Mertila Distant, 1904

Yeshwanth, H. M. & Konstantinov, Fedor V., 2021, Review of the plant bug tribe Eccritotarsini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) of India and Sri Lanka with description of two new genera and six new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 745, pp. 1-69 : 20-21

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2021.745.1311

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6C85E664-6DE6-442A-9410-D94254E429F5

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4695083

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/BE301C0D-F877-FF9F-FD10-8A1C7438FB38

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Mertila Distant, 1904
status

 

Mertila Distant, 1904 View in CoL

Figs 3A–C View Fig , 8 View Fig , 19–20 View Fig View Fig

Mertila Distant, 1904a: 113 View in CoL

Mertila View in CoL – Stonedahl 1988: 32–40 (revision).

Type species

Mertila malayensis Distant, 1904a View in CoL (designated by Distant 1904b: 472).

Diagnosis

Recognized by the following combination of characters: antennae short, segment I thin, slightly shorter than vertex width, segment II shorter than or subequal to head width; dorsum shiny, with dense, whitish, erect simple setae; head reddish, pronotum, scutellum, and base of hemelytron reddish or bluish black to black, apical part of hemelytron bluish black to black ( Figs 3A–B View Fig , 8A, D, G View Fig ); disc of pronotum with faint punctures, hemelytron smooth or faintly wrinkled; head broad, with weakly convex frons, broadly depressed lateral margin bordering eye, and indistinct postocular lobe; eyes large, projecting laterally beyond anterolateral angles of pronotum; labium reaching hind coxa; pronotal collar narrow, equals in length to diameter of antennal segment I; calli weakly raised, separated by shallow impressed lines; anterior part of pronotum with shallow subtriangular area between lines delimiting pronotal collar and calli; posterior margin of pronotum slightly convex, moderately exposing mesonotum; membrane twocelled, with large, angulate and distinctly concave larger cell; genital capsule highly modified, short, with posteriorly directed wide aperture, lateral and dorsal margins of capsule with complex posterior processes ( Figs 3C View Fig , 8C, F, H View Fig , 19 View Fig ); parameres and aedeagus reduced, very small; aedeagus with entirely membranous phallotheca, simple membranous endosoma and sclerotized, spine-like apical part of ductus seminis ( Fig. 20A–E View Fig ).

Host

Host data are available for Mertila malayensis based on US port interceptions from Java, Philippines and Singapore ( Stonedahl 1988). Similarly to several Lopidolon spp., this species was taken from Phalaenopsis amabilis (L.) Blume, Renanthera storiei Rchb. f., and Vanda sp. (Orhidaceae). A single female of M. bhamo Stonedahl, 1988 intercepted from India was also taken on Vanda sp. ( Stonedahl 1988).

Distribution

India, Burma, Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia ( Stonedahl 1988).

Remarks

Prior to this study, the genus comprised four species, M. sabah Stonedahl, 1988 , M. sarawak Stonedahl, 1988 ( Malaysia) , M. malayensis ( Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia), and M. bhamo ( Burma) . Stonedahl (1988) also recorded the last species from India based on a single female without locality data from the US port interception material. Description of one new Mertila species from India is given below.

Species of Mertila may be recognized among other eccritotarsines by the bicolored, bright reddish and bluish black dorsum, shape of transverse head, structure of the anterior part of the pronotum and the male genitalia. Refer to discussion of Lopidolon for details.

Key to species of the genus Mertila of India

1. Head dark reddish; pronotum, scutellum and hemelytron uniformly black ( Fig. 3A–B View Fig ). Tibiae reddish; antennal segment II reddish with darkened apex. Male genitalia as in Figs 19– 20 View Fig View Fig ............................................................................................................... M. rubrocephala sp. nov.

– Head, pronotum, scutellum, and base of hemelytron bright reddish, apical two thirds of hemelytron metallic bluish black ( Fig. 8A View Fig ). Tibiae and antennal segment II dark brown. Male genitalia as in Fig. 8C View Fig ..................................................................................................... M. bhamo Stonedahl, 1988 View in CoL

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

SubOrder

Heteroptera

InfraOrder

Cimicomorpha

Family

Miridae

SubFamily

Bryocorinae

Tribe

Eccritotarsini

Loc

Mertila Distant, 1904

Yeshwanth, H. M. & Konstantinov, Fedor V. 2021
2021
Loc

Mertila

Stonedahl G. M. 1988: 32
1988
Loc

Mertila

Distant W. L. 1904: 113
1904
Loc

Mertila malayensis

Distant W. L. 1904: 472
1904
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