Neolethaeus distinctus

Li, Junlan & Bu, Wenjun, 2006, Three new species of Neolethaeus Distant (Hemiptera: Lygaeoidea: Rhyparochromidae: Lethaeini) from China, with a key to the Chinese species, Zootaxa 1270, pp. 45-56 : 54-55

Neolethaeus distinctus sp n.

( Figs. 2 , 6, 11, 12)

Description. Body of medium size, long, oval, polished. Head with two triangular iridescent areas near base.

Head black with tylus apically reddish brown, punctures only present on juga and center of vertex, ventral surface of head shiningly black, thickly punctate. Rostrum testaceous, reaching metacoxae, first segment reaching base of head. Antennae brown with basal 3/4 of second segment pale brown, base and apex of third segment yellow.

Pronotum testaceous, calli black­brown, slightly swollen; surface with even punctures, those on anterior lobe much more sparse, lateral margin nearly straight, with a nearly equally expanded carina.

Scutellum black­brown, large Y­shaped carina testaceous, surface evenly punctate. Clavus brown with two small maculae between inner two rows punctures, and Pcu vein yellow. Corium brown, with vein, basal half except a brown macula near Cu vein, a large irregularly maculae before apical angle, inner angle testaceous. Membrane pale brown, vein darker.

Ventral and pleural surfaces of thorax black­brown, shining and evenly punctate. Legs black­brown with tibiae and tarsi testaceous, fore femora slightly incrassate, below armed with 3–4 setae, distally with 4–5 thorn­like spines; hind femora incrassate, armed with protuberances in male.

Ventral surface of abdomen black­brown, shining, posterior margin of sternum VII of male with three pointed processes. Paramere (Fig. 6) with short, slender blade, inner projection large, triangular, outer projection round, rather explanate. Sperm reservoir (Fig.11, 12): vesical seminal duct long, with several apical coils, a longitudinal sclerotized patch close to seminal duct; sleeve apparent only near opening of vesical seminal duct, membranous bulb double; wings short, not connected directly with arcuate extension; holding sclerites V­shaped.

Measurements (mm). Length head 1.0 (0.88–1.03) width 1.15 (1.13–1.20), interocular space 0.68 (0.65–0.70); Length antennal segments I 0.75 (0.70–0.75), II 1.13 (0.98–1.13), III 1.0 (0.80–1.0), IV 1.08 (1.0–1.08). Length pronotum 1.38 (1.25–1.38), width anterior pronotal margin 1.0 (0.95–1.0), width posterior pronotal margin 2.35 (2.13~2.35). Length scutellum 1.30 (1.08–1.30), width 1.30 (1.08–1.30); Total body length 6.70 (male 6.50–6.70; female 6.50–6.70) (5 individuals of paratype measured).

Type materials. Holotype male, CHINA, Yunnan, Jingdong, Mt. Wuliang, 1150M, 17­V­2001, Leg. Qiang Xie. Paratypes: 4 females 1 male, CHINA, Hainan, Mt. Jianfeng, 12­XI­1981, leg. Youdong Lin ( IZAS, 1 male, dissected); 2 females 1 male, as the former, 4­XI­1981 ( IZAS, 1 male, dissected); 1 male, as the former, 2­XI­1981 ( IZAS); 1 male, CHINA, Guangxi, Napo, Defu, alt. 1350m, 19­VI­2000, leg. Jian Yao ( IZAS, photographed); 1 male, as the former, 21­VI­2000, leg. Jian Yao ( IZAS).

Etymology. distinctus is derived from the Latin word distinctus .

Distribution. China (Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan)

Remarks. Neolethaeus distinctus sp n. is very similar to Neolethaeus densus sp. n. in body shape and coloration, but the former can be distinguished by the following characters: head, pronotum, scutellum rather finely punctate; head relatively longer, 0.88–1.03, than in Neolethaeus densus sp.n., 0.80–0.82; posterior pronotal lobe uniformly testaceous, without darker maculae; antennae with first segment shorter than third (I 0.70–0.75, III 0.80–1.0) [rather than longer in Neolethaeus densus sp. n (I 0.56–0.72, III 0.46–0.60)]. The new species is also similar to N. signatus (Distant) from Burma, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia and to N. carinulatus (Breddin) from Sri Lanka in corium and antennal coloration. However, in N. signatus the body is larger (9mm) and dark colored; head, pronotum, and scutellum entirely black; in N. carinulatus the body is also dark colored; head, anterior pronotal lobe, scutellum black, and pronotum with a very distinct middle longitudinal carina. The paramere of the new species is similar to that of N. australiensis Woodward from Australia; but the sleeve of sperm reservoir of the new species is only apparent near the opening of the vesical seminal duct, the holding sclerites are apparent, V­shaped; and the corium is of a different color.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Neolethaeus distinctus sp n:, dorsal views (Paratype). (scale bars = 0.1 mm).