Artchawakomius, Yasunaga, Tomohide, 2012

Yasunaga, Tomohide, 2012, Review of the phyline plant bug tribe Auricillocorini from Asia, with descriptions of a new genus and nine new species from Japan, Nepal and Thailand (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Zootaxa 3530, pp. 1-24 : 3-6

Artchawakomius new genus

( Figs. 1 A–D, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12)

Diagnosis. This distinctive genus is defined by the following diagnostic characters: body antlike, very slender; apex of scutellum with a sharp spine; ostiolar peritreme projecting; and form of the genitalia. These characters enable Artchawakomius to be readily distinguished from any other phyline genera.

Description. Body antlike, elongate, very slender; basic coloration brownish to fuscous, with white maculae on hemelytron; dorsal surface with uniformly and rather densely distributed, pale erect, simple setae, lacking distinct scale-like setae. Head oblique; eyes large. Antenna long; segment II longer than basal pronotal width; segment IV thickened, spindle-shaped. Labium short, slender, not exceeding base of mesocoxa. Pronotum either shiny or roughened, distinctly constricted anteriorly, with a narrow collar; scutellum almost flat, more or less rugose, with a unique, sharp, fuscous spine at apex; ostiolar peritreme protruded, with partly overlapping evaporative areas. Hemelytron constricted at middle, narrow, broadest at cuneal fracture; cuneus wide. Leg long, slender; pretarsus with weakly fleshy, apically convergent parempodia. Abdomen distinctly constricted basally; male genital segment with a mesal, ventral spine ( Figs. 4 , 8 ). Male genitalia ( Fig. 2 ): Parameres comparatively small, standard phyline-shape. Phallotheca L-shaped, pointed and hooked at apex, with broad base. Endosoma Jshaped, triangularly expanded subapically, composed of two sclerotized straps that are tapered and contiguous each other at apex; secondary gonopore moderately developed, visible. Female genitalia ( Fig. 9 ): Bursa copulatrix weakly sclerotized, with small, subtriangular sclerotized rings.

Type species: Archawakomius pius Yasunaga , new species.

Etymology. Named in honor of Mr Taksin Artchawakom, director of SERS, who continuingly supports our field investigations; masculine.

Discussion. The placement of this new genus in Auricillocorini is based on the strikingly ant-mimetic body form, dorsal color pattern (brown or fuscous, with whitish maculae on the hemelytron), constricted anterior part of the pronotum with a collar, medially protruded ostiolar peritreme, with partly overlapping evaporative areas, broad base of the scutellum, weakly fleshy, apically convergent parempodia, a distinct ventral spine on the male pygophore, and standard phyline-shape of the genitalia. Species of Artchawakomius at first sight resemble certain members of the Leucophoropterini , but are evidently different from any leucophoropterines in having abovementioned characters on the scutellum, ostiolar peritreme, parempodia and male genitalia. A sharp spine on the apex of scutellum is unique in the Miridae , and appears to represent an autapomorphy for Artchawakomius ; its reliable sister genus remains unknown, however.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus images of Artchawakomius species (A – D) and Zaratus hidekun (E – F), living individuals taken in Thailand. A – B A. pius: A, holotype male (AMNH _ PBI 00379513); B, female (00379514). C – D A. moteus: C, paratype male (00379512); D, holotype male (00379511). E – F Z. hidekun, holotype male (00379510).

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Artchawakomius species named on the figure.

FIGURE 4. Male genital segment (pygophore) of species of Artchawakomius, Cleotomiris, Cleotomiroides and Wygomiris named on the figure.

FIGURE 8. Habitus images of species of Artchawakomius, Cleotomiris, Cleotomiroides, Wygomiris and Zaratus named on the figure.

FIGURE 9. Female genitalia of species of Artchawakomius, Cleotomiris, Cleotomiroides and Wygomiris named on the figure.