Phasmatocoris borgmeieri ( Wygodzinsky, 1945 )

Gil-Santana, Hélcio R., 2015, Two new species of Phasmatocoris Breddin from Brazil, and description of the male of Phasmatocoris borgmeieri (Wygodzinsky) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae), Zootaxa 4059 (1), pp. 51-70 : 52-55

Phasmatocoris borgmeieri ( Wygodzinsky, 1945)

( Figs. 1–16 )

Rothbergia borgmeieri Wygodzinsky, 1945: 246 –248 [description]; Wygodzinsky, 1949: 33 [catalog]. Phasmatocoris borgmeieri ; Wygodzinsky, 1966: 282 [key, new combination, comments], 283 [figure]; Maldonado, 1990: 90 [catalog]; Gil-Santana et al., 2007: 49 [key], 50 [brief comments on morphological features and systematic relationship with other species].

Rothbergia borgmeieri was described based only on the female holotype collected in 1935 in “Campinas”, state of Goiás, central Brazil, originally deposited in the IEEA ( Wygodzinsky 1945, Zikán & Wygodzinsky 1948). This latter institution no longer exists and some of Wygodzinsky’s types previously deposited there have been found in the MNRJ ( Gil-Santana & Forero 2010). In fact, upon my request, Luiz A. A. Costa of the MNRJ kindly confirmed that the holotype of R. borgmeieri is now deposited in the MNRJ. He reexamined this holotype and provided photographs ( Figs. 1–3 ) and information about some morphologically relevant features, all of which were confirmed to be in complete accordance with the original description ( Wygodzinsky 1945). Except of the new combination Phasmatocoris borgmeieri established by Wygodzinsky (1966), resulting from the synonym of Rothbergia and Phasmatocoris , no further information has been published on this species so far.

“Campinas”, the type locality of P. borgmeieri , is now a neighborhood of the municipality Goiânia, the principal city of the state of Goíás. The male described here and considered as belonging to the same species was collected in the municipality of Paranã, which, although located in another state of Central Brazil (Tocantins), is located relatively close (590 km) from Goiânia. It is noteworthy that most of the tropical deforestation of Brazil has taken place in the central region of Brazil, with catastrophic and increasing rates of degradation and loss of natural environments and associated fauna and flora ( Klink & Machado 2005, Latrubesse et al. 2009, Coe et al. 2011).

Diagnosis. Total length: 11.0 (male)–12.5 (female). General coloration testaceous, without conspicuous markings ( Figs. 1–2, 4 ). Fore lobe of pronotum 1.6–1.7 times longer than hind lobe; anterior projections of collar rounded; humeral angles of hind lobe of pronotum rounded and somewhat elevated ( Figs. 1–2, 4 ). Scutellum elevated; slightly prominent apically. Metanotum with a small, somewhat acute prominence ( Fig. 5 ). Ventral surface of fore femora only with slender spine-like setae arranged in two series, posteroventral and anteroventral, apically transformed into short teeth; anteroventral series interrupted at base, not connected to posteroventral series, one isolated seta basal to interruption; longer setae in posteroventral series, with length about 1.2 times the value of maximum width of fore femur; spine-like setae not attaining base of this latter by about the length of fore tarsus. Fore tibiae ventrally with a single series of denticles. Forewing with subbasal cell longer than basal cell. Process of pygophore spine-like, tapering to the apex, curved at distal third in lateral view ( Figs. 6–7 ). Parameres symmetrical, with apical third much enlarged; a sharp ridge on upper margin of apical portion, ending as small teeth distally on left paramere and as a small protuberance on right paramere, both on apical border; this latter also with submedial sharp teeth ( Figs. 8–10 ). Phallus ( Fig. 11 ): basal plates much shorter than phallosoma, slightly divergent, connected by a very short basal bridge ( Fig. 12 ); basal plate extension elongate, narrower towards apical half, struts partially fused ( Fig. 13 ); phallosoma wall not sclerotized ( Fig. 11 ). Endosoma wall smooth; a pair of endosoma processes conspicuously asymmetrical in their structure, although with similar length ( Fig. 11 ): an elongate flat somewhat darkened process ( Fig. 14 ) beside a tubular process, with a sclerotized core surrounded by filamentous and membranous layers ( Figs. 15–16 ).

Description. Male. MEASUREMENTS: Total length: 11.0; head: length: 1.4; maximum width across the eyes: 1.0; ante-ocular length: 0.6; post-ocular length: 0.45; interocular space: 0.5; distance from apex of antenniferous tubercle to anterior border of eye: 0.3; eye length: 0.4; antennal segments length: I: 6.8; II: 5.2; others absent; labial segments length: II [first visible]: 0.25; III: 0.45; IV: 0.9. Thorax: pronotum: fore lobe length: 1.8; hind lobe length: 1.1; width at posterior margin: 1.3; forewing length: 7.1. Legs length: fore legs: coxa: 2.8; femur: 3.9, maximum width: 0.3; tibia: 2.2; tarsus: 0.6; middle legs: femur: 7.3; tibia: 10.8; tarsus: 0.7; hind legs: femur: 9.5; tibia: 15.8; tarsus: abs. Abdomen: length: 5.9. COLORATION: general coloration testaceous ( Fig. 4 ); first and second antennal segments darkened, except at bases and apices, which are pale; other antennal segments absent; dorsal portion of head, lateral portions of hind lobe of pronotum and fore femora somewhat darkened; mesosternum, metasternum and most of sternites paler, yellowish; forewings somewhat paler, veins concolorous to yellowish, hind wings not examined; last two sternites somewhat darkened. VESTITURE: body integument with a very short yellowish to golden pubescence in which each short seta set on a small granule, which gives a finely granular appearence to the integument, more evident on the head, fore lobe of pronotum and legs; on posterior border of hind lobe of pronotum, some golden setae beside scutellum base. Lateral portion of mesosternum glabrous. Sternites with numerous intermixed longer fine setae; antennae with short, curved pale fine setae; forewings glabrous. Ventral surface of fore femora only with slender spinelike setae in two series, posteroventral and anteroventral, apically transformed into short teeth; anteroventral series interrupted at base, not connected to posteroventral series, one isolated seta basal to interruption; distance between this latter and the first seta of the series 0.35 mm; distance from base of fore femur to insertion of first spiniform seta of anteroventral series 1.6 mm, and from apex of fore trochanter 1.2 mm. Distance from base of fore femur to insertion of first spiniform seta in posteroventral series 0.8 mm, and from apex of fore trochanter, slightly shorter than length of fore tarsus, 0.5 mm. Longer setae in posteroventral series, with length about 1.2 times the value of maximum width of fore femur. Fore tibiae with straight medium-sized stiff obliquely inclined pale to golden setae on distal half, dorsally; these setae are more numerous above and somewhat on the depressed area of this portion; an auxiliary row (sensu Pape 2013) of seven parallel lateral straight longer setae along apical two thirds, dorsally; numerous straight short setae close beside medial series of denticles, ventrally; inner surface on distal fourth, with dense short adpressed golden pubescence and a small comb on mid-portion of this area; apex with a dense cluster of stiff setae ventrally. Fore tarsi with scattered long and fine pale setae and numerous shorter somewhat thicker setae ventrally. STRUCTURE: Integument moderately shiny. Head elongated, 1.4 times as long as wide across eyes; anteocular portion slightly longer than postocular; transversal (interocular) sulcus deep; distance from apex of antenniferous tubercle to anterior border of eye in lateral view somewhat shorter than length of this latter; eyes globose, projecting laterally, somewhat prominent in dorsal view, reaching dorsal margin of head at interocular sulcus; not reaching ventral margin of head, which is somewhat far from inferior margin of the eye; antenna inserted approximately halfway between eyes and apex of head; antennal segments I–II (remaining segments lacking in the examined specimen) straight, very slender; labium somewhat double curved on lateral view. Thorax: fore lobe of pronotum approximately 1.6 times longer than hind lobe, sub-rectangular in dorsal view, anterior projections of collar rounded; a well-defined longitudinal medial thin and shallow furrow; transverse interlobar sulcus deep. Hind lobe of pronotum coarsely transversely striated, with a medial somewhat broad and depressed area; humeral angles rounded and somewhat elevated. Scutellum elevated, slightly prominent apically. Metanotum with a small somewhat acute prominence ( Fig. 5 ). Fore coxae and fore femora elongated, the latter somewhat broadened at mid-portion ( Fig. 4 ); fore tibia approximately half the length of fore femora, somewhat curved, dorsally depressed at basal portion of distal half of the segment, ventrally with a single series of hook-like denticles, which are smaller at basal portion of the segment and less numerous and more separate from each other at apical portion; inner surface on distal quarter somewhat flattened. Fore tarsi three-segmented, slender. Mid and hind legs very long and slender; tarsi lacking in the examined specimen. Forewings approaching apex of abdomen by approximately 0.2 mm; subbasal cell longer than basal cell. Abdomen: slender, sides parallel. Last tergite with a tongue-shaped prolongation posteriorly, which is rounded apically, wider at base, slightly surpassing tip of pygophore. Male genitalia ( Figs. 6–16 ): pygophore subrectangular in dorsal view ( Fig. 8 ); process of pygophore spine-like, tapering to the apex, curved at distal third in lateral view ( Figs. 6–7 ). Parameres symmetrical, curved, setose, except on basal fourth which is glabrous, with apical third much enlarged; a sharp ridge on upper margin of apical portion, ending as small teeth distally on left paramere and as a small protuberance on right paramere, both on apical border; this latter also with submedial sharp teeth ( Figs. 8–10 ). Phallus ( Fig. 11 ): basal plates much shorter than phallosoma, slightly divergent, connected by a very short basal bridge ( Fig. 12 ); basal plate extension elongate, narrower towards apical half, struts partially fused ( Fig. 13 ); phallosoma wall not sclerotized ( Fig. 11 ). Endosoma wall smooth; a pair of endosoma processes of similar length but conspicuously asymmetrical shape ( Fig. 11 ): one of them elongate, flat, somewhat darkened ( Fig. 14 ), the other one, a tubular process with a sclerotized core surrounded by filamentous and membranous layers ( Figs. 15–16 ).

Distribution. Brazil, states of Goiás and Tocantins.

Specimen examined. BRAZIL, Tocantins, Paranã, Fazenda [Farm] Jatai (12º42’40’’S 48º13’12’’W), 01.XII.2005, Catarina Macedo Lopes leg., 1 male.

Discussion. The examined male ( Fig. 4 ) is similar to the female holotype ( Figs. 1–2 ), the very slight differences in some measurements (e.g., total length of 11.0 mm in male and 12.5 mm in female holotype) could be either due to inter-individual variation or rather sexual dimorphism. Unfortunately, the current catastrophic degradation in central Brazil ( Klink & Machado 2005, Latrubesse et al. 2009, Coe et al. 2011), where the only two specimens of P. borgmeieri were collected, makes future finding of other specimens unlikely.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Phasmatocoris borgmeieri, 1 – 3, female holotype deposited in MNRJ (courtesy of Luiz A. A. Costa and Rachel Alexandre de Carvalho), 1, head and thorax, dorsal view, 2, hind lobe of pronotum, meso-, and metathorax, lateral view, 3, labels, 4 – 5, male specimen, 4, lateral view, 5, scutellum and metanotum dorsolateral view.

FIGURES 6 – 10. Phasmatocoris borgmeieri, male, 6 – 7, genital region, 6, lateral view, 7, posterior view, 8, pygophore and parameres, dorsal view, 9 – 10, paramere, 9, ventral view, 10, apical portion, dorsal view, scale bar 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 16. Phasmatocoris borgmeieri, male genitalia, 11, phallus, lateral view, 12, articulatory apparatus, dorsal view, scale bar 0.2 mm, 13, basal plate extension and struts, dorsal view, scale bar 0.3 mm, 14 – 16, processes of endosoma, lateral view, scale bar 0.3 mm, 14, flat process, 15 – 16, tubular process, 15, basal portion, 16, apical portion.