Endochus albomaculatus Stål, 1859 : 194

Krishnan, Sivarama & Ambrose, Dunston P., 2010, New records of two species of the genus Endochus Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) from India, with specific and generic redescriptions, Zootaxa 2565, pp. 42-48 : 43-45

1. Endochus albomaculatus Stål, 1859: 194 .

( Figs. 1–7 )

Euagoras albomaculatus Walker, 1873: 120 .

Redescription. Colour: Pale ochraceous but opaque dorsally; compound eyes and ocelli reddish; apices of scape and pedicel, terminus of antenna, and lateral margins of head above, pronotal spines, basal half of lateral margins of corium, apex of abdomen beneath, and lateral posterior bands on venter of anterior abdominal segments dark fuscous; a large white spot at inner angle of corium closer to base of shiny membrane, inner margins of connexivum and two broad bands of connexivum at fourth and fifth abdominal segments brownish; sternum minutely speckled with greyish white ( Figs. 1 , 3 ).

Structure. Head: Head cylindrical, longer (2.24 mm) than prothorax (1.94 mm) (HL: PL = 1: 0.87); anteocular dorsally and postocular laterally sparsely covered with setae; anteocular shorter, bulbous (0.89 mm) and separated from longer (but not twice as long anteocular) less convex postocular (1.03 mm) (AOL: POL = 1: 1.16) by a deep sulcus ( Fig. 4 ); scape of antenna longest (4.24 mm) and shorter than posterior femora and abdomen, separately but subequal to head, pronotum, and scutellum together (4.81 mm); pedicel (1.74 mm) of antenna subequal to terminal flagellomere (1.34 mm) in length (S: P: F1: F2 = 1: 0.41: 0.72: 0.32); intercalary segments present between scape and pedicel and pedicel and first flagellomere; a spine at base of each antenna; rostrum slightly curved, its tip resting at prosternal furrow; basal segment longest (1.07 mm), intermediate medial (0.63 mm), and terminal (0.33 mm), all segments together (2.03 mm) (B: M: T = 1: 0.59: 0.31); neck distinct.

Thorax: Prothorax broader (2.45 mm) than longer (1.94 mm) (PL: PW = 1: 1.26); anterolateral angles of pronotum less prominent but tuberculate with distinct collar; transverse impression separating shorter, moderately sculptured, medially impressed anterior lobe from discally granulated, unarmed posterior lobe; posterolateral angles acutely spinously and upwardly produced ( Fig. 5 ); venter of thorax sparsely covered with setae; scutellum triangular and basally covered with long setae, and apex not distinctly acuminate but angulate.

Legs: Legs moderately pilose, ending with rudimentary tibial pads; foretibia (3.32 mm) almost equals to midtibia (3.35 mm) in length; hind tibia longest (5.07 mm) (FT: MT: HT = 1: 1.01: 1.53); basal segment of tarsus shortest, terminal segment longest, ending with pair of claws.

Hemelytron: Hemelytron passing beyond abdominal apex; membrane shiny.

Abdomen: Connexivum well developed ( Fig. 6 ); venter of abdomen laterally and apically covered with setae ( Figs. 2 , 7 ).

Measurements [in mm, Ψ (n= 4)]. Body length 10.68–10.83; head length 2.18–2.30, width across eye 0.46–0.50; length of anteocular area 0.88–0.90, of postocular area 0.97–1.08; antennal length 9.80–10.91, lengths of antennal segments I: 4.15–4.33, II: 1.68–1.80, III: 2.98–3.10 and IV: 1.00–1.68; rostral length 2.01–2.06, lengths of visible rostral segments I: 1.03–1.11, II: 0.63–0.63 and III: 0.31–0.35. Length of pronotum 1.93–1.95, width across humeri 2.28–2.60; length of anterior pronotal lobe 0.63–0.70, of posterior pronotal lobe 1.18–1.25. Length of hemelytron 6.95–7.10. Lengths of forefemur: 3.50–3.83, tibia: 3.28–3.36; of midfemur: 2.90–3.25, tibia: 3.34–3.35, of hind femur: 4.38–4.65, tibia: 4.98–5.16. Length of abdomen 5.11–5.78, of width 2.80–2.90.

Materials examined: 1Ψ, Ponmudi, Palode Range, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, South India; 1000 MSL, 28°C, 100% RH; 30- 03- 2006. 1Ψ, Kilikadu Reserve Forest, Adirappilly Range, Thrissur District, Kerala, South India; 100 MSL, 27°C, 100% RH; 20- 09- 2006. 1Ψ, Kumbavurutty Falls, Achankoil Range Kollam District, Kerala, South India; 50 MSL, 30°C; 89% RH; 03- 08- 2007. 1Ψ, collected by T.R.S. Nathan, Peermedu Range, Kottayam District, Kerala, South India; 4200 ft, May, 1975 and donated to Dunston P. Ambrose by Prof. Carl W. Schaefer, University of Connecticut, U.S.A.

Distribution: India (Kerala: Ponmudi, Adirappilly, Achankoil, and Peermedu); Cambodia; China.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Endochus albomaculatus Stål, Ψ, 1. habitus, dorsal view; 2. apical segments of abdomen with genitalia, ventral view. Scale bar of 1 = 1.00 mm; of 2 = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 3 – 7. Endochus albomaculatus Stål, Ψ, microphotographs; 3. entire insect; 4. head and thorax; 5. thorax and anterior part of abdomen; 6. abdomen (dorsal); 7. abdomen (ventral) with genitalia. Scale bar of 3 – 6 = 1.00 mm; of 7 = 0.25 mm.