Ceratocapsidea rufistigma (Blatchley) Henry, Thomas J., 2015

Henry, Thomas J., 2015, Revision of the Ceratocapsine Renodaeus group: Marinonicoris, Pilophoropsis, Renodaeus, and Zanchisme, with descriptions of four new genera (Heteroptera, Miridae, Orthotylinae), ZooKeys 490, pp. 1-156 : 30-32

Taxon classification Animalia Hemiptera Miridae

Ceratocapsidea rufistigma (Blatchley) comb. n. Figs 42, 43, 192-195

Ceratocapsus rufistigmus Blatchley, 1926: 829 (orig. descrip.); Knight 1927a: 103 (note); Carvalho 1958: 49 (cat.); Henry and Wheeler 1988: 398 (cat.); Schuh 1995: 96 (cat.).

Diagnosis.

This species (Figs 42, 43) is distinguished by the reddishbrown dorsum with only the costal margin or embolium paler; the evenly distributed brown-stained punctures on the hemelytra; the long, erect setae on the pronotum and hemelytra; the pale antenna with segment III and IV and the apex of II red or tinged with red; and the male genitalia, especially the left paramere (Fig. 192) with the complex middle process with a long, tapering apex and the right paramere (Figs 194, 195) with a broad, curving, apically flared arm and a shorter, crenulate process anteriorly.

Description.

Male (n = 3): Length 2.94-3.36 mm, width 1.25-1.40 mm. Head: Width 0.72-0.75 mm, interocular width 0.22-0.23 mm. Labium: Length 0.98-1.01 mm. Antenna: Segment I, length 0.23-0.26 mm; II, 0.73-0.83 mm; III, 0.39-0.42 mm; IV, 0.30-0.35 mm. Pronotum: Length 0.55-0.59 mm, basal width 1.03-1.12 mm.

Coloration: Overall coloration reddish brown. Head: Reddish brown; eyes black, frequently tinged with red. Labium: pale yellowish brown, often tinged with red, apical half of segment IV dark brown. Antenna: Pale yellowish brown, with segment III and IV and apex of II red, segment I with a red mark or dash on inner surface near base. Pronotum: Dark reddish brown, with posterior one fourth to one third noticeably paler to almost uniformly reddish brown with only area around calli slightly infuscated; scutellum reddish brown, pale at apex. Hemelytron: Reddish brown, cuneus red, costal or embolar margin pale or pale yellowish brown, sometimes tinged with red; membrane translucent brown, narrowly clear or transparent along cuneal margin. Ventral surface: Reddish brown, thoracic pleural area and abdomen often becoming more fuscous. Ostiolar evaporative area: Pale or white to pinkish, with central knob deep red. Legs: Pale yellowish brown, frequently tinged with red, or pale with apices of fore and middle femora, basal one fourth to one half of fore and middle tibiae, and all of hind femur (except base) and tibia red.

Structure, texture, and vestiture: Head: Frons and vertex strongly granulate, with scattered recumbent and semierect setae, intermixed, with a few long erect setae, especially on vertex. Labium: Extending to bases of hind coxae. Pronotum: Shiny, with thickly and evenly distributed brown-stained punctures, calli finely granulate, nearly impunctate; set with scattered, long, erect, simple setae, intermixed with silvery, scale-like setae. Scutellum: Evenly punctate, weakly transversely rugose, with several long, erect, simple setae, intermixed with silvery, scale-like setae. Hemelytron: Evenly distributed with dense, brown-stained punctures; with scattered short, recumbent and long, erect, simple setae, densely intermixed with silvery, scale-like setae.

Male genitalia: Left paramere (Fig. 192) with a slender, beak-like apex and a complex middle process having a short basal and dorsal tubercles and a long, slender, tapering apex. Right paramere (Figs 194, 195) relatively stout, with a brown, curving, apically flared arm and short, crenulate tubercle anterior to lateral arm. Phallotheca (Fig. 193) evenly slender on basal half, flaring distally before gradually narrowing into a slender, abruptly curved apical process.

Female (n = 5): Length 2.72-3.10 mm, width 1.22-1.42 mm. Head: Width 0.65-0.70 mm, interocular width 0.30-0.31 mm. Labium: Length 0.99-1.11 mm. Antenna: Segment I, 0.25-0.26 mm; II, 0.73-0.91 mm; III, 0.40-0.48 mm; IV, 0.34-0.42 mm. Pronotum: Length 0.53-0.65 mm, basal width 0.98-1.14 mm.

Host.

One specimen examined was collected on Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense Lour. [ Oleaceae ], and two others were swept from “ferns”. Both of these plants likely represent incidental occurrences.

Distribution.

Previously known only from Florida ( Blatchley 1926). North Carolina is a new state record. I note that two PBI database records, a female from Arizona in the AMNH collection and a male in the TAMU collection, were not examined but almost certainly are based on misidentifications.

Discussion.

Blatchley (1926) unintentionally validated Knight’s manuscript name of Ceratocapsus rufistigmus ( Knight 1927a). In studying the unpublished Knight "type series", his allotype ♀ and one paratype ♀ from Gainesville actually are Ceratocapsidea complicata (Knight), clearly recognized by the quadrate black or brown spots on the pronotum. Because of Blatchley’s (1926) unintentional validation, no type was selected by him. In addition, Knight’s own series was mixed. To ensure nomenclatural stability, Knight’s unpublished holotype male is selected as a neotype for Ceratocapsidea rufistigma Blatchley.

Type designation.

Neotype (here selected) for Ceratocapsus rufistigma Blatchley: ♂, label 1) "Gainesville, Fla., 5.5. [19]18" [handwritten date unclear], C. J. Drake"; label 2 (red), "HOLOTYPE by H. H. Knight Ceratocapsus rufistigmus [name handwritten]"; and label 3 (red, here added), "NEOTYPE: ♂ Ceratocapsus rufistigmus Blatchley desig. by T. J. Henry" (00286228) (USNM).

Other specimens examined.

USA:Florida:Alachua Co.: Gainesville, 29.63527EN, 82.37111EW, 24 m, 14 Jul 1918, C. J. Drake, 1♀ (00246624) (TAMU).Gainesville, 29EN, 82EW, 21 Jun 1918, C. J. Drake, 1♀ (00286265) (USNM). Univ. Florida Agricultural Experimental Station, 29.72108EN, 82.41816EW, 53 m, 05 May 1918, C. J. Drake, 1♂ (00286268) (USNM); 31 May 1918, C. J. Drake, 1♀ (00286266) (USNM); 04 Aug 1918, C. J. Drake, 1♀ (00286267) (USNM). Duval Co.: Jacksonville, 30.33194EN, 81.65583EW, 23 Jul 1926, E. D. Ball, 1♂ (00246625) (TAMU). Jacksonville, 30.33194EN, 81.65583EW, 23 Jul 1926, E. D. Ball, 2♀♀ (00286263, 00286264) (USNM). Highlands Co.: Highlands Hammock State Park, 27.47138EN, 81.54138EW, 26 m, 22 Apr 1981-28 Apr 1981, T. J. Henry, fern, 2♀♀ (00286272, 00286273) (USNM). Liberty Co.: Torreya State Park, 30.56889EN, 84.94778EW, 03 May 1976, Joe Schuh, 3♂♂ (00138457-00138459), 1♀ (00138460) (AMNH). Marion Co.: Rt. 40, 12 mi E of Lynne, 29.18191EN, 81.71137EW, 12 m, 24 Apr 1984, T. J. Henry and A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Pinus clausa (Chapm. ex Engelm.) Sarg. ( Pinaceae ), 1♂ (00286269) (USNM). Miami-Dade Co.: Westgate, 25.83806EN, 80.25139EW, 11 Apr 1962, J. F. Brimley, 1♀ (00374727) (CNC). Pinellas Co.: Dunedin, 28.01972EN, 82.77166EW, 9 m, 21 Nov 1920, W. S. Blatchley, 1♂ (00374725) (CNC). Seminole Co.: Sanford, 28.80055EN, 81.27312EW, 24 Jul 1927, E. D. Ball, 1♂ (00286270), 1♀(00286271) (USNM). Volusia Co.: South Daytona, 29.16556EN, 81.00472EW, 21 Mar 1960, J. F. Brimley, 1♀ (00374726) (CNC). North Carolina:New Hanover Co.: Carolina Beach, 34.035EN, 77.89389EW, 08 Jun 1950, D. M. DeLong, fern, 1♂ (00286274) (USNM).