Lasiocolpus Reuter, 1884

Carpintero, Diego Leonardo, 2014, Western Hemisphere Lasiochilinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) with comments on some extralimital species and some considerations on suprageneric relationships, Zootaxa 3871 (1), pp. 1-87 : 62-65

Lasiocolpus Reuter, 1884

Lasiocolpus Reuter, 1884: 27 . Type-species by subsequent designation ( Kirkaldy, 1906: 120) Lasiocolpus sinuaticollis Reuter, 1884 .

Whiteiella Poppius, 1909: 14 . (Synonymized by Carpintero 2002: 28)

DESCRIPTION. Male: large species, oblong–oval, not flattened dorso-ventrally. Head: antennal segment II, 3 to 4x the length of I, pilosity dense, never erect, segments I and II with setae less than twice as long as width of segment. Thorax: Dorsally with pilosity suberect, somewhat dense. Pronotum always laterally carinate, calli not elevated, posterior lobe punctured, lateral margins extremely sinuate, collar present. Midfovea present. Scutellum punctured and rugose. Hemelytra: sides sinuate (but not very marked in L. rostralis (Poppius)) . Basal third of lateral margins serrate, probably with stridulatory function. Punctuations on clavus, inner half of corion and exocorion, and basal third of cuneus. Membrane pruinose, translucid. Ostiolar peritreme short and thick, strongly curved posteriorly and prominent ( Figs. 6–9 ); labium narrow and extending beyond hindcoxae; segment I very short, not reaching base of antennal segment I. Metasternum apically short and angular. Forefemora not enlarged, unarmed. Foretibiae armed with short teeth. Fossula spongiosa (or pads) small. Abdomen: A character never mentioned and well developed in all species of this genus is located on the laterotergites II and III. This area covers about a quarter of the segment on each margin (bilateral), extending to about 45 degrees to the dorsal-ventral plane and consisting of a large number of microtrichiae (towards the margin) and very short hairs (toward the centre) with micropunctures at its base. These micropunctures extend to the second segment. In pinned specimens it can be seen that this area is parallel and continuous with the surface of metapleural scent area. It may be deduced that the function of this area is the evaporation of ostiolar peritreme fluids. For this reason author called this area “parevaporatorial”. These micropunctures are well developed in males. Females possess only the lateral microtrichiae. Setae on dorsal surface long and sparse, emerging from between the punctures. Another typical anthocorid character clearly visible in this genus is the thickening of the anterior margin of the second urosternite ( Fig. 248–249 ), e. g. present in all known genera of Cardiastethini . Genitalia: Left paramere with slightly sinuate sides, or straight, generally apically acute. Right paramere vestigial to rudimentary. Grouping of copulatory teeth on apical left margin of sixth sternite, sometimes present.

Female: Similar to male in measurements and coloration; forelegs more slender and unarmed.

DISTRIBUTION: Neotropics from Mexico to Northern Argentina.

DISCUSSION: The genus Lasiocolpus , established in 1884 by Reuter, is characterized by the length of the antennae and labium, the peculiar shape of the pronotum, stridulatory tubercles on the basal third of the emboliar margin, midtibiae with teeth (in L. unicolor ), distinctive shape and structure of first abdominal segment and by having a vestigial to rudimentary right paramere. Champion (1900), Drake & Harris (1926) and most recently Carpintero (2002) listed the known species of the genus. In 1909, Poppius described Whiteiella with the same diagnostic characters as Lasiocolpus and an additional feature: lack of hamus. Nevertheless, author follows Carayon (1972a) in not considering the latter as a good character and he maintain his opinion of 2002 of regarding these genera as synonymous.

Key to species of Lasiocolpus

1. Pronotum brown, with central pale circular dot ( Fig. 283 ). Scutellum pale, with blackish spot on middle of mesoscutum, sometimes another similarly colored preapical spot. External sides of hemelytra subparallel ( Fig. 267 ); midtibiae in male with spines similar to foretibiae........................................................ L. rostralis ( Poppius, 1909)

- Pronotum and scutellum unicolorous. External margins of hemelytra sinuate. Midtibiae unarmed...................... 2

2. Exocorion (except one darker preapical stripe) and extreme base of cuneus, pale ( Fig. 236 ). Dorsal pilosity erect, long, with setae longer than twice the eye width (in dorsal view)...................................... L. elegans Reuter, 1884

- Hemelytra unicolorous dark brown to black or with only extreme base of corion and small dot on cuneal fracture, pale. Hemelytra with long, erect setae, but never longer than 1.5 times the eye width in dorsal view.............................. 3

3. Small species (3–3.3 mm)............................................................................... 4

- Larger species (3.7–4.3 mm)............................................................................. 7

4. Body oblong. Posterior lobe of pronotum ( Fig. 279 ) with very small punctures. Males without copulatory teeth........... 5

- Oval-oblong body. Posterior lobe of pronotum ( Fig. 286 ) strongly punctured. Males with copulatory teeth............... 6

5. Clavus dark, opaque; clavo-chorial suture paler; dorsal pilosity inapparent. Paramere short ( Fig. 277 )....... L. maesi n. sp.

- Clavus concolorous with corion; clavo-chorial suture not paler; dorsal pilosity apparent. Paramere long ( Fig. 243 )....................................................................................... L. biguttatus Poppius, 1909

6. Hemelytra unicolorous. Paramere short ( Fig. 253 ).............................................. L. vivianai n. sp.

- Hemelytra with pale areas. Paramere long ( Fig. 265 )..................................... L. minor Champion, 1900

7. Antennal segment II, 3 times longer than I. Midtibiae in male with spines similar to foretibiae. Anterior lobe of pronotum with flat calli. Right paramere vestigial ( Fig. 296 )........................................... L. unicolor Poppius, 1909

- Antennal segment II, more than 3.5 times longer than I. Midtibiae in male without teeth. Anterior lobe of pronotum with protuberant calli. Right paramere very small, but visible ( Fig. 290 )............................ L. sinuaticollis Reuter, 1884

Species of Lasiocolpus :

Figures

FIGURES 1–16. Left metapleura of different genera of Lasiochilinae showing the ostiolar peritreme and metapleural microsculpture. 1–2, Plochiocoris (350X and 1000X respectively); 3–5, Eusolenophora (350X, 1000X and 2000X); 6–9, two species of Lasiocolpus showing the small specific differences following a generic pattern: 6–7, L. minor (200X and 1000X) and 8–9, L. sinuaticollis (200X and 1000X); 10–12, Anaelia (200X, 1000X and 2000X); 13–14, Dilasia (200X, and 2000X); 15–16, Lasiochilus (200X, and 2000X).

FIGURES 244–254. L. vivianai. Male. 244, Head and pronotum; 245, Foretibia seen from the inner margin, showing the row of teeth (Te) and pad (Fos); 246, Sternum and base of abdomen showing the metasternum (Ms); 247, Hemelytron; 248, Micropunctures (Mpu) on lateral margins of second and third urosternites (Parevaporatorial area); 249, Detail of anterior margin of second urosternite with a row of small hairs (Uha); 250, Parevaporatorial area (Pea); 251, Copulatory teeth (Cte); 252, Pygophore showing left paramere (LP) and copulatory teeth (Cte); Fig. 253. Detail of left paramere. Female. 254, Genitalia.

FIGURES 282–285. L. rostralis. Male. 282, Scheme of pygophore showing left paramere (LP); Female. 283, Head and pronotum; 284, Hemelytron; 285, Genitalia.

FIGURES 266–269. Species of genus Lasiocolpus. 2. 266, L. maesi Male, holotype; 267, L. rostralis Female (3.42 mm); 268, L. sinuaticollis Male (4.27 mm); 269, L. unicolor Male (3.70 mm).

FIGURES 234–239. Species of genus Lasiocolpus. 1. 234, L. biguttatus Male (3.06 mm); 235, L. vivianai Male, holotype; 236, L. elegans Female (3.43 mm); 237, Idem. Female, holotype; 238, L. minor Female (3.35 mm); 239, Idem. Male, lectotype (3.18 mm) and female, paralectotype (3.35 mm).

FIGURES 271–281. L. maesi. Male. 271, Head and pronotum; 272, Foretibia; 273, Apical half of foretibia showing the row of teeth (Te) and pad (Fos); 274, Sternum and base of abdomen showing the metasternum (Ms); 275, Hemelytron; 276, Parevaporatorial area (Pea); 277, Pygophore showing left paramere (LP); 278, Detail of left paramere. Female. 279, Head and pronotum; 280, Parevaporatorial area (Pea); 281, Genitalia.

FIGURES 286–291. L. sinuaticollis. Male. 286, Head and pronotum; 287, Foretibia showing the row of teeth (Te) and pad (Fos); 288, Hemelytron; 289, Metasternum; 290, Scheme of pygophore showing left paramere (LP); 291, Detail of left paramere.

FIGURES 241–243. L. biguttatus. Male. 241, Apical half of foretibia showing the teeth (Te) on internal margin and pad (Fos); 242, Scheme of pygophore showing left paramere (LP); 243, Detail of left paramere.

FIGURES 262–265. L. minor. Male. 262, Copulatory teeth (Cte); 263, Pygophore; 264, Scheme of pygophore showing left paramere (LP); 265, Detail of left paramere.

FIGURES 292–296. L. unicolor. Male. 292, Head and pronotum; 293, Foretibia showing the row of teeth (Te) and pad (Fos); 294, Midtibia showing the row of teeth (Te); 295, Hemelytron showing the stub (Stu) in membranae; 296, Scheme of pygophore showing left paramere (LP).