Namaquacapsus, SCHUH, 1974

Tatarnic, Nikolai J. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2012, The Halticini of the world (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae): generic reclassification, phylogeny, and host plant associations, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 164 (3), pp. 558-658 : 619-620

NAMAQUACAPSUS SCHUH ( FIGS 4 , 41–42 )

Namaquacapsus Schuh, 1974: 26 (gen. nov.; type species: Namaquacapsus melanostethoides Schuh, 1974 by monotypy); Schuh, 1995: 62 (cat.) Diagnosis: Recognized by the following characters: male macropterous (female unknown); robust and elongate; predominantly chestnut-coloured, with corium red at base and apex; impunctate; body clothed in long, erect black setae; tibiae without spines; genae height subequal to eye height; AI slightly swollen, AII apically clavate; pronotum broad; collar flat; pretarsi with minute pulvilli; left paramere L-shaped, with narrow, prominent sensory lobe and long, thin, apically hooked apophysis; right paramere apically spoon-shaped.

Redescription: Coloration ( Fig. 4 ): black with rustcoloured hemelytra. Surface and vestiture ( Figs 4 , 41A, B ): head and thorax smooth and glossy, remain- der dull, hemelytra weakly pitted; body clothed with long, black, erect setae; setae on antennae and legs thin and spinose; antennae with short semi-erect setae interspersed with a few long, erect setae; metatibiae without spines. Structure: male macropterous, female unknown. Head ( Figs 4 , 41 ): deflexed, short and transverse, broader than anterior of pronotum; posterior margin of vertex raised and carinate; frons broadly convex, steeply declivent; gena height slightly greater than eye height; eyes tall and short, substylate, not touching anterior margins of pronotum; buccula narrow. Labium ( Fig. 41A ): labium reaches anterior of metacoxa, LI short and swollen. Antennae ( Figs 4 , 41A ): insertion close to and in line with lower margin of eye; thin and cylindrical, shorter than body length; AI slightly swollen, shorter than eye height; AII narrow basally, weakly apically clavate; AIII and AIV thin. Thorax ( Fig. 4 ): pronotum trapezoidal, collar flattened, callosite region obsolete, anterior of humeral angles depressed, posterior margin declivent, weakly rounded, thin and carinate; mesoscutum concealed by pronotum; scutellum strongly convex. Hemelytra ( Figs 4 , 41A ): long; costal margin rounded; clavus steeply declivent laterally; embolium laterally sloping; cuneal fracture deep, cuneus long, laterally rounded; membrane with two cells. Legs ( Fig. 41A, B ): metafemora only weakly swollen; pretarsi with minute pulvilli. Male genitalia ( Fig. 42A–C ): parameres elongate, right longer than left; left paramere with narrow, projecting sensory lobe, arm concave, apically bifid; right paramere longer than left, apical club broad, deflected from midline, concave, with apex weakly swollen: phallotheca apically constricted, without lateral projections; ductus seminis long and narrow, with flexible ribbing, subapical portion without ribbing, secondary gonopore sclerotized, curved and dorsoventrally constricted at apex, ventral surface with serrate/scale-like texture; endosoma with weakly sclerotized folds emanating from secondary gonopore, apically with moderately sclerotized serrate and weakly spinose flange. Female unknown.

Diversity and distribution: Known only from Namaqualand, South Africa.

Included species: Namaquacapsus melanostethoides Schuh, 1974 * South Africa

Biology and host plant associations: There are no host or ecological data.

Remarks: Namaquacapsus is known from only two male specimens. The original description lacked illustrations of the aedeagus, with the endosoma said to be membranous, presumably lacking spicules ( Schuh, 1974). Based on our phylogeny, Namaquacapsus belongs to a clade of mostly African taxa that includes Dicyphopsis , Ectmetopterus , Acratheus , and Nanniella , which are united by several characters, including one synapomorphy: the presence of pillow-like swellings on the posterior wall (87-1). As only the male of Nam. melanostethoides is known, the states of this and other female-specific characters are unknown for this species. Additionally, because the legs of the sole specimen we examined obscure our view of the metathoracic scent gland structure, it is uncertain whether or not the peritreme is directed caudally as a thin strip along the posterior margin of the metepimeron (25-2), as is the case in the other clade members.

Figures

Figure 4. Photographs of Halticini genera: Labops–Strongylocoris. Abbreviations: F, female; M, male.

Figure 41. Scanning electron micrograph images of Namaquacapsus melanostethoides (male). A, lateral view; B, metatarsus.

Figure 42. Male genitalia of Namaquacapsus melanostethoides. A, aedeagus (phallotheca removed); B, left paramere; C, right paramere.