Melaleucaphylus rhaphiophyllae, 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 : 57-59

Melaleucaphylus rhaphiophyllae , new species

Figure 9E, F , map 4, plates 4, 22, table 1

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished by large size of body and endosoma, narrow, straight subapical spine on posterior edge of ventral strap, apical spines of dorsal strap of almost equal length, parempodia somewhat lamelliform with fan shaped apices, coloration of dorsal vestiture matching underlying surface color, and dorsal labiate plate in female with large tumid posteroventral margin and large, flat bracket-shaped intersegmental process. Melaleucaphylus rhaphiophyllae and M. beaufortiae have roughly similar endosomal structure but can be distinguished on fine structure of apical region of dorsal straps; M. rhaphiophyllae with apical spines longer, curved dextrad, and with slightly divergent apices; M. beaufortiae with apical spines shorter, curved ventrad, and with parallel apices.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 3.87, mean pronotum width 1.39. COLORATION (pl. 4): Dusky yellow with variable size and intensity of darker coloration on frons, posterior lobe of pronotum, pair of parallel medial stripes on mesoscutum, clavus, posterior portion of corium, paracuneus, and thoracic venter; middle of cuneus and hemelytral membrane with faint dark color; pygophore always dark brown to black; appendages, especially tarsal segment 3, and claw usually slightly darker than pale portions of dorsum; vertex, calli, mesoscutum laterally, and scutellum always pale; tibia without dark spots at bases of spines. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (pl. 4): Subshining; dorsum with moderately dense, curved, reclining simple setae with coloration matching surface; coxae with erect pale setae; tibia with black spines. STRUC-

TURE: Labium reaching apex of metacoxa. Pretarsus: Claws moderately large, gently curved with somewhat expanded bases; parempodia relatively long, slightly lamelliform, parallel, with converging, expanded, and truncate apices; pulvilli minute, low, proximad of angle of claw (fig. 9E, F). GENITALIA (pl. 22A–J): Pygophore: As in generic description. Endosoma: Well sclero- tized from base to middle of basal curve, then clearly bifurcate with broad split, distal one-half with torsion, twisted to left side; ventral strap entire, anterior surface with smoothly curved apex, terminating at proximal end of secondary gonopore; posterior surface with small, narrow, smooth-margined, sinuate, pointed subapical spine, protruding beyond curvature of ventral strap, subapical spine originating at proximal end of secondary gonopore process, as long as width of secondary gonopore; dorsal strap bifurcate level with base of secondary gonopore, apical spines gradually diverging over entire length, apices pointed, curving to right, separated by distance equal to width of secondary gonopore. Secondary gonopore: Well sclerotized, deep, surface of aperture convoluted, well sclerotized, with C-shaped process ringing and projecting proximad of aperture with broad apex; small field of spicules on membrane adjoining ventrolateral surface of secondary gonopore; interstrap membrane with obscure, very thin sclerite reaching from secondary gonopore to base of endosoma. Phallotheca: Moderate sized, apical region attenuate; posterior surface with short, gently curved ridge on right surface and small basal protuberance or outpocket on left surface; aperture on anteroventral surface, elongate teardrop shaped, narrowed at apex. Parameres: Left paramere: Triangular in dorsal view, posterior process moderately short, gradually narrowed, base weakly expanded laterally, clearly longer than anterior process; anterior process moderately long; posterior surface of paramere broadly rounded, with small prominence, only slightly raised above bases of anterior and posterior processes. Right paramere: Medium sized, slightly elongate, somewhat attenuate posteriad, margins smoothly rounded, apex short.

FEMALE (pl. 4): Coloration as in male, except hemelytron with pale or golden setae, posterior lateral portion of corium and cuneus with black setae; otherwise differing from male as in generic description; mean total length 4.21, mean pronotum width 1.53. GENITALIA (pl. 22K–O): Posterior margin of sternite 7: With broadly triangular medial projection. Vestibular sclerites: Moderately large, vestibulum J-shaped, coiled, extending just within medial margin of right sclerotized ring in dorsal view; vestibulum convoluted, strongly sclerotized from posterior margin of ventral labiate plate, reaching first gonapophyses with fainter sclerotization. First gonapophyses: Pair of symmetrical triangular basal sclerites abutting ventral portion of right vestibular sclerite. Ventral labiate plate: Left and right portions symmetrically developed. Dorsal labiate plate: Moderately large, ovoid; posteroventral edge strongly tumid, asymmetrical, right side larger than left. Sclerotized rings: Large, subovoid, margins narrow, separated by one-half width of ring, lateral margin of ring angled, reaching lateral margin of dorsal labiate plate. Posteromedial region: Sunken microspiculate invaginated plates, slightly separated at midline, posterior margin strongly rolled. Intersegmental process: Large, broad, bracket shaped, tilted and directed anteriad, membranous, weakly microspiculate at base; apical margin with small medial notch. Posterior wall: Large, deep, well sclerotized. Interramal sclerites: With broad, vertical, posteriorly directed medial prominence; ventrolateral regions with obvious sclerotized subrectangular extensions. Interramal lobes: Dorsolateral region strongly sclerotized, with microspiculate surface; regions either side of medial prominence somewhat produced into genital chamber.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for its occurrence on Melaleuca rhaphiophylla .

HOST: Recorded from Melaleuca rhaphiophylla ( Myrtaceae : Melaleuceae ) (pl. 39K).

DISTRIBUTION (map 4): Known only from the type locality near Eneabba in central west coastal Western Australia within the southwestern phytogeographic subregion.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Brand Hiway, 8.2 km N of Eneabba, 29.74618 ° S 115.254 ° E, 100 m, 31 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Melaleuca rhaphiophylla Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05120195, 13 ( AMNH _PBI 00137528) ( WAMP).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Brand Hiway, 8.2 km N of Eneabba, 29.74618 ° S 115.254 ° E, 100 m, 31 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Melaleuca rhaphiophylla Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05120195, 373 (00393330, 00087164, 00087448, 00393435–00393437, 00393477–00393495, 00393509–00393520), 28♀ (00088933– 00088936, 00088967–00088969, 00088930, 00088932, 00393331–00393340, 00087165, 00393502, 00391160–00391166) ( AM), 403 (00137598–00137610, 00137527, 00137529, 00137530, 00137532–00137549, 00137566– 00137571), 19♀ (00137613–00137623, 00137628–00137631, 00088929, 00088931, 00414836, 00414837) ( AMNH), 43 (00137556– 00137559) ( ANIC), 43 (00393498–00393501) ( CNC), 23 (00137554, 00137555) ( UCR), 23 (00393496, 00393497) ( UNSW), 23 (00137552, 00137553) ( USNM), 163 (00137531, 00137560– 00137565, 00393521–00393529), 11♀ (00088970–00088974, 00137611, 00137612, 00137624–00137627) ( WAMP), 23 (00137550, 00137551) ( ZISP).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED: AUS-

TRALIA: Western Australia: Brand Hiway, 8.2 km N of Eneabba, 29.74618 ° S 115.254 ° E, 100 m, 31 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Melaleuca rhaphiophylla Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 05120195, 3 nymphs (00088975, 00391158, 00391159) (AM).

Figures

FIG. 9. Melaleucaphylus spp. Scanning electron micrographs of pretarsus. A. M. nodosae, AMNH_PBI 00371390, frontodorsal view. B. M. omnivorus, AMNH_PBI 00391104, frontodorsal view. C. M. phymatocarpi, AMNH_PBI 00372120, frontal view. D. M. polyphagus, AMNH_PBI 00132521, frontodorsal view. E., F. M. rhaphiophyllae, AMNH_PBI 00393437. E. Frontodorsal view. F. Detail of parempodia, ventral view. G. M. sheathianae, AMNH_PBI 00370823, frontolateral view. Abbreviations: pe, parempodium; pul, pulvillus.