhaosu) County , 1630 m, 11.viii.1957, leg. C.P. Hong (1 ♂ 2 ♀♀ IZAS), same but leg. G. Wang (1 ♂ IZAS). (All examined individuals macropterous.)

Discussion. The original description ( Hsiao 1964) and Yang et al. (1991) indicated that the holotype was preserved in IZAS, however, it apparently has never been deposited there; currently it is in NKUM. Its reexamination in course of the present study revealed that the synonymy tentatively proposed by Kerzhner (1966: 586) was correct. Although the above synonymy was accepted by Hsiao (1977), his redescription of M. calcaratus matches M. miriformis rather than M. calcaratus ; voucher specimens from the localities listed for M. calcaratus , but pertaining to M. miriformis , were seen; the specimen in his plate 48 fig. 629 also shows a female of M. miriformis . As a conclusion it can safely be assumed that at least the majority of the specimens identified and listed by Hsiao (1977) and subsequent Chinese authors as M. calcaratus pertain to M. miriformis .

Distribution. This species is restricted to the xeric steppic vegetations of Central Asia, occurring from Ukraine (southern part and Crimea) to Mongolia; a distribution map was presented by Putshkov (1986: 98, fig. 54). It is apparently rare in China, specimens were seen only from “Shate” (apparently Shate Bakelan Shahe, SW of Hotan, approximately 35.58°N 77.89°E) (the holotype of M. varicornis ) and Mongolküre County in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Published literature records can be summarized as follows: Xinjiang!; Gansu: Min County ( Zheng et al. 1988); Inner Mongolia: Hulunbuir, Hinggan League ( Ma et al. 1991); Ningxia: Jingyuan County (Wang et al. 1992); Jilin: Changchun ( Xi et al. 1997); none of them could be verified during the present study, due to probable misidentifications they are all in need of verification. Based on voucher specimens the record from Zoigê County, Sichuan ( Hsiao 1965a, 1977) pertains to M. m. miriformis (see under the latter species); the record from Li County, Sichuan ( Hsiao 1977) is similarly suspicious and regarded as erroneous, probably pertaining to the same subspecies.

Figures

FIGURES 21–28. Holotypes of Myrmus varicornis Hsiao, 1964, and M. lateralis Hsiao, 1964, with their labels. 21, holotype of M. varicornis, dorsal view; 22, same, lateral view; 23, same, ventral view; 24, same, labels; 25, holotype of M. lateralis, dorsal view; 26, same, lateral view; 27, same, ventral view; 28, same, labels. Scales in mm. © NKUM.