Scutiphora GUÉRIN 1831

Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006, Jewel Bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae), Denisia 19, pp. 275-398 : 378-379

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.12996779
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13715248
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0380878F-FFD8-FFF5-FDD0-FB48C3B2F955
treatment provided by	Luisschmitz
scientific name	Scutiphora GUÉRIN 1831
status

Treatment

Scutiphora GUÉRIN 1831 ( Figs 1e View Fig , 21i View Fig , 28b View Fig , 42 View Fig , 43 View Fig , 44 View Fig )

ScutipHora GUÉRIN 1831 : pl. XI fig. 7 (gen. nov.); LAPORTE 1832: 11 (list); GERMAR 1839: 110 (description); AMYOT & SERVILLE 1843: 35 (description); STÅL 1865: 33 (key); MAYR 1866: 16, 23 (key, list); STÅL 1873: 8,10 (key, list); LETTHIERRY & SEVERIN 1893: 18 (catalogue); SCHOUTEDEN 1904: 28 (description); KIRKALDY 1909: 308 (catalogue); DUPUIS 1952: 452 (taxonomy); MCDONALD & CASSIS 1984: 555 (description); CASSIS & GROSS 2002: 598 (catalogue) PeltopHora BURMEISTER 1835: 393 (gen. nov.); DALLAS 1851: 19 (synonymy); STÅL 1865: 33 (key)

Type species: ScutipHora : ScutipHora rubromaculata GUÉRIN 1831 (= Scutellera pedicellata KIRBY 1826 ), monotypy; PeltopHora : PeltopHora cruenta BURMEISTER 1835 (= ScutipHora rubromaculata GUÉRIN 1831 ), monotypy

Diagnosis: ScutipHora is recognised by the following combination of characters: mesosternum sulcate, laterally striate ( Fig. 42c View Fig ); AII(a) arcuate; AII(b) short; anterolateral margin of pronotum concave ( Fig. 28b View Fig ); metathoracic external efferent system reduced ( Figs 42c, d View Fig ); peritreme short, subreniform ( Fig. 42c, d View Fig ); pygophore enlarged, medially excavate ( Figs 42e, f View Fig , 43a View Fig ); crown of parameres short ( Fig. 43b View Fig ); CAI absent ( Fig. 43c View Fig ); CAII tripartite, three elongate lobal sclerites ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ); CAIII fused medially, apically bifid ( Fig. 43d View Fig ); female terminalia caudally oriented; and, gonocoxae I greatly enlarged.

Description: Large species; elongate-ovoid ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); dorsally and ventrally convex; dorsum densely punctate ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); body almost glabrous ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); body iridescent green with orange and black markings ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ). Head: triangular ( Fig. 42a View Fig ); weakly convex; jugal margins subcarinate ( Fig. 42b View Fig ); lorae strongly demarcat-ed, margins carinate; bucculae narrow, lateral margins parallel. Antennae: AII(a) strongly arcuate, more so in males; AII(b) very short; AIV flattened. Labium: reaching abdominal SIV; LII bicompressed. Pronotum: subtrapeziform, shield-like, moderately convex ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); post-callosite region depressed ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); anterior margin strongly concave ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); anterolateral margins weakly concave, carinate ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); posterior margin rectilinear ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); post-humeral angles depressed. Scutellum: elongate, large, covering most of forewings, base of exocorium and tip of abdomen visible ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); moderately convex, strongly declivent posteriorly; anterior region raised, with two prominent calli ( Figs 1e View Fig , 28b View Fig ); anterolateral angles upturned. Thoracic pleura: anterior margin of proepisternum truncate ( Fig. 42c View Fig ); external efferent system of metathoracic glands reduced, peritreme short, subreniform, evaporative areas confined minimally beyond margins of peritreme, including mesepimeron ( Figs 42c, d View Fig ). Thoracic sterna: prosternum depressed; mesosternum medially sulcate, laterally striate; metasternum depressed. Pregenital Abdomen: posterolateral angles of abdominal venter rounded; connexiva smooth, without processes; male SIII medially rounded, without medial sulcation or processes; female SIII with very weak medial depression; male SVII visible, weakly overlapping pygophore; female SVII recessed, not visible. Male Genitalia: pygophore greatly enlarged; posterior margin of pygophore with medial notch ( Figs 42e, f View Fig , 43a View Fig ); dorsal margin with setal patches ( Fig. 42f View Fig , 43a View Fig ); parameres with thick stem, crown small, weakly notched Fig. 43b View Fig ); ductus seminis proximalis narrow, membraneous, singular ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ); ventral conducting canal, with up to 12 convolutions ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ); ejaculatory reservoir subelliptoid, moderately-sized ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ); vesica Sshaped; elongate, extending beyond conjunctival appendages ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ); CAI absent; CAII tripartite, CAII(L) elongate, sickle-shaped, strongly sclerotized, CAII(M) basally membraneous, apically with two digitiform lobal sclerites ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ); CAIII strongly sclerotized, fused medially, apically bifid ( Figs 43c, d View Fig ). Female Terminalia: caudally oriented; paratergites VIII moderately large, subelliptoid, medially incrassate; paratergites IX small, suboval, medial margins rounded; gonocoxae I greatly large, subtriangular, dorsal margin excavate; Spermatheca: fecundation canal short; reservoir round; proximal and distal flanges present; bulb oval.

Diversity and distribution: ScutipHora is a monotypic genus endemic to Australia.

Included species: S. pedicellata ( KIRBY 1826) Australia

Remarks: The affinities of ScutipHora are difficult to deduce, with distinctive character states of the antennae, mesosternum, external efferent system of the metathoracic glands, and male aedeagus. The metathoracic peritreme resembles those found in CallipHara and Lampromica, with all three genera having the peritreme subreniform in shape, although it is much smaller in ScutipHora . The male genitalia are autapomorphic, with the CAII tripartite and enlarged digitiform lobal sclerites. ScutipHora also has fused, U-shaped CAIII, which is not found in the former two genera, but in genera such as Calliscyta and Cantao .