Ptilocerus immitis Uhler, 1896

Rédei, Dávid & Tsai, Jing-Fu, 2011, The assassin bug subfamilies Centrocnemidinae and Holoptilinae in Taiwan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 51 (2), pp. 411-442 : 432-433

Ptilocerus immitis Uhler, 1896

( Fig. 67 )

Ptilocerus immitis Uhler, 1896: 269 . HOLOTYPE: Japan; USNM.

References. OSHANIN (1908): 522 (catalogue, distribution); OSHANIN (1912):50 (catalogue, Palaearctic); MATSUMURA (1913): 159 (as immitus [lapsus], redescription, record, habitus illustration); FUKUI (1926): 9 (redescription, record); MATSUMURA (1930):181 (redescription, record, habitus illustration); MATSUMURA (1931): 1212 (redescription, record, habitus illustration); ESAKI (1932): 1654 (redescription, habitus illustration); ISHIHARA (1941):19 (prey); ESAKI (1959): 246 (redescription, habitus illustration); GYOTOKU (1960): 56 (record, habitat); STICHEL (1960): 367 (catalogue, distribution); MIYAMOTO (1961): 218 (alimentary tract); STICHEL (1962): 106 (catalogue, distribution); MIYAMOTO & YASUNAGA (1989): 171 (listed, distribution); MALDONADO CAPRILES (1990): 339 (catalogue, distribution); PUTSHKOV & PUTSHKOV (1996): 171 (catalogue, distribution); ISHIKAWA (2005): 23 (photo).

Specimen examined. TAIWAN: TAICHUNG COUNTY: Taichung, ‘6. 16.’ [= vi.1916?], leg. [S.] Matsumura (1 ♀, identified as Ptilocerus sp. n. by T. Shiraki, NTU).

Diagnosis. The species can be distinguished from other speces of Ptilocerus by the combination of the following characters: pronotum narrow, humeral angles not broadly dilated; fore wing ( Fig. 67 ) with corium relatively long, occupying more than one third of total length of wing; anterior margin of membrane evenly curved, apices of membranes of the two wings directed caudad and overlapping in resting position of wings; membrane with two large dark spots (one neighbouring apex of corium, the other apex of clavus), without scattered small light spots; venation simple, without reticulate veins. It is readily identified by the illustrations provided by ESAKI (1939, 1952) and ISHIKAWA (2005).

Biology. The species seems very rare, it has not been recorded since 1960. Its biology is virtually unknown. ISHIHARA (1941) noted that it feeds on ants. In Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan, adults and larvae were collected under the bark of an old specimen of Japanese red pine ( Pinus densiflora Siebold & Succ. , Pinaceae ) at about 100–170 cm from the ground, together with specimens of the ant species Pheidole noda Smith, 1874 (Formicidae) (GYO- TOKU 1960).

Distribution. Japan: Honshū: Gifu ( MATSUMURA 1913), Kyūshū ( ESAKI 1959): Yoshii [now part of Ukiha] ( GYOTOKU 1960); Taiwan! (new record).

Figures

Figs. 65–67. Left fore wings of Holoptilinae spp. 65 – Locoptiris taiwanensis sp. nov.; 66 – Ptilocerus kanoi Esaki, 1931; 67 – P. immitis Uhler, 1896. Scales in mm.