Loricula mikawa, Yasunaga & Yamada & Ohno, 2020

Yasunaga, Tomohide, Yamada, Kazutaka & Ohno, Tomohide, 2020, A new species of the genus Loricula Curtis from central Honshu, Japan (Heteroptera: Microphysidae), Zootaxa 4759 (1), pp. 98-106 : 101-105

Loricula mikawa sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 A–C, 2A–C, 3, 4A–C, 5A, 6)

Diagnosis: Female adult is recognized readily by its reddish brown anterior body with shiny fuscous hemelytron ( Fig. 2A ); antennal segment III longer than mesal pronotal length; elongate process of basal corner of pronotum ( Figs. 4B, C , 6A ); and smooth surface of hemelytron that lacks granulate microstructures nor micro-pilosity ( Fig.

5A). Most closely related to L. miyamotoi Yasunaga & Yamada ; best distinguished by the characters mentioned in below key.

Description. Female: Brachypterous. Body posteriorly discoid, tortoise shaped, with coleopteroid forewing; basic coloration reddish to dark brown; dorsal surface shining, with uniformly distributed, silky, semierect setae. Head: Reddish brown, shagreened, moderately porrect, with length anterior to antennal tubercle about as long as antennal segment I; vertex and frons roughened, shallowly and coarsely wrinkled. Antenna: Somber yellowish brown; segment II slightly incrassate towards apex, about as long as basal width of pronotum across corner processes; segment IV somewhat reddish, subequal in length to II. Labium: Reddish brown, tapered apically; segments III and IV yellowish brown; structure of apex as in Fig. 3D . Thorax: Pronotum reddish brown, roughened, weakly shining, with elongate posterolateral corner, faintly with a pair of shallow, ovoid canal; scutellum reddish brown, with sharp apex; pleura reddish brown; metathoracic scent efferent system as in Fig. 3F . Hemelytron: Coleopteroid, shiny dark brown, narrowly margined laterally, with uniformly distributed, silky, semierect or reclining setae, lacking granulate microstructure ( Figs. 2A , 5A ); ventral surface with micro-pilosity ( Fig. 3E ). Legs: Coxae and femora dark reddish brown; all tibiae dark brown, with apical 1/4–1/3 more or less yellowish; protibial grooming comb developed ( Fig. 3G ); tarsi yellowish brown; pretarsal structure simple ( Fig. 3H ). Abdomen: shiny dark brown ( Fig. 2B ); apodemal process rather short and broad, deeply sutured mesially ( Fig. 6G ). Genital segments: Valvula II rather rounded anteriorly; median membranous area narrow ( Figs. 3I , 6H ).

Male: Unknown.

Measurements. See Table 1. Holotype female: total body length 2.05; head length 0.49; head width across eyes 0.38; length of antennal segments I–IV 0.14, 0.39, 0.32, 0.37; total length of labium 0.60; mesal pronotal length 0.30; basal pronotal width across processes at posterior corner 0.53; maximum width across hemelytron 0.98; and respective length of metafemur, tibia and tarsus 0.62, 0.84 and 0.15.

Etymology. Named for the type locality, Mikawa (ancient name of Toyota City, Aichi Pref.); a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Japan (Honshu: Aichi Prefecture).

Biology. All female specimens were collected by one of the authors, T. Ohno, from tree trunks at night ( Fig. 1A, B ). The collecting site is a secondary temperate forest, composed of evergreen broadleaf and deciduous trees (e.g., Neolitsea sericea (Blume) Koidz. (Lauraceae) , Quercus acuta Thunb. (Fagaceae) , Carpinus tschonoskii Maxim. ( Betulaceae )). No other information is currently available.

Holotype: Female, JAPAN, Honshu, Aichi Pref., Toyota City , Saka-ue Town , Mt. Rokusho , 35°03'33.2"N 137°17'09.1"E, on trunk of broadleaf tree at night, 1 Jun 2019, T. Ohno ( AMNH _ PBI 00380653 ) ( AMNH) . Paratypes. JAPAN, same data as for holotype, 1 female ( AMNH) , 2 females ( OCA, 00003897–3898), 3 females ( TKPN) , and 3 females ( TYCN) .

deviation.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitat (A, B) and habitus image of female adult (C) for Loricula mikawa sp. nov. (A–C) and L. miyamotoi Yasunaga & Yamada (D). A & B. Secondary evergreen broadleaf forest in Toyoda City where L. mikawa occurs. C. L. mikawa, female. D. Well-preserved deciduous forest, habitat of L. miyamotoi (Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan). D: Image courtesy of T. Ishikawa.

FIGURE 2. Habitus images of Japanese Loricula species (adult females). A–C. L. mikawa sp. nov. (A: dorsal view, B: ventral view, C: right lateral view). D. L. miyamotoi Yasunaga & Yamada, dorsal view. E. L. yakushima Yasunaga & Yamada, dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Scanning electron micrographs for female of Loricula mikawa sp. nov. A. Dorsal habitus. B. Head, dorsal view. C. Anterior body, ventral view. D. Apex of labium, ventral view. E. Vestiture pattern on ventral surface of hemelytron. F. Scent efferent system. G. Protarsus and grooming comb. H. Mestatarsus. I. Apex of abdomen, ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Scanning electron micrographs for Japanese Loricula species (adult females). A–C. L. mikawa sp. nov. D–F. L. miyamotoi. G, H. L. pilosella. I, J. L. yakushima. K, L. L. nikko. A, D, G, I & K. Anterior body, dorsal view. B, E & L. Ditto, left lateral view. C, F, H & J. Posterolateral process of pronotum.

FIGURE 5. Scanning electron micrographs for dorsal surface structure of female forewing (hemelytron). A. L. mikawa sp. nov. B. L. miyamotoi. C. L. pilosella. D. L. yakushima.

FIGURE 6. Compound microscopic images showing detailed morphology for L. mikawa sp. nov., female. A. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. B. Antenna. C. Labium. D. Thorax, ventral surface. E. Forewing base. F. Abdomen, ventral view. G. Apodemal process. H. Genital segments, ventral view. I. Three eggs found in abdomen (F).