Geocoridae

Tang, Jin, Zhang, Gongaote, Guo, Junqi, Luo, Lingxuan, Jiang, Jiamei & Pan, Hongbo, 2023, Big-Eyed Bugs Of The Malagasy Region (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Geocoridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 69 (3), pp. 247-264 : 250-251

Family Geocoridae

Subfamily Geocorinae Genus Geocoris Fallén, 1814 Subgenus Geocoris Fallén, 1814

Type species: Cimex grylloides Linnaeus, 1761: 264 (subsequent designation by Oshanin, 1912)

Geocoris (Geocoris) pallidipennis mauritii Stål, 1854

( Fig. 15 )

Geocoris (Geocoris) insularis China, 1955 syn. n.

Material studied. 2 f, 3 m, MNHN: “I. Glorieuses / 16-17. IX. 58 / R. Paulian // INSTI-

TUT SCIENTIFIQUE / MADAGASCAR ”.

Diagnosis. Vertex of head dark brown except apex of clypeus and surroundings of antenniferous tubercles. Antennomere I and II fuscous with apex ochraceous; antennomere III and IV ochraceous, slightly infuscate basally. Pronotum with large, dark brown spot at callosities and two faded, irregular spots posterior to callosities (spots posteriad to callosities well-defined, not faded in type of G. pallidipennis mauritii ). Scutellum mostly dark brown, apex sometimes ochraceous. Corium with small, irregular brown spots near apex of clavus. Head with eyes slightly stylate, ocular sulcus slightly defined but distinct. Integument of vertex corrugate, covered with dense, silvery pubescence. Labiomere II shorter than labiomere III. Pronotum trapeziform with anterior edges acute; callosities well-defined, but not bulging. Scutellum elongate triangular with apex sharply pointed. Peritreme vesiculiform auricular, evaporatorium reduced to immediate surroundings of peritreme.

Distribution. G. pallidipennis is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, from Southern Europe to the Indomalayan Archipelago ( SLATER 1964, PÉRICART 2001). From the Malagasy region a subspecies, G. pallidipennis mauritii Stål, 1854 is known. Specimens examined in the present study are the first known records of the species from the Glorioso Islands.

Remarks. G. pallidipennis is one of the most widely distributed and most variable species of genus Geocoris with its 6 recognized subspecies. Furthermore, 6 formally described species were synonymized with subspecies G. pallidipennis pallidipennis (see DELLAPÉ & HENRY 2023). However, it must be noted that due to the inaccuracies and uncertainties regarding the taxonomy of subfamily Geocorinae and genus Geocoris in particular – as emphasized by e.g., TORRE-BUENO (1946), READIO and SWEET (1982), and MALIPATIL (1994) – the status of these taxa should be carefully revised based on the novel morphological knowledge.

The specimens examined in course of recent study meet the most recent description and diagnosis of G. pallidipennis (see PÉRICART 1999) and were compared to series of specimens representing the species from various locations (e.g., the Mediterranean region, Sudan, and the Malay Peninsula) including the type of Geocoris pallidipennis mauritii Stål, 1854 (NHRS). Though differences in colouration of pronotum and scutellum are observable, considering the high degree of variability of these characters in G. pallidipennis , these specimens are identified as G. pallidipennis mauritii .

Another species of subgenus Geocoris , Geocoris insularis China, 1955 was described from the Tromelin Island. In the discussion of its relationship to oth- er Geocoris species the author states that G. insularis resembles to Ophthalmicus pygmaeus Fieber, 1861 [currently syn. of G. pallidipennis pallidipennis (Péricart, 2001) ] and only minor differences in colouration are denoted. Though the locality of types is uncertain – the holotype and a paratype should be found in MNHN, a paratype should be found in Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom according to the original description, but the author of present study was unable to locate them – considering the contents of the original description and the high degree of intraspecific variability colour pattern of G. pallidipennis (author’s unpublished notes) it is to be concluded that G. insularis is a colour variant of G. pallidipennis and does not merit the recognition of the species rank. Therefore, the following synonymy is proposed here: Geocoris insularis China, 1955 = Geocoris pallidipennis mauritii Stål, 1854 .

Figures

Figs 15–20. Geocorine true bugs of the Malagasy region (dorsal habitus): 15 = Geocoris pallidipennis mauritii Stål, 1854 (male, MNHN); 16 = Germalus banari Kondorosy et Kóbor, 2016 (paratype, male, MNHN); 17 = Germalus benyovszkyi Kondorosy et Kóbor, 2016 (holotype, male, MNHN); 18 = Germalus kinbergi Stål, 1860 (lectotype, female, NHRS); 19 = Hypogeocoris alluaudi (Montandon, 1908) (male, MNHN); 20 = Hypogeocoris violaceus (Signoret, 1881)