Zelus gracilipes Zhang & Hart

Zhang, Guanyang, Hart, Elwood R & Weirauch, Christiane, 2016, A taxonomic monograph of the assassin bug genus Zelus Fabricius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): 71 species based on 10,000 specimens, Biodiversity Data Journal 4, pp. 8150-8150 : 8150

Zelus gracilipes Zhang & Hart sp. n.

Materials

Type status: Holotype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00007998 ; occurrenceRemarks: Genitalia dissected.; recordedBy: Mulford Bio. Expl; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BOLIVIA; stateProvince: La Paz; locality: Tumupasa ; verbatimElevation: 457 m; decimalLatitude: -14.1487; decimalLongitude: -67.8876; georeferenceSources: Google Earth; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: Dec 1921-22; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009463 ; recordedBy: Zischka; sex: Adult Female; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BOLIVIA; stateProvince: Cochabamba; locality: Chapare ; decimalLatitude: -16.711; decimalLongitude: -65.663; georeferenceSources: Google Earth; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: no date provided; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00071194 ; recordedBy: Zischka; sex: Adult Female; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BOLIVIA; stateProvince: Cochabamba; locality: Chapare ; decimalLatitude: -16.711; decimalLongitude: -65.663; georeferenceSources: Google Earth; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: no date provided; Record Level: institutionCode: TAMU Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009296 ; occurrenceRemarks: Additional Labels Mulford BioExpl 1921-1922; recordedBy: W. M. Mann; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BOLIVIA; stateProvince: none; locality: Rio Negro ; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: Jan; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009297 ; recordedBy: T. Borgmeier; sex: Adult Female; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BRAZIL; stateProvince: Goias; locality: Campinas ; decimalLatitude: -16.66785; decimalLongitude: -49.29149; georeferenceSources: Google Earth; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1905-04-17; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009450 ; recordedBy: J. E. Eger; sex: Adult Female; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BRAZIL; stateProvince: Rondonia; locality: 62 km S Ariquemes, Fazenda Rancho Grande ; verbatimElevation: 300 m; decimalLatitude: -10.3; decimalLongitude: -62.86666; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1996-07-03 to 1996-07-15; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009499 ; occurrenceRemarks: Drake Collection; recordedBy: J. E. Eger; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BRAZIL; stateProvince: Rondonia; locality: 62 km S Ariquemes, Fazenda Rancho Grande ; verbatimElevation: 300 m; decimalLatitude: -10.3; decimalLongitude: -62.86666; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1997-11-04 to 1997-11-16; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00026166 ; occurrenceRemarks: Drake Collection; recordedBy: J. E. Eger; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BRAZIL; stateProvince: Rondonia; locality: 62 km SW of Ariquemes, near Fzda. Rancho Grande ; decimalLatitude: -10.32921; decimalLongitude: -63.46881; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1997-11-04 to 1997-11-16; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00026167 ; occurrenceRemarks: Drake Collection; recordedBy: J. E. Eger; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: BRAZIL; stateProvince: Rondonia; locality: 62 km SW of Ariquemes, near Fzda. Rancho Grande ; decimalLatitude: -10.32921; decimalLongitude: -63.46881; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1997-11-04 to 1997-11-16; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009449 ; recordedBy: J. E. Eger; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: ECUADOR; stateProvince: Napo; locality: Puerto Misahuali ; verbatimElevation: 541 m; decimalLatitude: -1.0345; decimalLongitude: -77.66366; georeferenceSources: Label; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1998-09-06 to 1998-09-19; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00009492 ; occurrenceRemarks: Drake Collection; recordedBy: J. E. Eger; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: ECUADOR; stateProvince: Napo; locality: Puerto Misahuali ; verbatimElevation: 541 m; decimalLatitude: -1.0345; decimalLongitude: -77.66366; georeferenceSources: Label; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1998-09-06 to 1998-09-19; Record Level: institutionCode: USNM Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00047971 ; recordedBy: E. S. Ross; sex: Adult Male; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: ECUADOR; stateProvince: Napo; locality: Alinahui, 20 km E of Puerto Napo ; verbatimElevation: 450 m; decimalLatitude: -1; decimalLongitude: -77.41666; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1992-12-01; Record Level: institutionCode: CAS Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00006075 ; recordedBy: E. I. Schlinger & E. S. Ross; sex: Adult Female; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: PERU; stateProvince: Huanuco; locality: Monzon valley, Tingo Maria ; decimalLatitude: -9.27816; decimalLongitude: -76.05562; georeferenceSources: Google Earth; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: eventDate: 1954-09-23; Record Level: institutionCode: CAS Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: catalogNumber: UCR_ENT 00044265 ; occurrenceRemarks: Primary DNA voucher RCW_2474; recordedBy: C. Weirauch; sex: Adult Female; Taxon: scientificName: Zelusgracilipes; family: Reduviidae; genus: Zelus; scientificNameAuthorship: Zhang & Hart, 2016; Location: country: PERU; stateProvince: Madre de Dios; locality: Los Amigos Biol.Sta. trail 14 ; verbatimElevation: 231 m; decimalLatitude: -12.57141; decimalLongitude: -70.09538; georeferenceSources: GPS; Identification: identifiedBy: G. Zhang; dateIdentified: 2013; Event: samplingProtocol: General Collecting; eventDate: 2010-12-20; Record Level: institutionCode: UCR

Description

Figs 85, 86, 87

Male: (Fig. 85a, b) Large, total length 15.43-16.74 mm (mean 16.09 mm, Suppl. material 2); slender. COLORATION: Hed, anterior pronotal lobe, hemelytron, and legs dark brown to brownish-black; very inconspicuous, light-colored, rather thin, medial longitudinal stripe on postocular lobe. Ventral surface of head yellowish in some specimens. Ventral surface of abdomen in some specimens reddish-brown. Posterior pronotal lobe and mesopleuron orange or reddish-brown. Setae on corium golden. Abdominal segments 2-5 reddish-brown in some specimens. Variations minimal between specimens. VESTITURE: Densely setose. Dorsum of anteocular and anterior part of postocular with moderately dense, short, erect, spine-like setae; rest with sparse, short, erect or recumbent setae; posterior part of postocular nearly glabrous. Pronotum with dense, short, erect, spine-like setae on dorsal and lateral surfaces. Pleura with mixed spine-like and fine setae; scutellum with dense, short to long, semi-erect to recument setae. Legs with sparse setae; sundew setae on profemur sparse and randomly arranged. Corium and clavus with dense, recumbent, stout setae. Abdomen with moderately dense, short, semi-erect, fine setae. Apically with moderately long, erect setae. STRUCTURE: Head: Cylindrical, L/W = 2.28. Postocular lobe in dorsal view anteriorly gradually narrowing, posterior portion constant, slightly narrower. Eye prominent; lateral margin much wider than postocular lobe; dorsal margin removed from postocular transverse groove, ventral margin attaining ventral surface of head. Labium: I: II: III = 1: 1.5: 0.4. Basiflagellomere diameter slightly larger than that of pedicel. Thorax: Anterolateral angle rounded, without projection; medial longitudinal sulcus evident throughout, deepening posteriorly. Disc distinctly elevated above humeral angle; humeral angle rounded, without projection. Scutellum moderately long; apex angulate, not projected. Legs: Very slender. Hemelytron: Greatly surpassing apex of abdomen by about 3x length of abdominal segment seven; quadrate cell large and broad; Cu and M of cubital cell subparallel. GENITALIA: (Fig. 86) Pygophore: Ovoid; mid-lateral fold adjacent to paramere insertion; slightly expanded laterally near base of paramere in dorsal view. Medial process somewhat cone-shaped; moderately long; posteriorly directed, in less than forty-five degree with body axis; nearly straight; apex in posterior view blunt. Paramere: Cylindrical; long, nearly reaching apex of medial process; directed toward medial process; nearly straight; apex oblique; apical part not enlarged. Phallus: Dorsal phallothecal sclerite elongated; apical 1/3 of phallothecal sclerite tapering to apex, strongly convex, laterally rounded, not forming angle; apex with small medial emargination; basal part expanded laterally; posterior margin of foramen broadly concave. Struts attached to dorsal phallothecal sclerite; apically separate, connected by bridge; basally fused in part. Basal plate arm slender; separate; subparallel; in lateral view very slightly curved; bridge moderately long; extension of basal plate small and confined to apex of basal plate arm.

Female: (Fig. 85c, d) Similar to male, except for the following. Larger than male, total length 19.62-20.74 mm (mean 20.06 mm, Suppl. material 2). Dorsal coloration variable, ranging from nearly entirely orange to predominantly dark brown.

Diagnosis

Recognized by the posterior pronotal lobe orangish-brown; the legs uniformly blackish-brown, without bands; the humeral angle rounded; and the head and pronotum with spine-like setae (last two characters shared with species of the Zelus vagans species group and the Zelus longipes species group). Males can also be recognized by the medial process posteriorly directed and apical portion laterally compressed (diagnostic of Zelus vagans species group). The medial process is comparatively shorter than those in other species of the Zelus vagans species group (Fig. 11). Zelus gracilipes may be confused with Z. vespiformis and Z. errans , which also tend to show a combination of black and orange colors. The males of Z. gracilipes can be separated on the basis of the male genitalia. The females of Z. gracilipes have the entire membrane colored or opaque, whereas the known females of Z. errans have the anterior 1/2 clear or semi-translucent. Some females of Z. gracilipes exhibit entirely orange-brown hemelytron, a character also found in some specimens of Z. vespiformis . As the ranges the these two do not appear to overlap, locality data may help in most cases separate the species. Additionally, Z. gracilipes is generally more slender than Z. vespiformis .

Etymology

From Latin gracilis, meaning slender.

Distribution

South America (Fig. 87). Countries with records: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.