Arhaphe mimetica Barber, 1911

Stehlík, Jaroslav L. & Kment, Petr, 2011, Redescription of Pararhaphe and review of Arhaphe (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Largidae) of America north of Mexico, Zootaxa 3058, pp. 35-54 : 48-49

Arhaphe mimetica Barber, 1911 comb. restit.

( Figs. 6 , 18–19 , 22)

Araphe [sic!] mimetica Barber, 1911: 28 –29 (description, key, habitat, faunistics: Arizona). Syntypes: 16 3 7 ƤƤ, USA, Arizona, Huachuca Mts. (USNM, also CUIC and MMBC).

Arrhaphe [sic!] mimetica: Bergroth (1913): 166 (catalog).

Arhaphe mimetica : Van Duzee (1916): 24 (checklist).

Arhaphe mimetica : Van Duzee (1917): 205 (catalog, distribution).

Arrhaphe [sic!] mimetica: Bergroth (1921): 70 , pl. II: Figs. 6, 7 (description of 5th instar, habitus drawing of imago and 5th instar).

Japetus mimetica: Barber (1924): 227 (revised generic placement).

Japetus mimeticus: Hussey (1929): 28 (catalog, distribution).

Japetus mimeticus: Torre-Bueno (1941): 109 , 113–114 (key to genera, description repeated, distribution).

Japetus mimeticus: Torre-Bueno (1942): 68 –69 (confirmed generic placement, ecology, faunistics).

Arhaphe mimetica: Halstead (1972): 2 –3, 6 (key, diagnosis, habitat, distribution).

Japetus mimeticus: Bliven (1973): 129 (taxonomy).

? Arhaphe mimetica: Brailovsky & Marquez (1974): 102 (distribution).

Arhaphe mimetica: Brailovsky (1981): 85 , 105 (key).

Pararhaphe mimetica: Henry (1988): 161 (catalog, new combination, distribution).

Type material examined. Lectotype (here designated): 3, “Huachuca Mts., Ariz. VII-20 ” / “H. G. Barber Colln. 1950” / “ Type of Araphe mimetica Barber ” [red label] / “ Type No 64926 U.S. N.M.” [red label] / “ LECTOTYPUS / ARAPHE [sic!] / MIMETICA / Barber, 1911 / des. STEHLÍK & KMENT 2011” ( USNM). Paralectotypes (15 3 7 ƤƤ): “Huachuca Mts., Ariz. VII-20 ” / “H. G. Barber Colln. 1950” / “ LECTOTYPUS / ARAPHE [sic!] / MIMET- ICA / Barber, 1911 / des. STEHLÍK & KMENT 2011” ( USNM, CUIC, MMBC; paralectorypes from CUIC not labeled as paralectotypes by us).

Additional material examined. USA: Arizona: Sta. Rita Mts., 1.ix.1939, 1 3, Bryant lgt. ( MMBC).

Differential diagnosis. Arhaphe mimetica is characteristic by its small and glabrous body (3: 5.40–5.72 mm, ƤƤ: 6.10–6.53 mm), but remaining Arhaphe species living in the USA are distinctly pilose and larger (3: 7.24–9.34 mm, ƤƤ: 8.69–10.04 mm). (See also the Key above).

Taxonomy. Barber (1911) described the species in the genus Arhaphe and considered Japetus Distant to be identical with Arhaphe . However, he later changed his mind, revalidated Japetus , and transferred A. mimetica to this genus ( Barber 1924). However, A. mimetica fits all the characters within the generic limits of Arhaphe , including the typical shape of abdomen, which is quite different from Pararhaphe . Based on this evidence we restore the original generic placement of A. mimetica in Arhaphe .

Bliven (1973: 129) wilfully synonymised Arhaphe capitata with Japetus mimeticus but did not provide any reasoning for such an act. Brailovsky (1981) treated A. capitata as a valid species, however, but with no comment on Bliven‘s (1973) opinion. The senior author has examined 14 specimens of A. capitata , and we can therefore confirm that it is a valid species different from A. mimetica (see also photo of A. capitata in Brailovsky (1981)).

Biology and ecology. The specimens of the type series were found very commonly in company with A. arguta running about among the dead leaves beneath the trees, imitating very closely, especially in their larval and nymphal condition, some of the numerous black ants ( Barber 1911). According to Torre-Bueno (1942), it has been taken concealed in dry leaves under an oak, in the Santa Rita foothills; one nymph was collected on November 2. A fifth instar was described and illustrated by Bergroth (1921).

Distribution. The species is known only from a very limited area in USA: south Arizona (Atascosa Mts., Huachuca Mts., Santa Rita Mts.) ( Barber 1911, Torre-Bueno 1942, Halstead 1972, Henry 1988). The record from Oaxaca (central Mexico) ( Brailovsky & Marquez 1974) is doubtful and needs confirmation.

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 7. Head and pronotum in lateral view: 3 — Arhaphe arguta (Bliven, 1956); 4 — A. breviata Barber, 1924; 5 — A. cicindeloides Walker, 1873; 6 — A. mimetica Barber, 1911; 7 — Pararhaphe sphaeroides (Distant, 1883).

FIGURES 16 – 21. Habitus of body (16, 18, 20 — dorsal view; 17, 19, 21 — lateral view): 16 – 17 — A. cicindeloides Walker, 1873 (Mexico: Durango: El Salto; ƤƤ); 18 – 19 — A. mimetica Barber, 1911 (3, paralectotype, USA: Arizona: Huachuca Mts.); 20 – 21 — Pararhaphe sphaeroides (Distant, 1883) (Ƥ, holotype, Guatemala) (Photos: P. Kment).