Valdasus erebeus Distant, 1883

(Figures 1, 8)

Valdasus erebeus Distant, 1883: 244 (as new species), Atkinson 1890: 48 (catalog), Baldasus erebeus [sic!]: Carvalho & Dolling 1976: 796 (catalog of BMNH types).

Cylapus erebeus: Distant 1893: 420 (mention of the new combination); Poppius 1909: 43 (list); Carvalho 1952 c: 6

Cylapus erebues [sic!]: Bergroth 1920: 71

Cylapus (Cylapus) erebeus: Carvalho 1957: 30 (catalog).

Peltidocylapus erebeus: Carvalho & Fontes 1968: 276 (list of species); Carvalho & Dolling 1976: 796 (catalog of BMNH types); Schuh 1995: 32 (catalog); Gorczyca 1996: 18 (catalog).

Examined specimen. Lectotype (♀): Bugaba, Panama, Champion; B. C. A., Hem. I Cylapus erebeus; Valdasus erebeus Dist .; Lectotype Baldasus erebeus Distant designated Carvalho and Dolling, 1976 (BMNH) .

Diagnosis. Recognized by the following set of features: body length less than 6 mm, close to 5 mm; antennal segment I dark brown (Fig. 1); exocorium with relatively large, yellow patch near medial part (Fig. 1); femora and tibiae with long erect setae, longer than diameter of femora (Fig. 1).

Redescription. Lectotype ♀: Measurements (mm). Total length in dorsal view (from vertex anterior margin of vertex to membrane posterior margin): 4.9, total width hemelytra median: 1.85. Head. Vertex width in dorsal view: 0.3, head width across eyes in dorsal view: 0.85, length (from vertex apex to vertex posterior margin) 0.4. Antenna. Length of segment I 0.7, II–IV missing. Labium. Missing. Pronotum. Length (including collar): 0.75, anterior margin width: 0.75; posterior width (between humeral angles): 1.7, lateral margin length: 0.9. Scutellum. Length (including mesoscutum): 0.8, anterior margin width: 1.0. Cuneus. Length; 0.7, width: 0.5. COLORATION. Head. Dark brown dirty yellow; antennal segments I and II dark brown; remaining segments missing; labium missing. Thorax. Pronotum. Entirely dark brown. Mesoscutum and scutellum. Dark brown; scutellum with small, yellow patch apically. Thoracic pleura. Dark brown; evaporative area on metepisternum contrasting yellow. Hemelytron. Mostly dark brown; exocorium with relatively large patch near base; cuneus brown, widely tinged with yellow on basal and outer margins; membrane grey; veins mostly dark brown. Legs. Procoxa dark brown; meso- and metacoxae yellow; femora dark brown; meso- and metafemora with three broad annulations: one basally, second medially, and third near apex; pro- and mesotibiae dark brown; metatibia dark yellow; pro- and mesotarsi dark brown; metatarsus dark yellow. Abdomen. Dark brown, broadly tinged with yellow (Figs 1, 8). TEXTURE AND VESTITURE. Head. Covered with long erect setae. Thorax. Pronotum. Calli matte, impunctate; disc shiny. Mesoscutum and scutellum. Mesoscutum with medial part impunctate and lateral portions rugopunctate; scutellum shiny. Thoracic pleura. Covered with long, erect setae; proepisternum and anterior part of proepimeron impunctate; posterior two thirds of proepimeron deeply and densely punctate; mesepisternum rugose; mesepimeron with deep, sparse punctation; metepisternum rugose. Legs. Coxae sparsely covered with semi recumbent setae; femora and tibiae with long, erect setae, longer than diameter of these segments. Abdomen. Covered with long, erect setae (Figs 1, 8). STRUCTURE. Thorax. Pronotum. Calli short. Mesoscutum and scutellum. Scutellum convex medially. Thoracic pleura. As in generic description. Hemelytron. Parallel-sided on basal half, weakly arcuate on apical half (Figs 1, 8). Legs. Pretarsal claw with subapical tooth.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Panama.

Discussion. Valdasus erebeus is presently known just from the female lectotype from Panama. The presence of combination of the characters, such as the oval peritreme that is moderately upraised above the evaporatorium and the dense, erect dorsal vestiture of this specimen are not consistent with the description of the genus Peltidocylapus but concord with our redescription of Valdasus . Therefore, here we restore the original combination. Valdasus erebeus is easily separated from the other species of the genus Valdasus by the following combination of characters: size relatively reduced (total length close to 5 mm), exocorium with a yellow patch, first antennal segment with a narrow yellow ring basally.