Melaleucaphylus micranthae, 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 : 42-44

Melaleucaphylus micranthae , new species

Map 3 , plates 2, 15, table 1

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by general dusky yellow coloration with dark markings restricted to clypeus, ovoid mark medially on frons, apex of antennal segment 2, and entirety of segments 3 and 4. Most similar to M. beaufortiae , another small species with endosoma having a short subapical spine on posterior edge of ventral strap, but former species with more extensive dark markings on head and antenna. Melaleucaphylus micranthae is further distinguished from M. beaufortiae by fine features of endosoma. In former species subapical spine on posterior edge of ventral strap approximately straight and apical spines of dorsal strap sublinear and subcontiguous in lateral view and strongly converging in dorsal view; in latter species subapical spine on posterior edge of ventral strap strongly bent dorsad and apical spines of dorsal strap curved ventrad, somewhat separated in lateral view and slightly converging in dorsal view.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 2.87, mean pronotum width 1.01. COLORATION (pl. 2): Dusky yellow, black medial stripe extending dorsad from labrum and clypeus to frons as relatively narrow band with convex lateral margins reaching to middle of vertex leaving posterior margin of head pale; antennal segments 1 and 2 diffusely black distally, segments 3 and 4 black; pronotum including calli, posterior margin, and humeral angles concolorous pale; tibia without dark spots at bases of spines. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (pl. 2): Subshining; dorsum with moderately dense, curved, reclining black simple setae; tibia with black spines. STRUCTURE: Labium reaching apex of metacoxa. Pretarsus: Claws relatively small, gently curved; parempodia somewhat lamelliform, relatively long, parallel, apices slightly expanded, truncate; pulvilli small, short, restricted to just proximad of angle of claw. GENITALIA (pl. 15A–J): Pygophore: Small; otherwise as in generic description. Endosoma: Base to middle of basal curve well-sclerotized then clearly bifurcate with broad split, distal one-half with torsion, twisted to left side; ventral strap entire, anterior surface terminating even with middle of secondary gonopore with smoothly truncate apex; posterior edge of ventral strap with small, narrow, smooth-margined, curved, pointed, subapical spine protruding beyond curvature of ventral strap with length equal to width of secondary gonopore; dorsal strap bifurcate at level of base of secondary gonopore, apical spines slightly diverging at level of apex of secondary gonopore, then parallel over remaining length, terminating with gradually tapering, converging pointed apices, distance between apices short. Secondary gonopore: Well sclerotized, deep; surface of aperture convoluted and with large, well-sclerotized, irregularly shaped process ringing and projecting proximal of aperture as short attenuate apex. Phallotheca: Small, attenuate apical region with short undulating ridge on right posterior surface; base of phallotheca with small expansion on left side; aperture on anteroventral surface, elongate, teardrop shaped, narrowed at tip. Parameres: Left paramere: Small triangular in dorsal view, posterior process short, abruptly narrowed, slightly bent ventrad, longer than anterior process, base weakly expanded laterally; anterior process of moderate size; apex narrow, rounded; posterior surface of paramere expanded posteriorly, not raised above bases of anterior and posterior processes. Right paramere: Relatively small with smoothly rounded margins; apex short.

FEMALE (pl. 2): Coloration as in male; differing from male as in generic description; total length 2.94, pronotum width 1.03. GENITA- LIA (pl. 15K–N): Posterior margin of sternite 7: With broadly triangular, attenuate projection. Vestibular sclerites: Moderately large, J-shaped, convoluted, lateral margin curved, extending to right side, anterior edge not extending anteriad of ring, just reaching within medial margin of right ring in dorsal view; tube weakly sclerotized throughout, basal sclerites of first gonapophyses enlarged, triangular. Dorsal labiate plate: Moderately large, ovoid; posteroventral edge strongly tumid, symmetrical. Scler- otized rings: Large, subovoid, borders narrow, separated by one-half width of ring, lateral margin of ring angled, not reaching lateral margin of dorsal labiate plate. Intersegmental process: Large, broad, bracket shaped apically, weakly sclerotized and microspiculate, apical margin entire. Posterior wall: Medium sized, weakly sclerotized. Interramal sclerites: With broad, vertical, posteriorly directed medial prominence with small knob on middle portion abutting ovipositor bulb; ventrolateral regions with faintly sclerotized subrectangular extensions. Interramal lobes: Dorsolateral region hyaline, lateral regions without microspicules; regions on either side of medial prominence not tumid or produced into genital chamber.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for its occurrence on Beaufortia micrantha .

HOSTS: Recorded from Beaufortia micrantha (pl. 37B) and B. schaueri ( Myrtaceae : Melaleuceae ).

DISTRIBUTION (map 3): Known from two collection events near Ravensthorpe on the southern coast of Western Australia in the southeastern edge of the southwestern phytogeographic subregion.

DISCUSSION: The description of female genitalia above is based on a weakly sclerotized preparation.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Fitzgerald River National Park, Hammersley Road, 33.81038 ° S 119.787 ° E, 215 m, 06 Dec 1997, Schuh , Cassis, Brailovsky, Asquith, Beaufortia micrantha Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05055482, 13 ( AMNH _ PBI 00372218) ( WAMP).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Fitzgerald River National Park, Hammersley Road, 33.81038 ° S 119.787 ° E, 215 m, 06 Dec 1997, Schuh , Cassis, Brailovsky, Asquith, Beaufortia micrantha Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05055482, 23 (00372219, 00087245), 1♀ (00372223), 13 (00391094) ( AM), 63 (00131443–00131447, 00131449), 1♀ (00131450) ( AMNH), 33 (00372216, 00372217, 00131448), 1♀ (00372222) ( WAMP). Pallarup Nature Reserve, 1.4 km W of Lake King–Ravensthorpe Road, 33.24062 ° S 119.7195 ° E, 310 m, 05 Dec 1997, Schuh , Cassis, Brailovsky, Asquith, Beaufortia schaueri L. Preiss (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05055202, 23 (00087246, 00087472) ( AM), 1♀ (00131451), 13 (00131452) ( AMNH), 13 (00372215) ( WAMP).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED: AUS-

TRALIA: Western Australia: Fitzgerald River National Park, Hammersley Road, 33.81038 ° S 119.787 ° E, 215 m, 06 Dec 1997, Schuh , Cassis, Brailovsky, Asquith, Beaufortia micrantha Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05055482, 2 nymphs (00372220, 00372221) (AM).

Figures

MAP 3. Distribution of Melaleucaphylus kunzeae–M. pauperiflorae.