Morbora schoutedeni BERGROTH 1904

Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006, Jewel Bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae), Denisia 19, pp. 275-398 : 328-329

Morbora schoutedeni BERGROTH 1904 ( Figs 11c , 13g-i, 14, 15, Table 5 )

Morbora schoutedeni BERGROTH 1904: 356 (n.sp.); SCHOUTEDEN 1904: 87 (list, habitus); KIRKALDY 1909: 265 (catalogue); GROSS 1975: 92 (description, habitus); MCDONALD & CASSIS 1984: 548 (description); CASSIS & GROSS 2002: 586 (catalogue)

Diagnosis: Morbora schoutedeni is recognised by the following combination of characters: dorsum with broad fan-shaped setae, intermixed with curly sericeous setae (Figs 13g-i); AI longest antennal segment; pronotal lateral margins expanded ( Fig. 11c ); ex-ocorium expanded ( Fig. 11c ); pygophore ( Fig. 14a ); parameres with short apical hook ( Fig. 14b ); CAI membraneous, lobe-like, bifid ( Figs 14c, d ); CAII elongate, sickle-shaped, distally bifurcate ( Figs 14c, d ); and, CAIII lobe-like, fused basally, membraneous ( Figs 14c, d ).

Description: Small species, males 4.51- 4.97 mm, females 5.00-5.88 mm.

Colouration. Dorsum dark brown, with contrasting markings, most notably with broad W-shaped marking on posterior 1/2 of scutellum ( Fig. 11c ).

Vestiture. Dorsum with dense distribution of erect, elongate setae, intermixed with curly sericeous setae, mostly on head and pronotum (Figs 13g-i); pronotum and particularly scutellum with dense distribution of broad fan-shaped setae (Figs 13g-i).

Structure. Antennae: AI longest segment, little longer than AIV. Labium: LI & LII, and LIII & LIV subequal in length. Pronotum: lateral margins greatly expanded ( Fig. 11c ); anterolateral angles surpassing anterior margin of eyes ( Fig. 11c ). Hemelytra: costal margins greatly expanded laterally ( Fig. 11c ). Male Genitalia: pygophore with narrow genital opening ( Fig. 14a ); parameres with a short apical hook ( Fig. 14b ); CAI large, membraneous, lobe-like, bifurcate, without sclerotization ( Figs 14c, d ); CAII elongate, sickle-shaped, heavily sclerotized, with short distal bifurcation, antler-like ( Figs 14c, d ); CAIII broad, membraneous, medially fused; vesica broad, heavily sclerotized, weakly S-shaped ( Figs 14c, d ).

Measurements. Table 5 .

Material examined: New South Wales: 1♀, Baraba, 30.115S 148.790 E, I Oliver, February 2001, Site WALCOL00162, ex pitfall trap, ( AM) ; 1♀, Nerrub, 30°04’41“S 148°56’53“E, I Oliver, February 2001, Site WALCOL00285, ex pitfall trap ( AM) ; 1♀, Yetta, 30°27’04“S 148°41’35“E, I Oliver, February 2001, Site WALCOL00068, ex pitfall trap ( AM) ; 1♀, Womba, 30°23’60“S 148°41’53“E, I Oliver, February 2001, Site WALCOL00568, ex pitfall trap ( AM) ; 2♂♂, Bogan River, J Armstrong (AM ; Queensland: 1♂, Clermont, November 1929, KK Spence ( AM) ; Western Australia: 2♀♀, Pilbara District, Hammersley Station, Kaengaenarina well, 500 m from well, 22°15’44“S 159°48’38“E, 14-22 April 2005, S Lassau, M Elliott, L Kampen & M Bulbert, PILB126/05P ( AM).

Distribution: This species is broadly distributed in Australia (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia) in semi-arid and arid areas ( Fig. 15 ). In this work we record it from Western Australia (Pilbara District). It is sympatric with M. australis at a number of sites in eastern Australia (NSW: Yelta, Nerrub; QLD: Clermont).

Host plants and habitats. Morbora schoutedeni is a ground-dwelling species, which has been mostly collected in pitfall traps. As with the other Morbora species, nothing is known of its food preferences.

Remarks: BERGROTH (1904) first described this species from Townsville (Queensland). GROSS (1975) redescribed it, and diagnosed it in part by the reportedly subequal AII(a) (as third segment) and AII(c) (as fourth segment). In our work, we have measured specimens of all three species, and found this character to not have diagnostic value, with continuous variation existing, such that AII(b) can be longer than AII(a), and overlaps in the ranges of these characters were found with the other Morbora species. This species is distinctive having the broad fan-like setae that are very densely distributed on the pronotal disc and scutellum (Figs 13g-i). The conjunctival appendages are also distinctive, with medially fused CAIII, and CAII with a short distal bifurcation.

Figures

Fig. 11: Habitus of Morbora species (a) M. australis (b) M. hirtula (c) M. schoutedeni. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 14: Male genitalia of Morbora schoutedeni (a) pygophore, dorsal view (b) paramere, lateral view (c) aedeagus, lateral view (d) aedeagus, ventral view. Abbreviations: C = crown of right paramere ; CAI = first conjunctival appendage; CAII = second conjunctival appendage ; CAIII = third conjunctival appendage; DS(D) = ductus seminis dorsalis ; DS(P) = ductus seminis proximalis; Er = ejaculatory reservoir; GO = genital opening; Pt = phallotheca; S = stem of paramere; V = vesica ; VCC = ventral conducting canal of ejaculatory apparatus; VM = ventral margin of genital opening.

Fig. 15: Distribution of Morbora species.