Dichelops (Diceraeus) Dallas, 1851

Poock-Da-Silva, Priscila, Barão, Kim Ribeiro & Grazia, Jocelia, 2013, Contributions to the knowledge of Dichelops Spinola: description of a new species of Dichelops (Diceraeus) and of the male of Dichelops (Prodichelops) divisus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Carpocorini), Zootaxa 3609 (1) : -

Dichelops (Diceraeus) Dallas, 1851

Diceraeus Dallas, 1851: 193, 208.

Dichelops (Neodichelops) Grazia, 1978: 14 , 63–65. Dichelops (Diceraeus) Rider, 1998: 505 .

Type species: Cimex furcatus Fabricius, 1775 for Neodichelops Grazia, 1978 by original designation; Diceraeus melacanthus Dallas, 1851 for Diceraeus by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Anterolateral margins of pronotum serrated, posterolateral margins sinuated or crenulated; spiracles, and abdominal punctures concolorous with abdominal surface. Apex of scutellum without punctures, bearing a rounded or striped yellowish callus. Male: posterolateral angles of pygophore lacking bristle tufts; superior process of dorsal rim conspicuous, in a tubercle or forming a flap projected towards paramere base; parameres elongated, robust, and flattened; paramere head as long as base; ventral process of conjunctiva present. Female: pars intermedialis twisted; capsula seminalis lacking processes.

Grazia (1978) described the presence of the vesica and the processus vesicae in the phallus of Diceraeus. Actually, the processus vesicae formerly described by Grazia (1978) corresponds to the process of the conjunctiva ( Fig. 10 ), and the former vesica corresponds to the processus vesicae ( Fig. 12 ). The processus vesicae is the same structure observed in the subgenus Dichelops by Klein et al. (2012).

The vesicle of pars intermedialis ( Grazia, 1978), present in all species of Diceraeus, is here indicated by a twist in this structure. We chose this designation, because the word “vesicle” denotes a secretory function, which cannot be ascertained by now. The extension of the twisted area is variable, occupying two-thirds of the pars intermedialis length in D. furcatus , D. melacanthus , and D. phoenix , and the entire pars intermedialis’s length in D. lobatus . In all these species the duct is tightly-twisted; however in D. caatinguensis sp. nov. the duct is loosely-twisted and occupies the basal half of the pars intermedialis.

Key to the species of subgenus Diceraeus (modified from Grazia, 1978)

1. Connexivum lacking spots or with diffuse castaneous spots; scutellum apex with yellowish stripe...................... 2

1’. Connexivum with dark spots at anterior and posterior margins; scutellum apex with yellowish callus............................................................................................... D. (Dice.) caatinguensis sp. nov.

2. Jugae acute; humeri varying from underdeveloped to forming long spines; pars intermedialis tightly-twisted along twothirds of its length.....................................................................................3

2’. Jugae obtuse; humeri with rhomboid projections laterally expanded; pars intermedialis tightly-twisted all its length.......................................................................................... D. (Dice.) lobatus Grazia

3. Gonocoxites 8 inflated, with the apical quarter folded dorsally, forming a conspicuous arch in lateral view; ventral rim of the pygophore straight or moderately sinuated at the middle; superior process of dorsal rim of the pygophore variable......... 4

3’. Gonocoxites 8 less inflated, almost flattened; ventral rim of the pygophore medially bisinuated; superior process of dorsal rim in a scalloped flaplike structure.................................................... D. (Dice.) melacanthus Dallas

4. Superior process of dorsal rim of pygophore as an entire flap structure; outer face of paramere with a hook projection; black punctures in anterior half of pronotal anterolateral margins, around pronotal cicatrices and forming three parallel stripes along costa often distinct................................................................. D. (Dice.) phoenix Grazia

4’. Superior process of dorsal rim of pygophore in a tubercle placed inside genital cup; paramere lacking projections; black punctures in pronotum anterolateral margins and along costa seldom distinct.................... D. (Dice.) furcatus Fabricius

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 12. Dichelops (Diceraeus) caatinguensis sp. nov., male genitalia 3 – 4, pygophore, posterior view; 5 – 6, pygophore, dorsal view; 7 – 8, pygophore, ventral view; 9, left paramere, dorsal view; 10 – 12, phallus, ventral, dorsal and lateral views, respectively. (cj, conjunctiva; dr, dorsal rim; dsd, ductus seminis distalis; gs, secondary gonopore; pa, paramere; pcj, process of conjunctiva; ph, phallotheca; prph, processus phallothecae; prv, processus vesicae; spdr, superior process of dorsal rim; vr, ventral rim; X, proctiger) (Scales: figs. 3 – 8 = 0.5 mm; 9 – 12 = 0.15 mm).