Neopsallus, SCHUH & SCHWARTZ, 2004

SCHUH, RANDALL T. & SCHWARTZ, MICHAEL D., 2004, New Genera, New Species, New Synonyms, and New Combinations in North America and Caribbean Phylinae (Heteroptera: Miridae), American Museum Novitates 3436, pp. 1-36 : 26-29

Neopsallus , new genus

Figures 2 , 4 , 11

TYPE SPECIES: Neopsallus powelli , new species.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the elongateovoid body shape, the dense vestiture of woolly silvery setae, the brown coloration in the only known species (fig. 2), the long labium reaching well onto the genital capsule in the male (fig. 11H), the large genital capsule (fig. 11H), and the heavily sclerotized vesica with two distinct straps (fig. 4) and additional details unique for the North American fauna. Most similar to species of Oligotylus Van Duzee and Lepidargyrus ancorifer (Fieber) in body form, type of vestiture, and large genital capsule. Distinguished from Oligotylus spp. by the posteroventral margin of the genital capsule in that taxon being ‘‘squared off’’ as opposed to smoothly curving in Neopsallus . Vesica of Neopsallus ‘‘twisted’’ and S­shaped as in L. ancorifer and species of Psallus Fieber ; vesica in Oligotylus strongly recurved on basal one­third and also twisted. Apical ornamentation in L. ancorifer in the form of a single, broad, attenuated extension of one of the vesical straps; Oligotylus spp. always with two long, broad, blades. Neopsallus powelli with two slender spines (fig. 4).

DESCRIPTION: Male: Moderately large, robust, elongate ovoid; total length 3.15–3.44, length apex clypus–cuneal fracture 2.21– 2.37, with across pronotum 1.05–1.11. COL­ ORATION (fig. 2): Generally brown (fig. 2); antennal segment 2 pale; scent­gland evaporatory area pale; tibiae pale, tibial spines dark with dark bases. SURFACE AND VESTI­ TURE (figs. 2, 11E): Body surface smooth, weakly shining. Dorsum densely covered with woolly silvery setae intermixed with simple setae (figs. 2, 11E); posterior margin of head and anterior margin of pronotum with several heavy, erect, black setae (fig. 11A, B); silvery setae scattered on thoracic pleuron (fig. 11C); abdomen with woolly, silvery setae laterally on ventral surface, otherwise with recumbent, dark, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Head short, declivent, clypeus not visible from above; posterior margin of vertex in the form of a broadly rounded carina (fig. 11A, B); eyes of moderate size, width of gena about 1.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; gula short; labium long, reaching well onto genital capsule (fig. 11H). Antennae showing only weak sexual dimorphism, segment 2 of slightly smaller diameter than segment 1, weakly tapered proximally, segments 3 and 4 more slender than segment 2 (fig. 2). Pronotum weakly tumid. Tibiae with moderately heavy black spines; trichobothria as in figure 11F. Claws nearly straight over much of length, rather sharply bent near apex; parempodia setiform; pulvilli large, adnate to nearly entire ventral claw surface (fig. 11D). Mesothoracic spiracle and metathoracic scent­gland evaporatory area as in figure 11C. Genital capsule large, occupying at least one­half of length of abdomen; capsule in lateral view tapering toward apex (fig. 11H). GENITALIA (fig. 4): Vesica large and heavily sclerotized, twisted, formed of two conspicuous straps, the anterior terminating in two slender spines of unequal length; secondary gonopore relatively small, situated at apex of main portion of straps (fig. 4); phallotheca L­shaped, attenuated apically (figs. 4, 11G); left paramere boat shaped (fig. 4); right paramere lanceolate (fig. 4).

Female: Moderately large, elongate ovoid; total length 3.25–3.29, length apex clypeus– cuneal fracture 2.26–2.45, width across pronotum 1.00–1.14. COLORATION (fig. 2): As in male. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 2): As in male. STRUCTURE: Overall body form as in male; eyes smaller, frons more strongly bulging in dorsal view, head not appearing so strongly transverse (fig. 2).

ETYMOLOGY: Named for Jerry Powell, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, in recognition of his collecting much of the material on which this taxon is described and his extensive collections of the California insect fauna.

HOSTS: Penstemon sp. (Scrophulariaceae) .

DISCUSSION: As mentioned in the diagnosis, the coloration, body shape, and type of vestiture are similar to Lepidargyrus ancorifer and dark­colored Oligotylus spp. (see Schuh, 2000a). The vesica in the male is, however, unique and for this reason we have chosen to describe the new genus Neopsallus to accommodate this species. The only known host record suggests that N. powelli breeds on Penstemon spp. Further collecting on Penstemon in California may yield additional species.

Neopsallus powelli , new species

Figures 2 , 4 , 11

HOLOTYPE: Male: ‘‘[ USA:] CAL[ifornia]: 1 mi. SE Santa Ysabel , VI­14­75, John D. Pinto’ ’. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History.

DIAGNOSIS: As in generic diagnosis.

DESCRIPTION: Male: As in generic description.

Female: As in generic description.

HOSTS: Penstemon sp. (Scrophulariaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Southern California.

PARATYPES: USA: California: San Diego Co.: 1 mi SE of Santa Ysabel , June 14, 1975, J. D. Pinto, 23 (UCR). No specific locality, May 13, 1914, E. P. Van Duzee, 23 (CAS). Santa Rosa Mts. , May 31, 1940, R. L. Usinger, Penstemon sp. (Scrophulariaceae) , 23 (UCB). Santa Barbara Co. : 4 mi E of Los Prietos, June 26, 1965, J. Powell, 63, 3♀ (UCB, AMNH, USNM).

Oligotylus pluto (Van Duzee) , new combination

Plagiognathus diversus pluto Van Duzee, 1917: 284 (n.var.).

Oligotylus ribesi Schuh, 2000a: 16 (n. sp.) NEW SYNONYMY.

Holotype of Oligotylus pluto (Van Duzee) : ‘‘ Santa Cruz Co., Cal. , 33, 1200–1500 ft., W. M. Gifford, 8–11–17’’. Deposited in the California Academy of Sciences.

DISCUSSION: Van Duzee (1917) described the new species Plagiognathus diversus with two included varieties, P. d. cruralis and P. d. pluto . Schuh (2001) treated P. diversus as a junior synonym of Plagiognathus artemisiae (Becker) ; he transferred P. cruralis to the new genus Tuxedo Schuh as a valid species. The fate of P. pluto has remained in doubt. Examination of the holotype of P. pluto indicates that it is the same taxon as Oligotylus ribesi Schuh, 2000 . We are therefore treating O. ribesi as a junior synonym, new synonymy.

Figures

Fig. 2. Habitus figures of male and female specimens, Gonoporomiris through Vanduzeephylus.

Fig. 4. Male genitalia, Megalopsallus through Vanduzeephylus.

Fig. 11. Scanning electron micrographs of Neopsallus powelli from 4 mi E of Los Prietos, California. A. Head, lateral view. B. Head, anterior, view. C. Mesothoracic spiracle and metaepisternal scent efferent system, lateral view. D. Pretarsus, frontal view. E. Setae on hemelytra. F. Trichobothrium on hind femora, ventral view. G. Genital segment, dorsal view of left paramere and phallotheca. H. Body, lateral view. Scales as indicated.