Neomacrocoris katangae Poisson

Sites, Robert W. & Mbogho, Aaron Y., 2012, Revision of the African genus Neomacrocoris (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae), Zootaxa 3555, pp. 1-39 : 18-19

Neomacrocoris katangae Poisson

Figs. 23–26

Neomacrocoris katangae Poisson 1966 : Ann. Soc. Entomol. France 2: 975–976.

Supplemental redescription. HOLOTYPE 3: Length 8.08, maximum width 5.04. General shape elongate oval, widest across embolia (Fig. 23); overall coloration dorsally yellowish-brown anteriorly with dark scutellum and hemelytra; ventral surface mostly dark brown to black; legs, laterotergites, and lateral part of propleura yellow.

Head. Length 1.38, maximum width 2.22. Yellow with dark brown spots; spots coalescent posteriorly, extending forward as parallel rows, becoming separate anteriorly; projecting beyond eyes 11% of head length. Eyes dark brown; approximately 1.6x as long as wide, length/width 1.04/0.66; inner margins convergent anteriorly, lateral margins convex; synthlipsis 0.92. Labrum yellow, transverse, broadly rounded distally, width/length 0.66/ 0.32. Maxillary plate yellow, narrow, elongate, extending approximately to half length of labrum, bordering sides of rostral base. Labium with three visible segments darkening distally from yellowish-brown basal segment to dark brown distal segment, short, extending 0.34 beyond labrum. Antenna short, hirsute, extending slightly beyond lateral margin of eye.

Thorax. Pronotum broad; highly, evenly convex; yellow; dark brown maculation in central half of disc mostly coalescent, becoming scattered, separate spots laterally with occasional coalescent clusters; margins mostly immaculate; wide transverse band along posterior margin set off with irregular series of brown, longitudinally elongate spots, otherwise immaculate; with small punctures; maximum width 4.80, length at midline 2.22; posterior margin approximately straight where it abuts scutellum, rounded laterally; lateral margins convex, convergent anteriorly, distinctly explanate; posterolateral corners rounded; entire surface vaguely rugose; with scattered pale setae. Scutellum black; coarsely punctate; with scattered thin setae; width 3.00, length at midline 1.72; mesoscutum partially exposed behind pronotum with head/pronotum deflexion; lateral margins slightly convex. Hemelytra medium brown, subtly mottled with reddish brown maculation; punctate; sparse, elongate, thin setae; several thick setae on embolium and adjacent areas of corium; length 5.92 (chord measurement). Clavus distinct, yellow at commissure. Embolium well delineated, lateral margin evenly convex throughout, anterior 3/4 yellow, maximum width 0.66, length 2.40. Hemelytra with venation not evident, membrane of underlapping wing (left) mostly pruinose. Hindwings well developed. Ventrally, prosternum with thin mid-ventral carina. Propleuron laterally with extensive yellow glabrous area extending 2/3 distance to mesal margin, black pruinose mesad of yellow glabrous area, mesally with elongate recumbent hairs on occlusal surface with coxa; propleura widely separated at midline. Mesosternum with medial carina with elongate golden-brown setae and series of ca. 8 ventrally directed protuberances; meso- and metasterna mostly dark brown to black, pruinose.

Legs. All segments yellow except brown protarsus, meso- and metacoxae; profemur with scattered pale brown spots in posterior 1/2; anterior margin with dense pad of elongate, pale setae; protibia and tarsus with flattened inner surface; single tarsal segment; claw minute; middle and hind coxae covered with short, pale, recumbent setae; metaxyphus with pronounced transverse and longitudinal carinae, thus resembling head of Phillips screwdriver directed posteroventrad; meso- and metafemora with posteroventral row of dark, peg-like spines; spines of mesofemur becoming obsolete proximally, those of metafemur consistently developed; middle of posterior surface with row of short, pale setae; posterodorsal row of dark, peg-like spines; meso- and metatibiae with rows of stout reddish-brown spines, 2 transverse rows of long, stout spines at apex; meso- and metatibiae and tarsi with long, golden brown swimming hairs; claws slender, evenly curved, with basal tooth. Leg measurements as follows: foreleg, femur 2.02, tibia 1.40, tarsus 0.36; middle leg, femur 2.02, tibia 1.60, tarsomeres 1–3, 0.16, 0.28, 0.32; hind leg, femur 2.38, tibia 2.62, tarsomeres 1–3 0.18, 0.43, 0.50.

Abdomen. Connexiva III-VI exposed laterally beyond hemelytra, each yellow anteriorly, brown posteriorly; margins of III-VI smooth, with dense fringe of pale setae becoming more prominent posteriorly; posterolateral angles of II–IV square, V produced, VI acuminate. Tergum VII posterior margin with lobe left of midline ca. 90 degree angle, slightly produced, devoid of denticles; lobe right of midline (pseudostrigil) large, directed posterodorsad, with two groups of denticles (Fig. 25), ventralmost group dense, dorsalmost group more sparse. Tergum VIII with left medial lobe digitate, right medial lobe broadly spatulate with distal margin straight. Ventrally brown except narrow marginal glabrous yellow band; densely covered with short, pale, recumbent setae; mediosternites with elongate, erect, pale setae. Sternum V with posterior margin concave and mediosternite VI displaced asymmetrically to left.

FIGURES 23–26. Neomacrocoris katangae HOLOTYPE (23) habitus, (24) aedeagus, (25) medial lobes of 7th abdominal tergum, (26) specimen labels. Figs. 24, 25 photographed from Poisson slides at USNM. Sizes are not proportionate among figures.

Genitalia. Phallosoma with oblique striations in basal third; elongate flange on right side of phallosoma in distal 2/3 narrowing to apex; apex with rounded rim and opening to left (Fig. 24); sclerotized vesica distad of phallosoma.

Discussion. This species was named for the type locality of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Poisson (1966) provided line drawings of the male 7th and 8th abdominal terga and aedeagus and described two distinct groups of denticles of the pseudostrigil: one dense and the other more widely spaced. The phallosoma structure appears to be similar to that of N. parviceps , although there are subtle differences in the configuration of the pseudostrigil and a narrower, more digitate left medial lobe of the 8th tergum. This is a moderately sized species at 8.5 mm in length. Poisson (1966) did not indicate the repository of the type specimen and it is not in the following museum collections: AMNH, BMNH, CMNH, DMSA, HNHM, MNHN, MNIN, NHMW, NMWC, MCSN, SEMC, SMNH, RMCA, UMC, USNM. We located only one specimen of N. katangae in all collections searched. This specimen was identified by Poisson and transferred from the Poisson collection to the Drake Collection of the USNM. Because it originated from the Poisson collection and bears identical label data (Fig. 26) to that which is reported in the original description, we consider this to be the holotype, although not labeled so previously. The female is unknown.

Diagnosis. This moderately sized species is very similar in appearance to N. parviceps , from which it can be distinguished by the positioning and spacing of denticles on the pseudostrigil.

Published records. [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO] ( Poisson 1966 ).

Material examined: HOLOTYPE. [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO]: Label data: Katanga / Symoens 1965 / 11 180 f / Neomacrocoris katangae Poiss / Poisson to Drake Coll 1979 ( USNM, 3).