Tectocorinae

Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006, Jewel Bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae), Denisia 19, pp. 275-398 : 380-381

Subfamily Tectocorinae

Tectocorinae MCDONALD & CASSIS 1984: 566 (new subfamily); CASSIS & GROSS 2002: 600 (catalogue)

Diagnosis: The Tectocorinae are recognised by the following combination of characters: usually large species ( Figs 45a, b ); aposematic colouration; elongate-ovoid ( Figs 1f , 45a, b ), shallowly punctate; elongate head ( Fig. 46a ); thoracic sterna flat ( Fig. 46c ); anterior margin of proepisternum linear ( Fig. 46c ); efferent system of metathoracic glands vestigial, with rectilinear peritreme ( Fig. 46d ); males with abdominal androconial glands on SIV-SVI ( Figs 2 g-i, 45c); pregenital abdomen in both sexes without stridulatory vittae; ventral surface of pygophore ventrally oriented (e.g., Figs 46c ); parameres large, strongly hook-shaped ( Fig. 47b ); ductus seminis proximalis broad, bounded by ligamentary tubule ( Figs 47c, d ); ejaculatory apparatus box-like, heavily sclerotised; without convoluted ventral conducting canal ( Figs 47c, d ); three conjunctival appendages present, mostly membraneous ( Figs 47c, d ); CAII undivided with conical lobal sclerite ( Figs 47c, d ); females lacking interlocking rami; spermathe-cal fecundation canal short; spermathecal reservoir membraneous, oval; spermathecal pump minute, without flanges.

Remarks: Tectocoris diopHtHalmus is a distinctive taxon based on the male and female genitalia alone. The aedeagus has a ligamentary tubule ( Figs 47c, d ), which is also found in some species of Pachycorinae , including Agonosoma trilineatum ( Fig. 18c ). In contrast, Tectocoris has androconial glands which are only found in the Odontotarsi-nae . SCHUH & SLATER (1995) amongst others have ignored the use of this subfamily, placing Tectocoris in the Scutellerinae , fol-lowing previous workers ( SCHOUTEDEN 1904; KIRKALDY 1909; MCDONALD 1961, 1963b). In our view, this is not supported as Tectocoris lacks the scutellerine-type ejaculatory apparatus. In our view there is sufficient evidence to retain the use of the Tec-tocorinae as a subfamily, pending a more detailed cladistic analysis of the family.

Figures

Fig. 45: Habitus and abdominal venter of Tectocoris diophthalmus (a) ♂ (b) ♀ (c) abdominal venter.

Fig. 1: Examples of Australian Scutelleridae species and their host plant species (a) adult aggregation of Calliphara regalis (b) Cantao parentum on Mallotus philippensis (c) Choerocoris paganus on Dodonaea viscoca (d) Lampromicra senator on unidentified host plant (e) Scutiphora pedicellata on unidentified host plant (f) Tectocoris diophthalmus on Brachychiton acerifolius.

Fig. 46: Scanning electron micrographs of key characters of Tectocoris diophthalmus (a) Head, dorsal view (b) Head, lateral view (c) Head and thorax, ventral view (d) External efferent system of metathoracic glands, ventral view (e) male pygophore, ventral view (f) male pygophore, dorsal view. Abbreviations: Ea = evaporative areas; Pe = peritreme; P(r) = right paramere; SVIII = eighth abdominal sternite. Scale bars = 1 mm .

Fig. 2: Abdominal Sternal Glands of Scutelleridae (a-c) Coleotichus costatus (a) abdominal venter, sternal glands on SIV-SVI (b-c) higher magnification of sternal glands (d-f) Morbora schoutedeni (d) androconial glands on SIV-SVI (e) higher magnification of microsculpture medial to androconial glands (f) higher magnification of apex cuticular duct of glandular unit of androconial glands (g-i) Tectocoris diophthalmus (g) androconial glands on SIV-SVI (h) higher magnification of androconial glands on abdominal SVI (i) higher magnification of apex of cuticular ducts of glandular units of androconial glands. Abbreviations: Ag = Androconial glands; Cd = cuticular ducts; Sg = sternal glands. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 47: Male genitalia of Tectocoris diophthalmus (a) pygophore, dorsal view (b) paramere, lateral view (c) aedeagus, lateral view (d) aedeagus, ventral view. Abbre- viations: C = crown of right paramere; CAI = first conjunctival appendage; CAII = second conjunctival appendage; CAIII = third conjunctival appendage; DS(P) = ductus seminis proximalis; Er = ejaculatory reservoir; GO = genital opening; Pt = phallotheca; S = stem of paramere; Sg = secondary gonopore; V = vesica; VCC = ventral conducting canal of ejaculatory apparatus; VM = ventral margin of genital opening.

Fig. 18: Male genitalia of Agonosoma trilineatum (a) pygophore, dorsal view (b) paramere, lateral view (c) aedeagus, lateral view (d) apex of aedeagus, ventral view. Abbreviations: C = crown of right paramere; DS(D) = ductus seminis distalis; DS(P) = ductus seminis proximalis; Er = ejaculatory reservoir; F = flange at base of crown of paramere; GO = genital opening; Pt = phallotheca; S = stem of paramere; Sg = secondary gonopore; V = vesica; VM = ventral margin of genital opening.