Metoisops punctatodiffusus 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 : 415

Metoisops punctatodiffusus Herczek & Popov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 16–17 )

Diagnosis. This species is clearly different from all species by very broad open part of mesoscutum, the ratio length claval commissure/ mesoscutum+scutellum, and also scattered punctate of hemelytra.

Description. Body elongate, 2.4 mm long; body, 2.32x as long as wide. General coloration yellow, head, pronotum and mesonotum dark yellow, scutellum white. Head and scutellum bare, pronotum and hemelytra with scattered punctuation, with reclining pale short hairs arising from articulate punctures; scutellum shiny, inpunctate; outer margin of hemelytra distinctly polish and inpunctate; cuneus semi-transparence, inpunctate ( Figs. 16, 17 ). Head moderately transverse, 2. 5 x as wide as long, wider than anterior margin of pronotum. Vertex 1.55x narrower than dorsal width of eye; eyes globular; combined antennal length of 3rd and 4 t h segments equal in length and width, 3rd segment 1.16x longer than 4th; ratio length 2nd–1st and 4th–3rd rostral segments 1.12, 4th segment shortest. Pronotum trapezoidal, moderately transversal, 1.79x as wide as long; calli weakly developed, intercallian pit poorly developed; ratio length posterior/anterior margin 2.1x; posterior margin weakly convex in middle. Visible portion of mesoscutum 1.77x shorter than scutellum length. Claval commissura long, ratio length claval commissure/mesoscutum+scutellum 1.67. Corium length 4.8x longer than cuneus. Cuneus twice as long as wide and 1.6x as long as wide; large cell of hemelytral membrane very long, 5 x as long as wide. Hind femur nearly reaching apex of abdomen, rather thickened, approximately 5.35x longer than width and 1.31x shorter than tibia; tibia 3.53x longer than tarsus; 2nd tarsal segment of hind leg 1.77x longer than 1st.

Dimensions. Length of body 2.4, width 1.1; length of head 0.26, width 0.65, dorsal width of eye 0.26, width of vertex 0.16; antennal segments I:II:III:IV= 0.23:0.66:0.36:0.31; rostral segments I:II:III:IV= 0.34:0.38:0.25:0.28; length of pronotum 0.53, width 0.45 (ant.) and 0.95 (post.); length of mesoscutum 0.13; length of scutellum 0.23; claval commissure 052; length of hind femur 0.91, width 0.17; length of tibia 1.20; length of tarsus 0.34 (I+II = 0.13+0.23).

Etymology. From punctum (lat.) = dot and diffuses (lat.) = dispersed.

Specimens examined. Holotype, ♂, in Baltic amber PIN RAS 964/1309

Remarks. M. punctatodiffusus and M. intergerivus share the characteristic of the shiny inpunctate, practically bare scutellum. M. punctatodiffusus can be differentiated by very broad open part of scutellum (approximately 1.8x shorter than scutellum length), ratio length claval commissure/mesoscutum+scutellum (1.44) and the scattered punctuation on the hemelytra.

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 17. Metoisops punctatodiffusus— dorsal views.