Sagittacopula, WALL, 2007

WALL, MICHAEL A., 2007, A New Genus and New Species of Austro-Papuan Orthotylinae (Heteroptera: Miridae), American Museum Novitates 3558 (1), pp. 1-20 : 13-14

Sagittacopula , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Sagittacopula rufescens , n.sp .

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized among other Orthotylini by the following combination of characters: elongate parallel-sided body ( figs. 1g, h ); strongly carinate posterior margin of head projecting over anterior margin of pronotum; pronotal collar weak, flat; disc of pronotum distinctly rugulose; posterior margin of the pronotum broadly emarginate; metathoracic legs relatively long. Males distinguishable from similar genera by conical papillate tubercle on left lateroposterior margin of male genital capsule ( figs. 8 , 9b ); genital chamber separated from proctiger by sclerotized supragenital bridge; large curved right paramere; and aedeagus with membranous thumblike lobe extending from phallotheca ( fig. 9e ).

DESCRIPTION: Male: General Aspec t: Macropterous, elongate, parallel-sided, total length 4.25–4.32; length from apex to clypeus to cuneal fracture 2.89–3.01; width across humeral angles of pronotum 0.99–1.00. Coloration and vestiture ( figs. 1g, h ): Dorsum orangish red to reddish brown; clypeus, labium and antennal segment I red; antennal segments II-IV dark brown. Hemelytral membrane moderately suffused with brown; veins red. Legs yellowish orange, distal portion of metafemora red. Dorsum sparsely adorned with fine, short, hyaline setae; metepisternum with field of dense microchaetae; legs and antennae with fine, short, hyaline setae. Structure: Head moderately projecting in front of eyes; posterior margin convex; posterior margin strongly carinate, projecting over anterior margin of pronotum; frons flat posteriorly becoming steeply declivent anteriorly; clypeus distinctly projecting in front of frons; gena and maxillary plates extending anteroventrally; buccal cavity obovate, posterior margin well separated from anterior margin of prosternum; eyes occupying about one-half of total head height in lateral view, posterolateral margin well separated from margin of pronotum; antennae inserted midway between ventral and dorsal margins of eye. Antennae elongate, gracile; segment I subequal to length of pronotum, vasiform; segment II cylindrical, elongate, three times longer than segment I; segment III and IV gracile, often deformed in dry specimens. Labium reaching just beyond posterior margin of metacoxae. Pronotum elongate trapeziform, slightly longer than broad, weakly rugose with very fine, sparse puncation; pronotal collar thin, shallowly emarginate dorsally; lateral margins slightly emarginate; posterior margin distinctly sinuate with medial emargination; disc weakly convex, vaguely separated into anterior and posterior lobes by shallow sulcus; calli obsolete. Mesoscutum not exposed. Scutellum triangular, slightly convex. Hemelytra elongate, parallel-sided to posterior margin of cuneus; cuneus two to three times longer than broad. Metathoracic spiracle large with evaporative areas; ostiole lenticular, placed anteriorly on metepisternum; peritreme swollen anteriorly and posteriorly; evaporative area extending to posterior margin of metepisternum, slightly swollen and deflexed posteriorly. Legs extremely elongate; claws moderately curved with apically convergent parempodia. Genitalia ( figs. 8 , 9 ): Genital capsule large, subconical to subcylindrical; ventral projection variable; dorsoposterior margin with large tubercle on left side; genital chamber separated from proctiger by sclerotized supragenital bridge. Left paramere bent; angle swollen, bulbous; free arm narrowed distally. Right paramere elongate curving anterodorsally to dorsal tubercle of genital capsule. Phallotheca relatively simple, slightly sclerotized with distal toothed angular projection and membranous thumblike lobe laterally. Aedeagus relatively simple; ductus seminis heavily sclerotized prior to secondary gonopore; secondary gonopore weakly defined, surrounded by papillate membrane.

FEMALE: Similar to males. Ovipositor relatively short, one-third to one-fourth as long as abdomen; subgentital plate large, broadly triangular with rounded distal margin, approximately one-half the length of ovipositor.

ETYMOLOGY: Combination of the Latin noun sagitta (‘‘arrowhead’’) and the Latin noun copula (a ‘‘clasp’’ or ‘‘tie that binds’’), referring to the arrowlike shape of the right paramere. The gender is feminine.

REMARKS: Sagittacopula is interesting due to the presence of a sclerotized supragential bridge between the genital chamber and the proctiger. A sclerotized supragential bridge is widespread in the Cylapinae and Bryocorinae ( Konstantinov, 2003) , but is rarely noted in the Orthotylinae with the exception of Hadronema Uhler and related genera (Schwartz and Forero pers. comm). Potentially acting like an expanded paramere socket, the sclerotized supragential bridge in Sagittacopula may be necessary to support the grossly enlarged right paramere.

Figures

Fig. 1. Dorsal habitus photographs. a. Morobea longipes (male). b. M. longipes (female). c. close-up of cuneus of M. longipes (female). d. M. spectabilis. e. Wumea cassisi. f. W. cylpealis. g. Sagittacopula carvalhoi. h. S. rufescens.

Fig. 8. Male genitalia of Sagittacopula carvalhoi. a. Genital capsule with parameres, lateral view. b. Genital capsule with right paramere, ventral view. c. Left paramere, anterior view (scale bars 5 0.1 mm).

Fig. 9. Male genitalia of Sagittacopula rufescens. a. Genital capsule, ventral view. b. Magnified view of tubercle on genital capsule, dorsal view. c. Right paramere, posterior view. d. Left paramere, ventral view. e. Aedeagus, dorsal view (sgb supragenital bridge; scale bars 5 0.1 mm).