Neomacrocoris usambaricus Montandon, 1913

Mbogho, Aaron Y. & Sites, Robert W., 2013, Naucoridae Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Tanzania, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 513-513 : 537

Neomacrocoris usambaricus Montandon, 1913

Figs 5 , 25

Neomacrocoris usambaricus: Montandon 1913 a: 332–334 ; Sites & Mbogho 2012: 30–33 (neotype de-

signation).

Diagnosis: Although it is large, N. usambaricus is not in the group of distinctly large and ovate species which includes N. karimii and N. vuga (see below). The pronotum is largely devoid of dark maculation ( Fig. 25 ). Currently, only the female is known and lateral margins of the subgenital plate are gently sinuate to the distal spatulate process and without projections. Body length of the neotype is 10.96 mm.

Neotype (examined): [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO]:‘ Tuevo [5°S 13°E], 2-VIII-1911, R. Mayné / R. det., A, 202 / Neomacrocoris usambaricus 1913 Montandon, det Montandon 1914’ ( RMCA; ♀).

Distribution: Originally reported from W. Usambara of Tanzania and also known from Tuevo in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Discussion: This species was described by Montandon when he established the genus, and subsequently was designated the type species of the genus by Štys and Jansson (1988). Montandon reported only one specimen from West Usambara in the original description and that it was deposited in the “Deutsches Nat. Mus. Berlin.” This and many other museum collections throughout Europe, Africa, and the United States were queried or searched for the type, but it was not located ( Sites & Mbogho 2012). As a consequence, a neotype from Tuevo, Democratic Republic of the Congo was established. The neotype is a female determined by Montandon, thus it is the only known specimen and males are not known at this time. Despite our collections in several streams in the area of West Usambara, nothing resembling the neotype was found.

Figures

Figs 5–8. (5, 6) Terminal abdominal sterna of female including subgenital plates of (5) Neomacrocoris usambaricus and (6) Neomacrocoris vuga; (7, 8) lateral view of pronotum of (7) Neomacrocoris handlirschi and(8) Neomacrocorisparviceps.(Reproduced from Sites& Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)

Figs 23–29. (23) Neomacrocoris parviceps parviceps, (24) Neomacrocoris parviceps ocellatus, (25) Neomacrocoris usambaricus, (26) Neomacrocoris bondelaufa, (27) Neomacrocoris vuga, (28) Neomacrocoris handlirschi, (29)Neomacrocoris karimii.Sizes areproportionate among figures.(Figs 24–30 reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)