Aphelocheirus (s.str.) tuberculipes, Zettel & Tran, 2009

Zettel, H. & Tran, A. D., 2009, Notes On The Aphelocheiridae (Heteroptera) From Indochina, With Redescriptions Of Aphelocheirus Inops And A. Gularis And The Description Of A New Species From Vietnam, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 55 (3), pp. 211-226 : 221-224

Aphelocheirus (s.str.) tuberculipes sp. n.

(Figs 5, 9, 10, 26–35)

Type material. Holotype (brachypterous male; ZMHU) and paratypes (2 brachypterous males, 6 brachypterous females; ZMHU, NHMW, ZRCS), Vietnam: Cao Bang Prov., Ha Quang, Phu Ngoc, stream near District Headquarter , 17.XII.2000, Coll. V.V. Nguyen & X.N. Ngo, # VNCB0002.

Type locality. Northern Vietnam, Cao Bang Province, Ha Quang, Phu Ngoc , stream near administrative District Headquarters .

Description of brachypterous male (if no variation is given, measurements refer to the holotype). Size. Body length 7.8–8.0 mm (holotype: 7.8 mm). Body width 4.7–5.1 mm (holotype: 4.7 mm). Pronotum width 4.0– 4.1 mm (holotype: 4.0 mm). mesofemur, 29 = structures on metatrochanter and metafemur medioposteriorly with small and low tubercle, sternite 4 with 4, sternite 5 with 5–6, sternite 6 with 1–2 peg-like setae.

Genitalia. Pygophore ( Fig. 30 ) with left parandrium distinctly longer than right; left parandrium of narrow, blade-like shape, with apex very acute; right parandrium distally dilated and slightly curved laterad. Main body of aedeagus ( Fig. 30 ) almost straight, with subparallel sides and apex weakly curved to the right; “dorsal” face (as situated in pygophore) with distinct medial impression. Left paramere ( Figs 31, 32 ) with bend near midlength, subapically widened, but apically narrowed toward narrowly truncate apex; at bend with group of slightly longer setae, otherwise bare or only with very short setiferation. Right paramere ( Figs 33–35 ) with bend at proximal two fifths, distal part slender, blade-shaped, almost straight; apex narrowly rounded; only with short setiferation.

Description of brachypterous female. Size. Body length 7.4–7.9 mm. Body width 5.0– 5.3 mm. Pronotum width 3.9–4.1 mm. Similar to brachypterous male. In some specimens dorsum darker: Head laterally brownish, pronotum, mesoscutellum, hemielytra, and tergites mainly brown. Profemur not as enlarged as in male. Abdomen symmetrical, sternite 4 with 4–5, sternite 5 with 6–7, sternite 6 with 0–2 peg-like setae. Subgenital plate (Fig. 10) of subtriangular shape, side sinuate, convex at base, concave distally, apical margin broadly triangular, with small, but distinct medial apex; lateral margins at about basal third with narrow tufts of very long setae and subapically with occasional relatively long setae (see Fig. 10, left side); near apical margin with paired oblique ridges separated by narrow median furrow, ridges densely set with short yellowish setae.

Discussion. This is the second known Oriental species of the genus which has strong modifications on the middle and hind legs of the male, but POLHEMUS and POLHEMUS (1989) noted similar characteristics in some endemic species from Madagascar. Males of A. femoratus POLHEMUS et POLHEMUS, 1989 have distinct, raised, ovate brown swellings on the meso- and metatrochanters and on the bases of the metafemora; this species is recorded from peninsular Malaysia, southern and northern Thailand, and southwestern China ( POLHEMUS & POLHEMUS 1989, SITES et al. 1997, LIU & DING 2005). Voucher specimens of A. femoratus from southern Thailand (Songkhla Province) were used for comparison and illustrations. Males of the new species have brown patches of modified setae similar to those of A. femoratus , but those on the trochanters are narrow and those on the metafemora are situated on distinct dilatations ( Figs 27–29 ). The head of A. tuberculipes sp. n. is shorter than that of A. femoratus , and the lateral process of the hemielytron (brachypterous morph) is more projecting. The left paramere is apically wider in A. tuberculipes sp. n. than in A. femoratus , and the right paramere is distally narrower ( Figs 31–35 ). The subgenital plates of the females are of similar shape and setiferation, but the apex is wider in the new species (Fig. 10).

Figures

Figs 30–35. Genitalia of holotype male of A. tuberculipes sp. n.: 30 = parandria and aedeagus, 31–32 = left parameres, two aspects, 33–35 = right parameres, three aspects

Figs 27–29. Brachypterous male (paratype) of A. tuberculipes sp. n.: 27 = overview on structures on middle and hind leg, and peg-like setae on sternites 4 and 5, 28 = structures on mesotrochanter and