Empicoris gradapallida, Tatarnic, Nikolai J., Wall, Michael A. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2011

Tatarnic, Nikolai J., Wall, Michael A. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2011, A systematic revision of the Australian ploiarioline thread-legged assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae), Zootaxa 2762, pp. 1-30 : 20-21

Empicoris gradapallida n. sp.

Figs. 13 , 14 A–G, 15

Material examined. HOLOTYPE. AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 1 ɗ, Lower Ballunjui Falls, 28.2°S 153.2°E, 500 m, 3 Dec 1995, G.B. Monteith, Pyrethrum, trees (QM). PARATYPES. AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 1 ɗ, Mt. Hayward, 20.3°S 148.8°E, 350 m, 19–20 Nov 1992, Monteith, Thompson, Cook & Janetzki (QM); 1 ɗ, Mt. Hayward, 20.3°S 148.8°E, 350 m, 20 Nov 1992, Monteith, Thompson & Janetzki, Pyrethrum (QM); 1 ɗ, Basset site, Mt. Glorious, 27.3°S 152.8°E, 500 m, X 1987, Y. Basset, on Argyrodendron actinophyllum , 6091; 1 ɗ, Upper E. Funnel Ck., 21.6°S 149.2°E, 450 m, 16 Nov 1992, Monteith, Thompson & Janetzki, Pyrethrum (QM); 1 ɗ, Nangur State For., 26.1S 152°E, 320 m, 24 Nov 1995, G. Monteith, Pyrethrum, trees (QM); 1 Ψ, Pease ′s Lkt., 21.1S 148.5°E, 450 m, 16 Nov 1992, Monteith, Thompson & Janetzki, Pyrethrum (QM); 1 Ψ, Mt. Dryander, 20.3S 148.6°E, 700 m, 21 Nov 1992, Monteith, Thompson & Janetzki, Pyrethrum (QM); 1 Ψ, Upper Cattle Ck., Eungella, 21°S 148.6°E, 900 m, 17 Nov 1992, Monteith, Thompson & Janetzki, Pyrethrum (QM); 1 Ψ, Upper Whyanbeel Ck., 16.4°S 145.3°E, 1150 m, 5 Sept 1992, G. Monteith, Pyrethrum, mossy rocks (QM).

Diagnosis. Diagnosed by the following combination of characters: body chestnut-coloured and testaceous; anteocular region shorter than postocular region of head; discal cell ca. 2.5X longer than wide; macrochaetae of abdomen not isolated from microchaetae; parameres roughly parallel-sided; posterior margin of pygophore with obtuse, rounded, bilobed projection on ventral rim ( Fig. 16 E).

Description. Body length 3.8mm.

Colour. As shown in Figures 14 A, B, D and 15. Body mostly chestnut-coloured with testaceous areas. Head: chestnut-coloured ventrally becoming testaceous dorsally on postocular lobe; AI testaceous with numerous vague sub- and supramedial brown annulations, wide subapical chestnut-coloured annulation; remainder of antennae brown; labium testaceous with dark markings, basal 2/3 of LI chestnut-coloured, LII brown basally becoming testaceous, LII testaceous basally becoming brown. Pronotum: anterior lobe entirely chestnut-coloured; posterior lobe chestnut-coloured laterally with white carinae, disc testaceous. Remainder of thorax chestnut-coloured with hyaline spines on scutellum and metanotum. Coxae mostly chestnut-coloured with some testaceous mottling. Foretrochanter stramineous with brown apex. Forefemora with three brown annulations, one large basal, one small medial, one large apical. Meso- and metafemora mostly testaceous with one large basal and one large apical dark annulation enclosing a regularly placed series of five narrower dark annulations. Foretibia testaceous with brown apical and subbasal annulations enclosing one medial band. Proximal half of meso- and metatibia testaceous with three darker narrow annulations, distal half brown. Foretarsus mostly brown, TI white. Meso- and metatarsi brown. Forewings as in Figure 14 A. Abdomen mostly brown, SI chestnut-coloured, spine of T2 (first visible) chestnutcoloured.

Texture and Vestiture. Head dorsally covered in white wool-like pile, decorated laterally with compact bands of pile; AI with long limber setae; labium with scattered short setae. Thorax decorated dorsally and laterally with compact bands of pile. Lateral tumid areas of forelobe of pronotum with “mushroom body” like structures. Disc of posterior lobe of pronotum rugose. Forecoxae and forefemora with long setae. Foretibia covered in shorter spinelike setae with two distinct rows borne on small tubercles on ventral surface. Meso- and metafemora with minute spines. Meso- and metatibia with spine-like setae basally becoming denser and more hair-like apically. Abdomen blanketed with short velutinous silken setae ( Fig. 14 G).

Structure. As shown in Figures 14 A–F and 15. Anteocular region slightly larger than postocular region, elevated with depressed V-shaped area dorsally. Postocular region subglobose, somewhat dorsally compressed. Interocular groove deep, arching only slightly posteriorly. Labium strongly bent between LI and LII, relative lengths 1:0.6:0.6. Pronotum constricted before middle; anterior lobe bilaterally divided by a deep pit in the disc; posterior lobe almost two times longer than anterior lobe, laterally with 1+1 well-developed carinae running entire length of lobe. Scutellum semicircular with median raised triangular area supporting a spine. Metanotum U-shaped with large spine. Forecoxae elongate, cylindrical. Forefemora elongate, fusiform, posteroventral and anteroventral series similar in structure. Foretarsus 2-segmented, second segment 2.2 times larger than first. Meso- and metacoxae globose. Meso- and metafemora thin, elongate, cylindrical. Meso- and metatibia thin, elongate, cylindrical, arching distally. Meso- and metatarsi 3-segmented, segments approximately equal in length.

Distribution. Known from the eastern coast of Queensland ( Fig. 13 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet gradapallida is a combination of the Latin roots grada - (i.e. “grade”) and pall - (i.e. “pale”). The epithet refers to the gradual paling of the thorax from chestnut-coloured to testaceous.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distribution of species of Empicoris species in Australia.

FIGURE 14. Empicoris gradapallida. A. Forewing. B. Hindleg. C. Head and prothorax (colouration not shown). D. Foreleg. E. Posterior margin of pygophore. F. Dorsal view of paramere. G. Vestiture of ventral surface of abdomen.

FIGURE 16. Empicoris rubromaculatus. A. Forewing. B. Head and prothorax (colouration not shown).