Slaterocoris alpinus Kelton

Schwartz, Michael D., 2011, Revision And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The North American Genus Slaterocoris Wagner With New Synonymy, The Description Of Five New Species And A New Genus From Mexico, And A Review Of The Genus Scalponotatus Kelton (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2011 (354), pp. 1-290 : 235-237

Slaterocoris alpinus Kelton

Figures 1 , 12 , 49 ; plates 1 , 4A; map 11

Slaterocoris alpinus Kelton, 1968: 1128 , fig. 14 (orig. desc.); Knight, 1970: 239, fig. 41 (disc.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 448 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 196 (catalog).

Slaterocoris schaffneri Knight, 1970: 240 , fig. 37 (orig. desc.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 451 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 199 (catalog). NEW SYNONYMY.

DIAGNOSIS: External characters will distinguish S. alpinus from other completely black species. The striate frons and dense, fine, brown vestiture of S. alpinus are distinct from the smooth frons and sparse, bristlelike, black vestiture in S. robustus ; its brown dorsal setae differ from the silvery dorsal setae in S. argenteoides , S. argenteus , S. digitatus , and S. simplex . Within the hirtus group, united by the large medial process and long basal region of the right paramere, all the antennal segments of alpinus are shorter than in S. hirtus and S. mohri (e.g., segment II in S. alpinus 0.75–0.908, 0.76–0.85 ♀; in S. hirtus 1.30–1.508, 1.20–1.33 ♀; in mohri 1.09–1.208, 1.03–1.20 ♀). The labium is also shorter in S. alpinus (0.83–0.938, 0.89–1.03 ♀) than in S. hirtus (1.05–1.188, 1.05–1.19 ♀) or S. mohri (1.00–1.138, 1.10–1.20 ♀). All species of the hirtus group have long brown vestiture (cf. pl. 4A, I, J), in S. alpinus the setae are slightly shorter than in the other two species.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Moderately large, subovate; length 3.50–4.10, width 1.65–1.83 (pl. 1). COLORATION: Completely black including all appendages (fig. 12). VESTITURE: With dense, long to moderately long, suberect, fine, brown simple setae (pl. 4A). STRUCTURE: Body conformation in both sexes similar, costal margin slightly curved. GENITALIA: As in species group, but modified as follows. Endosomal spicule: Distal portion of ventral lobe moderately long and moderately serrate marginally; dorsal lobe with base entire and small marginal serration (fig. 49A–C, arrow). Right paramere: Medial process situated near parallel apical spines, bent distally, truncate with strong apical serration; tubercle basal to parallel spines, barely separated from parallel spines (fig. 49M, arrow), small with broad base and serrations (fig. 49I–O, arrow).

Female: Moderately small, obovate; length 3.90–4.30, width 1.84–2.05 (pl. 1). STRUCTURE: Costal margin curved. GENITALIA: As in species group except: Second gonapophyses: With anterior medial surface moderately slightly convex.

HOSTS: Unknown. The only plant record is from one specimen on mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus montanus Raf. (Rosaceae) ; this is considered a sitting record. The presumed host of S. alpinus would certainly be asteraceous as known for all Slaterocoris species. Focused collecting will be required to determine whether the host(s) is (are) species of Silphium or Helianthus as is known for the two most closely related species, S. hirtus and S. mohri . The known range of S. alpinus is predominantly in drier habitats, so presumably the eventual breeding host would be a plant adapted for arid conditions.

DISTRIBUTION: Western Great Plains from southern North Dakota south to mid-Texas, easternmost record from eastern Kansas, the westernmost from southcentral Montana (map 11).

COLLECTION SUMMARY: 79 specimens from 29 collection events. Earliest date in late April from Texas, latest date in mid-August from South Dakota, main phenology from May to July.

DISCUSSION: Kelton (1968) based S. alpinus on three specimens from the same collection event, distinguishing it from congeners by the coloration, vestiture, and male genitalia. Knight (1970) recognized S. schaffneri utilizing the same suite of diagnostic features. In his key to species, Knight (1970) separated these nominal species based on femoral coloration, attributing more pale coloration to S. alpinus than in those specimens examined by Kelton (1968). The femora are completely black in the holotypes of S. alpinus and S. schaffneri and all other specimens examined. Based on identical coloration, vestiture, and male genitalia, noting a negligible amount of variation in the endosomal spicule and right paramere, I treat S. schaffneri as a junior synonym of S. alpinus . In the endosomal spicule the distal region of the ventral lobe is variable in the size and density of the marginal serration but the base of the dorsal lobe is uniformly entire, not showing the variation in structure as noted in S. hirtus (fig. 52A–C). The structure of the right paramere is slightly more variable in the size and number of apical spines, prominence of the nearby tubercle, and number of apical spines on the medial process as documented in specimens from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming (fig. 49I–O).

HOLOTYPES: USA: Colorado: Boulder Co.: Boulder, Flagstaff Canyon [40.001656 N 105.30746 W, 1768 m], 30 Jun 1961, B.H. Poole, 18 (AMNH_ PBI 00111423 ) (CNC) ( S. alpinus : senior synonym). Texas: Bosque Co.: 2 mi W of Iredell [31.9856 N 97.905756 W], 12 May 1971, J.C. Schaffner, 18 ( AMNH _ PBI 00134020 ) ( USNM) ( S. schaffneri : junior synonym).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA: Colorado: Boulder Co.: Boulder, 40.0156 N 105.276 W, 1676 m, 20 Jul 1953, R.R. Dreisbach, 1♀ (00127331) ( UMMC). Boulder, Flagstaff Canyon , 40.001656 N 105.30746 W, 1768 m, 30 Jun 1961, B.H. Poole , paratype, 18 (00111426) ( CNC). Douglas Co.: Perry Park , 39.256676 N 104.991946 W, 08 Jul 1982, J.T. Polhemus, 1♀ (00116768) ( JTP) . Elbert Co.: 3 mi E of Kiowa , 39.347226 N 104.40786 W, 1981 m, 16 Jul 1983, R.T. Schuh, D.A. and J.T. Polhemus, Cercocarpus montanus , 18 (00108146) ( AMNH) . Jefferson Co.: Lookout Mountain, 39.73246 N 105.2386 W, 2134 m, 03 Jul 1922, unknown, 1♀ (00111428) ( CNC). Red Rocks Park , 39.669726 N 105.202786 W, 23 Jun 1982, D.A. Polhemus, 2♀ (00116766– 00116767), 18 (00116711) ( JTP) . Kansas: Linn Co.: Linn County, no specific locality, 38.216676 N 94.856 W, 263 m, R.H. Beamer, 18 (00117797) ( KU) ; 01 Jul 1915, R.H. Beamer, 18 (00117813) ( KU) . Scott Co.: Lake Scott State Park , 38.674616 N 100.915626 W, 26 Jul 1992, E.G. Riley, 1♀ (00118474) ( TAMU) . Montana: Yellowstone Co.: Huntley Experimental Station [Montana State University Southern Agricultural Research Center], 45.924146 N 108.244016 W, 912 m, 18 Jun 1931, unknown, 18 (00070051) ( USNM) . Nebraska: Cherry Co.: [Fort] Niobrara [National Wildlife] Refuge, Valentine , 42.910666 N 100.482726 W, 768 m, 24 Jul 1945, unknown, 18 (00134604) ( USNM) . Garden Co.: Wood Lake , 41.916646 N 102.35016 W, 27 Jun 1973, L.A. Kelton, 18 (00111427) ( CNC) . Sioux Co.: Warbonnet [Battlefield Monument], Oglala National Grassland , 42.927436 N 103.728616 W, 1119 m, unknown, 18 (00134413) ( USNM) . North Dakota: Kidder Co.: Kidder County, no specific locality, 46.760326 N 99.505146 W, 577 m, 14 Jul 1920, A.A. Nichol, 18 (00134412) ( USNM) . South Dakota: Custer Co.: Custer , 43.766676 N 103.598336 W, 19 Aug 1927, H.H. Knight, 18 (00134606), paratype of junior synonym, 18 (00134414), 4♀ (00134415–00134418) ( USNM) . Texas: Anderson Co.: Salmon , 31.572786 N 95.498066 W, 27 Apr 1985, P.W. Kovarik, 1♀ (00118473) ( TAMU) . Bastrop Co.: Pope Bend Road, 1 mi N of Rt 71, 3.7 mi E of Travis Co. line, 30.155276 N 97.450836 W, 168 m, 10 May 2002, T.J. Henry and P.S.F. Ferreira, 18 (00122136) ( USNM) . Bosque Co.: 2 mi W of Iredell , 31.9856 N 97.905756 W, 29 May 1969, J.C. Schaffner, paratype of junior synonym, 18 (00111424) ( CNC), paratypes of junior synonym, 38 (00122261– 00122263) ( USNM) ; 06 May 1970, J.C. Schaffner, paratype of junior synonym, 1♀ (00111425) ( CNC), paratypes of junior synonym, 1♀ (00116763) ( JTP), 4♀ (00118484– 00118487), paratypes of junior synonym, 78 (00118448, 00118457–00118458, 00118477– 00118480), 4♀ (00118449, 00118481–00118483), paratype of junior synonym, 1♀ (00118459) ( TAMU) ; 09 May 1970, J.C. Schaffner, paratype of junior synonym, 1♀ (00118495) ( TAMU) ; 22 May 1970, J.C. Schaffner, paratype of junior synonym, 18 (00116762) ( JTP), paratypes of junior synonym, 48 (00118488–00118491), 3♀ (00118492–00118494) ( TAMU) ; 03 May 1971, J.C. Schaffner, 28 (00118501–00118502), 1♀ (00118503) ( TAMU) ; 12 May 1971, J.C. Schaffner, 18 (00118504) ( TAMU) ; 20 May 1971, J.C. Schaffner, 2♀ (00118506–00118507) ( TAMU) ; 28 May 1971, J.C. Schaffner, 18 (00118505) ( TAMU) ; 21 Apr 1972, J.C. Schaffner, 18 (00116764), 1♀ (00116765) ( JTP), 38 (00118496– 00118498), 2♀ (00118499–00118500) ( TAMU) . Randall Co.: Palo Duro Canyon State Park , 34.950336 N 101.665786 W, 860 m, 19 Jul 1968, J.C. Schaffner, 18 (00134411) ( USNM) . Unknown co.: ‘‘ Tex’ ’, ‘‘333’’, unknown, 1♀ (00111429) ( CNC) . Wyoming: Goshen Co.: Goshen County, no specific locality, 42.083336 N 104.356 W, 02 Jul 1943, R. Pfadt, 18 (00116598) ( ESUW) .

Figures

Plate 1. Dorsal habitus photographs of Josephinus species and Slaterocoris alpinus—S. croceipes (see appendix 1 for USI codes and localities).

Fig. 1. Cladograms for Slaterocoris and outgroups.

Fig. 12. Hind leg coloration for Slaterocoris species.

Fig. 49. Slaterocoris alpinus, male genitalia. A, B, D, E, O. 2 mi W of Iredell, TX. C, G–I. Flagstaff Canyon, CO. F, L. Red Rocks Park, CO. J. Wood Lake, NE. K. Pope Bend Road, TX. M. Goshen Co., WY. N. Linn Co., KS.