Nesiaptera picea, Heiss, 2011

Heiss, E., 2011, New genera and species of Carventinae from New Caledonia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae), Zootaxa 2792 (1), pp. 22-32 : 31-32

Nesiaptera picea n. sp.

(Photo 14)

Material examined. Holotype ♂: New Caledonia, S-Prov. / Monts Koghis, forest litter / ca. 5km N Nouméa 550m / 25 XI 2009 Schuh (11A) // Holotype ♂ / Nesiaptera n.gen. / picea n. sp. / des. E. HEISS 2010.

Diagnosis. Kormilev & Froeschner 1987 raised Nesiaptera Usinger & Matsuda 1959 from subgeneric to generic rank, consisting of only the species N. zimmermanni ( Usinger &Matsuda 1959) . described from Salomon Islands. The new species shares the habitus and fusion pattern of the thorax and tergal plate but is distinguished from the latter by its wider head, more produced anterolateral angles of the pronotum, and produced pe-angles of deltg’s.

Description. Male, apterous; colouration dark piceous, surface of thorax and tergal plate smooth and shiny, rugose or granulate elsewhere.

Head: Much wider than long (38/29); genae thin longer than clypeus; antenniferous lobes with subparallel margins and subacute apices; antennae about 1.4x as long as width of head (53/38), segment I thickest and clubshaped, II thinner and shortest, III thin and long as I petiolate at base, IV fusiform; length of antennal segment I/II/ III/IV = 16/7/16/14; eyes granulate; postocular lobes roundedly produced laterally not reaching outer margin of eyes, posteriorly converging to thin collar; vertex carinate, rugose laterally.

Pronotum: More than 3x as wide as long (54/16); disk with a T-shaped median elevation and lateral ovate callosities separated by sulci, anterior and lateral margins carinate; anterolateral angles at a lower level than carinate margins of disk roundedly produced anteriorly; posterior margin marked by a deep groove, this interrupted at the median ridge.

Meso- and metanotum: Median ridge of pronotum continuing on meso- metanotum and mtgI forming a posteriorly widening plate, this highest on mtgI, laterally flanked by ovate callosities, which are separated by grooves; mtgII transversely elevated separated by incomplete sulcus from mtgI.

Abdomen: Basal median sclerite of mtgIII sinuately converging posteriorly to abdominal scent gland, its surface showing an ill defined basal elevation; pattern of apodemal impressions marked by ovate impressions; deltg I+II fused and triangularly projecting to pronotum, the lateral margin carinate; deltg III–VII with carinate lateral margins, pe-angles roundedly produced, surface each with 2 round callosities marking apodemal impressions; tergite VII raised medially for reception of the pygophore; surface of venter smooth, all spiracles lateral and visible from above.

Genitalic structures: Pygophore triangular sloping posteriorly; surface with irregular rugosities; paratergites VIII clavate, shorter than pygophore but not exceeding pe-angles of deltg VII; the single male was not dissected for the study of parameres.

Measurements. Holotype ♂: Length 3.35mm; width of mesonotum 48 and metanotum 53; width of abdomen across tergite III 80.

Etymology. Referring to its piceous colouration.

Discussion. When Usinger & Matsuda 1959 described the genus Acaraptera they included originally 3 subgenera ( Acaraptera s.str., Nesiaptera , Lissaptera ) which were separated by differences of the abdominal structures. They were later given generic rank by Kormilev & Froeschner 1987. Acaraptera now contains 5 species (2 from New Zealand, 2 Lord Howe Island, 1 Solomon Island), Nesiaptera 6 species of which 5 were described from Fiji Islands and N. zimmermanni (Us.& Mats. 1959) from Solomon Islands, whereas Lissocoris is monotypic with spinipes (Us.& Mats. 1959) from the Caroline Islands as the only species.

Because of the very limited range of distribution of small apterous flat bugs like Acaraptera – a reason for many endemics within adjacent habitats – and biogeographical considerations with respect to the highly endemic insect fauna of New Caledonia, it seems necessary to verify if the species from such distant islands belong to the same genera. Therefore, N. picea n. sp. is tentatively assigned to Nesiaptera unless more material is available for study.