Ceratocapsidea transversa Henry

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 : 35-36

Taxon classification Animalia Hemiptera Miridae

Ceratocapsidea transversa Henry sp. n. Figs 47, 204-207

Diagnosis.

The species (Fig. 47) is recognized by the oval body form, brown to reddishbrown coloration, long setae on antennal segment II, the distinct transverse brown band on the pronotum, and the male genitalia, especially the left paramere (Fig. 204) with a “wing-like” middle process, the single stout lateral arm on the right paramere (Figs 206, 207), and the relatively stout phallotheca (Fig. 205) with a slender recurved apex.

Description.

Male (n = 4; holotype measurements in parentheses): Length 3.04-3.36 mm (3.23 mm), width 1.38-1.39 mm (1.34 mm). Head: Width 0.70-0.73 mm (0.78 mm), interocular width 0.23-0.25 mm (0.25 mm). Labium: Length 1.01-1.05 mm (1.00 mm). Antenna: Segment I, length 0.25-0.26 mm (0.26 mm); II, 0.78-0.81 mm (0.75 mm); III, 0.39 mm (0.39 mm); IV, 0.30-0.31 mm (0.35 mm) [see discussion below on an aberrant right antenna in this species]. Pronotum: Length 0.62 mm (0.61 mm), basal width 1.14-1.18 mm (1.17 mm).

Coloration: Overall coloration brown, often tinged with red. Head: Uniformly yellowish brown; eyes dark brown to fuscous, tinged with red around margins. Labium: Yellowish brown, segment I and II tinged with red, segment IV darker brown. Antenna: Pale yellowish brown, with a narrow red band encircling dorsal half near base and distal half tinged with red; segment II yellowish brown, apex weakly red tinged; segments III and IV slightly darker brown or reddish. Pronotum: Brown to yellowish brown, more brown anteriorly, paler brown on posterior third, with a broad dark brown to fuscous band across middle and narrowly fuscous across anterior margin. Scutellum: Dark brown, with apex yellowish brown. Hemelytron: Brown to dark brown, corium and apical half of cuneus tinged with red; costal margin or embolium pale yellowish brown. Ventral surface: Shiny reddish brown; stridulatory area appearing paler or whitish. Ostiolar evaporative area: Pale or whitish, with central knob red. Legs: Coxae pale; fore and middle femora pale yellowish brown, hind femur yellowish brown with apical third reddish; fore and middle tibiae yellowish brown with a narrow red stripe on basal third to half of anterior face, hind tibiae brown to red on basal half to three fourths; tarsi and claws yellowish brown.

Structure, texture, and vestiture: Head: Finely granulate on frons and vertex; set with short, recumbent, simple setae, intermixed with 8-10 long, erect setae. Labium: Extending to bases of middle coxae. Antenna: Segment I with scattered short, recumbent and two long erect, simple setae; segments II–IV with numerous short recumbent and longer, semierect setae, some on segment II equal to or longer than the diameter of the segment. Pronotum: Shiny, evenly punctate, except granulate calli; thickly covered with long, semierect, simple setae. Scutellum: Evenly punctate, with scattered long, erect and semierect simple setae, intermixed with slender, silvery, scale-like setae. Hemelyron: Evenly distributed with numerous brown-stained punctures; set with numerous long, erect, almost bristle-like, simple setae, intermixed with slender silvery, scale-like setae.

Male genitalia: Left paramere (Fig. 204): Beak-like apex distally blunt and with a wing-like process at middle. Right paramere (Fig. 206, 207): Main trunk stout, apically tapered, with one stout lateral arm having a slender, upturned, crenulate apical process and a slender process midway between base and apex. Phallotheca (Fig. 205): Relatively stout, with slender apex, recurved.

Female (n = 2): Length 3.23-3.32 mm, width 1.35-1.46 mm. Head: Width 0.68-0.69 mm, interocular width 0.31-0.33 mm. Labium: Length 1.03-1.04 mm. Antenna: Segment I, length 0.23-0.25 mm; II, 0.74-0.78 mm; III, 0.36-0.38 mm; IV, 0.30 mm. Pronotum: Length 0.59 mm, basal width 1.08-1.11 mm.

Very similar to male in general coloration and texture, differing mainly in the more broadly oval body form, as well as the distinctive long setae (3 × or more the diameter of the segment) on antennal segment II that are absent in males.

Host.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Known only from Nuevo León, Mexico.

Etymology.

This species is named “transversa” for the dark brown or black, transverse band across the middle of the pronotum.

Discussion.

One paratype (CNC specimen with red label added: "SPECIMEN WITH TERATOLOGICAL RIGHT ANTENNA") of this species exhibits an aberrant right antenna, with segment II (length 0.88 mm) much longer than the same segment (length 0.78 mm) on the left antenna, and segments III and IV fused (length 0.40 mm) and tapered as in segment IV (missing on this individual) on the left antenna of other specimens. Although antennal abnormalities are not rare in insects, few such teratological cases have been reported in the Miridae . Also, see discussion under Pilophoropsidea brailovskyi sp. n.

Type material.

Holotype ♂: MEXICO:Nuevo León: Chipinque Mesa, near Monterrey, N.L., 25.60422EN, 100.36137EW, 5400' [1646 m], 22 Jul 1963, H. F. Howden, 1♂ (00286296) (CNC). Paratypes: MEXICO:Nuevo León: Chipinque Mesa, near Monterrey, N.L., 25.60422EN, 100.36137EW, 5400' [1646 m], 08 Jul 1963, H. Howden & A. Howden, 1♂ (00286289) (USNM); 22 Jul 1963, H. F. Howden, 5♂♂ (00286291-00286295) (CNC), 1♂ (00286290) (USNM).