Rhyncholepta wheeleri, Kment, Petr, Eger, Joe E. & Rider 3, Jr. David A., 2018

Kment, Petr, Eger, Joe E. & Rider 3, Jr. David A., 2018, Review of the Neotropical genus Rhyncholepta with descriptions of three new species-group taxa (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Pentatomidae), ZooKeys 796, pp. 347-395 : 385-387

Rhyncholepta wheeleri sp. n. Figs 8, 25, 40-41, 52-53, 64-65, 71, 77

Type locality.

Guyana, sources of Oronoque and New River (ca. 1°46'N 57°56'W).

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (Figs 8, 25, 40-41, 52-53, 64-65, 71, 77), "BRITISH GUIANA: / Oronoque & New / River Heads. 1938. / H. Beddington. / B.M. 1938-346 [printed, white label] // ♂ [printed, white label] // HOLOTYPUS / RHYNCHOLEPTA / WHEELERI / sp. nov. / det. Kment, Eger, Rider 2017 [printed, red label]" (BMNH). The holotype is pinned through scutellum, antennomeres IIb to IV of both antennae, both middle legs and left hind leg missing; detached dissected abdomen + basi- (IIa) and distipedicellite (IIb) of one antenna, and genital capsule + abdominal segment VIII are glued on two separate pieces of card attached to the same pin.

Diagnosis.

Coloration, structure of head, thorax and pregenital abdomen, and vestiture as in other species of the genus (see redescription of Rhyncholepta above) except for the following characters.

Apex of scutellum with anteapical black V-shaped stripe on scutellum reduced to few black punctures anteapically near each lateral margin (Figure 25). Apical V-shaped callosity very narrow, concolorous with surrounding surface of scutellum, hardly apparent in the single specimen examined (Figure 25).

Male genitalia. Genital capsule in ventral view slightly constricted lateroapically, posterolateral angles obtusangulate, not prominent (Figs 40, 64); dorsal wall at base of posterolateral angles shallowly impressed (Figs 64, 71). Ventral rim in ventral view with wide M-shaped projection apically, shallow V-shaped incision medially; posterior hypandrial projections situated posterolaterally, short, pointed, directed ventrally (Figs 40-41); basal portions of posterior projections not visible in this view. Hypandrium in posterior view with three pairs of projections: posterior ones caudal, very short, acute but not spinose, directed ventrolaterad (Figs 52, 53: pp); lateral projections very narrow, directed posterolaterad, apices spinose, straight (Figs 52, 53: lp); anterior projections steeply sloping downwards, appearing narrowly parallel-sided, acutangulate apically, apices directed laterad (Figs 52, 53: ap). Anterior hypandrial projections in most exposed (dorso-posterolateral) view appearing roughly quadrangular, dorsal margins slightly concave, each apically with sharp spine strongly curved downwards (Figure 77: ap); bases of posterior and lateral projections widely separated, both projections parallel (Figure 77: a); posterior projection short, narrowing towards acute apex (Figure 77: pp); lateral projection long, spinous, nearly straight (Figure 77: lp). Anterior hypandrial projections in dorsal view parallel, each parallel-sided, abruptly sharpened apically, apices slightly divergent (Figs 64, 65: ap); posterior projections visible as acute angles (Figure 65: ppb); lateral projections directed laterad, narrowing to sharp spine, not curved apically (Figure 65: lp). Phallus not dissected in unique specimen available.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements of the holotype (see Table 1).

Differential diagnosis.

See above key.

Etymology.

The species is dedicated to Alfred G. Wheeler, Jr. (Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA), our friend and colleague, and excellent specialist in systematics and biology of Hemiptera . We feel it is appropriate that Tom Henry and Al Wheeler, long-time friends and co-authors of many papers, also share two species of the same genus.

Collecting circumstances.

Unknown.

Distribution

(Figure 99). Guyana (present paper).