Slaterocoris atratus (Uhler)

Schwartz, Michael D., 2011, Revision And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The North American Genus Slaterocoris Wagner With New Synonymy, The Description Of Five New Species And A New Genus From Mexico, And A Review Of The Genus Scalponotatus Kelton (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2011 (354), pp. 1-290 : 100-102

Slaterocoris atratus (Uhler)

Figures 12 , 19 ; plate 1 ; map 4

Stiphrosoma atrata, Uhler, 1894: 268 (orig. desc.).

Strongylocoris atratus: Van Duzee, 1921: 135 (disc., in part); Knight, 1938: 7, fig. 9 (male genit.).

Slaterocoris atratus: Kelton, 1968: 1135 , fig. 23 (disc.); Knight, 1970: 246, fig. 42 (disc.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 448 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 197 (catalog).

DIAGNOSIS: This is the only species of the apache group with dense, relatively long, brown vestiture and male genitalia with a bifurcate tergal process, fanlike apical region of the right paramere, and endosomal spicule with basal portion of the dorsal lobe narrow. Distinguished from non– apache -group species with dense brown vestiture by the completely black coloration; in S. maculatus the head is partially pale. The tergal process is small and bifurcate, the endosomal spicule occupies the entire base of dorsal lobe, and the basal portion of right paramere is prominent and short. The species of the hirtus group, containing the only other species with dense brown vestiture, differ from S. atratus by the board tergal process with a solitary point, the usually bifurcate base of the dorsal lobe of the endosomal spicule, and the long basal portion of the right paramere without prominent basal lobe.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Moderately large, obovate; length 4.50–4.90, width 2.13–2.40 (pl. 1). COLORATION: Pale on antennal segment I distally, femur at apex, tibia distally; hind tibia missing (fig. 12). VESTITURE: Dense, moderately long, suberect, brown to black simple setae. STRUCTURE: Frons slightly striate; antennal segment II just longer than foretibia. GENITALIA: As in species group, but differing as follows. Pygophore: Aperture with short, bifurcate tergal process (fig. 19E). Endosomal spicule: Distal portion of ventral lobe gradually expanded with some marginal serration on lateral surface; dorsal lobe narrow basally, distally flat and relatively narrow with weak marginal serration (fig. 19A). Right paramere: Apical region flat, fanlike with three sharp points; basal lobe bifurcate (fig. 19D).

Female: Unknown.

HOST: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Known from the two specimens of the type series found in San Julio, which is apparently located in the middle of Baja California, Mexico ( map 4 ).

DISCUSSION: Uhler (1894) described S. atratus based on ‘‘several specimens’’ acquired from the CAS. The introduction of his paper indicated that the ‘‘types’’ were returned to the CAS. Van Duzee (1921) provided notes on Slaterocoris species (as Strongylocoris ) retained in the CAS based presumably on specimens determined by Uhler. He mentioned that an ‘‘examination of Uhler’s types [of atratus ] show that they were males.’’ Knight, during a trip to the CAS in 1931, illustrated the parameres of S. atratus based on observations of ‘‘ two type specimens conserved there’’ ( Knight, 1938: 7, fig. 9, 1970: 266, fig. 46). Kelton (1968: 1133, fig. 23B, C) illustrated the endosomal spicule and right paramere of S. atratus (identical to that documented by Knight) and designated the lectotype. For this current study four male syntypes of Stiphrosoma atrata , were located, two in the CAS and two in the CNC; no specimens of the type series were found in the USNM. The lectotype designation by Kelton (1968) was ambiguous—apparently no specimen was labeled. I have labeled the male intended by Kelton as the lectotype and returned it to the USNM. It is dissected with parts of the genitalia in a vial affixed to the pin and bears the labels: ‘‘San Julio, Lower Cal., Mex.,’’ ‘‘PR Uhler Collection,’’ ‘‘atratus,’’ ‘‘USNM_ENT AMNH_PBI 00122271,’’ ‘‘ LECTOTYPE Stiphrosoma atrata Uhler, 1894 , desig. L.A. Kelton, 1968, labeled by M.D. Schwartz, 2010 [red label].’’ The remaining three syntype males are now recognized as paralectotypes.

All California specimens in the CAS determined as S. atratus by Van Duzee (1921) (denoted by attached identification labels in Van Duzee’s handwriting) are S. solidaginis (see Other Specimens Examined under S. solidaginis ). I am in agreement with the assessment of Knight (1970) that none of the specimens (except the two former syntypes) retained in the CAS are S. atratus . Non-California specimens of S. atritibialis , S. breviatus , S. pallidicornis , and S. stygicus incorrectly identified as S. atratus by Van Duzee (1921) are housed in the CAS and several other institutions (see Other Specimens Examined under those species). Two fifth-instar nymphs (CAS) have the same locality label as the lectotype; however, I have refrained from assigning these immatures to S. atratus because they lack the relatively long, suberect dorsal vestiture of the adult. These glabrous nymphs are perhaps S. solidaginis , and would extend the range of that species 360 km further south in Baja California.

Both Kelton (1968) and Knight (1970) suggested that S. atratus has a relationship with S. alpinus , one of three species placed in the hirtus -species group by the phylogenetic analysis. Based strictly on external characters, where the vestiture is dense, relatively long, and brown, the frons is striate, and the tibiae are black, this would be a reasonable conclusion. However, the structure of the tergal process (small with two apical points), right paramere (with a short basal region and prominent basal lobe), and endosomal spicule (entire dorsal lobe and relatively short distal portion of the ventral lobe) are clearly of the form diagnostic for the apache -group species. Species of the hirtus group have the tergal process with a broad base and one point, the right paramere with long, parallel apical spines and long basal region, and the dorsal lobe of the endosomal spicule bifurcate.

LECTOTYPE: MEXICO: Baja California: San Julio [29.656 N 114.766666 W], Apr 1889, Charles D. Haines, 18 ( AMNH _ PBI 00122271 ) ( USNM).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS: Same label data as lectotype ; paralectotypes, 18 (00122272) ( USNM), 28 (00242726, 00242727) ( CAS) .

Figures

Plate 1. Dorsal habitus photographs of Josephinus species and Slaterocoris alpinus—S. croceipes (see appendix 1 for USI codes and localities).

Map 4. Localities for Slaterocoris atratus, S. fuscomarginalis, S. pilosus, S. rubrofemoratus, and S. tibialis.

Fig. 12. Hind leg coloration for Slaterocoris species.

Fig. 19. Slaterocoris atratus, male genitalia. San Julio, BC.