Pseudowuiessa Bai, Heiss & Cai

Shi, Kai, Bai, Xiaoshuan, Wu, Zhiyi, Heiss, Ernst & Cai, Wanzhi, 2016, Pseudowuiessa, a new genus of brachypterous Mezirinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) from China, Zootaxa 4158 (1), pp. 146-150 : 147

Pseudowuiessa Bai, Heiss & Cai , gen. nov.

Type species: Pseudowuiessa producta Bai, Heiss & Cai , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Brachypterous, of medium size. Body elongate ovate, sparsely covered with stiff, erect bristles. Distinguished from morphologically similar genera by characters discussed below and given in the key.

Description. Head longer than width across eyes; genae (= maxillary plates) distinctly longer than clypeus; antenniferous lobes finger-like, diverging; antennae about 1.8 times as long as width across eyes; segment I stout, II shortest tapering toward base, III longest, cylindrical and slightly longer than I, IV longer than II and fusiform; eyes globose, slightly stylate; postocular lobes granulate, converging posteriorly; rostrum arising from a slit-like atrium, not reaching limits of rostral groove ( Figs. 3, 5 ).

Pronotum less than three times as wide as long at midline; collar very narrow, granular; anterolateral lobes strongly produced forward, lateral margins sinuate, subparallel at humeri, posterior margin convex; fore lobe with a median sulcus flanked by 2 (1+1) ovate callosities, followed laterad by 2 (1+1) prominent, sublateral conical tubercles; hind lobe with 2 (1+1) setigerous tubercles posterolaterally.

Mesonotum. Scutellum large, subtriangular, apex widely rounded, disk with an anterior median high tuberculate bulbous elevation; hemelytra reduced to small oval wing pads laterad of scutellum, lateral margins raised, beset with setigerous tubercles; posterior margins rounded.

Metanotum and abdominal tergum I fused together, forming narrow transverse plates, no fusion line discernible, divided into 2 (1+1) plates by scutellum, separated from mtg II by a distinct transverse suture, posterior margin trisinuate.

Abdomen. Mtg II consisting of 2 (1+1) small triangular plates separated by an anteriorly produced tergal plate, the latter of pentagonal shape with a median elevation on mtg III–VI, lateral parts with shallow depressions; disk of mtg VII of female with two conical tubercles medially; deltg II–VII separated by sutures, surface granulate, posterior margins with conical tubercles; lateral margins of deltg II–VI slightly sinuate ( Fig. 1 ).

Venter. Sterna III to VI raised along posterior border, depressed along anterior border; lateral plates with shallow pits; spiracles II–VII ventral, VIII lateral ( Fig. 3 ).

Legs slender, without spines; trochanters distinct.

Distribution. China: Yunnan.

Etymology. The generic name refers to the general similarity of the new genus to Wuiessa Hsiao, 1964 .

Discussion. The new genus shares the conspicuous anteriorly produced tergal plate with the abovementioned brachypterous Oriental Mezirinae genera Lophocoris and Wuiessa and the micropterous genus Stipesoculus . Lophocoris is easily distinguished by different head structure with non-stylate eyes, lateral margins of pronotum with two finger-like projections, a prominent round elevation on mtg III–IV and posterolateral angles of deltg II– VII laterally angulately produced. Stipesoculus differs from the new genus by its extremely stylate eyes, its micropterous condition, and the triangular scutellum with acute apex. Brachypterous Wuiessa species are highly similar, but distinct at generic level, differing from Pseudowuiessa gen. nov. in their shorter genae, eyes not being stylate, postocular lobes with a lateral tooth, and anterior pronotal disk with two median conical tubercles.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Pseudowuiessa producta sp. nov., female holotype. (1) habitus, dorsal view; (2) lateral view; (3) ventral view; (4) head and pronotum, dorsal view; (5) ventral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.