Ambracius vittatus Carvalho

Ferreira, Paulo Sérgio F. & Henry, Thomas J., 2010, Revision of the genus Ambracius Stål, 1860 (Heteroptera: Miridae: Deraeocorinae: Clivinematini), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 2485, pp. 1-15 : 12-13

Ambracius vittatus Carvalho

(Fig. 9)

Ambracius vittatus Carvalho, 1984: 322 (n. sp.); Schuh, 1995: 588 (cat.).

Diagnosis: Anterior lateral margin of pronotum prominently carinate. Scutellum with two, longitudinal, black fasciae not quite reaching the apex. Hemelytral membrane with two small, black spots behind apex of cuneus.

Redescription: Female holotype (Fig. 9): Body length 5.60; width 3.30. Head length 0.20; width 0.80; distance between eyes 0.44; length of antennal segments I 0.20, II 1.00, III 0.40, IV 0.40. Labium length 1.10. Pronotum length 1.20; width, 1.80. Hind leg lengths: Femur 1.20; tibia1.60; tarsus 0.30. Scutellum length 0.70; width 0.90. Hemelytron length 4.2; width 3.30; cuneal length 0.80 mm; cuneal width 0.48.

General coloration reddish brown, with dark castaneous to black areas. Head covered with short, adpressed setae; eye black, with reddish margins; front with two black stripes extending to apex; clypeus pale brown, with short setae; buccula covered with golden, adpressed setae. Labium castaneous, extending to middle of mesosternum. Antenna reddish brown, covered with short setae; segment II enlarging to apex; apical areas of segments I, II, and IV fuscous to black. Pronotum punctate, covered with sparse, golden pubescence; anterior lateral margin prominently carinate; collar punctate, reaching vertex of head; calli convex, well delimited posteriorly, glabrous, smooth, fused with collar; disc convex, with two irregular, fuscous to black, longitudinal fasciae extending to base. Scutellum yellowish, strongly convex, with two longitudinal, black fasciae not quite reaching apex. Hemeytron reddish brown, somewhat smooth; irregular spots on corium and cuneus from lateral margin to clavo-corial suture fuscous to black; embolium wide; cuneus reddish brown, covered by short, adpressed setae; membrane hyaline, with veins and a small spot posterior to apex of cuneus black. Front and middle legs yellowish, covered with short setae; hind femur brown, with apical third more reddish brown; hind tibia and tarsus reddish brown. Ventral side castaneous, with short adpressed pubescence; propleura and sides of mesosternum, meso- and metapleura yellowish brown; ostriolar peritreme whitish.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution: Brazil (Santa Catarina).

Host plant: Unknown.

Discussion: The original description was based on one female from Brazil (Nova Teutonia City, Santa Catarina State). The holotype is deposited in the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. This species differs from other species of Ambracius by the color of the scutellum and black spot on the membrane.