Neoclerada parainsulicola, Malipatil & Blacket, 2011

Malipatil, M. B. & Blacket, M. J., 2011, Three new species of Cleradini from Australia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Rhyparochromidae), Zootaxa 3003 (1), pp. 43-54 : 44-46

Neoclerada parainsulicola sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–11 )

Specimens examined: Holotype male, Nourlangie Creek , 12.52S 132.47E, 8 km E of Mt Cahill, 17.xi.1972, T.Weir & A. Allwood, in MV . Paratype, one male, Koongarra , 12.52S 132.50E, 15 km E of Mt Cahill, 15.xi.1972, T. Weir & A. Allwood, dissected, in VAIC .

Description:

Colour: Body above ( Fig. 1 ) and below, labium, and 1st segment of antenna, dark brownish-ochraceous. Eyes red-fuscous. Proximal third to half of 4th segment whitish ( Fig. 5 ). With the following dark brown: 2nd, 3rd and remainder of 4th antennal segments, scutellum, part of inner margin of clavus, a broad almost round discal patch on corium interior and narrowly exterior to R+M, and parts of membrane. Disc of abdominal venter luteous.

Structure: Measurements are of holotype followed by those of paratype within round brackets. Body flat above, obovate in outline, gradually widened from head end; corium abruptly widened near middle, then gradually narrowing posteriorly. Body length including wings 5.40 (6.20); maximum width 2.39 (2.66).

Head: Gradually narrowed from base to apex ( Fig. 3 ); tylus rounded and well exceeding jugae, these narrowed; antennifers slightly projecting anterolaterad; ocelli small, clear; bucculae very short, not extending posteriorly to level of antennifers; head ventrally and medianly shallowly grooved to base; head above corrugated, punctured similar to pronotum. Length of head 1.05 (1.10); width across eyes 0.78 (0.82); interocular space 0.37 (0.39); interocellar space 0.48 (0.50); eye-ocellar space 0.04 (0.05); eye length 0.32 (0.32); eye width 0.20 (0.20). Antennae ( Fig. 5 ) slender, geniculate, 4th segment longest; 1st segment with half of its length extending beyond apex of head; length of segments: I 0.50 (0.60); II 0.92 (1.03); III 0.39 (0.41); IV 1.15 (missing). Labium ( Fig. 4 ) reaching mid coxae, 1st segment extending to about middle of head, 2nd segment to base of head; length of segments: I 0.57 (0.62); II 0.41 (0.41); III 1.01 (1.01); IV 0.28 (0.30).

Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ) with well demarcated anterior collar; lateral margins distinctly sinuate near middle, broadly carinate, and slightly reflexed upwards; posterior margin straight; disc with 3 depressed areas. Entire surface almost uniformly punctured similar to dorsum of head; median length 0.85 (0.90); width at posterior margin 1.65 (1.80). Metathoracic scent gland auricle prominently projecting above pleural surface, orifice directed posteriorly. Legs slender; fore femora only slightly thicker than other femora, unarmed below; tibiae slender; hind basitarsus about 2 x as long as distal 2 segments combined. Scutellum with a distinct median laevigate ridge; length 0.82 (0.92); width 1.03 (1.03). Clavus with coarse punctures as follows: an almost complete inner row adjoining corial margin, an almost complete middle row, and the area between middle row and claval anal margin covered with unevenly spaced punctures; claval commissure 0.96 (1.15). Corium with Sc distinctly depressed and reflexed along lateral margins which are narrowed in proximal quarter, then explanately widened to about middle of corium, thereafter gradually narrowed posteriorly; punctate as follows: 2 more or less complete parallel rows adjoining claval margin (with an incomplete row between), 1 or 2 short incomplete rows exterior to outer row; remainder of corium covered with uniform, but unevenly spaced punctures. Length of hemelytra 3.68 (4.14); length of corium 3.17 (3.54); width of membrane 1.33 (1.27). Hind wings not examined.

Abdomen: Dorsally flat, ventrally sterna medianly keeled ( Fig. 7 ), subshiny; submedian trichobothria on stenum III in triangular series and those of sternum IV in rectilinear series; trichobothrial areas rugulose and raised above surface; intersegmental suture between III-IV curved forward well before margin, but suture distinct on margin. Lateral tergites distinct ( Fig. 6 ). Terga mostly membranous; sclerotised as follows ( Fig. 6 ): a narrow area around anterior, and a larger area around middle, scent gland scars, and a broad median plate on posterior of tergum V enclosing posterior scar and extending to end of abdomen. Anterior scent gland scar slightly wider than posterior two scars which are equal in width.

Male: Pygophore as in Fig. 8 , dorsally with well developed processes above base of parameres. Paramere ( Fig. 9 ) with blade forked, inner tooth slightly longer and larger than outer tooth; subbasal process broad and prominent. Aedeagus ( Figs. 10, 11 ) without lobes or processes on conjunctiva and vesica; phallotheca lightly uniformly sclerotised; ejaculatory reservoir reduced; helicoid process with about 2 coils, gonoporal process with 4–5 coils; basal coils tighter than apical coils; secondary gonopore slightly flaring.

Female: Unknown.

Distribution. Northern Territory of Australia.

Diagnosis. Neoclerada parainsulicola is closest to another Northern Territory species, N. insulicola Malipatil , but differs from it in colour, particularly the two large, rather round brown spots on the coria ( Fig. 1 ) and the lighter membrane (apical half of corium interior to R+M, and entire membrane, in N. insulicola are dark brown), the more explanate and reflexed lateral margins of the corium, and the broad subbasal process on paramere (apically narrowed subbasal process in N. insulicola ). In general colour, N. parainsulicola resembles the widely distributed Clerada apicicornis Signoret ( Figs. 12–16 ), but differs from it in several major generic characters including the round-sided postocular part of the head ( Fig. 3 compared with Fig. 14 ) and the forked paramere blade shown in Fig. 9 (not forked in C. apicicornis , see Malipatil 1981).

Etymology. The species name alludes to its similarity with the species Neoclerada insulicola Malipatil.

Notes. Neoclerada (now comprising three species) is only known from northern Australia ( Malipatil 1983, and the present study).

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Neoclerada parainsulicola: 1, habitus holotype male; 2, anterior part of body, dorsal view; 3, head, enlarged, dorsal view; 4, anterior part of body, lateral view; 5, antenna.

FIGURES 6–11. Neoclerada parainsulicola paratype male: 6, abdominal tergum; 7, abdominal sternum; 8, pygophore, dorsal view with right paramere in situ; 9, left paramere, ventral view; 10, aedeagus, dorsal view; 11, aedeagus, ventral view. Abbreviations: ba, basal apparatus; c, conjunctiva; er, ejaculatory reservoir; hp, helicoid process; gp, gonoporal process; ph, phallosoma; ssc, scent gland scar; v, vesica.

FIGURES 12–16. Clerada apicicornis: 12, habitus male; 13, anterior part of body, dorsal view; 14, head, enlarged, dorsal view; 15, anterior part of body, lateral view; 16, antenna. Specimen examined: male, Sydney, New South Wales, 1976, H.A. Rose, in VAIC.