Brachysandalus lurco Stål, 1867

Liu, Yingqi & Cai, Wanzhi, 2024, Revision of Australian Brachysandalus with the description of nine new species including one cavernicolous species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), and observations on male extragenital structure and leg teratology, Zootaxa 5490 (1), pp. 1-112 : 70-74

Brachysandalus lurco Stål, 1867

( Figs. 36 , 37 )

Brachysandalus Lurco Stål, 1867: 260 . Type locality: Australia (Adelaide).

Pirates lurco : Walker (1873: 126).

Pirates (Brachysandalus) lurco : Stål (1874: 60).

Brachysandalus lurco : Maldonado Capriles (1990: 346).

Peirates lurco : Cassis & Gross (1995: 342).

Type specimen examined. Lectotype (present designation), macropterous male, Typus, Adelaide, Stevens., lurco Stål, NHRS-GULI 000000127 ( NHRS).

Other specimens examined. [ M, macropterous; B, brachypterous]. QUEENSLAND. 1 B female, Blackdown Tableland via Duaringa , 28–29.x.1980, G.B. Monteith ( QM) , 2 B females, same except via Dingo , 1–6.ii.1981 ( QM) , 2 M males (one dissected), same except Stoney Ck , 17–19.xii.1985, at light, S. Hamlet ( QM) ; 2 M males, 10 ml W Collinsville , 12.ix.1950, E.F. Riek ( ANIC) ; 1 M male, Alpha , 25.i.1978 ( QM) ; 2 M males, Mt Moffat N.P., top shelter shed, 1000m, 10–12.xii.1987, Monteith, Thompson & Yeates ( QM) ; 3 M males, Mt Moffat N.P., Top Moffat camp, 13–15.xii.1987, Monteith, Thompson & Yeates ( QM) ; 1 M male, Lake Broadwater via Dalby , 31.v.1984, M. Bernie ( QM) , 2 M males, same except 17–19.xii.1985, at light, S. Hamlet ( QM) , 1 B female, same except Lakeview , 25.iii.1985, G. Thompson & M. Bernie ( QM) , 1 M male, same except, site 6, 22.ii.1986, MV Light, G. Monteith & G. Thompson ( QM) , 1 B female, same except site 7, 22–25.ii.1986, G. Monteith & G. Thompson ( QM) ; 1 M male, 1 B female, Surveyor‘s Gully , under bark, 25.ii.1986, G. Thompson ( QM) ; 1M male, same except, at light,1 cottage, 24.ii.1986, G. Monteith ( QM) ; 1 M male, Dalby , 6.xii.1935, N. Gebery ( QM) ; 1 M male, Noccundra 21–22.ix.1990, G.B. Monteith ( QM) ; 1 M male, Rockwood via Chinchilla , iii–iv. 1986, C. Cameron ( QM) ; 1 M male, J. C. Galletly 9.12.47 Biloela , Brit. Mus. 1955. 438, Pirates lurco Stål M.L. Cook det. 1973 ( NHM) ; 1 M male, Carnarvon 29.5.54. T. E. Woodward, Pirates lurco Stål M.L. Cook det. 1973 ( NHM) ; 1 M male, B. Champ 4.4.51 Brisbane, Pirates lurco Stål M.L. Cook det. 1973 ( NHM) . NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 B male (dissected), 1 B female, Dubbo , 31.iii. 1956, C. A. Chadwick ( ANIC) , 1 B female, same except 2.iv.1956 ( ANIC) ; 1 B female, Finley, W.B. White ( MV) ; 1 B female, 26.i.1991, V. Lorimer ( ANIC) ; 1 B female, 31.12S 151.02E, Loomberah 1 km E, 29.viii.1990, D.S. Horning Jr. ( ANIC) ; 1 B male, Albury , 3.vii.1927, F.E. Wilson ( MV) ; 1 B female, Warrumbungle , 23.xi.1972, D. A. Doolan ( AM) ; 1 M male, Bogan R., J. Armstrong ( ANIC) ; 2 M males, 1 km W of Coonabarabran nr Timor Rock , 4.xi.1982, S. Doyen ( ANIC) ; 1 M male, Wallangra , 28.ix.1929, F.A. Rodway, BM Mus. 1929-593, Pirates lurco stal M. L. Cook det. 1973 ( ANIC) ; 1 B male, Umberrumerka, Broken Hill , 1.x.1944, C.E. Chadwick ( ANIC) ; 1 B male, 3 B females, Caldwell , 5.x.1952, V. Robb ( MV) ; 1 M male, New South Wales ( MV) . AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY. 1 B male, 35.16S 149.05E, 1 km W of Black Mtn. , low open forest, under log, 29.iv.2001, K. R. Pullen ( ANIC) . VICTORIA. 1 B female, Redcliff, Donated by W.S. Creek, 19.iii.1928 ( MV) ; 1 B male, 4 B females, Hattah, Mallee, 1913 ( MV) ; 1 B female, Lake Hattah , 7.i.1920, J.E. Dixon ( MV) ; 1 B female, Mallee dist. , 1.ix.1913, Douglas ( MV) ; 1 B female, Woomelana, Mallee , 6.x.1921 ( MV) ; 3 M males, Nyah, Mallee, From C. French , 28.x.1913 ( MV) ; 1 M male, Desert country, Ouyen, Mallee , 22.xi.1912 ( MV) ; 1 M male, Ouyen , ii.1968, severe sting ( VAIC) ; 2 M males, Arapiles ( MV) ; 1 B male, Kerang , 2.v.1946, R.E. Trebilcock ( MV) ; 1 B female, Pyramid Hill, Rev. E. Hennell , 18.ix.1890 ( MV) ; 1 B male, Sedgewick N Bendigo, From P.J. Semmens , 21.iii.1911 ( MV) ; 1 B male, Wodonga , 1.ix.1913, Douglas ( MV) ; 2 B males, St Albans , 15.vi.1923, J. E. Dixon Coll. Don. Jan 1940 ( MV) . SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1 M male, 34.03S 140.43E, Calperum H. S. 15 km NNW Renmark , at light, 14–19.x.1996, K. R. Pullen ( ANIC) ; 5 M males, 1 B female, Purnong nr Murray R., Nat Mus Vic ( MV) ; 1 M male, Aldinga Beach. 27. xii. 1961. E. B. Britton. B.M. 1962-153, Pirates lurco Stål det. G.M. Day. 1962 ( NHM) . NORTHERN TERRITORY. 1 M male, Mt Conner , 7.ix.1947, Geelong College Exp. ( MV) .

Diagnosis.

Macropterous male, brachypterous male and female known, body small-medium sized. Blackish brown to black ( Fig. 36 ), hemelytron of macropterous male with a yellowish white, oval spot around apical 1/3 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins PCu+1A and Cu ( Fig. 36A ), hemelytron of brachypterous individuals excluding extreme bases yellow variably on entire membrane area or parts of corium and membrane. Fore femur armed below with two indistinct rows of minute blackish tubercles separated by a faint median furrow, mid femur armed below with minute tubercles in indistinct rows ( Fig. 36B&C ); fore femur with fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length, mid tibia with fossula spongiosa about 1/3 its length ( Fig. 36B&C ); in male, abdominal sternite VII lacking extragenital process ( Fig. 36C ); male genitalia with median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 37B ), and strongly bent in basal half in lateral view ( Fig. 37C ); inner margin of lateral phallothecal sclerite undulate ( Fig. 37I ).

Redescription.

Macropterous male ( Fig. 36 )

Colouration ( Fig. 36 ): Blackish brown to black. Apical three antennal segments and labium dark brown; legs with tarsi brown; hemelytron dark brown with a yellowish white, oval spot around apical 1/3 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins PCu+1A and Cu and a whitish, thin, stripe near base of costal margin on membrane, the spot around claval suture sometimes expanded to base of membrane, other area of membrane pale brown.

Structure ( Figs. 36 , 37 ): Body small-medium sized. Head, pronotum, scutellum and corium with brown setae of varying lengths; dorsal surface of head also covered with yellowish white, short pubescence; antenna densely covered with yellowish white, short pubescence and brown, suberect setae; thoracic pleura, sterna and abdominal sternites densely covered with yellow to yellowish brown, relatively long pubescence; legs densely covered with golden pubescence and brown, long setae.

Head: short fusiform, wholly covered with short whitish pilosity and sparse longer bristly setae, prominent on mandibular plates, dorsal aspect of head and between eyes. Anteocular region triangular, clypeus near its base slightly elevated above mandibular plates. Interocular region with arcuate convex sulcus at posterior border of eyes, a small pit near base. Postocular region abruptly narrowed and rounded to neck. Neck with lateral tubercles slightly obvious and covered with small granules. Antennae with all segments cylindrical, with short whitish pilosity and sparse long dark bristly setae, in addition apical three segments with dense golden bristly setae that are about as long as width of respective segment; scape thickest, pedicel thinner, then basi-and distiflagellum thinnest. Eye large, reniform, reaching dorsal and ventral margins of head in lateral view; width of eye subequal to width of interocular space in dorsal view. Ocelli well developed, conspicuously raised, separated from each other by about diameter of single ocellus, separated from eye by about half diameter of single ocellus.

Thorax: Anterior lobe of pronotum with integument smooth, stripes distinct, sulci indistinct, except median longitudinal sulcus on basal 2/3 deep and surrounded with an oval shallow depression. Posterior pronotal lobe short, arcuately quadrate, integument finely wrinkled, with short pilosity, humeri rounded, posterior margin almost smoothly rounded. Scutellum with disc slightly depressed and finely wrinkled, scutellar process knob-shaped, slightly directed obliquely in lateral view. Propleuron with integument finely faintly granulate, smoothly pilose, set off from dorsal surface by a faint carina. Mesopleuron integument minutely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron with integument more finely granulate but granules not striate, metapleural sulcus distinctly bicarinate and arcuate, pilose with whitish dense hairs posteriorly.All sternites with tiny granules, moderately pilose. Mesosternum carinate in middle, metasternum with disc somewhat tumid and flat in middle. Hemelytron well developed, well exceeding tip of abdomen.

Legs: Fore leg with coxa with whitish pilosity; trochanter unarmed, sparsely hairy; femur strongly fusiform, greatly incrassate near base narrowing distally, armed below with two indistinct rows of minute blackish tubercles separated by a faint median furrow; tibia cylindrical, more or less straight but apex slightly reflexed, fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length. Mid leg with coxa globular; femur only slightly thickened, armed below with minute tubercles in indistinct rows; tibia with short whitish pilosity for whole length, with fossula spongiosa about 1/3 its length. Hind leg with femur cylindrical; tibia with brush of setae, denser at apex.

Abdomen: Venter of abdomen with a median ridge running from posterior portion of second abdominal sternite to posterior portion of seventh abdominal sternite, slightly curved to right side of body, shiny, smooth with sparse longer hairs in addition to pilosity, distinctly carinated and forming a knobbed preapical point on sternite VII ( Fig. 36C ), sternite VII lacking extragenital process ( Fig. 36C ). Connexivum with golden pilosity as elsewhere on sternum. Spiracles situated below connexival suture, about halfway between anterior and posterior margin of each segment. Each spiracle with two impressed shiny roundish areas, one postero-ventrally and one anteriorly near anterior margin of segment.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 37 ): Median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp, oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 37B ); strongly bent in basal half in lateral view ( Fig. 37C ). Parameres ( Fig. 37D&E ) broadly falcate, left paramere ( Fig. 37D ) wider and longer than right paramere ( Fig. 37E ), apex of left paramere truncate ( Fig. 37D ). Phallus ( Fig. 37F–I ) in resting position with length of basal plate subequal to length of basal plate bridge ( Fig. 37F ), pedicel nearly straight and longer than basal plate ( Fig. 37H&I ); length of struts longer than half length of phallosoma ( Fig. 37F ); dorsal phallothecal sclerite broad, slightly depressed in middle, apex bluntly rounded ( Fig. 37F, H&I ); lateral phallothecal sclerite subquadrangular with inner margin undulate ( Fig. 37I ); pair of slender sclerites near base of venter of phallosoma weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 37G ).

Brachypterous male and female

Differ from macropterous male in: hemelytron excluding extreme bases yellow variably on entire membrane area or parts of corium and membrane, particularly covering inner areas of hemelytron. Body elongate fusiform, markedly narrowed from posterior to anterior end; head with postocular part gradually narrowed; eye rather weakly developed, not reaching lower margin of head in lateral view, width of eye much shorter than width of interocular space in dorsal view; ocelli reduced and less elevated, separated from each other by about or more than twice diameter of single ocellus; anterior pronotal lobe nearly spherical, posterior pronotal lobe abbreviated, only slightly wider and much shorter than anterior lobe; scutellar process horizontal in lateral view; metapleural sulcus more curved than in macropterous male; hemelytron greatly reduced to a flap extending to about midway on abdominal tergite II, broadly rounded posteriorly and sometimes slightly overlapping in midline; dorsum of abdomen with three small scent gland scars of subequal width on terga III–IV, IV–V and V–VI.

Measurements: [of lectotype macropterous male, followed by one macropterous male and one brachypterous male, and one brachypterous female]. Body length 12.35, 15.76 (M ♂), 11.20 (B ♂), 13.00 (♀); maximum width of abdomen 3.40, 4.20 (M ♂), 3.58 (B ♂), 4.68 (♀); length of head 1.84, 2.30 (M ♂), 1.90 (B ♂), 1.93 (♀); length of anteocular region 0.76, 0.95 (M ♂), 0.76 (B ♂), 0.68 (♀); length of postocular region 0.45, 0.60 (M ♂), 0.52 (B ♂), 0.62 (♀); width of head across eyes 1.55, 1.71 (M ♂), 1.40 (B ♂), 1.44 (♀); width of interocular space 0.45, 0.53 (M ♂), 0.57 (B ♂), 0.64 (♀); width of interocellar space 0.20, 0.17 (M ♂), 0.20 (B ♂), 0.30 (♀); length of eye in dorsal view 0.68, 0.76 (M ♂), 0.60 (B ♂), 0.57 (♀); width of eye in dorsal view 0.49, 0.53 (M ♂), 0.38 (B ♂), 0.38 (♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 0.95, 1.14 (M ♂), 0.95 (B ♂), 1.10 (♀) / 2.20, 2.66 (M ♂), 1.86 (B ♂), 1.78 (♀) / 2.20,? (M ♂),? (B ♂), 1.52 (♀) /?,? (M ♂),? (B ♂), 1.63 (♀); length of visible labial segments I–III 0.75, 0.87 (M ♂), 0.79 (B ♂), 0.83 (♀) / 1.17, 1.35 (M ♂), 1.14 (B ♂), 1.21 (♀) / 0.45, 0.57 (M ♂), 0.41 (B ♂), 0.45 (♀); length of pronotum 2.81, 3.32 (M ♂), 2.73 (B ♂), 2.85 (♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe 1.63, 1.90 (M ♂), 2.12 (B ♂), 2.20 (♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe 1.10, 1.33 (M ♂), 0.58 (B ♂), 0.64 (♀); width of anterior pronotal lobe 2.12, 2.35 (M ♂), 2.28 (B ♂), 2.47 (♀); width of posterior pronotal lobe 3.34, 3.80 (M ♂), 2.32 (B ♂), 2.67 (♀); length of scutellum 1.52, 1.55 (M ♂), 1.00 (B ♂), 1.14 (♀); maximum width of scutellum 1.50, 1.71 (M ♂), 1.38 (B ♂), 1.25 (♀); length of hemelytron 10.62, 11.40 (M ♂), 2.66 (B ♂), 2.70 (♀); length of fore tibia 2.47, 2.85 (M ♂), 2.20 (B ♂), 2.28 (♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia 0.75, 0.83 (M ♂), 0.76 (B ♂), 0.80 (♀).

Distribution. The specimens examined of B. lurco , as redefined in the present study, have come from Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, and Northern Territory, but not from Western Australia, although recorded from Geraldton in the latter state by Cassis & Gross (1995). However, all specimens from Western Australia examined in the present study now belong to the related new species B. westraliensis sp. nov. described below.

Comparative notes. This species is most similar to B. westraliensis sp. nov. within the genus, see details under comparative notes of B. westraliensis sp. nov. below.

Remarks. This species exhibits morphological abnormalities (teratology cases) of tarsi and tarsal claws in two of the male macropterous specimens examined, one from Blackdown Tableland (Qld) and one from Sedgewick N. Bendigo (Victoria), see further details under cases of leg teratology section below.

Figures

FIGURE 36. Brachysandalus lurco Stål, 1866, lectotype, macropterous male, habitus. A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. Red arrow indicates median carina on abdomen. Scale bar = 4.00 mm.

FIGURE 37. Brachysandalus lurco Stål, 1866, male genitalia. A–C, pygophore; D, left paramere; E, right paramere; F–I, phallus. A, G, ventral view; B, caudal view; C, H, I, lateral view; D, E, outer ventrolateral view; F, dorsal view. Abbreviations: bp, basal plate; bpb, basal plate bridge; dps, dorsal phallothecal sclerite; lps, lateral phallothecal sclerite; mpp, median pygophore process; ped, pedicel; st, struts. Scale bar = 0.50 mm (for A–C); 0.40 mm (for D–I).