Tropidosteptes forestierae Henry, 2012

Henry, Thomas J., Caldwell, Doug L. & Halbert, Susan E., 2012, Tropidosteptes forestierae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae): New Species of Plant Bug Injuring Ornamental Florida Swampprivet Forestiera segregata (Oleaceae), in South Florida, Insecta Mundi 2012 (240), pp. 1-10 : 2-6

Tropidosteptes forestierae Henry , New Species

( Fig. 1–17 )

Diagnosis. Tropidosteptes forestierae is distinguished by the overall yellowish-brown color; the narrow, dark brown, transverse line along the carinate basal margin of the head; the yellowish-brown antennal segment I, with the inner surface sometimes dark brown; the dark brown antennal segment II; the pale or whitish collar; the pale yellow, narrow, basal margin of the pronotum and margins of the scutellum; the dark brown, oblique streak at the apex of the corium extending onto the inner basal margin of the cuneus (paracuneus); the yellowish-brown legs, with hind femur sometimes having a subapical dark brown spot or band; and the dense, short, semierect setae on the dorsum.

This new species will key to Neoborus in Knight (1923, 1941), based on the vague lateral pronotal carina and the slender first antennal segment. Within the generic key, T. forestierae will run in the section for pubescent species (versus glabrous species) to T. pubescens (Knight) based on the pubescent dorsum, the pale first antennal segment, the pale dorsum, and the yellow scutellum lacking a median black line. It can be distinguished from T. pubescens by the uniformly yellowish-brown dorsum, with only a dark brown streak on the apex of the corium sometimes running onto the base of the cuneus, a dark brown to black line across the carinate basal margin of the head, and sometimes a subapical brown band on each hind femur. Tropidosteptes pubescens is pale yellowish brown, with a median dark line on the head, the pronotum is extensively infuscated often with yellow lines, the inner half of the clavus and the apical half of the corium are usually dark brown, and the hind femur lacks a subapical brown spot or band.

Of the pubescent U.S. species of Tropidosteptes , T. forestierae is most similar to T. adustus Knight , T. canadensis (Van Duzee) , T. pacificus (Van Duzee) , T. rufusculus (Knight) , and T. vittifrons (Knight) in having an overall yellowish-brown dorsum. All five differ from T. forestierae in having a distinct fuscous spot on each pronotal callus; T. adustus , T. canadensis , T. rufusculus , and T. vittifrons usually have a darker brown scutellum with the median line pale; paler specimens of T. canadensis with a uniformly yellow scutellum always have the fuscous or black spots on the calli; and T. pacificus has a distinct fuscous spot at the base of each tibia. In addition, T. canadensis , T. pacificus , and T. vittifrons are not known from the Southeast or Florida, thus, reducing possible confusion.

Description. Male (n = 10; holotype in parentheses) ( Fig. 1 , 4–5 ): Dorsal length to apex of hemelytral membrane 3.10–3.52 mm (3.42 mm), dorsal length to base of cuneus 2.24–2.56 mm (2.43 mm), width across widest area of hemelytra 1.34–1.57 mm (1.62 mm). Head: Width across eyes 0.85–0.92 mm (0.93 mm), length 0.32–0.35 mm (0.34 mm), narrowest interocular width 0.34–0.35 mm (0.37 mm). Labium: Length 0.94–1.04 mm (1.04 mm), extending to base of middle coxae. Antenna: Segment I length 0.37–0.38 mm (0.38 mm), II 0.94–1.02 mm (1.02 mm), III 0.43–0.50 mm (0.50 mm), IV 0.32–0.34 mm (0.35 mm). Pronotum: Median length 0.72–0.78 mm (0.78 mm), basal width 1.25–1.38 mm (1.39 mm).

COLORATION: Head: Shiny yellowish brown, with apex of clypeus (tylus) more pale reddish brown, transverse carina at base of vertex between eyes narrowly fuscous to black; eyes brown, tinged with red. Labium: Pale yellowish brown, apical half of segment IV dark brown. Antenna: Segment I uniformly yellowish brown, with inner half sometimes darker brown; segments II–IV dark brown to fuscous. Pronotum: Yellowish brown, collar pale or whitish, calli yellowish brown to slightly more reddish brown on some specimens, posterior margin narrowly pale yellow. Scutellum: Yellowish brown, lateral margins broadly pale yellow. Hemelytron: Yellowish brown, cuneus slightly paler brown; apex of corium near inner basal margin of cuneus with an oblique, elongate, dark brown mark extending slightly onto inner angle (paracuneus) of cuneus; membrane dark smoky translucent brown, veins and small spot adjacent to large areole darker brown. Ostiolar evaporative area ( Fig. 9 ): Uniformly pale or whitish. Ventral surface: Thorax dark brown to reddish brown ventrally; propleural area yellowish brown, ventral margin and meso- and metapleura dark brown; abdomen yellowish brown, upper lateral margins often darker brown. Legs: Coxa and trochanters uniformly pale yellow; femora pale yellow, hind femur sometimes with a subapical dark brown band or blotch dorsally; tibiae yellowish to slightly darker yellowish brown, with a short, narrow, brown line or spot at base of each; tarsi yellowish brown, apical half of last tarsomere and claws ( Fig. 11 ) dark brown, with broad, fleshy, divergent parempodia.

STRUCTURE, TEXTURE, AND VESTITURE: Head ( Fig. 6 –8): Shiny, largely impunctate, except for a U-shaped row of punctures, three punctures wide, extending from the base of each antenna along the inner margin of each eye and across vertex; basal margin along vertex narrowly carinate; eyes coarsely granulate; nearly glabrous except for a few short, recumbent setae at apex of tylus and along U-shaped row of punctures. Antenna: Segment I with only a few scattered semierect setae; segment II thickly set with recumbent and semierect setae, some subequal to diameter of segment; segments III and IV with numerous recumbent and semierect setae, some nearly equal to two times diameter of each segment. Pronotum: Trapeziform, lateral margins straight, basal margin weakly convex; collar broad, impunctate, subequal to diameter of antennal segment I; evenly scattered with deep, setigerous, brown-stained punctures, except for shiny, impunctate calli. Scutellum: Equilateral, evenly scattered with deep, setigerous punctures, except for impunctate pale lateral margins. Hemelytron: Evenly scattered with shallow, setigerous punctures; setae semierect, pale brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 10 ): Left paramere ( Fig. 12 ): Stout, with broad basal sensory lobe and a long, curving, apically hooked distal arm. Right paramere ( Fig. 13 ): Slender, broadening through middle, and narrowing distally, with a small apical hook. Endosoma ( Fig. 14 ): Largely membranous, with a distinct secondary gonopore and a single sclerotized spicule, densely covered with tiny spines on distal half.

Female (n = 10) ( Fig. 2 ): Dorsal length to apex of hemelytral membrane 3.36–3.84 mm, dorsal length to base of cuneus 2.66–2.78 mm, width across widest area of hemelytra 1.70–1.73 mm. Head: Width across eyes 0.96–0.99 mm, length 0.37–0.40 mm, narrowest interocular width 0.43–0.45 mm. Labium: Length 1.09–1.10 mm, extending to middle coxae. Antenna: Segment I length 0.35–0.37 mm, II 0.90–0.96 mm, III 0.48–0.50 mm, IV 0.29–0.30 mm. Pronotum: Median length 0.83–0.91 mm, basal width 1.49–1.60 mm.

Similar to male in color and pubescence, differing primarily in the overall broader body form and proportionately wider head and interocular width.

Fifth Instar (n = 5) ( Fig. 3 ): Dorsal length 2.34–2.50 mm, dorsal width across base of wing pads 1.57–1.63 mm. Head: Width 0.83–0.93 mm, interocular width 0.37–0.48 mm. Labium: Length 0.93–0.99 mm, extending to bases of middle coxae. Antenna: Segment I, length 0.21–0.26 mm; II 0.51–0.59 mm; III 0.40–0.43 mm; IV 0.32–0.37 mm.

Shiny, broadly rounded. Head: Pale brownish yellow, eyes red, narrow transverse line across base of interocular space and apex of clypeus dark reddish brown. Labium: Stout, pale brownish yellow, with labrum and apical half of segment IV dark brown. Antenna: Pale yellow, with a narrow reddishbrown line on anterior face of segments I–IV. Pronotum: Pale yellowish brown, with each lateral margin sometimes with a narrow reddish-brown line. Mesoscutal area: Brownish yellow, with basal margin often accented with reddish brown. Wing pads: Pale brownish yellow, often margined with dark brown apically. Abdomen: Pale yellowish brown; lateral margins and transversely across dorsum of 7 th or 8 th segment reddish brown; ventral surface uniformly pale brownish yellow with lateral margins narrowly reddish brown. Legs: Uniformly pale brownish yellow, with a subapical brown spot on each hind femur and outer basal half of each tibia with a narrow reddish line.

Egg (n = 2, removed from female abdomen) ( Fig. 16 ): Length 0.70–0.72 mm, width across operculum 0.16–0.18 mm, maximum width across basal third 0.19–0.21 mm. Elongate, convex distally; chorion smooth, white to creamy white; operculum distinct, protruding from leaf tissue in situ.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ forestierae ” is taken from the oleaceous host-plant genus, Forestiera Poiret.

Figures

Figures 1–3. Tropidosteptes forestierae. 1) Adult male, dorsal aspect. 2) Adult female, dorsal aspect. 3) Fifth instar, dorsal aspect.

Figures 4–7. Scanning electron photomicrographs. 4) Full dorsal aspect. 5) Full lateral aspect. 6) Head and pronotum, dorsal aspect. 7) Head and pronotum, lateral aspect.

Figures 9–11. Scanning electron photomicrographs. 8) Head, frontal aspect. 9) Ostiolar evaporative area. 10) Male genital capsule, caudal aspect. 11) Claw.

Figures 12–14. Male genitalia. 12) Left paramere (a, caudal aspect; b, rotated left to show lateral arm). 13) Right paramere, caudal aspect. 14) Endosoma, with distinct secondary gonopore and single apically spinose spiculum.

Figures 15–18. Tropidosteptes forestierae on host plant. 15) Adults and nymph showing feeding injury and black spots of excrement. 16) Egg inserted into host tissue. 17) Partially defoliated F. segregata hedge resulting from feeding by T. forestierae. 18) Healthy F. segregata hedge.