Germalus fuscovittatus Malipatil

Malipatil, M. B. & Blacket, M. J., 2013, Review and revision of Australian Germalus Stål, with new genera and further new species of Australian Geocorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Geocoridae), Zootaxa 3746 (2), pp. 257-300 : 280-283

Germalus fuscovittatus Malipatil sp. nov.

( Figs. 80–97 )

Type specimens: Holotype female, Murray Is, N. Qld, 0 9 56S 144 04E, 18–21.ii.1987, GK Waite, in QM. Paratypes - 1 male, same data as holotype; 1 male, 1 female, Murray Is, 28.iv.1986, J Turner; 2 females, Darnley Is, 15.iv.1985, sweeping, JW Turner, 1 female, same loc., 30.i–3.ii.1986; 1 female, Yorke Is, 22.iii.1984, JW Turner; in QDPI and QM.

Other specimens: QUEENSLAND 2 males, Cairns district, Queensland, FP Dodd, in SAM; 1 female, Coen, 14–28.v.1951. C. Oke, in MV. PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2 females, Mt Lamington, 1300–1500 ft (ca 395– 356 m), NE Papua, CT McNamara, in SAM. 1 male, 2 female, Mt Lamington Dist., Northern Division, Papua, i-ii.1929, CT McNamara, 2 females, same data but no date, in AM.

Description. Colouration: Generally stramineous, dorsally with fuscous broad median band extending from base of head through to end of abdomen including genital segments ( Fig. 80 ), in male including pygophore and adjoining segments and in female a median line along ovipositor; base of head between ocelli, stylate base of head broadly, and tip of labium, fuscous; most of clavus, and inner area of corium, fuscous; eyes reddish-brown.

Measurements: are of holotype female, paratype male, followed by ranges of Queensland specimens measured within round brackets.

Body: Elongate ovate ( Fig. 80 ), length 5.70, 5.25 (5.06–5.47); maximum width 2.20, 1.97 (1.87–2.01).

Head: Length 0.80, 0.70 (0.73–0.80); width across eyes 1.65, 1.63 (1.65–1.72); interocular space 0.82, 0.75 (0.80–0.92); interocellar space 0.39, 0.39 (0.39–0.41); eye-ocellar space 0.24, 0.23 (0.23–0.25); eye length 0.56, 0.50 (0.57); eye width 0.35, 0.36 (0.34–0.39). Labium extending to middle coxae, length of segments: I 0.57, 0.48 (0.50–0.64); II 0.59, 0.50 (0.50–0.64); III 0.57, 0.55 (0.52–0.60); IV 0.50, 0.48 (0.49–0.55). Antennae with 1st segment shortest, about ½ as long as 2nd segment; length of segments: I 0.34, 0.32 (0.34–0.36); II 0.73, 0.69 (0.66– 0.73); III 0.56, 0.52 (0.56–0.57); IV 0.73, 0.71 (0.69–0.74).

Thorax: Pronotum with lateral margins narrowly carinate and slightly sinuate near middle indistinctly separating anterior and posterior lobes; punctures obsolete along posterior margin ( Fig. 81 ); median length 1.20, 1.15 (1.15–1.26); width at posterior margin 1.61, 1.57 (1.56–1.70). Thoracic scent gland evaporative area reasonably developed. Scutellum length 0.71, 0.62 (0.65–0.73); width 0.80, 0.73 (0.73–0.92). Hemelytra not exposing sides of abdomen; punctures distinct, one almost complete row along inner margin extending a short distance onto posterior margin, one almost complete submarginal row, and one short incomplete row in middle on disc; clavus hyaline glass-like, with coarse punctures as follows: one outer row adjoining corium complete in basal 1/2, one inner row adjoining scutellum extending distinctly to commissural area. Length of hemelytra 3.84, 3.50 (3.31–3.68); length of corium 2.62, 2.20 (2.18–2.50); claval commissure 0.43, 0. 41 (0.40–0.46).

Abdomen: Ventrally with fine pubescence, in addition medially for entire length with long setae, more prominent in male than in female. Inner laterotergites very narrow ( Fig. 88 ). Dorsal scent gland scars between terga IV–V and V–VI subequal in width, sutures IV–V slightly, and V–VI moderately, curved caudad from margin to meson ( Figs. 83 , 88 ). Trichobothrial arrangements as in other species, those on III reduced and almost in a triangle, those on IV subtriangular. Female with tergum uniformly sclerotized except for narrow lateral areas, in pattern as in Fig. 83 , and abdominal sternum not sclerotized except slightly along ovipositor and adjoining areas of VII ( Fig. 84 ).

Male’s tergum VII with widely spaced incomplete transverse striations. Apodemes on anterior margin of sternum VII with one large flap in middle extending to about 1/3 of sternum VI. Trichobothria on sternum III reduced and almost in a triangle; those on IV subtriangular to linear; a broad median abdominal sternum area enclosing these two sets of trichobothria covered with short spinules in addition to long setae.

Female genitalia: Spermatheca ( Fig. 85 ) generally short, bulb elongate-spherical in shape, sclerotised, with a flange near base sclerotised and evenly expanded, but not wider than bulb; duct behind flange short, tubular, slightly sclerotised in middle third, slightly lighter near base and apex; basal part with duct short and narrow. Ovipositor very narrow, with first ramus traversing to almost 9/10 length of first gonapophysis; second gonocoxae crescentic ( Figs. 86, 87 ).

Male genitalia: Pygophore as in Fig. 90 , covered with dense brushy setae particularly on dorsal aspect. Paramere ( Figs. 95–97 ) sickle shaped, dorsal lobe well developed, ventral lobe indistinct; blade around and above dorsal lobes with a tuft of long setae, tip of blade slightly obliquely truncate and fluted. Aedeagus ( Figs. 91–93 ) with phallotheca uniformly lightly sclerotised, in addition heavily sclerotised in a forked plate-like form on dorsal aspect; ejaculatory reservoir with neck, body and wings well developed, body and neck not produced posteriorly. Vesica membranous; helicoid process with large sclerotised areas, with 1½ coils, then gradually narrowed. Gonoporal process robust and gradually thickened towards apex, with 2–3 loose coils; ending in a blunt, slightly flaring gonopore ( Fig. 94 ).

Distribution. Only northern Queensland including Cairns area and the Torres Strait Islands, and Papua New Guinea.

Notes. Similar to G. coloratus in the conspicuous fuscous mark on each eye stalk, but easily distinguished from it by the broad dark brown mid-longitudinal dorsal body stripe ( Figs. 80 a, 80b), and the eye stalks which do not slant forwards.

There is some variation in intensity and pattern of the colour markings. The broad fuscous band is variable in size, and the band margins may be irregular, particularly on the pronotum. Fuscous markings on the eye stylate area are extensive in some specimens. The fuscous area near the base of the head sometimes extends as a narrow line or band to about one-third of the basal width between ocelli on either side of the midline.

Figures

FIGURES 80 − 82. Germalus fuscovittatus, female, dorsal view: 80 a (Mt Lamington PNG), 80 b (Darnley Island Qld, Figs 80 b – 82), habitus; 81, head, pronotum and scutellum enlarged; 82, head enlarged.

FIGURES 83 − 87. Germalus fuscovittatus, female: 83, abdominal dorsum; 84, abdominal venter; 85, spermatheca; 86, 87, ovipositor.

FIGURES 88 − 97. Germalus fuscovittatus, male: 88, abdominal dorsum; 89, abdominal venter; 90, pygophore, dorsal view; 91 – 93, aedeagus, dorsal, lateral and ventral views; 94, helicoid process, enlarged; 95 – 97 paramere, different views.