Cyrtopeltocoris ajo Knight

Wyniger, Denise, Schuh, Randall T. & Henry, Thomas J., 2023, Revision of the North American Hallodapini (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), American Museum Novitates 2023 (3994), pp. 1-48 : 14-16

Cyrtopeltocoris ajo Knight

Figures 1 , 4 , 6 , table 1

Cyrtopeltocoris ajo Knight, 1968: 163 (original description); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 455 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 220 (catalog); Schuh, 2002 – 2013 (online catalog).

Phoradendrepulus myrmecomorphus Polhemus and Polhemus, 1985: 26 (original description); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 442 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 233 (catalog); Schuh, 2002 − 2013 (online catalog). New synonym.

DIAGNOSIS: Macropterous form recognized by the generic characters for males, including the triangular head, with the base of the clypeus lower than the frons forming a distinct notch; the granulate eyes; quadrate pronotum, with middle third finely rugose and outer third smooth and shiny; and the enlarged elongate-oval right paramere.

Brachypterous males recognized by the notch between the clypeus and frons, the distinctive pronotal surface texture, and the male genitalia, particularly the relatively large right paramere when compared with other species. Brachypterous females can be identified by the head structures and pronotal surface texture as seen also in brachypterous males. The modified head, quadrate pronotum, abbreviated hemelytra, and basally constricted, rounded abdomen in brachypterous forms create a remarkably antlike habitus in both sexes.

REDESCRIPTION: Macropterous holotype male: Total length 3.32. COLORATION (fig. 1): Head yellowish to dark brown, eyes reddish brown; labial segment I and II reddish brown, segments III and IV pale yellowish brown; antennae missing; pronotum dark reddish brown; mesoscutum and scutellum dark reddish brown; scent-gland auricle yellowish brown, tinged with red; hemelytron dark brown, with a continuous, broad, transverse white band across corium and through middle of clavus, and a broad white patch anterior to cuneus, membrane translucent pale smoky brown; venter dark reddish brown; front coxa reddish brown, paler at base, meso- and metacoxae pale or whitish, remainder of legs missing. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 1): Head rugose with distinct transverse striations; middle half pronotum rugose, smooth but minutely punctate and shiny laterally; head, pronotum, and hemelytron shiny with scattered recumbent setae. STRUCTURE (fig. 1): Head triangular, with transverse notch formed by the lower base of clypeus meeting higher anterior margin of frons, eyes granulate; labium extending to abdominal segment IV; pronotum trapeziform, convex, anterior angles rounded, posterior angle angulate; scutellum distinctly conical; hemelytra subparallel, weakly constricted through middle. GENI- TALIA (fig. 4): Endosoma elongate, slender, apically acute, and coiled; secondary gonopore subapical; left paramere typically phyline with anterior process stout and posterior process more slender; right paramere relatively large, elongate oval.

Brachypterous male: Mean total length 2.50. COLORATION (fig. 1): Head dark brown to reddish; labium brown; pronotum dark brown to reddish brown; mesoscutum and scutellum dark brown to reddish brown; scent-gland auricle dark brown; hemelytron dark brown, corium (fused with clavus) with a pale or whitish band through outer half of middle, cuneus and membrane absent; antennal segments brown to reddish brown; venter dark brown to reddish brown; legs dark brown, except for pale or whites meso- and metacoxae and trochanters. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 1): Head and pronotum with a few scattered recumbent setae, intermixed with a few longer, erect setae on frons and base of vertex. STRUCTURE (fig. 1): Strongly antlike, head triangular, with a transverse notch formed by lower base of clypeus and higher anterior margin of frons, eyes granulate; pronotum quadrate, anterior angles rounded, posterior angles angulate, swollen but flattened dorsally, with middle third finely rugose and outer third smooth and shiny; scutellum conical; corium subparallel, concave through middle, elevated and rounded apically (and cupped beneath); labium extending to about abdominal segment III. GENITALIA: As in macropterous male.

Brachypterous female: Mean total length 2.91. Color, vestiture, and overall structure as in male (fig. 1).

DISTRIBUTION: Known from Cochise, Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties, Arizona.

DISCUSSION: We have studied the macropterous holotype male of C. ajo , which is in poor condition, with both antennae and all legs missing (fig. 1), and one other macropterous male taken more recently at lights. The structure of the notched head, texture of the pronotum (with the median third rugose and the outer third smooth and shiny), and the male genitalia are distinctive for this species.

Comparison of the brachypterous males and females (fig. 1) of the nominal taxon Phoradendrepulus myrmecomorphus ( Polhemus and Polhemus, 1985) indicated they are structurally very similar to the brachypterous females (fig. 1) of Cyrtopeltocoris albofasciatus . The left and right parameres are similar to those of Cyrtopeltocoris illini , but the two nominal taxa are otherwise distinct, as, for example, in the structure of the scutellum. Comparison of P. phoradendrepulus specimens with the holotype of C. ajo shows a strong similarity in the shape of the head with a notch at the base of the clypeus, texture of the pronotum, and the structure of the male genitalia, especially the apical third of the endosoma and the enlarged right paramere. We therefore treat the two taxa as synonymous, with P. myrmecomorphus the junior name, new synonym. Based on the significant amount of material we have studied for this revision, only two macropterous males of this species have been found, indicating fully winged forms are rare.

The series of specimens serving as the holotype and paratypes of P. myrmecomorphus was taken on the Phoradendron californicum Nutt [ Santalaceae ] growing on Prosopis velutina Wooton [ Fabaceae ] ( Polhemus and Polhemus, 1985), leading those authors to speculate that this myrmecomorphic bug was closely associated with mistletoe and, thus, their generic name Phoradendrepulus . They also noted that all the specimens were taken in the company of Crematogaster ants. All recent collections of this species are from Acacia and Prosopis without any Phoradendron californicum in the vicinity, clearly indicating that the original collections on mistletoe were only incidental. However, in all subsequent collections, there was an obvious presence of similar-sized and colored species of Crematogaster , suggesting an obligate association with formicids.

HOLOTYPE [macropterous] male of Cyrtopeltocoris ajo Knight : USA: Arizona: Pima Co. : The Alamo, Ajo Mountains , 32.06833 ° N 112.725 ° W, 698 m, 27 Apr 1939, A.A. Nichol ( AMNH _ ENT 00286400) ( USNM).

HOLOTYPE [macropterous] male of Phoradendrepulus myrmecomorphus Polhemus and Polhemus : USA: Arizona: Maricopa Co. : Fort McDowell, 33.637 ° N 111.674 ° W, 439 m, 10 Aug 1982, J.T. Polhemus, Phoradendron californicum (Santalaceae) ( AMNH _ENT 00286409) ( USNM).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA: Arizona: Cochise Co. : Whetstone Mts., 31.7797 ° N 110.3891 ° E, 19 Jul 2019, J.T. Botz, 1♂ ( AMNH _PBI 00162274) Prosopis velutina (Fabaceae) , 1♀ brachypterous ( AMNH _PBI 00016227), 1♂ brachypterous ( AMNH _PBI 00162273) ( USNM); 19 Jul 2019, A.G. Wheeler and T.J. Henry, Prosopis velutina (Fabaceae) , 1 nymph ( AMNH _PBI 00162271) ( USNM); 19 Sep 2019, J.T. Botz, Isocoma tenuisecta (Asteraceae) , 1♂ brachypterous ( AMNH _PBI 00162275) ( USNM). Pima Co. : Davidson Canyon, 31.930N, 110.655W, 10 Oct. 2018, J.T. Botz, Acacia constricta Benth. (Fabaceae) , 2♀ brachypterous ( USNM). Lower Santa Rita Range, near Sahuarita, 31.79705 ° N 110.77413 ° W, 1463 m, 11 Apr 1989, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Prosopis sp. (Fabaceae) , 13♀ brachypterous ( AMNH _PBI 00411060, AMNH _PBI 00411062– AMNH _PBI 00411073), 1; nymph ( AMNH _PBI 00411061) ( USNM). Pinal Co.: Tom Mix Monument, 32.821 ° N, 111.204 ° W, 25 Apr 2020, J.T. Botz, 1♂ macropterous ( AMNH _PBI 00162285) ( USNM).

Figures

FIG. 1. Dorsal habitus and lateral view images of Cyrtopeltocoris spp., C. ajo–C. cubanus.

FIG. 4. Male genitalia of Cyrtopeltocoris spp., C. ajo–C. gracilentis.

FIG. 6. Distributions of Cyrtopeltocoris spp.