Australocoris fuscomaculatus Malipatil, 2012

Malipatil, M. B., 2012, Australocorinae, a new subfamily of Geocoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) from Australia, with descriptions of a new genus and two new species, Zootaxa 3554, pp. 75-88 : 82

Australocoris fuscomaculatus Malipatil , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2, 6, 9)

Type specimens: Holotype female, Woombye nr Nambour, 11–16.x.1965, DH Colless, in ANIC . Paratypes, 1 m, Clayton Gully , 4 km E Cunningham’s Gap, 1.vi.1966, Z. Leipa, in ANIC ; 1 m, Brisbane , 15.x.1979, BK Cantrell, in QDPI ; 1 f? (abdomen missing), Mt Glorious 24.x.1978, KJ Houston, edge rainforest, in QDPI .

Description. This species differs from A. kurandae by the following:

Coloration ( Fig. 2): Generally as in A. kurandae , except generally darker intensity in markings and punctures. Antennae with 4 th segment fuscous except extreme basal area light. Pronotum with a fuscous broad line down the middle (in females this line narrowly medially extending to tip of head); a sublateral patch on each side covering almost entire length of posterior lobe, and posterolateral angles, fuscous. Corium with apical margins with more extensive black areas; narrow areas along rows of punctures, fuscous. Abdomen dorsally with fuscous and pale areas in a pattern similar to A. monticolus ; posterolateral connexival areas of posterior two or three abdominal segments fuscous. Ventrally with one small, irregular fuscous spot on each thoracic pleura near coxal acetabula, irregular fuscous patches sublaterally on each side of abdominal sterna II–VI, and a fuscous streak on ovipositor area ( Fig. 9). Legs with darker spots on femora.

Measurements: holotype female, followed by ranges of 3 paratypes within round brackets.

Body: Obovate, parallel-sided, length 5.29 (5.06 –5.29), maximum width about or slightly less than head width across eyes, 1.93 (1.61–1.79).

Head ( Figs. 2, 6): Length of head 0.76 (0.74–0.90); width across eyes 1.93 (1.60–1.77); interocular space 1.19 (0.96–1.03); interocellar space 0.34 (0.32–0.37); eye-ocellar space 0.36 (0.32–0.35); eye length 0.46 (0.48–0.50); eye width 0.27 (0.25–0.27). Antennae, length of segments: I 0.36 (0.27–0.30); II 0.80 (0.73–0.75); III 0.55 (0.40–0.50); IV 0.69 (0.69–0.70). Labium, length of segments: I 0.62 (0.52–0.57); II 0.55 (0.52–0.56); III 0.52 (0.50–0.52); IV 0.45 (0.41–0.42).

Thorax: Pronotum ( Figs. 2, 6) median length 1.17 (0.98–1.05); width at posterior margin 1.66 (1.40–1.56). Scutellum ( Fig. 2, 6) length 0.81 (0.63–0.80); width 0.85 (0.73–0.87). Hemelytra ( Fig. 2), length 3.91 (3.45–3.77); length of corium 2.53 (2.25–2.53); claval commissure 0.48 (0.41–0.46).

Abdomen & genitalia: Generally as in A. kurandae , except: Male. Abdominal terga sclerotised in pattern as in A. monticolus . Aedeagus with phallotheca heavily sclerotised in a narrow band medially on dorsal aspect. Female. Abdominal terga sclerotised in pattern as in A. monticolus ( Fig. 10).

Distribution. Only southeastern Queensland.

Etymology. The species name alludes to the presence of fuscous spots on each of pro-, meso-, and metathoracic pleura just above coxal acetabulae.

Notes. The species exhibits slight variation in colour markings, particularly of antennae, hemelytra and abdomen, and the intensity and pattern of punctation on pronotum, clavus, corium, and thoracic pleura. This species differs from the northern Queensland A. kurandae in the characters in the key and those noted above.