Melaleucaphylus halmaturorum, Schwartz & Weirauch & Schuh, 2018

Schwartz, Michael D., Weirauch, Christiane & Schuh, Randall T., 2018, New Genera And Species Of Myrtaceae-Feeding Phylinae From Australia, And The Description Of A New Species Of Restiophylus (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae) Michael D. Schwartz Christiane Weirauch, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2018 (424), pp. 1-161 : 36-39

Melaleucaphylus halmaturorum , new species

Figures 4E , 6 , map 2, plates 2, 12, table 1

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by coloration with bright orange red on discrete central portion of cuneus, black antenna, frons, calli, and middle of mesoscutum, and bright orange lateral shoulders of mesoscutum and medial base of scutellum. Endosoma very similar to M. beaufortiae , M. micranthae , M. nodosae , M. pauperiflorae , and M. rhaphiophyllae — all having a small subapical spine on posterior edge of ventral strap protruding beyond the curvature of strap in lateral view. Endosoma in M. halmaturorum most similar to that in M. pauperiflorae , but endosoma in M. halmaturorum larger, with longer apical spines of dorsal strap that are also divergent; in M. pauperiflorae endosoma smaller and the shorter apical spines of dorsal strap are convergent and contiguous over entire length.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 4.10, mean pronotum width 1.40. COLORATION (pl. 2): General coloration pale to dark olive yellow with variable dark brown to black areas on clypeus, frons, antenna, labium, calli, humeral angles of pronotum, mesoscutum, claval commissure, exocorium, femora, third tarsal segment, ventral aspect of thorax, venter, and pygophore; orange on mesoscutum sublaterally, base and midline of scutellum, cuneus centrally and on posterior margin of adjacent hemelytral membrane, as well as sometimes on paracuneus; white or cream color on mesepimeron dorsally and metepisternal scent gland evaporative area and auricle; hemelytral membrane slightly fumose; veins pale brown; tibial spines black, without dark spots at bases. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (pl. 2): Shining; dorsum predominantly with moderately dense, curved reclining golden simple setae; some black simple setae on pronotum and cuneus. STRUCTURE: Labium reaching base of metacoxa. Pretarsus: Claws moderately large, slightly curved, bases slightly enlarged; parempodia setiform, relatively long, apices apparently clipped and converging; pulvilli, length medium, height low, proximad of angle of claw (fig. 4E). GENITALIA (fig. 6D, pl. 12A–K): Pygophore: As in generic description. Endosoma: Distal one-third with torsion, twisted to left side; ventral strap entire, anterior surface with truncate apical margin, reaching level to base of second- ary gonopore; posterior edge with hooked, hornshaped, pointed subapical spine, protruding beyond curvature of ventral strap; subapical process originating level to proximal end of secondary gonopore process with length subequal to anterior apical margin of ventral strap; dorsal strap bifurcate at level of distal end of secondary gonopore, divided into pair of sharply pointed mostly adjacent apical spines—large anterior spine extending distad of secondary gonopore 2.25 × length of secondary gonopore ring; small posterior spine slightly fusiform at base, diverging from anterior apex at base, adjacent for most of length, and converging at apex. Secondary gonopore: Well sclerotized, located medially; aperture open on ventroanterior surface, proximal edge with large, well-sclerotized, lanceolate process, lateral surface with microspiculate membrane; interstrap region with extremely thin, gently curved gonopore sclerite located within, stretching from relatively straight proximal end of secondary gonopore to base of endosoma level with bifurcation of straps. Phallotheca: Large, somewhat attenuate, apical region with undulate margins and posterior surface with small crest shaped flanges distally and broad prominence proximally; aperture on anteroventral surface, long, evenly narrow to apex. Parameres: Left paramere: Posterior margin and shoulder region between posterior and anterior processes not appreciably elongate, otherwise typically phyline; posterior process short, gently attenuate from expanded base, straight distally, apex small, rounded. Right paramere: Subovate, moderately elongate with short distal region and small rounded apex.

FEMALE (pl. 2): Coloration as in male, except red on endocorium merging with red on cuneus and only apex of antennal segment 2 black, otherwise differing from male as in generic description; mean total length 4.36, mean pronotum width 1.58. GENITALIA (pl. 12L–O): Posterior margin of sternite 7: With broadly triangular, attenuate projection. Vestibular sclerites: Large, J-shaped, convoluted, lateral margin curved, extending to right side; anterior edge level with anterior border of ring, reaching to middle of right ring in dorsal view; tube variably sclerotized, faint near ventral labiate plate, strongest on medioventral extension of ventral labiate plate and diminished at enlarged quadrate basal sclerites of first gonapophyses. Dorsal labiate plate: Large; posteroventral margin of dorsal labiate plate folded, enlarged posteriad, slightly tumid. Sclerotized rings: Large, subovoid, borders narrow, separated by width of ring, lateral margin of ring angled, removed from lateral margin of dorsal labiate plate. Posteromedial region: Strongly microspiculate, posterior margin deeply incised on midline, strongly upturned ventral to lateral ovipositors. Intersegmental process: Large, membranous, broad, bilobed apically, strongly microspiculate. Posterior wall: Large, anterior onehalf strongly sclerotized; with broad, vertical, medial invagination on anterior surface, posteriorly directed prominence abutting ovipositor bulb. Interramal sclerites: Ventrolateral regions with strongly sclerotized subrectangular extensions. Interramal lobes: Dorsolateral region hyaline, lateral regions with extensive microspicules; regions either side of medial prominence not tumid or produced into genital chamber.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for its occurrence on Melaleuca halmaturorum .

HOST: Recorded from Melaleuca halmaturorum ( Myrtaceae : Melaleuceae ) (pl. 39C, D).

DISTRIBUTION (map 2): Only known from the type locality in Jeparit Environmental Park, Grampians region of west central Victoria, at the southeastern edge of the eastern desert phytogeographic subregion.

DISCUSSION: Twenty-two adult specimens from Credo Station, WA (387568–387589) are very similar to M. halmaturorum in terms of the endosomal structure; however, the only genitalic preparations are from teneral specimens. All these specimens were taken on Melaleuca phoidophylla Barlow ex Craven (Melaleuceae) a plant not known as a host of any species treated in the current study. The posterior apical spine of the dorsal strap in M. halmaturorum is fusiform, and mostly parallel to the anterior apical spine of the dorsal strap. The same structures in the Credo specimens differ by the posterior apical spine bent and converging into the anterior apical spine of the dorsal strap. Because the structures of the endosoma are weakly sclerotized their shapes are probably distorted. There are obvious coloration differences that prevent us from placing Credo specimens in M. halmaturorum (compare photos of 371513 and 387572 in plate 2). The former specimens do not have a discrete red patch on the cuneus offset by pale borders, but have variable brown coloration on the cuneus; in addition, each cell of the hemelytral membrane—as well as adjacent to the apex of the large cell—has a discrete red blotch not observed in M. halmaturorum . The teneral condition of these specimens precludes their description.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Victoria: Jeparit Environmental Park, 36.14047 ° S 141.9643 ° E, 90 m, 05 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh , Schwartz, Silveira, Melaleuca halmaturorum F. Muell. ex Miq. (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW 658110, 13 ( AMNH _PBI 00371513) ( MVMA).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Victoria: Jeparit Environmental Park, 36.14047 ° S 141.9643 ° E, 90 m, 05 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh , Schwartz, Silveira, Melaleuca halmaturorum F. Muell. ex Miq. (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW 658110, 33 (00371527–00371529), 3♀ (00371497–00371499) ( AM), 533 (00059064, 00371418–00371441, 00371449–00371452, 00371510–00371512, 00371514–00371526, 00371532, 00371540, 00371542, 00371543, 00371453–00371456, 00371507), 34♀ (00059065, 00371457–00371462, 00371467–00371490, 00371504, 00371505) ( AMNH), 23 (00371537, 00371538), 1♀ (00371492) ( ANIC), 23 (00371533, 00371534), 1♀ (00371495) ( CNC), 133 (00371444– 00371448, 00371544–00371551), 7♀ (00371509, 00371500–00371503, 00371506, 00371508) ( MVMA), 23 (00371539, 00371541), 1♀ (00371491) ( UCR), 23 (00371530, 00371531), 1♀ (00371494) ( UNSW), 23 (00371535, 00371536), 1♀ (00371496) ( USNM), 23 (00371442, 00371443), 1♀ (00371493) ( ZISP).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED: AUS-

TRALIA: Victoria: Jeparit Environmental Park, 36.14047 ° S 141.9643 ° E, 90 m, 05 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh , Schwartz, Silveira, Melaleuca halmaturorum F. Muell. ex Miq. (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW 658110, 4 nymphs (00371463– 00371466) (AMNH).

Figures

FIG. 4. Melaleucaphylus spp. Scanning electron micrographs of pretarsus. A, B. M. beaufortiae, AMNH_PBI 00087288. A. Frontoventral view. B. Detail of parempodia, ventral view. C. M. eremaeae, AMNH_PBI 00136216, frontoventral view. D. M. glomeratae, AMNH_PBI 00418691, frontoventral view. E. M. halmaturorum, AMNH_PBI 00371542, frontoventral view. F. M. kunzeae, AMNH_PBI 00128299, frontal view. Abbreviations: pe, parempodium; pul, pulvillus.

FIG. 6. Melaleucaphylus halmaturorum, AMNH_PBI 00371542. Scanning electron micrographs. A. Head and pronotum, lateral view. B. Detail of pronotal setae, dorsal view. C. Thoracic pleuron, lateral view, showing metathoracic spiracle opening, metathoracic scent-gland auricle, and evaporatory area. D. Pygophore, left paramere, phallotheca, and right paramere, lateral view. Abbreviations: lp, left paramere; mttsp, metathoracic spiracle; phl, phallotheca; rp, right paramere; sgaur, scent gland auricle; sgev, scent gland evaporatory area.