Germalus Stål, 1862

Kóbor, Péter & Kondorosy, Előd, 2022, The big-eyed bug genus Germalus Stål, 1862 in New Guinea (Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Geocoridae), Zootaxa 5182 (3), pp. 265-278 : 266-267

Genus Germalus Stål, 1862

Type species: Henestaris kinbergi Stål, 1858 by subsequent designation

Diagnosis. General habitus oval, moderately elongate. Head pentagonal with eyes moderately stylate; eye stalks sometimes erect or projected. Ocular sulcus complete, mostly well-defined; ocelli situated near ocular sulci. Mandibular and maxillary plates clearly separated; bucculae projected, sometimes exceeding line of mandibular plates with margins converging gradually towards base of head; labial trough U- or V-shaped margins not fusing anteriad to base of head ( Fig. 2B ). Labiomeres II–III subequal. Pronotum trapezoidal with lateral margin variably constricted. Scutellum subequilateral, triangular with median trifurcate carina mostly distinct, elevated, and sometimes flared. Clavus of hemelytron with margins parallel; claval commissure developed, length of claval commissure subequal to half-length of scutellum. Corium with punctuation arranged in lines along corial veins Cu, M and R, sometimes with interveinal punctuation. Metathoracic wing with hamus developed; intervannals present, basally fused ( Fig. 2D ). Peritreme auricular with dorsal supportive process of variable length and shape, peritremal surface distinct; evaporatorium covering most of meso- and metapleurite ( Fig. 3 A-D). Femora fusiform, apex of fore femora with a minute tooth-like process both dorsally and ventrally; fore tibiae club-shaped, middle and hind tibiae rather cylindrical. Tarsomere I and III subequal in length on fore and middle legs, tarsomere II shortest. Tarsomere I longest on hind legs, length subequal to sum of length of tarsomere II and III; tarsomere II shortest. Sutures of abdominal tergites 4/5–5/6 slightly curved posteriad, apices obtuse ( Fig. 2C ). Abdominal spiracles II-IV dorsal, spiracles V-VII ventral. Abdominal trichobothria consist of bothrium bearing a single sensilla, situated ventromedially on abdominal sternites III–IV and submarginally on sternites V–VII. Trichobothria on sternites II–IV arranged in almost straight line or obtuse triangle; on sternites V–VI trichobothria arranged in triangle, one situated near anterior margin and two situated close to each other near posterior margin of sternite; sternite VII bears a single trichobothrium. Trichobothrial formula: 3–3–1(2)–1(2)–1. Female ovipositor bisecting abdominal sternites V–VII. Male paramere with blades stout, at most slightly curved; parameres crossing each other in situ, forming X-shape.

Distribution. The genus distributed from Sub-Saharan Africa to French Polynesia ( Kóbor & Kondorosy 2022).

Key to New Guinean Germalus species

1. Dorsum with broad, fuscous, longitudinal band extending from middle of vertex to apex of abdomen. Peritreme with supporting process short, not reaching midline of metapleurite; apically bent back ( Fig. 3A ).... Germalus fuscovittatus Malipatil, 2013

- Dorsum without a fuscous, longitudinal band of the extent noted above. Supporting process of peritreme reaching midline of metapleurite, apex not bent back........................................................................ 2.

2. Peritreme with elongate strongly curved, crescent-shaped supporting process ( Figs. 3B–D ).......................... 3.

- Peritreme with slightly elongate and moderately curved supporting process ( Figs. 3E–F )............................ 5.

3. Vertex with only a drop-shaped blackish spot at base of vertex; scutellum only basally black, clavus ochraceous, abdominal tergites ochraceous, III–V with blackish markings.................................... Germalus kontschani sp. nov.

- Vertex with extended blackish markings; scutellum, clavus and abdominal dorsum almost entirely black............... 4.

4. Pronotum with median longitudinal blackish band, callosities ochraceous. Median trifurcate carina of scutellum with small, ochraceous spots at angles. Corial margin of clavus with 2–3 punctures basally............. Germalus pulchellus sp. nov.

- Pronotum with extended, drop-shaped spots sublaterally, callosities dark brownish. Median trifurcate carina of scutellum with longitudinal ochraceous spot apically. Corial margin of clavus completely punctate............ Germalus sellatus sp. nov.

5. Vertex and anterior half of pronotum fuscous; scutellum and abdominal dorsum ochraceous. Eye stalks short, straight; posterior edge of eyes touching anterior edge of pronotum. Trifurcate carina of scutellum flared....... Germalus cucullatus sp. nov.

- Vertex and anterior half of pronotum with extended blackish markings; scutellum and abdominal dorsum mostly black. Eye stalks moderately elongate, projected; posterior edge of eye stalks not touching anterior edge of pronotum. Trifurcate carina of scutellum not flared................................................................ Germalus pappi sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Detail pictures of New Guinean Germalus species: A. variability of vertex pattern in G. pulchellus (holotype and paratype, NHMW); B. labial trough (indicated with arrow) of G. fuscovittatus, C. sutures of abdominal tergites 4/5–5/6 (indicated with arrow) of G. fuscovittatus, D. venation of metathoracic wing in G. fuscovittatus (abbreviations: h—hamus, iv—intervannals, M—media, R—radius) (images not to scale).

FIGURE 3. Peritreme of metathoracic scent efferent apparatus (indicated by arrows) of New Guinean Germalus species. A. G. fuscovittatus Malipatil, 2013, B. G. pulchellus sp. nov., C. G. kontschani sp. nov., D. G. cucullatus sp. nov., E. G. pappi sp. nov., F. G. sellatus sp. nov. (images not to scale).