Myrmecophyes tomi, Konstantinov, Fedor V. & Simov, Nikolay, 2018

Konstantinov, Fedor V. & Simov, Nikolay, 2018, Review of the subgenus Plumiger of Myrmecophyes, with description of a new species (Heteroptera, Miridae, Halticini), ZooKeys 796, pp. 215-239 : 230-234

Myrmecophyes tomi sp. n. Figs 7, 10, 29, 44-46, 49, 50, 52, 58, 62

Type locality.

Georgia, Kakheti, Sakhkhova Mts. Range, 42.36666°N, 45.61666°E

Type material.

Holotype: GEORGIA: Kakheti: Sakhkhova Mts. Range, Tushetia, 42.36666°N, 45.61666°E, 28 Aug 1959, I. Zaytseva, 1♂ (AMNH_PBI 00261443) (ZISP). Paratypes: GEORGIA: Kakheti: Sakhkheva Mts. Range, Tushetia, 42.36666°N, 45.61666°E, 28 Aug 1959, I. Zaytseva, 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00261682) (ZISP). Shida Kartli (South Ossetia): Tskaro, 22 Jun, Demokidov, 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00261684) (ZISP). RUSSIAN FEDERATION: Dagestan Rep.: Khochaldag Mt., 42.73333°N, 46.26666°E, 18 Jul 1909, A. Mlokossiewich, 1♂ (AMNH_PBI 00261444), 3♀ (AMNH_PBI 00261686-AMNH_PBI 00261688) (ZISP); 12 Aug 1910, A. Mlokossiewich, 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00261683) (ZISP).

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from congeners by the small size (Figs 7, 10), distinctly bulging clypeus in male (Figure 29), antennal segments I and II in male not exceeding length and width of pronotum respectively, shiny head and abdomen, characteristically harpoon-shaped left paramere (Figs 44, 45), faintly sclerotized lobes of endosoma (Figure 49), and broadly oval, weakly attenuate sclerotized rings (Figs 52, 58).

Remarks.

Myrmecophyes tomi is separated from the morphologically similar M. nasutus by the shiny head and abdomen, the smaller body size, the shorter first two antennal segments in the male, the single subapical, recurved denticle of the left paramere, and the broad sclerotized rings. The last-named character would allow females of M. tomi to be distinguished from those of M. heterocerus , which otherwise are similar in body size and proportions, and in having a shiny abdomen.

Description. Male. Total body length 3.4. Coloration: Dorsum and venter uniformly black, with contrasting yellowish-white stripe along apical margin of wing pad; antennal segment I chestnut brown, remaining segments dark brown; coxae and femora dirty yellow, tibiae and tarsi dark brown (Figure 7). Surface and vestiture: Head, pronotum and hemelytron rugose, pronotum with fine transverse wrinkles along anterior and posterior margin; abdomen shiny, distinctly smoother than pronotum and scutellum. Dorsum, venter, and legs with very short and thin, reclining, pale brown simple setae, scarce on head, thorax and femora, more dense on abdomen and tibiae; head with several spinelike setae on vertex posteriorly and on frons between eye and antennal fossa, apex of frons and base of clypeus with very dense, thin and exceptionally long, straight whitish setae; antennal segments I and II with nu merous black spinelike setae on dorsal surfaces and dense, white, spatulate scales on ventral surfaces except basal one-fourth; segments III and IV with relatively scarce, erect, spinelike setae shorter than those on previous segments and dense, semierect, pale simple setae; femora with incomplete row of stiff spinelike setae along dorsal margin and several apical spines dorsally and ventrally; tibia with scattered black spines. Structure: Body 4.0 × as long as width of pronotum at middle. Head: Vertical, with slightly concave and apically bulging clypeus, rectangular in lateral view (Figure 29) and with somewhat dilated, broadly rounded apex in frontal view; vertex 2.0 × as wide as eye; antennal segment I distinctly swollen, 0.9 × as long as length of pronotum, segment II gradually curved along entire length, somewhat widened and flattened apically, relatively long, 1.8 × as long as I, 1.2 × as long as width of pronotum at middle, and 0.9 × as long as width of head; remaining segments thin, segment III twice as long as segments II and IV; labium stout, surpassing hind coxa and reaching basal abdominal segments. Thorax: Pronotum at middle 1.3 × as wide as long, 0.8 × as wide as head, metathoracic spiracle and scent efferent system as in M. heterocerus (Figure 17); hind tibia 3.8 × as long as width of pronotum at middle; tarsal segments II and III subequal in length, about 1.5 × as long as segment I, pretarsus as in M. armeniacus (Figs 22, 23). Genitalia: genital capsule about 0.4 of abdomen; left paramere sickle-shaped, comparatively robust, apical process harpoon-shaped, slightly curved, roughly triangular in cross section, tapering towards apex, with subapical recurved denticle; body of paramere with distinct rounded outgrowth at base of apical process with long setae (Figs 44, 45); right paramere typically flag-shaped, with minute apical tooth on inner margin (Figure 46); endosoma of aedeagus membranous, similar to that of M. nasutus but somewhat smaller, with three folded, minutely dentate and slightly sclerotized eversible lobes (Figs 49, 50).

Female. Larger than male on average, total body length 3.1-3.5, with antenna unmodified and abdomen broadly oval, strongly expanded at middle. Coloration: Similar to male, but antennal segment I dirty orange, coxae and femora black, with apices dirty orange (Figure 10). Surface and vestiture: Similar to male, but frons without dark erect spinelike setae and long whitish thin setae; antennal segments I and II without scales and long spinelike setae, segment I with only 8-12 relatively small spinelike erect setae on mesial surface. Structure: Body 3.8-4.5 × as long as width of pronotum at middle. Head: Clypeus convex, not bulging apically; vertex 1.9-2.1 × as wide as eye; antennal segment I slightly and uniformly swollen, short, 0.7-0.9 × as long as length of pronotum, segment II straight and thin, rod-shaped, 1.7-2.0 × as long as I, 1.0-1.1 × as long as width of pronotum at middle, and 0.7-0.8 × as long as width of head; remaining segments filiform, segment III about 1.5 × as long as segments II and IV. Thorax: Pronotum at middle 1.4-1.5 × as wide as long, 0.7-0.8 × as wide as head; labium always reaching and usually surpassing hind coxa; hind tibia 2.8-3.3 × as long as width of pronotum at middle. Genitalia: Sclerotized rings of dorsal labiate plate elongate-oval (Figs 52, 62); interramal sclerites convex and covered with dense minute denticles (Figure 58).

Etymology.

The species is named for Thomas J. Henry in recognition of his unparalleled contributions to heteropterology.

Distribution.

Known from northeastern Georgia in the Transcaucasia to southwestern Dagestan in the North Caucasus (Figure 64).

Discussion.

The new species is described from the specimens originally included in the paratype series of M. nasutus by Drapolyuk (1989), who discussed distinctions in the structure of antennal segment I in male and figured the dorsal labiate plate ( Drapolyuk 1989: fig. 53), but refrained from describing a new taxon.