Metoisops grabenhorsti Herczek & Popov

Herczek, Aleksander & Popov, Yuri A., 2014, Revision of the genus Metoisops (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Miridae, Isometopinae) from late Eocene European amber, Zootaxa 3887 (3), pp. 401-421 : 415-417

Metoisops grabenhorsti Herczek & Popov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 18–19 )

Diagnosis. This species is clearly different from other species in this genus by very broad vertex and also broad visible portion of the mesoscutum.

Description. Body 2.66 mm, elongate, 2.4x as long as wide. General coloration uniformly dark-brown, especially pronotum and mesoscutum; scutellum pale yellow. Hemelytra covered with dense, relatively short, adpressed golden hairs arising from articulate punctures; outer margin of hemelytra distinctly polished and inpunctate; scutellum shiny with same pale hairs at the base ( Figs. 18, 19 ). Head moderately transverse, 2.61x as wide as long, distinctly wider than anterior margin of pronotum. Vertex quite wide, dorsal width of eye only 1.43x wider than width v e r t e x; eyes globular. 2nd antennal segment 3 times longer than 1st. Pronotum trapezoidal, moderately transversal, 1.72x as wide as long; calli weakly developed, intercallian pit weakly expressed; ratio length posterior/anterior margin 2.4x wider than median length; posterior margin weakly convex. Visible portion of mesoscutum v e r y narrow exposed, length scutellum 4.35x longer. Claval commissura long, ratio length claval commissure/mesoscutum+scutellum 1.2. Corium length 4.7x longer than cuneus; cuneus twice as long as wide; large cell of hemelytral membrane long, 3.2x as long as wide. Tibia 2.8x longer than tarsus; 1st tarsal segment of hind leg 1.77x shorter than 2nd one.

Dimensions. Male. Length of body from apex of hemelytra 2.66, width 1.1; length of head 0.18, width 0.47, dorsal width of eye 0.26, width of vertex 0.18; antennal segments I:II = 0.23:0.72, III, IV–invisibly; rostral segments I 0.28, II, III, IV–invisibly; length of pronotum 0.36 (max.), width 0.26 (ant.) and 0.62 (post.); length of mesoscutum 0.1; length of scutellum 0.26; claval commissure 0.49; length of hind femur 0.83; length of tibia 0.95; length of tarsus 0.34 (I+II = 0.13+0.23).

Etymology. This species is named after Mr. Heirich Grabenhorst (Hamburg, Germany), who acquired this amber piece for his collection, provided the specimen for scientific study and generously donated the type material to the GPIMH.

Specimens examined. Holotype, ♂, in Baltic amber (coll. H. Grabenhorst, Het-7) light reddish and smallsized piece of amber (10 x 7 mm) of irregular shape, which embedded into artificial resin (35 x 15 mm). The holotype is deposited in the collection of GPIMH.

Remarks. M. grabenhorsti shares features in common with other species in the genus such as the ratio width/ length pronotum (1.72–1.82) that is similar to M. punctatus , M. intergerivus , M. variabilis and M. punctatodiffusus , and also ratio length posterior/anterior margin of pronotum (2.3–2.4x wider than long). However this species is clearly different from all species by very broad vertex (only 1.43x narrower than eye) and also very broad visible portion of mesoscutum (approximately 2.6x shorter than scutellum length) and ratio length claval commissure/ mesoscutum+scutellum (1.2).

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 19. Metoisops grabenhorsti — dorsal views.