Plagiognathus shepherdiae flavidus Knight,, 1929

SCHUH, RANDALL T., 2001, Revision Of New World Plagiognathus Fieber, With Comments On The Palearctic Fauna And The Description Of A New Genus (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2001 (266), pp. 1-267 : 79-80

Plagiognathus shepherdiae flavidus Knight,

1929b: 71 (n. var.).

Plagiognathus flavidus: Kelton, 1980: 318 (n. sta­

tus).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the relatively large size, pale coloration (fig. 7), pale setae on dorsum, labium relatively long and reaching to apex of hind coxae, and antennal segments 1 and 2 often almost entirely pale (fig. 16), segment 1 sometimes partially to largely dark, with segment 2 then also dark at base. Pale coloration of the body and antennae most similar to guttatipes , shepherdiae , and tenellus . Distinguished from guttatipes by that species always with dark rather than pale setae on the dorsum and feeding on Glycyrrhiza (Fabaceae) as opposed to members of the Elaeagnaceae as in flavidus . Separated from shepherdiae by the presence of some longitudinal dark markings on the hemelytra of that species and from tenellus by the tibial spines in that species lacking black spots at bases and the tibiae being pale at the femoral articulation.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Relatively large, elongate ovoid; total length 4.09 –4.54, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.79– 3.10, width across pronotum 1.22–1.33. COLORATION (fig. 7): Dorsum, venter, and appendages pale­orange to yellowish, portions of venter sometimes weakly to heavily infuscate; membrane pale to weakly fumose, veins pale; antennal segment 1 varying from totally pale to mostly dark, at least spine on mesial surface always with a dark spot at base, segment 2 often dark at base and sometimes at least partially infuscate distally (fig. 16), segments 3 and 4 usually appearing infuscate; apex of labium weakly to strongly infuscate; femora with some dark spots; dorsal tibial spines with small dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at femoral articulation. SUR­ FACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent, pale, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Corial margins weakly convex; frons weakly tumid, clypeus barely visible from above; anteocular distance equal to diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 1.3 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching to near apex of hind coxae. GENI­ TALIA (fig. 24): Body of vesica relatively broad, stout, strongly curving basally, base reaching to about base of secondary gonopore; apical spines relatively long, tapering, moderately angled relative to body of vesica; flange broad, terminating at about midpoint of secondary gonopore.

Female: More strongly ovoid than male. Total length 3.83–4.15, length apex clypeus– cuneal fracture 2.78–2.91, width across pronotum 1.24–1.36.

HOSTS: Elaeagnus commutata , Shepherdia argentea , S. canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) . The record from Salix sp. is probably a sitting occurrence.

DISTRIBUTION: Ontario west to Alberta and south to Colorado.

DISCUSSION: Knight (1929b) described flavidus as a variety of shepherdiae . Although he collected them on the same host, Shepherdia argentea , he did not collect them at the same locality, and he noted a constant color difference between the two. Although shepherdiae and flavidus may occupy the same host, the genitalia are distinctive, and the similarity of appearance between the two taxa is not nearly so close as it is between flavidus and guttatipes .

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Alberta: Cardston , July 22, 1993, R. S. Mc­ Clay, Elaeagnus commutata (Elaeagnaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Elkwater Park, July 18, 1952, L. A. Konotopetz, 1♀ (CNC). Grand Prairie, July 26, 1961, A. R. Brooks, 1♀ (CNC). Jasper Natl. Park, August 6, 1952, L. A. Konotopetz, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 13, 4♀ (CNC). Lundbreck, July 20, 1973, L. A. Kelton, 23, 8♀ (CNC). Lundbreck, July 7, 1970 – July 29, 1973, L. A. Kelton, 13, 2♀ (CNC). Manitoba: Bald Head Hills, 13 mi. N of Glenboro, June 21, 1958, J. F. McAlpine, 33, 7♀ (CNC). Carberry, July 30, 1953, Brooks and Kelton, 13, 1♀ (CNC). Carberry, July 30, 1953, Brooks and Kelton, Elaeagnus sp. (Elaeagnaceae) , 43, 4♀ (CNC). Riding Mt. Natl. Park, July 21, 1972, L. A. Kelton, 2♀ (CNC). Ontario: Newry, July 12, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13 (CNC). Saskatchewan: Attons Lake, Cut Knife, July 8, 1940, A. R. Brooks, 13 (CNC). Elbow, August 8, 1951, A. R. Brooks, Shepherdia sp. (Elaeagnaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Harris, July 3, 1952, A. R. Brooks, Elaeagnus sp. (Elaeagnaceae) , 23, 5♀ (CNC). Prince Albert, July 23, 1959, A. and J. Brooks, 13, 3♀ (CNC). Saskatoon, July 22, 1929, K. M. King, 1♀ (CNC). Torch River, August 12, 1950, L. A. Konotopetz, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 3♀ (CNC). White Fox, July 25, 1950, L. A. Konotopetz, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 23, 5♀ (CNC). USA.— Colorado: Las Animas Co.: S of Cuchara on Rt 12, 9200 ft, August 19, 1986, R. T. Schuh and J. T. Polhemus, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 13, 4♀ (PDA). South Dakota: Jackson Co.: Interior, July 25, 1927, H. H. Knight, 1♀ (USNM). Lyman Co.: Kennebec, July 24, 1927, H. H. Knight, paratypes ( flavidus ): 103, 10♀ (USNM); holotype male (USNM). Kennebec, July 24, 1927, H. H. Knight, paratypes: 23 (USNM). Union Co.: 13 mi S of Jefferson, June 11, 1949, Slater and Laffoon, 13 (AMNH).