Dichelocentrum transvaalicum, Gapon, 2014

Gapon, D. A., 2014, Revision of the genus Polymerus (Heteroptera: Miridae) in the Eastern Hemisphere. Part 1: Subgenera Polymerus, Pachycentrum subgen. nov. and new genus Dichelocentrum gen. nov., Zootaxa 3787 (1), pp. 1-87 : 80-81

4. Dichelocentrum transvaalicum sp. nov.

( Figs 33 G, H ; 35 I–L ; 37 D, E ; 39 A–C ; 42 G, H )

Material examined. Holotype. Republic of South Africa, Transvaal , Kruger National Park, Satara Camp., UV light, 28.IV.1968, M. Sweet, J.&S. Slater, T. Schuh, male ( AMNH).

Paratypes. Republic of South Africa, N. Transvaal, Messina , 8.XII.1974, J.G. & B.L. Rozen, 1 female ; 30.XII–2.I.1957, A.L. Carpenter, 1 male *, 12 females * ( AMNH, ZISP) ; Botswana, Serowe 22°25'S, 26°44'E, XII. 1986, P. Forschammer, 6 males *, 3 females * ( BMNH, ZISP) .

Diagnosis. Recognised by following combination of characters: first antennal segment pale with dark base and often with basal part of ventral surface; pronotum often with several large dark spots merging in dark specimens, but they retain pale medial strip at least in posterior part; femora brownish yellow with dark spots. Males have parameres similar to those of D. ornatifrons but differ in convex inferior margin of left paramere hypophysis. Also males recognised by V-shaped posterior right lobe and long inferior branch of anterior left lobe on inflated vesica.

Description. Length 3.40–5.00 in males and 4.50–5.70 in females. Yellowish or brownish yellow colour of body predominates, but darker specimens frequent. Body covered with silvery thickened setae ( Fig. 42 G, H ).

Head pale, usually with several transverse dark brown spots on sides of frons, clypeus and along posterior margin of head, including transverse carina. Less often head entire pale or with light or dark brown frons and clypeus. Spots along inner margins of eyes light yellow, always paler than background. First, second and base of third antennal segments brownish-yellow. First antennal segment dark at base and often on ventral side, second segment with dark apex and rarely extreme base, distal part of third and entirely fourth segments brown. Rostrum light brown, with dark apex and rarely first segment, slightly protruding beyond posterior margins of hind coxae.

Pronotum mostly pale with dark brown or blackish large spots on lateral angles and two longitudinal spots, moderately or very wide, reaching calli, but not reaching posterior margin of pronotum. Two small dark spots, separate or merging with longitudinal spots lie on each sides of calli. Anterior margins of pronotum also with small dark spots. In dark specimens all pronotum dark brown or blackish, with narrow brown-yellow stripe on posterior margin. Ends of this strip not reaching lateral angles of pronotum, triangularly extended. Posterior part of pronotum in dark specimens with short pale medial strip. Collar always yellowish. Scutellum light brown, with narrow dark base and light yellow, varying in size spot at apex. Often scutellum entirely pale and only prescutum rather dark. Clavus with wide black stripe on external margin, not reaching its basal and apical ends. In pale specimens rest part of clavus yellow-brown, sometimes dark brown or blackish except brown anterior and posterior angles. Corium yellowish or yellowish-brown, with more or less large light or dark brown spots along internal margin, widening posteriorly, and with narrow dark stripe along external margin, isolated or merging with a dark spot in its posterior part. Cuneus reddish-brown or brown, paler in internal part and darker in external part, with yellowish extreme apex and stripe at base expanding mediad. Pleurites yellowish-brown, brown or dark brown. Evaporatorium whitish-yellow. Legs in pale specimens brownish-yellow, femora covered with small dark brown spots. Tibiae with dark extreme base and apex, last tarsal segment dark brown. In dark specimens coxae, trochanters and femora dark brown, with irregular vague yellowish spots, tibia often light brown.

Venter of abdomen in pale specimens brownish-yellow; in dark specimens—dark brown along lateral margins and in middle, yellowish-brown in rest part.

Right paramere ( Fig. 35 I, J ) as in D. ornatifrons .

Left paramere ( Fig. 35 K, L ). Hypophysis of same length and width as in D. ornatifrons . Superior margin of hypophysis strongly convex and not concave before apex; inferior margin convex in middle and concave before apex. Carina on internal (right) surface of hypophysis low, with row of setae.

Vesica ( Fig. 37 D, E ). Anterior branch of anterior right lobe short, strongly swollen and widely rounded; right and inferior bladders broad, rather strongly convex. Inferior branch of anterior left lobe long, directed downwards and anteriad. Posterior left lobe without sclerotised area on anterior wall and basal tubercle. Posterior right lobe Vshaped. Its branches rather long and subequal in length. Right branch slightly thicker then left one, directed to right and slightly downwards. Left branch directed to left and slightly upwards. Superior margin of posterior branch of spicule smoothly curved in apical part from posterior view in dry preparations.

Gynatrium ( Fig. 39 A–C ). Notch on ventral margin of interramal sclerites deep, trapezoidal, in specimen from Messina notch arcuate and shallow. Dorsal margin of interramal sclerite extended dorsally as rather broad sclerotised area reaching dorsal margin of gynatrial posterior wall.

Distribution. Botswana, Republic of South Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Antennae. A–E, first antennal segment; F–H, antennae totally. A, Dichelocentrum longirostre comb. nov., syntype; B, D. ornatifrons comb. nov. from Tanzania; C, holotype of Polymerus xerophilus; D, D. ornatifrons, male paratype; E, D. ornatifrons, female paratype; F, Polymerus carpathicus, male; G, D. transvaalicum sp. nov., female; H, D. transvaalicum, male. Scale bare: 0.14 mm.

FIGURE 35. Parameres of Dichelocentrum gen. nov. species. Right (A, B, E, F, I, J, M, N) and left (C, D, G, H, K, L, O) parameres. A–D, D. ornatifrons comb. nov., paratype; E–H, D. ornatifrons from Tanzania; I–L, D. transvaalicum sp. nov.; M–O, D. alkadanum comb. nov. after Linnavuori & van Harten (2005). Right (A, E, I, M), left (C, G, K, O) and posterior (D, B, F, H, J, L, N) view. Scale bare: 0.14 mm.

FIGURE 37. Vesica of Dichelocentrum gen. nov. A–C, D. ornatifrons comb. nov.; D, E, D. transvaalicum sp. nov. Left (A, D), superior (B, E) and posterior (C) view. Scale bare: 0.14 mm.

FIGURE 39. Inner female genitalia of Dichelocentrum gen. nov. A, gynatrium in dorsal view; B, D, posterior wall of gynatrium in ventral view; C, vestibular sclerites in dorsal view. A–C, D. transvaalicum sp. nov.; D, D. alkadanum, paratype. avs—anterior vestibular sclerites; ihf—posterior margin of inner horizontal fold; mpr—medial process; pvs— posterior vestibular sclerites; ts—tectal sclerites. Scale bare: 0.14 mm.

FIGURE 42. Dichelocentrum gen. nov., habitus. A, D. longirostre comb. nov., syntype, male; B, D. longirostre comb. nov., female; C, D. flora comb. nov., holotype, male; D, D. ornatifrons comb. nov., paratype, male; E, D. ornatifrons, paratype, female; F, holotype of Polymerus xerophilus, female; G, D. transvaalicum sp. nov., male; H, D. transvaalicum, female; I, D. alkadanum comb. nov., holotype, female.