Choerocoris grossi, Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006Choerocoris lattini, Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006

Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006, Jewel Bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae), Denisia 19, pp. 275-398 : 358-361

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.12996779

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0380878F-FFEC-FFC8-FC2C-FFE2C772FD6C

treatment provided by

Luisschmitz

scientific name

Choerocoris grossi Choerocoris lattini
status

sp. nov.

Choerocoris grossi nov.sp. ( Figs 24e View Fig , 32a, b View Fig , 33e, f View Fig , 34 View Fig , Table 7 View Table 7 )

Holotype: Queensland: ♂ Bunya Mountains , N Geary, 12 February 1940 ( AM) ; Paratypes: 1♀, same data as holotype ( AM) ; 1♂ 3♀♀, Rockhampton , P1876-1877 ( SAMA) ; New South Wales: 1♂ 1♀, Mullaley, 20 miles from Coonabarabran, HJ Carter, November 1930 ( AM; K63008) ; 1♂ 2♀♀, Mullaley, November 1957, FE Wilson ( SAMA) ; 4♀♀ 1 larva, Curlewis, A Musgrave, 29 October 1933, ex Beyeria viscosa ( AM) ; 1♀, Mt Grattai, Nandewar Range , H Paul, November 1933 ( AM) .

Diagnosis: CHoerocoris grossi nov.sp. is recognised by the following characters: yellow, nodulate posterior angles of connexiva V-VII ( Figs 32a, b View Fig ); abdominal venter yellow with lateral and submedial black markings ( Figs 32a, b View Fig ); paratergites IX greatly enlarged, suboval ( Fig. 33e View Fig ), oblique in profile ( Fig. 33f View Fig ); gonocoxae I reduced, scythe-like, strongly incrassate medially ( Figs 33e, f View Fig ); and, male genitalia as in C. variegatus .

Description: Body moderately sized, males 10.15-11.05 mm, females 9.70-11.22 mm.

Colouration. Body bicoloured, dusty yellow, with extensive black markings ( Fig. 24c View Fig ). Head: mostly black, clypeus with a longitudinal yellow stripe (variable in length), lateral margins of jugae broadly yellow, rarely head mostly black, sometimes with green iridescence; lorae black; genae mostly yellow, sometimes with dusty embrownment. Antennae: black, sometimes with green iridescence, rarely AI proximally orange-brown. Labium: mostly yellow, LIV fuscous. Pronotum: mostly black, anterior and anterolateral margins yellow, sometimes transverse yellow stripe, submarginal to posterior margin ( Fig. 24c View Fig ). Scutellum: yellow anterior margin with subhemispherical black marking, medially with W-shaped marking, sometimes contiguous with anterior marking, posterior margin with V-shaped black marking ( Fig. 24c View Fig ). Thoracic pleura and sterna: mostly yellow, proepimeron and mesepimeron with black sublateral stripe, evaporative areas partially black. Legs: femora mostly black, with yellow markings, more so ventral surface; tibiae mostly black, sometimes with green iridescence, lateral surfaces yellow. Pregenital Abdomen: posterior angles of connexiva V-VII yellow, nodulate ( Figs 32c, d View Fig ); abdominal venter mostly yellow, lateral margins of SIV-SVII with large, subtriangular black markings, submedial regions of SIV-SVII with black suboval markings ( Figs 32a, b View Fig );. Male Genitalia: pygophore mostly yellow, with margins black ( Figs 32a, b View Fig ). Female Terminalia: mostly black, paratergites IX with prominent yellow spots.

Texture. Dorsum densely punctate.

Structure. Antennae: females, AIV longest segment, little longer than AIII; AII(a) smallest segment; AI & AII(b) subequal in length. Labium: reaching posterior margin of abdominal SIII; segments roughly subequal in length, SII longest segment. Pregenital Abdomen: connexiva V-VIII with posterior angles strongly incrassate, nodulate ( Figs 32a, b View Fig ). Male Genitalia: ventral margin of pygophore deeply excavate; CAII(L) baglike with outer margins spiculate; heavily-sclerotized, antler-like CAIII; vesica with paired, subdistal, sclerotized processes. Female Terminalia: paratergites VIII small, subtriangular ( Figs 33e, f View Fig ); paratergites IX greatly enlarged, suboval, oblique in profile ( Figs 33e, f View Fig ); gonocoxae I reduced, scythe-like, medially incrassate ( Figs 33e, f View Fig ).

Measurements. Table 7 View Table 7 .

Etymology: This species is named after Gordon Gross, in recognition of his major contribution to Australian Heteropterology.

Distribution: This species is distributed in semi-arid regions of eastern Australia, from Rockhampton (Queensland) to locations west of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales ( Fig. 34 View Fig ).

Host plants and biology: This species has been collected on Beyeria viscosa .

Remarks: GROSS (1975) reported CHoerocoris variegatus to be composed of five subspecies; the nominotypical subspecies, C. variegatus similis , and three undescribed subspecies. We have borrowed the material on which Gross made these conclusions, and found a collection of specimens labeled as ‘ CHoerocoris variegatus subsp.nov. ’ These are conspecific with a series of specimens of the Australian Museum, from New South Wales and Queensland. These specimens can be distinguished externally from C. variegatus by the colouration of the abdominal venter, in possessing lateral and submedial bands of black colouration (cf. lateral band alone). The most conclusive diagnostic feature of C. grossi , is the female terminalia, which are unlike any species of CHoerocoris , and indeed any Australian species of jewel bug. In this species, paratergites IX are greatly enlarged, and much larger than gonocoxae I (cf. relatively small paratergites IX and large gonocoxae I), with the latter greatly reduced, with the posterior margin deeply excavate ( Fig. 33e View Fig ). Although the male genitalia of C. grossi and C. variegatus are indistinguishable, the female terminalia serve as a strong basis for species separation.

Choerocoris lattini nov.sp. ( Figs 24c View Fig , 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig , 34 View Fig , 35 View Fig a-d, Table 7 View Table 7 )

Holotype: Queensland: ♂, Bamaga , N Cape York, January 1958, PF Darlington, ex gum forest ( AMNH) . Paratypes: 1 larva, same data as holotype ( AMNH) . 1♀, Heathlands, 11°45’S 142°35’E, 1-6 April 1993, P Zborowski ( ANIC) ; Northern Territory: 3♂♂ 3♀♀, Daly River , H Wesselman ( SAMA) ; 1♀, Pine Creek, December 1908, B Hooper ( SAMA) ; 1♀, Port Darwin ( SAMA) ; 1♂ 1♀, Cape York ( SAMA) ; 1♂, Cape York Penin[sula], C French, November 8 1892 ( SAMA) .

Diagnosis: CHoerocoris lattini nov.sp. is recognised by the following combination of characters: head orange with subtriangular iridescent dark blue marking ( Fig. 24c View Fig ); jugae and lorae orange; pronotum with orange transverse crescent-shaped fascia ( Fig. 24c View Fig ); scutellum orange with broad anterior, paired subtriangular, and caudal V-shaped iridescent dark blue markings ( Fig. 24c View Fig ); AI orange; labium reaching abdominal sternum IV; abdominal venter mostly orange with lateral subquadrate, blue markings ( Figs 32c, d View Fig ); connexiva without yellow nodules ( Figs 32c, d View Fig ); CAII(L) membraneous ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); CAII(M) mostly membraneous with apical sclerotization ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); CAIII mostly membraneous, without pronounced processes ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); vesica simple, moderately elongate, with subdistal tumescence ( Fig. 35c View Fig ); paratergites VIII small ( Figs 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig ), triangular; paratergites IX small, suboval ( Figs 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig ); and, gonocoxae I moderately sized, larger than paratergites IX ( Figs 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig ).

Description: Body moderately large, males 10.49-12.08, females 11.14-12.41 mm.

Colouration. Body bicoloured, orange to orange-red, with iridescent dark blue markings, sometimes with greenish tinge ( Fig. 24c View Fig ). Head mostly orange-red with a subtriangular iridescent dark blue marking, widest at posterior margin of head; lateral and ventral aspects of head orange-red; eyes brown, ocelli red. Antennae: AI orange-red; AII(a)- AIV dark brown. Labium: LI-III orange, stylets mostly fuscous; LIV dark brown to fuscous. Pronotum: anterior and anterolateral margins orange, remainder mostly iridescent blue, with a medial, transverse orange crescent-shaped orange fascia, male with posterior margin a little orange ( Fig. 24c View Fig ). Scutellum: mostly orange, with broad subrectangulate iridescent dark blue marking on anterior margin, pair of subtriangular iridescent dark blue markings, and caudal, small V-shaped, dark blue iridescent marking ( Fig. 24c View Fig ). Thoracic pleura and sterna mostly orange, with iridescent dark blue or green markings on lateral margins of pleura; evaporative areas grey. Legs: coxae and trochanters orange; femora mostly orange with small apical iridescent dark blue annulation; tibiae and tarsi iridescent dark blue. Pregenital Abdomen: venter mostly orange, with lateral margins of sterna with discontinuous, subquadrate, iridescent dark blue markings, SV-SVII with broad, V-shaped iridescent dark blue marking; posterior angles of connexiva not swollen, fuscous ( Figs 32c, d View Fig ).

Vestiture. Body mostly glabrous, with a few scattered setae on abdominal sterna, more so on terminalia.

Texture. Dorsum uniformly punctate, with moderately deep, broad punctures ( Fig. 24c View Fig ); thoracic pleura and abdominal venter densely punctate, with margins laterad of spiracular-trichobothrial region rugo-punctate.

Structure. Body oval, strongly convex. Antennae: AII(a) about 1/2 length of AI, shortest segment; AIII-AIV longest segment in females. Labium: reaching junction of abdominal sterna III/IV. Male Genitalia: dorsal margin of pygophore arcuate, ventral margin emarginate ( Fig. 35a View Fig ); genital opening sur-face sub-pentagonal ( Fig. 35a View Fig ); parameres with elongate stem, subdistal flange, and short hook-shaped crown ( Fig. 35b View Fig ). phallotheca conical, with dorsal sclerotized areas ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); ejaculatory apparatus with convoluted ventral conducting canal ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); elongate ejaculatory reservoir ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); ductus seminis distalis moderately incrassate ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ), without projections, tapered distally; vesica with out processes, moderately elongate, with subdistal tumescence ( Fig. 35c View Fig ); CAII(L) membraneous ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); CAII(M) mostly membraneous, with apical sclerotization ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ); CAIII mostly membraneous, lobe-like, medially fused post-thecal margin ( Figs 35c, d View Fig ). Female Genitalia: paratergites VIII small ( Figs 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig ), triangular; paratergites IX small, suboval ( Figs 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig ); gonocoxae I subtriangular, weakly concave ( Figs 32c, d View Fig , 33a View Fig ).

Measurements. Table 7 View Table 7 .

Etymology: This species is named after Professor John D. Lattin of Oregon State University, PhD supervisor of the senior author [GC], in recognition of his knowledge of the jewel bugs of the world.

Distribution: This species is known from Cape York Peninsula and the Northern Territory ( Fig. 34 View Fig ).

Host plants and biology: No host plant is known for this species.

Remarks: CHoerocoris lattini nov.sp. is most closely related to C. variegatus , on the basis of similarities of the male genitalia, particularly in the shape of the parameres and the conjunctival appendages (cf. Figs 35 View Fig and 36 View Fig ), with the former species lacking antler-like CAIII. These species are howev-er clearly differentiated by colour patterning of the dorsum (cf. Figs 24 View Fig c-f), the orange AI in C. lattini nov.sp. (dark brown in C. variegatus ), and the colour patterning of the abdominal venter (cf. Figs 32c, d and g, h View Fig ).

SAMA

Australia, South Australia, Adelaide, South Australian Museum

AMNH

USA, New York, New York, American Museum of Natural History

ANIC

Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra City, CSIRO, Australian National Insect Collection

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Scutelleridae

Genus

Choerocoris

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Scutelleridae

Genus

Choerocoris

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