Lasiacantha aureolus, Cassis & Symonds, 2011

Cassis, Gerasimos & Symonds, Celia, 2011, Systematics, biogeography and host plant associations of the lace bug genus Lasiacantha Stål in Australia (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) 2818, Zootaxa 2818 (1), pp. 1-63 : 19-23

Lasiacantha aureolus , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 3a , 4d–f , 5 , 7a , 8 , 12a–b , 13b , 14a )

Holotype. ♂, AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: ~ 75 km E of Stuart Hwy on Ernest Giles Road, 24.56668°S 132.5324°E, 511 m, 30 Oct 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, ex Eremophila sp. (Myoporaceae) , det. Field ID NSW 666254 (193244) ( NTM).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: 17.5 km E of Stuart Hwy on Horseshoe Bend Rd, 25.16667 ° S 133.3223 ° E, 412 m, 29 Oct 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, ex Eremophila sp. (Myoporaceae) , det. Field ID NSW 658406, 6 f (17380–17385) ( AM); 25 km E of Curtin Springs on Lasseter Hwy, 25.28334 ° S 131.9609 ° E, 491 m, 02 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, ex Eremophila sp. (Myoporaceae) , det. NSW Herbarium, 2 m (17287, 17375), 2 f (17285, 17286) ( AM); 193 km E of Stuart Hwy on Lasseter Hwy, 25.21667 ° S 131.4776 ° E, 519 m, 31 Oct 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, ex Aluta maisonneuvei (F.Muell.) Rye and Trudgen (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW Herbarium NSW 658402, 1 m (13107) ( AM); ~ 75 km E of Stuart Hwy on Ernest Giles Road, 24.56668 ° S 132.5324 ° E, 511 m, 30 Oct 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, ex Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Labill.) Steetz (Asteraceae) , det. NSW Herbarium NSW 666256, 2 m (17323, 17324), 1 f (17325), ex Eremophila sp. (Myoporaceae) , det. Field ID NSW 666254, 94 m ((13519–13532, 13548, 13551, 13552, 13554, 13555, 13557, 13561, 13565–13569, 13571, 13573, 13575, 13578, 13582, 13584, 13587, 13589, 13591, 13593, 13596, 13598, 13600, 13601, 13603, 13605, 13606, 13608, 13609, 13611, 13612, 13615, 13616, 13618, 13621, 13623, 13625, 13627, 13629, 13631, 13633, 13636, 13637, 17288, 17290–17300, 17326–17346), 110 f (13533, 13545, 13547, 13549, 13550, 13553, 13556, 13558, 13560, 13562, 13564, 13570, 13572, 13574, 13576, 13577, 13579, 13581, 13583, 13585, 13586, 13588, 13590, 13592, 13594, 13595, 13597, 13599, 13602, 13604, 13607, 13610, 13613, 13614, 13617, 13622, 13624, 13626, 13628, 13630, 13632, 13634, 13635, 13638, 13641, 17301–17321, 17347–17374), ex Aluta maisonneuvei (F.Muell.) Rye and Trudgen (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW Herbarium NSW 658402, 1 m (17423), ex Micromyrtus flaviflora (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex J.M.Black (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW Herbarium NSW 666258, 1 m (17322) ( AM); jct of Namatjira Rd and Gosse Bluff track, 23.78335 ° S 132.359 ° E, 711 m, 04 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, 1 m (13652) ( AM).

Other material examined. AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: ~ 75 km E of Stuart Hwy on Ernest Giles Road, 24.56668 ° S 132.5324 ° E, 511 m, 30 Oct 2001, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, ex Eremophila sp. (Myoporaceae) , det. Field ID NSW 666254, 1 Larva ( AM).

Diagnosis. Lasiacantha aureolus is recognised by the following combination of characters: mostly golden brown dorsal colouration with some darker red brown mottling ( Fig. 5 ); major setiferous tubercles on pronotum and hemelytra short, terminal seta less than half length of tuberculate base ( Fig. 8b, d ); costal area with major setiferous tubercles extending to posterior hemelytral margin, albeit reduced ( Fig. 8d ); discoidal area with clump of setiferous tubercles at posterior angle, carinate margins without setiferous tubercles ( Fig. 8d ); pronotum with woolly and hairlike setae ( Fig. 8b ); hemelytra with only hairlike setae ( Fig. 8d ); woolly setae elongate, curly, bright gold ( Fig. 5 ); hairlike setae elongate ( Fig. 8b ); abdominal venter with minute, pale, scalelike setae ( Fig. 8f ); cephalic spines elongate, medial spine forked ( Fig. 8a ); collum columnar, just higher than medial carina ( Fig. 5 , lateral); paranota three areolae wide ( Fig. 8b ); costal area mostly two areolae wide, three posteriorly ( Fig. 8d ); areolae large over entire hemelytra ( Fig. 8d ); sternal carinae parallel, all subequal width.

Description. Medium size, macropterous ( Fig. 5 ); males 2.70–2.08, females 2.74–2.84. COLOURATION. Dorsum mostly golden brown with some red brown patches. Head: dark brown, almost black; cephalic spines unicolourous, golden brown; bucculae mostly pale brown, base sometimes darker red brown; labium red brown, apex dark brown; antennae mostly pale brown, AI–AII sometimes slightly darker than AIII, orange brown, AIV dark red brown. Pronotum: disc dark brown, almost black, paler posteriorly to golden brown; paranota variable, golden brown or mottled golden and red brown; collum golden brown, sometimes with red brown spot on apex; carinae golden brown, medial carina dark brown medially. Thoracic pleura and sterna: variable from red brown to dark brown, supracoxal lobes slightly paler; sternal carinae golden brown. Legs: mostly golden to orange brown; femur sometimes slightly darker at base; tarsi dark red brown. Hemelytra: golden brown; small red brown patches medially on lateral margins of discoidal area, posterior angle of discoidal area, banded on paranota, sometimes medially in sutural area. Abdominal venter: orange brown to red brown, darker laterally. VESTITURE. Head: dense distribution of elongate, curly, bright gold, woolly setae; absent in longitudinal rows between occipital and medial spines; antennae with minor setiferous tubercles, pale colour, AI–AII with single row of setiferous tubercles with short curved terminal seta, AIII setiferous tubercles with greatly elongate with straight terminal seta. Pronotum: paranota margins with short major setiferous tubercles, terminal seta less than half length of tuberculate base; keel of collum and pronotal carinae without major setiferous tubercles; collum, paranota and pronotal carinae with elongate, hairlike setae; disc with dense distribution of elongate, curly, bright gold, woolly setae, more upright than on head. Thoracic pleura and sterna: pleura with dense distribution of elongate woolly setae as on dorsum, supracoxal lobes with short, clavate scalelike setae ( Fig. 8c ); mesosternum with sparse distribution of minute, clavate scalelike setae. Legs: minor setiferous tubercles, terminal seta pale colour; on tibiae elongate, erect, bristlelike; on femora short, thickened. Hemelytra: costal margins with major setiferous tubercles as on paranota, extending to posterior margin of hemelytra but reduced; major setiferous tubercles on cubitus + R+M vein, clumped (aggregated) at anterior angle of discoidal area, absent from carinate margins of discoidal area; moderately dense distribution of hairlike setae, same as pronotum, on costal, subcostal and discoidal areas; white microtrichae absent. Abdomen: sparse distribution of minute, clavate, pale scalelike setae. STRUCTURE. Head: spines moderately elongate; frontal spines parallel, longer than AI; medial spine forked; occipital spines strongly curved outwards, extending only to outer margin of eye; labium moderate length, extending to metasternum; antennae, AI short and subequal in length to AII, AIV with compact base, apex clavate. Pronotum: disc slightly convex; collum columnar, tapering, vertically projected, slightly higher than medial carina; carinae moderately elevated, one areole wide, medial carina with extra one to three areolae medially; lateral carinae thickened; paranota rounded semi-circular, three areolae wide. Thoracic sterna: sternal carinae straight, metasternal carinae equal width to mesosternal carinae. Hemelytra: areolae large, uniform in size over entire hemelytra; costal area mostly two areolae wide, three posteriorly; subcostal area two areolae wide; discoidal area three areolae wide; sutural area five areolae wide. Male genitalia: pygophore subquadrate; narrowing posteriorly; rounded and slightly flattened posterior margin; dorsal opening strongly concave, rounded ( Figs 8e , 12a–b ); parameres with sensory lobe rounded, weakly expanded ( Figs. 8e , 13b ); distal u-shaped endosomal sclerite with deep cleft, basal branches elongate ( Fig 14a ). MEASURE- MENTS. Ranges for 5 ♂ and 5 ♀ are given in Table 6.

Fifth instar larva. See Fig. 7a ; body length 1.7 mm; colouration overall pale, yellow-brown; darker red brown head, medially on pronotum and abdomen, apex of forewing pads and antennal segment IV, dorsal processes bicoloured, yellow brown basally and medium brown apically, cephalic spine entirely medium brown; dorsum with sparse distribution of pale, linear, moderately short, cuticular outgrowths, with a slightly bulbous apex; cephalic spines greatly elongate, medial spine forked basally, occipital spines with elongate dorsal branch; pronotum with two medial pairs of dorsal processes, one pair on partially formed collum, second pair medial; paranota rounded; lateral margins of pronotum, forewing buds and abdominal tergites with dorsal processes; abdominal T1–3 with medial paired dorsal processes, T4, 7, 8 & 10 with single medial dorsal process; all dorsal processes elongate, with weakly clavate apex, and mostly glabrous, with a few very short, pale, setiferous setae.

Host plants. Recorded from unidentified species of Eremophila at three localities ( Figs 4d–e ). Three plant records ( Chrysocephalum apiculatum , Micromyrtus flaviflora , Aluta maisonneuvei ) are regarded as sitting records.

Distribution. Restricted to central Australia, known from five localities southwest of Alice Springs ( Figs 3a , 4f ). One specimen was collected at the same locality as Inoma silveirae Cassis and Symonds , but from a different host plant.

Etymology. Meaning golden in Latin, after the distinctive bright golden woolly setae.

Remarks. Lasiacantha aureolus is similar to L. ephemera in that the dorsum has a golden orange-brown colouration, the extent of darker brown patches is reduced compared to other species, the collum is golden brown, and it has short setiferous tubercles. It differs from L. ephemera by the following characters: medial carina much higher than lateral carina (cf. medial carina only slightly higher than lateral carinae), all carinae more highly elevated, collum much smaller and only slightly higher than medial carinae, abdominal venter with minute scalelike setae (shorter than in L. ephemera ), sternal carinae all parallel and equal in width, woolly setae a much brighter gold colour (cf. more creamy gold in L. ephemera ), slightly smaller body size, marginal major setiferous tubercles more closely spaced than in L. ephemera , and extend to the posterior margin of the hemelytra, albeit in a more reduced form. Lasiacantha aureolus fifth instar larvae were observed to differ to that of L. luritja as follows: paler in overall colouration; dorsal processes not as elongate, with weakly clavate apex and bicoloured—base yellow brown and apex medium brown. See also remarks for L. luritja .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Implied weights phylogeny for Australian Lasiacantha Stål, 1873, with nodes numbered (refer to Table 3 for character state changes at nodes), bootstrap values are given as branch supports, and biogeographic area and host plant mapped next to the species name. Map of areas of endemism, redrawn from Crisp et al. (1995). Abbreviations for biogeographic areas as follows: ED = Eastern Desert; EQ = Eastern Queensland; MM = Macleay-McPherson; P = Pilbara; SE = Southeast New South Wales; SW = Southwest Western Australia; TAS = Tasmania; and, WD = Western Desert.

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of Lasiacantha species. (a) Clade 3 spp. and (b) Clade 1 and 2 spp.

FIGURE 4. Lasiacantha habitats and hosts: (a) locality for L. discordis: Western Australia, 11 km N of Coolgardie-Esperance Hwy on Kambalda Rd; (b) host of L. discordis: Eremophila dempsteri; (c) locality and host for L. darwini: Eremophila sp., Western Australia, Charles Darwin Reserve, edge of claypans N of Wanarra East Rd; (d) & (e) host of L. aureolus: Eremophila sp.; (f) locality for L. aureolus: Northern Territory, ~ 75 km E of Stuart Hwy on Ernest Giles Rd; (g) locality for L. luritja: Northern Territory, 33 km E of Alice Springs on Ross Hwy; (h) host for L. luritja: Eremophila freelingii; (i) host for L. nipha: Eremophila sp., Western Australia, Charles Darwin Reserve, Wanarra East Rd, at Breakaway Well.

FIGURE 5. Photographs of Australian Lasiacantha species: L. aureolus sp. nov. (habitus and lateral), L. darwini sp. nov., L. dysmikos sp. nov., L. ephemera sp. nov, L. eremophila sp. nov, L. inaquosa sp. nov., L. luritja sp. nov., L. nipha sp. nov. and L. pilbara sp. nov.. Scale = 1mm. Plate 1 of 2.

FIGURE 7. (a) Photographs of Australian Lasiacantha larvae, L. aureolus sp. nov and L. luritja sp. nov; (b) Photograph of holotype of Lasiacantha aemula (Drake, 1947) nov. comb..

FIGURE 8. Lasiacantha aureolus sp. nov. (a) head dorsal (♀, 30 µm); (b) pronotum dorsal (♀, 100 µm); (c) mesepimeron and metepisternum (♀, 30 µm); (f) hemelytra (♀, 100 µm); (g) pygophore dorsal (♂, 30 µm); (h) abdomen ventral (♀, 100 µm). Scales in brackets, measured in µm.

FIGURE 12. Male pygophore, dorsal and ventral, of three Australian Lasiacantha species, from the three species groups: (a) and (b) L. aureolus; (c) and (d) L. discordis; (e) and (f) L. graminicola. Scale = 0.1mm.

FIGURE 13. Male paramere, dorsal, of seven Australian Lasiacantha species, from the three species groups: (a) L. eremophila; (b) L. aureolus; (c) L. luritja; (d) L. serraseta; (e) L. discordis; (f) L. graminicola. Abbreviations: Ap, apophysis; SL, sensory lobe. Scale = 0.1mm.

FIGURE 14. Male endosoma, ventral, of three Australian Lasiacantha species, from the three species groups: (a) L. aureolus; (b) L. discordis; (c) L. graminicola. Abbreviations: DUES, distal u-shaped endosomal sclerite; bb, basal branches of DUES; cl, cleft of DUES. Scale = 0.1mm.