Rhyparoclopius desiccatus (Amyot & Serville, 1843)

(Figs. 39–51)

Oncocephalus dessiccatus Amyot & Serville, 1843: 387 [description].

Nitornus desiccatus; Stål, 1866:167 [redescription].

Rhyparoclopius desiccatus; Stål, 1872:123 [citation]; Barber, 1930: 216 [type of genus, subsequent designation], 217 [citation]; Maldonado, 1990: 533 [catalog]; Forero, 2004: 170 [citation].

Rhyparoclopius dessiccatus; Lethierry & Severin, 1896: 85 [catalog]; Barber, 1930: 218 [comments]; Sehnal, 2000: 38 [location and comments on holotype and spelling of specific name].

Rhyparoclopius dessicatus; Wygodzinsky, 1949: 69 [catalog].

Rhyparoclopius desiccatus was described based on a single macropterous female from Cayenne, French Guiana, measuring 22 mm in length (Amyot & Serville 1843), which is currently deposited in the Signoret Collection belonging to the Natural History Museum, Vienna, Austria (Naturhistorisches Museum, NHMW) (Sehnal 2000) (Figs. 39–40, © by Natural History Vienna, Austria, Hemiptera Image Collection, published with permission, courtesy of Harald Bruckner).

Sehnal (2000) noted that since the specific name “ dessiccatus ” is grammatically incorrect, Stål (1866, 1872) and Maldonado (1990) wrote the name as “ desiccatus ”. However, Sehnal (2000) favored the continued usage of the original spelling.

Yet, if the original spelling is actually grammatically incorrect, following the article 32.5.1 of ICZN (Ride et al. 1999), the apparent correction first mentioned by Stål (1866, 1872) should be maintained as the valid spelling of this name.

Interestingly, among the labels attached to the holotype, on the one which seems to be the oldest and possibly handwritten by one of the authors of this species, the specific name was spelled “ dessicatus ” (Fig. 40).

This is the first record of R. desiccatus from Brazil.

Morphological remarks. The specimens examined here are both macropterous and measure 19.5 mm (male) (Figs. 41–42) and 20.5 mm (female) (Fig. 43) in length. First antennal segment has a long, erect conspicuous bristle at middle third of medial face. Lateral posterior margins of tergites are less projected in the female (Fig. 43). The male shows the seventh (sixth visible) abdominal segment ending as two short rounded prominences (Figs. 41–42). MALE GENITALIA: pygophore sub-rectangular (Figs. 44–45), median process of pygophore triangular (Fig. 46), not visible on ventral view. Parameres apices close to each other in resting position (Figs. 44–45); symmetrical, moderately curved, with fine hairs on distal half, more numerous on internal face, a subapical short and large tooth, and rounded apex (Figs. 47–48). Phallus simple (Fig. 49); articulatory apparatus with moderately short pedicel (Figs. 49–50); dorsal phallotheca plate sub-oval (Fig. 50); basal plates struts larger in their base and apices, where they are connected (Fig. 50). Endosoma with median straight process in basal half (Fig. 49); short processes of conjunctiva in median portion and a conspicuous apical pair of flap-like darkened processes (Figs. 49, 51), which were shown to be permanently everted, making them quite evident in posterior portion of pygophore before dissection (Figs. 44–45).

Material examined: BRAZIL, Amazonas, Codajás, female, V.[19]58, Elias & Roppa col.[leg.] / “D.Z. 9/959” / “ Rhyparoclopius desiccatus (A. & S.)” Wygodzinsky det. [19]64; male, [ex] Coleção Campos Seabra / Tefé, 27- 31.VII.1956, M. Alvarenga legit / “ Rhyparoclopius desiccatus (A. e S.)” J.C.M. Carvalho det. 1990, [MNRJ].