Caulotops platensis (Berg)

Henry, Thomas J. & Menard, Katrina L., 2020, Revision and Phylogeny of the Eccritotarsine Plant Bug Genus Caulotops Bergroth, with Descriptions of Four New Genera and 14 New Species (Hemiptera Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) Associated with Agave (Agavoideae Asparagaceae) and Related Plant Genera, Zootaxa 4772 (2), pp. 201-252 : 207-208

Caulotops platensis (Berg)

( Figs. 8–10 , 67–69 )

Eccritotarsus platensis Berg 1883: 25 (original description), 1884: 82 (description); Carvalho and China 1951: 676 (list).

Caulotops puncticollis Bergroth 1898: 34 (original description); Carvalho 1948: 529 (description, genitalia), 1980: 645 (diagnosis); Schuh 1995: 540 (catalog), 2002–2013 (online catalog). Synonymized by Pennington 1921: 30; synonymy followed by Carpintero and Carvalho 1993: 401.

Caulotops platensis: Reuter 1907: 4 (description); Van Duzee 1916: 42 (list), 1917: 362 (catalog); Pennington 1921: 30 (list, synonymy); Carvalho 1957: 94 (catalog); Carvalho and Carpintero 1992: 93 (type, list, host); Carpintero and Carvalho 1993 (list, host, synonymy); Schuh 1995: 540 (catalog); Coscarón and Carpintero 1996: 8 (type list); Schuh 2 0 0 2–2 0 1 3 (online catalog).

DIAGNOSIS. As in the generic diagnosis, this species ( Figs. 8–10 ) is recognized by the relatively small size, substylate eyes, the pale coloration, the strongly punctate pronotum, lack of a large tubercle on the genital capsule, and the subequal size of the right and left parameres.

REDESCRIPTION. Neotype male: Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 2.50 mm; length from apex of head to apex of membrane 3.14 mm; widest point across hemelytra l. 86 mm. Head: Width across eyes 1.20 mm; interocular width 0.78 mm. Labium: Obscured in glue. Antenna: Segment I length 0.50 mm; II, missing; III, missing; IV, missing. Pronotum: Median length 0.86 mm; posterior width 1.50 mm.

COLORATION. Head: yellowish orange, eyes dark red to reddish brown; first antennal segment yellow, remaining segments dark brown. Labium: obscured in glue. Thorax: Pronotum brownish yellow, more yellowish orange across calli; mesoscutum and scutellum dark brown to yellowish orange, more yellow than on head; all coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae yellow, tarsi and claws dark brown. Abdomen: Reddish brown to dark brown. Hemelytra: Yellowish brown, areas covering body appearing to be same color as scutellum in dorsal view, costal margins and lateral margin of cuneus yellow, membrane and veins smoky brown. SURFACE, TEXTURE, AND

STRUCTURE. As for genus.

Male genitalia: As as in generic description. Genital capsule ( Fig. 67 ): Broadly rounded, with three large ventral processes arising between parameres. Left paramere ( Fig. 68 ) slender, somewhat C-shaped, with apex recurved. Right paramere ( Fig. 69 ) elongate slender, S-shaped, with, apex sharply recurved.

Female: (n =4): Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 2.56–2.72 mm; length from apex of head to apex of membrane 3.04–3.65 mm; widest point across hemelytra 1.80–1.96 mm. Head: Width across eyes 1.20–1.24 mm; interocular width 0.76-0.78 mm. Labium: Length 1.46 mm. Antenna: Segment I length 0.46–0.50 mm; II, 0.74–0.78 mm; III, 0.42–0.46 mm; IV, missing. Pronotum: Median length 0.90–0.98 mm; posterior width 1.52–1.56 mm.

Similar to males in external morphology. Female genitalia as in generic description.

HOSTS. Berg (1883) and Carpintero and Carvalho (1993) listed agave-leaved sea holly, Eryngium agavifolium Griseb. [ Apiaceae ] as the host. An effort to collect C. platensis on E. agavifolia in the Buenos Aires area by TJH and Diego Carpintero in 2016 was unsuccessful, suggesting that this was an incidental host and the true host remains to be discovered.

DISTRIBUTION. Known only from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. We have examined six syntype females of C. puncticollis : “Argent. La Plata” in Helsinki ( FMNH). Also, Dr. Pablo Dellapé ( MNLP) kindly checked the La Plata collection for the holotype of Eccritotarsus platensis without success, indicating that it apparently is lost, despite Carvalho and Carpintero (1992) listing it as “hembra, Bueno Aires, E.p.B., Typus 1605. MLP.” Based on the original descriptions, type localities of E. platensis and C. puncticollis , and all of the specimens we have examined, we agree that Pennington (1921) and Carvalho and Carpintero (1992) were correct in considering C. puncticollis a junior synonym of E. platensis .

TYPE DESIGNATIONS. To ensure nomenclatural stability, we are selecting the left female from the top card (of two cards on one pin) with the following label as the lectotype of Caulotops puncticollis Bergroth : “Argent. La Plata. [no other data].” The remaining three females (top card, right specimen; second card, two specimens) and two carded females and a separate pin with the same data are considered paralectotypes. All of these specimens are in FMNH .

Because the female holotype of Eccritotarsus platensis from “ Buenos Aires ” apparently is lost, for nomenclatural stability, we are designating the following male as the neotype: label 1), “Benavidez Pcia. Bs. As. [,] II-77”; 2), “ Neotype: ♂ Eccritotarsus platensis Berg , by T. J. Henry and K. L. Menard ( DLCC).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED. ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: 2♀♀, 12 Feb. 1899, S. Ventura ( USNM) ; 2♀♀, Tigre, Apr. 1943, C. Carvalho ( USNM) ; 2♀♀, Tigre: Benavidez , Feb. 1977 ( USNM) ; 3♀♀ [3 carded specimens on one pin], Rio “Chana, Pcia. [Provincia],” Bs. As. [Buenos Aires], DGLTA [Delta], viii-29 ( DLCC) ; 1♂, Pcia. Benavidez, Buenos Aires ( DLCC) ; 1♀, Arg., BS. AS., La Plata ( MNLP) .

DISCUSSION. Carvalho (1948) redescribed C. platensis (as C. puncticollis ) and illustrated the adult and male genitalia. Although Pennington (1921) synonymized C. puncticollis under C. platensis, Carvalho in some of his earlier papers continued to recognize two species. Carpintero and Carvalho (1993) confirmed Pennington’s (1921) synonymy and recognized only C. platensis . With the designation of a lectotype for C. puncticollis and a neotype for E. platensis , we reaffirm that these two taxa are conspecific.

Figures

FIGURES 8–20. Caulotops and Agaveocoris spp. 8–10, Caulotops platensis. 8, male (dorsal aspect). 9, male (lateral aspect). 10, female (dorsal aspect). 11–20. Agaveocoris spp. 11, A. agavis (Reuter), male (dorsal aspect). 12, A. agavis, male (lateral aspect). 13, A. agavis, female (dorsal aspect). 14, A. barberi (Knight), male (dorsal aspect). 15, A. barberi, female (dorsal aspect). 16, A. barrerai, n. sp., male (dorsal aspect). 17, A. barrerai, n. sp., female (dorsal aspect). 18, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., male (dorsal aspect). 19, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., male (lateral aspect). 20, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., female (dorsal aspect).

FIGURES 67–77. Male genitalia of Caulotops and Agaveocoris spp. Caulotops platensis: 67, genital capsule. 68, left paramere. 69, right paramere. Agaveocoris agavis: 70, endosoma. 71, left paramere. 72, right paramere. A. barberi: 73, left paramere. 74, right paramere. A. barrerai, n. sp.: 75, left paramere. 76, right paramere. A. bimaculatus, n. sp.: 77, endosoma. 78, left paramere. 79, right paramere.