Tytthus amazonicus Carvalho

Henry, Thomas J., 2012, Revision of the Plant Bug Genus Tytthus (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Miridae, Phylinae), ZooKeys 220, pp. 1-114 : 14-15

Tytthus amazonicus Carvalho Figs 5, 6113-116

Tytthus amazonicus Carvalho 1983: 191 (orig. descrip.); Schuh 1995: 248 (cat.).

Diagnosis.

This species, distinguished by the pale antennae and legs, mostly pale dorsum, with only the frons and basal margin of the head, scutellum, inner margin of the clavus, and the distal third of the corium brown, cannot be easily confused with any other species of the genus. Only macropters are known.

Tytthus amazonicus keys to Tytthus zwaluwenbergi because of the pale tibiae, antennae, and head but its relationship with this central Pacific species almost certainly is only superficial. Tytthus amazonicus is readily separated by the pale head and pronotum invaded with dark brown, the largely pale hemelytra with the inner half of each clavus and the apical half of each corium dark brown, whereas Tytthus zwaluwenbergi is uniformly pale yellowish brown.

Description.

Male (n = 5) (Fig. 5): Length to apex of hemelytron 2.83-2.93 mm, length to base of cuneus 2.00-2.10 mm, width across hemelytra 0.86-0.93 mm. Head: Length 0.34-0.37 mm, width across eyes 0.62-0.64 mm, interocular width 0.29-0.30 mm. Labium: Length 1.22-1.28 mm. Antenna: Segment I length 0.37-0.38 mm, II 1.00-1.08 mm, III 0.56-0.66 mm, IV 0.48-0.53 mm. Pronotum: Length 0.35-0.38 mm, basal width 0.83-0.88 mm.

Coloration: Head: Pale yellowish brown dorsally, dark brown ventrally, on frons, and narrowly across basal margin; eyes dark brown to reddish brown. Labium: Pale yellowish brown. Antenna: Segments I–III uniformly pale yellow to yellowish brown, segment I sometimes darker brown through middle with apex and base pale, segment IV slightly darker brown. Pronotum: Mostly pale yellowish brown, collar and narrow posterior margin around calli darker brown, entire discal area darker brown on some specimens. Mesoscutum: Pale yellowish brown, tinged with darker brown through middle. Scutellum: Brown. Hemelytron: Predominantly pale or pale yellowish brown, with inner margin of clavus and apical half of corium darker brown; cuneus uniformly pale or pale yellowish brown; membrane translucent brown, veins darker brown. Ostiolar evaporative area: Dark brown. Ventral surface: Thoracic area dark brown; abdomen brown to yellowish brown, darker brown along lateral margins and genital capsule. Legs: Coxae pale yellow, meso- and metacoxae brown at bases; remainder of legs pale yellow.

Structure, texture, and vestiture: Head: Wider than long, impunctate, frons with a glaucus sheen; buccula relatively wide; set with short recumbent setae on frons and a few longer, more erect setae on vertex. Labium: Extending beyond metacoxae to base of abdomen; segment I extending to middle of procoxae. Pronotum: Impunctate, shiny; trapeziform, anterior angles rounded, lateral margins weakly concave, basal angles flared wider, basal margin concave; calli weakly swollen, delimited posteriorly by a shallow impressed line; set with evenly scattered, short, recumbent setae. Mesoscutum: Broadly exposed. Scutellum: Impunctate, equilateral, with scattered, short, recumbent setae. Hemelytron: Macropterous, impunctate, shiny lateral margins subparallel, cuneus longer than wide at base, membrane with two areoles, extending well beyond abdomen.

Male genitalia: Left paramere (Fig. 113): Mitt-shaped, with a long, broad right arm and shorter, more slender left arm. Right paramere (Fig. 114): Elongate oval. Endosoma (Fig. 115): S-shaped, with apex rounded. Phallotheca (Fig. 116): Relatively slender, apically acute.

Female (n = 4) (Fig. 6): Length to apex of hemelytron 2.98-3.14 mm, length to base of cuneus 2.18-2.30 mm, width across hemelytra 0.91-1.07 mm. Head: Length 0.34-0.35 mm, width across eyes 0.58-0.59 mm, interocular width 0.30-0.32 mm. Labium: Length 1.23-1.33 mm. Antenna: Segment I 0.29-0.30 length mm, II 0.85-0.91 mm, III 0.56-0.61 mm, IV mm. Pronotum: Length 0.42-0.43 mm, basal width 0.83-0.96 mm.

Host.

Unknown. Most specimens taken at light.

Distribution.

Described and previously known only from Amazonas, Brazil. Peru is a new country record.

Specimens examined.

BRAZIL:Amazonas: Reserva Ducke, 25 km NNE of Manaus, 120 m, 26 Jul 1973, R.T. Schuh, 2 ♂♂ (00165859, 00165860), 2 ♀♀ (00165857, 00165858) (AMNH), 1 ♂ (00162159), 1 ♀ (00162158) (USNM). On Amazon River, Jul 1900, Boquaert, 1 ♂ (00161884) (USNM). R. Madeira to St. Antonio, May 74, 3 ♀♀ (BNHM). Para:Santarem Co.: Taperinha, 11 Jun 1927 - 20 Jun 1927, Zerny, 1 ♂ (00161615) (USNM). PERU:Junin: Satipo, 11.2667°S, 74.6833°W, Jul 1940 - Aug 1940, P. Paprzycki, 1 ♀ (00161613) (USNM). Loreto: Lake Yarinacocha, 10 km NW of Pucallpa, 150 m, 10 Dec 1971, R. T. Schuh, 1 ♂ (00165855), 1 ♀ (00165856) (USNM).