Valdasus ferrerai n. sp.

(Figures 3, 13, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 35, 37, 39)

Examined specimens: Holotype (♂): French Guiana, Kourou, Soumourou track, 22 to 29.viii.2002, Favre D. leg. (FC n° 5969) (MNHN, ex Matocq A. collection) . Paratypes: 3♂♂: French Guiana, Crique Serpent track, P.K. 19.1, vi.2001, Cerda J. leg. (FC n°s 5954, 5984-5985) (Matocq A. coll.) ; 1♂: French Guiana, Patawa, 06.i.2002, Cerda J. leg. (FC n° 5972) (Matocq A. coll.) ; 4♂♂: French Guiana, Kourou, Soumourou track, 17.ii to 17.iii.2002, Favre D. leg. (FC n°s 5952-5953, 5970-5971) (Matocq A. coll.) ; 3♂♂: French Guiana, Patawa, P.K. 37, 03.iv.2002, Cerda J. leg. (FC n°s 5982-5983) (Matocq A. coll.) ; 1♂: French Guiana, Kourou, Soumourou track, 23.iv to 03.v.2002, Favre D. leg. (FC n° 5968) (Matocq A. coll.) ; 13♂♂: French Guiana, Kourou, Soumourou track, 13.vi to 20.vii.2002, Favre D. leg. (FC n°s 5965-5967, 5973-5975, 5976-5978, 5979-5981, 5990) (Matocq A. coll.) ; 4♂♂: French Guiana, Kourou, Soumourou track, xii.2002, Favre D. leg. (FC n°s 5986-5989) (Matocq A. coll.) .

Diagnosis: Characterized by the following combination of characters: head yellow with dark red brown stripes (Figs 13, 19), yellow-brown antennal segment I with two red-brown rings (Fig. 21), left paramere apical process without a distinct dorsobasal process (Fig. 35) and endosoma possessing three sclerites (Fig. 39).

Description. Measurements: Holotype ♂: Body. Total length in lateral view (from tylus to abdomen apex): 3.6, total width hemelytra median: 1.8. Head. Vertex width in dorsal view: 0.4, head width across eyes in dorsal view: 0.9. Antenna. Length segment: I 0.3, II 1.4, III 1.8, IV not measurable (curved). Pronotum. Length (including collar): 0.6, posterior width (between humeral angles): 1.6. Scutellum. Length (including mesoscutum): 0.8, anterior width: 0.9. Cuneus. Length: 0.5, width: 0.3.

Paratypes ♂ (n=9): Body. Total length in lateral view (from tylus to abdomen apex): 3.2–3.6, total width hemelytra median: 1.6–1.9. Head. Vertex width of in dorsal view: 0.4, head width across eyes in dorsal view: 0.9–1.0. Antenna. Segment length: I 0.3–0.4, II 1.5, III 1.7 – 1.9 (n = 6), IV not measurable (segment lacking or damaged). Pronotum. Length (including collar): 0.6-0.7, posterior width (between humeral angles): 1.6–1.7. Scutellum. Length (including mesoscutum): 0.7–0.9, anterior width: 0.7–0.8. Cuneus. Length: 0.5–0.6, width: 0.3–0.4 .

Male. COLORATION. Head. Yellow with dark reddish-brown stripes; frons yellow with two reddish-brown transversal stripes; jugae and lorae yellow with brown patches; vertex dark brown medially, yellowish-brown laterally adjacent eyes; eyes red to black, eye pedicel dark brown to black; antennal segment I yellowish-brown with two reddish-brown, thick rings, one sub-basal and second sub-apical; segment II brownish basally, reddish-brown apically; segments III and IV reddish-brown, segment III with whitish ring basally; neck reddish-brow, yellow medially; labium segments brown, basally yellowish (Figs 3, 13, 19, 21). Thorax. Pronotum. Dark brown to black; pronotal collar dark brown; pronotal callosities dark brown; pronotal disk brown. Mesoscutum and scutellum. Mesoscutum including lateral fossae dark brown; scutellum dark brown. Thoracic pleura. Meso- and metapleura black, scent gland efferent system dark brown. Hemelytron. Dark brown, punctures black; clavus evenly dark brown; endocorium dark brown, exocorium dark reddish-brown; cuneus reddish-brown medially, yellowish basally, on inner margin and apically; membrane including veins brown. Legs. Coxae and trochanters whitish slightly tinged with red; femora yellowish tinged with red, with two reddish-brown rings rings, one median and other sub-apical; tibia and tarsus brown, elongated, tibiae with apical whitish ring; claws yellowish brown (Figs 3, 23, 25, 27). Abdomen. Pleura black or dark reddish-brown; pygophore black. TEXTURE AND VESTITURE. Head. Frons obviously pilose; jugae and lorae slightly punctate; vertex ampulla-shaped, medially sulcate, not carinate, pilose; eyes elongated, pedicellate; antennal segment II with very short erect brown setae. Thorax. Pronotum. Pronotal callosities widely but shallowly punctate, slightly granulose, with some long, erect or sub-erect white setae. Mesoscutum and scutellum. Mesoscutum with some erect to sub-erect setae. Hemelytron. Widely and relatively deeply punctate, punctures with numerous, sub-erect brown setae. Legs. Tibiae with yellowish-brown setae and spines (Figs 23, 25, 27). Abdomen. With elongated, white setae. STRUCTURE. Head. Frons slightly ampulla-shaped, jugae and lorae reduced; vertex ampulla-shaped; eyes elongated; antennal segment I short, slightly shorter than width of vertex, 2.6 to 3.1 times shorter than diatone width, bulbous; segment II 4 to 5.9 times longer than antennal segment I, slightly thickened apically; antennal segments III and IV thinner, elongated, antennal segment III longer than segment II, antennal segment IV unable to be measured; labium thick, reaching metacoxae (Figs 3, 13, 19, 21). Thorax. Pronotum. Pronotal collar thin; pronotal callosities transversally elongated; humeral angles rounded; lateral margin of pronotal disk not carinate; posterior margin almost straight laterally, concave sub-medially and slightly pointed medially. Scutellum. Slightly ampulla-shaped. Legs. Metafemora, tibiae and tarsi elongated (Figs 3, 23, 25, 27). Abdomen. Genitalia. Left paramere relatively short and stout, arm and primary apophysis elongated, unseparated (Fig. 35); right paramere stout, billhook-like (Fig. 37); endophallus with three spiculi, secondary gonopore relatively small (Fig. 39).

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to M. P. S. F. Ferreira (Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil) in recognition of these important works about South American plant bugs taxonomy.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. French Guiana.

Discussion. Valdasus ferrerai n. sp. can be separated from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: relatively reduced size (total length between 3.2 and 3.6 mm), pronotum and embolium evenly coloured, dark, similar in color to clavus and corium and endosoma with three sclerites.