Metoisops consimilis Herczek & Popov

Herczek, Aleksander & Popov, Yuri A., 2014, Revision of the genus Metoisops (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Miridae, Isometopinae) from late Eocene European amber, Zootaxa 3887 (3), pp. 401-421 : 419-420

Metoisops consimilis Herczek & Popov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 23–24 )

Diagnosis. This species is different from all species by possessing the longest 2nd antennal segment recorded for the genus, the longest recorded claval commissure, and the longest hind tibia described, which approximately 1.8x longer than the femur.

Description. Body 2.73 mm, elongate, approximately 2.5x as long as wide. General coloration uniformly green-blue, antennae green-blue, rostrum and legs light yellowish; hemelytral membrane dark-brown and weakly rugulose. Head, calli and mesoscutum shiny and bare; pronotum, basal part of the scutellum and whole hemelytra with deep punctuation reclining setae arising from articulate punctures; antennae covered with short adpressed hairs about as long as an antennal segment thick ( Figs. 23, 24 ). Head moderately transverse, some more twice as wide as long, distinctly wider than anterior margin of pronotum. Vertex moderately 2,1x narrower than dorsal width of eye; eyes globular; Antennal segment 2 is 1.1x longer than combined length of 3rd and 4th segments, 2ed segment 5.73x longer than 1st, 4th segment 1.3x longer than 3rd. Pronotum trapezoidal, moderately transversal, 1.8x as wide as long; calli weakly developed, intercallian pit weakly expressed; ratio length posterior/anterior 1.63x wider than median length; posterior margin weakly convex. Visible portion of mesoscutum narrow, scutellum 3.87x longer than mesoscutum. Claval commissura rather long, ratio length claval commissure/ mesoscutum+scutellum 1.54. Corium length is 5.1x longer than the length of cuneus and 1,6x as long as wide; large cell of hemelytral membrane very long, 2,4x as long as wide. Hind tibia 3.57x longer than tarsus; 1st tarsal segment of hind leg quite short, 2nd segment 1.77x longer.

Dimensions. Length of body 2.73, width 1.10; length of head 0.28, width 0.62, dorsal width of eye 0.25, width of vertex 0.12; antennal segments I:II:III:IV= 0.15:0.86:0.34:0.44; rostral segments I:II:III:IV= 0.29:0.39:0.34:0319; length of pronotum 0.52, width 0.57 (ant.) and 0.93 (post.); length of mesoscutum 0.08; length of scutellum 0. 31; claval commissure 0.60; length of hind femur 0.70, width 0.15; length of tibia 1.25; length of tarsus 0.35 (I+II = 0.13+0.23).

Etymology. From consimilis (lat.)—like in all species.

Specimens Examined. Holotype, ♂, Nr. 1131/1; light yellow and small-sized piece of amber (10 x 9 x 2 mm) of almost square shape which embedded into artificial resine (14 x 14 x 6 mm). The specimen from the collection of C.Hoffeins and W.H.Hoffeins (Hamburg) will be deposited at the Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (SDEI), München, Germany.

Remarks. Despite possessing the largest recorded second antennal segment, claval commissure length and the longest hind tibia, this specimen shares some of its characters with other species of Metoisops such as: ratio dorsal width of eye/ width of vertex (2.0–2.08)— M. kerzhneri ; ratio width/length pronotum (1.72–1.82)— M. punctatus , M. grabenhorsti , M. intergerivus , M. punctatodiffusus , and M. variabilis , and also ratio length antennal segment IV/III = 1.25–1.29— M. punctatus .

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 24. Metoisops consimilis — dorsal views.