Brachysandalus punctorius Stål, 1867

Liu, Yingqi & Cai, Wanzhi, 2024, Revision of Australian Brachysandalus with the description of nine new species including one cavernicolous species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), and observations on male extragenital structure and leg teratology, Zootaxa 5490 (1), pp. 1-112 : 81-87

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5490.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E939D165-05C8-4557-BF13-751B26188C39
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13309779
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0A0987BA-FFA6-FFA2-D69C-FA99B364DDF8
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Brachysandalus punctorius Stål, 1867
status

Treatment

Brachysandalus punctorius Stål, 1867 View in CoL

( Figs. 42–45 View FIGURE 42 View FIGURE 43 View FIGURE 44 View FIGURE 45 )

Brachysandalus punctorius Stål, 1867: 260 View in CoL ; Maldonado Capriles (1990: 346). Type locality: Australia ( Moreton Bay ).

Pirates (Brachysandalus) punctorius : Stål (1874: 60).

Pirates punctorius : Walker (1873: 126).

Pirates fulvipennis Walker, 1873: 128 . Type locality: Australia (Melbourne, Victoria). Synonymized by Cassis & Gross, 1995: 343. Synonymy discarded in the present study.

Pirates (Brachysandalus) flavo-pictus Stål, 1874: 60 . Type locality: Australia (Adelaide, South Australia). Synonymized by Cassis & Gross, 1995: 343. Synonymy discarded in the present study.

Type specimen examined. Lectotype (present designation), brachypterous female, Typus, Moreton Bay, Stevens., punctorius Stål, NHRS-GULI 000000132 ( NHRS).

Other specimens examined. [ M, macropterous; B, brachypterous]. NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 B male (dissected), 33.35S 146.35E, 7.5 km NE by N Gubbata , 4–12.xii.1999, 3 G, D. Driscoll pitfalls, strip, G3 1–8, 12/99 ( ANIC) ( Fig. 43A–C View FIGURE 43 ). GoogleMaps 1 B female, 33.35S 146.37E, 8.5 km NE of Gubbata, 12–19.xi.1999, 8 G, D. Driscoll pitfalls, ungrazed roadside, no spinifex, ‘G8 1–8 13/11/99’ ( ANIC) ( Fig. 43D–F View FIGURE 43 ); GoogleMaps 2 B females, 33.56S 146.06E, 5 km NE by E Pulletop Nat. Res., 12–18. x.1999, 10 P, D. Driscoll pitfalls, woodland ( ANIC). GoogleMaps VICTORIA. 1 M male, Lake Hattah, J.E. Dixon, J. E. Dixon Collection Don. Jan 1940 ( MV) ( Fig. 44 View FIGURE 44 ) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Macropterous male, brachypterous male and female known, body small sized. Black, shiny, pronotum, scutellum and abdominal sternites with metallic blue lustre ( Figs. 42–44 View FIGURE 42 View FIGURE 43 View FIGURE 44 ), hemelytron of macropterous male with a large oval yellow spot involving apical 2/3 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins PCu+1A and Cu ( Fig. 44A View FIGURE 44 ), hemelytron of brachypterous individuals with membrane pale yellow ( Figs. 42A View FIGURE 42 , 43A&D View FIGURE 43 ). Fore femur armed below with two rows of minute tubercles, rows separated by a faint median furrow, ventral surface of mid femur also with rows of minute blackish tubercles ( Figs. 42C View FIGURE 42 , 43C&F View FIGURE 43 , 44B View FIGURE 44 ); fore tibia with fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length, mid tibia with fossula spongiosa about 1/3 its length ( Figs. 42C View FIGURE 42 , 43C&F View FIGURE 43 , 44B View FIGURE 44 ); in male, left side of abdominal sternite VII with an upturned, spine-like extragenital process, located near posterior margin of sternite VII ( Figs. 43C View FIGURE 43 , 55F View FIGURE 55 , 56F View FIGURE 56 ); male genitalia with median pygophore process straight, tapered, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 45B View FIGURE 45 ), and straight, spine-like, apical 1/3 gradually tapered, near base slightly constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 45C View FIGURE 45 ); inner margin of lateral phallothecal sclerite slightly corrugated ( Fig. 45I View FIGURE 45 ).

Redescription.

Brachypterous male and female ( Figs. 42 View FIGURE 42 , 43 View FIGURE 43 )

Colouration ( Figs. 42 View FIGURE 42 , 43 View FIGURE 43 ): Black, shiny. Pronotum, scutellum and abdominal sternites with metallic blue lustre; legs with tarsi brown; hemelytron with membrane pale yellow.

Structure ( Figs. 42 View FIGURE 42 , 43 View FIGURE 43 , 45 View FIGURE 45 ): Body small sized, densely covered with yellowish white, procumbent pilosity; antenna also with brown, suberect, short setae; lateral margins of head, lateral margins of pronotum and legs also with brown to blackish brown, suberect, long setae.

Head: Anteocular region elongate triangular, clypeus near its base slightly elevated above mandibular plates. Interocular region with arcuate convex sulcus at posterior border of eyes, a small pit near base. Postocular region typical ellipsoid shape, almost rounded to neck. Neck with lateral tubercles tiny but covered with small granules. Antennae with all segments covered with short yellowish brown pilosity and sparse longer setae; scape thickest, pedicel thinner, then basi- and distiflagellum thinnest. Eye small, reniform, not reaching dorsal and ventral margins of head in lateral view, width of eye subequal to half width of interocular space in dorsal view. Ocelli reduced and even almost invisible in female, slightly raised, separated from each other by more than three times diameter of single ocellus. Labium with ventral surface sparsely covered with longish setae.

Thorax: Anterior pronotal lobe nearly spherical, dorsal surface slightly flat, stripes distinct, sulci indistinct, except thin median longitudinal sulcus in basal 1/2. Posterior lobe abbreviated, only slightly wider and much shorter than anterior lobe, posterior margin of pronotum nearly straight with median part slightly convex. Scutellum disc flat and rugulose, scutellar process knobbed and horizontal in lateral view. Propleuron with integument finely faintly granulate, smoothly pilose, set off from dorsal surface by a faint carina. Mesopleuron integument minutely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron with integument more finely granulate but granules not striate, metapleural sulcus distinctly bicarinate and curved, pilose with whitish dense hairs posteriorly. All sternites with tiny granules, moderately pilose. Mesosternum carinated in middle, metasternum with disc tumid and flat in middle. Hemelytron greatly reduced to a flap, subquadrangular with apex rounded, slightly exceeding posterior margin of first abdominal tergite.

Legs: Fore leg with coxa with golden to yellowish brown pilosity; trochanter unarmed, sparsely hairy; femur strongly fusiform, greatly incrassate near base narrowing distally, much thicker than other femora, armed below with two rows of minute tubercles, rows separated by a faint median furrow; tibia gradually thickened to apex, more or less straight but apex slightly reflexed, fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length. Mid leg with coxa globular; femur only slightly thickened, ventral surface also with rows of minute blackish tubercles; tibia with short golden to yellowish brown pilosity for whole length, with fossula spongiosa about 1/3 its length. Hind coxae separated from each other by less than width of one coxa; femur cylindrical; tibia with brush of setae, denser at apex. Tarsi cylindrical, denser short pilosity ventrally.

Abdomen: In male, venter of abdomen with a median ridge running from posterior portion of second abdominal sternite to posterior portion of seventh abdominal sternite, slightly curved to right side of body ( Fig. 43C View FIGURE 43 ); left side of sternite VII with an upturned, spine-like extragenital process, located near posterior margin of sternite VII ( Figs. 43C View FIGURE 43 , 55F View FIGURE 55 , 56F View FIGURE 56 ). Connexivum with golden to yellowish brown pilosity as elsewhere on sternum. Spiracles situated below connexival suture, about halfway between anterior and posterior margin of each segment. Each spiracle with two impressed shiny roundish areas, one postero-ventrally and one anteriorly near anterior margin of segment. In female, same as male, venter of abdomen flat, all sterna appearing narrow medially except VII very enlarged, median part of sternite VII with many transverse wrinkles ( Figs. 42C View FIGURE 42 , 43F View FIGURE 43 ).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 45 View FIGURE 45 ): Median pygophore process straight, tapered, oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 45B View FIGURE 45 ); straight, spine-like, apical 1/3 gradually tapered, near base slightly constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 45C View FIGURE 45 ). Parameres ( Fig. 45D&E View FIGURE 45 ) subtriangular and curved in middle, left paramere ( Fig. 45D View FIGURE 45 ) longer and broader than right paramere ( Fig. 45E View FIGURE 45 ). Phallus ( Fig. 45F–I View FIGURE 45 ) in resting condition with length of basal plate subequal to length of basal plate bridge ( Fig. 45F View FIGURE 45 ), pedicel slightly curved and subequal to length of basal plate ( Fig. 45H View FIGURE 45 ); length of struts distinctly longer than half length of phallosoma ( Fig. 45F View FIGURE 45 ); apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite bluntly rounded ( Fig. 45F View FIGURE 45 ); lateral phallothecal sclerite subquadrangular, inner margin slightly corrugated ( Fig. 45I View FIGURE 45 ); pair of slender sclerites near base of venter of phallosoma moderately sclerotized ( Fig. 45G View FIGURE 45 ); endosoma with five sacciform process, apices covered with rows of tiny, brown papillae ( Fig. 45F–I View FIGURE 45 ).

Macropterous male ( Fig. 44 View FIGURE 44 )

Differs from brachypterous form in the following: hemelytron with a large oval yellow spot involving apical 2/3 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins PCu+1A and Cu, slightly expanding to base of membrane; ocelli slightly raised, separated from each other by about twice diameter of single ocellus; anterior pronotal lobe subtrapezoidal, posterior pronotal lobe not abbreviated, posterior margin arcuate; scutellar process knobbed and slightly directed obliquely in lateral view; metapleural sulcus arcuate; hemelytron well developed, exceeding tip of abdomen.

Measurements: [of lectotype brachypterous female, followed by one brachypterous male and one macropterous male, and one brachypterous female]. Body length 8.70, 9.00 (B ♂), 9.20 (M ♂), 9.10 (♀); maximum width of abdomen 3.12, 2.60 (B ♂), 2.66 (M ♂), 3.12 (♀); length of head 1.52, 1.58 (B ♂), 1.44 (M ♂), 1.44 (♀); length of anteocular region 0.57, 0.64 (B ♂), 0.57 (M ♂), 0.60 (♀); length of postocular region 0.50, 0.45 (B ♂), 0.50 (M ♂), 0.45 (♀); width of head across eyes 1.14, 0.95 (B ♂), 0.98 (M ♂), 1.06 (♀); width of interocular space 0.50, 0.45 (B ♂), 0.41 (M ♂), 0.45 (♀); width of interocellar space? indistinct ocelli, 0.19 (B ♂), 0.19 (M ♂),? indistinct ocelli (♀); length of eye in dorsal view 0.41, 0.39 (B ♂), 0.41 (M ♂), 0.38 (♀); width of eye in dorsal view 0.23, 0.30 (B ♂), 0.22 (M ♂), 0.26 (♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 0.68, 0.68 (B ♂),? (M ♂), 0.68 (♀) / 1.21, 1.36 (B ♂),? (M ♂), 1.21 (♀) /?, 1.35 (B ♂),? (M ♂), 1.06 (♀) /?, 1.33 (B ♂),? (M ♂), 1.04 (♀); length of visible labial segments I–III 0.62, 0.60 (B ♂), 0.64 (M ♂), 0.60 (♀) / 0.87, 0.79 (B ♂), 0.87 (M ♂), 0.79 (♀) / 0.45, 0.38 (B ♂), 0.38 (M ♂), 0.37 (♀); length of pronotum 2.09, 1.90 (B ♂), 2.35 (M ♂), 2.15 (♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe 1.63, 1.44 (B ♂), 1.40 (M ♂), 1.70 (♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe 0.48, 0.46 (B ♂), 0.87 (M ♂), 0.41 (♀); width of anterior pronotal lobe 1.90, 1.75 (B ♂), 1.90 (M ♂), 1.83 (♀); width of posterior pronotal lobe 1.90, 1.90 (B ♂), 2.58 (M ♂), 1.90 (♀); length of scutellum 0.87, 0.91 (B ♂), 0.87 (M ♂), 0.75 (♀); maximum width of scutellum 0.84, 0.97 (B ♂), 1.14 (M ♂), 0.95 (♀); length of hemelytron 1.80, 1.87 (B ♂), 6.24 (M ♂), 1.60 (♀); length of fore tibia 1.52, 1.52 (B ♂), 1.71 (M ♂), 1.57 (♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia 0.60, 0.46 (B ♂), 0.60 (M ♂), 0.53 (♀).

Distribution. Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria). The lectotype from Moreton Bay (Qld), and other specimens examined in the present study have come from New South Wales, and one macropterous male from Lake Hattah in Victoria.

Comparative notes. This species is more similar to B. ayyammae sp. nov., see details under comparative notes of B. ayyammae sp. nov. above.

Remarks. Cassis & Gross (1995: 343) synonymized Pirates fulvipennis Walker, 1873 and Pirates (Brachysandalus) flavo-pictus Stål, 1874 with Brachysandalus punctorius Stål, 1867 . In the present study however the types of all these species were examined and found they are not synonyms of B. punctorius , hence the action by Cassis & Gross is proven to be incorrect. A detailed redescription of Pirates fulvipennis (with Pirates (Brachysandalus) flavo-pictus Stål, 1874 , now its junior synonym) is provided above.