Calliscyta STÅL 1873

Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006, Jewel Bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae), Denisia 19, pp. 275-398 : 345-348

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.12996779
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13715190
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0380878F-FFF9-FFD4-FDAB-FFE2C724FB05
treatment provided by	Luisschmitz
scientific name	Calliscyta STÅL 1873
status

Treatment

Calliscyta STÅL 1873 ( Figs 21d View Fig , 24a View Fig , 25 View Fig , 26 View Fig , 27 View Fig ) Revised Status

Calliscyta STÅL 1873: 9 (gen.n.); LETHIERRY & SEVERIN 1893: 31 (catalogue); SCHOUTEDEN 1904: 26 (description); KIRKALDY 1909: 301 (catalogue); MCDONALD & CASSIS 1984: 538 (junior synonym of CHoerocoris ); CASSIS & GROSS 2002: 592 (junior synonym of CHoerocoris )

Diagnosis: Calliscyta is recognised by the following combination of characters: elongate-ovoid ( Fig. 24a View Fig ); head strongly deflexed ( Fig. 24c View Fig ); jugal margins rounded ( Fig. 24c View Fig ); anterolateral margins of pronotum strongly divergent, rectilinear ( Figs 24a View Fig , 25a View Fig ), carinate in profile ( Figs 25c, d View Fig ); anterolateral margins of scutellum foveate ( Fig. 25a View Fig ); peritreme broad, subtriangular ( Fig. 25d View Fig ); evaporative areas reduced ( Fig. 24d View Fig ); posterior margin of pygophore emarginate ( Fig. 25e, f View Fig ); ejaculatory apparatus prominent, convoluted ventral conducting canal present ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); CAI absent ( Fig. 26c View Fig ); CAII symmetrically bifurcate ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); CAIII fused medially ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); and, vesica elongate ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ).

Type species: Calidea stalii VOLLENHOVEN 1863 , monotypy

Description: Moderately sized; elongate-ovoid ( Fig. 24a View Fig ); dorsum mostly dark with orange to red markings ( Fig. 24a View Fig ); dorsally and ventrally strongly convex ( Fig. 25c View Fig ); body mostly punctulate ( Fig. 24a View Fig ); tip of wing visible beyond emarginate apex of Scutellum. Head: transverse; subtriangular ( Fig. 25a View Fig ), moderately deflexed; lateral margins of jugae rounded, punctulate ( Fig. 25a View Fig ); bucculae narrow. Antennae: AI, AII(a) and AII(b) short, AIV longest segment; AII(b)- AIV compressed. Labium: reaching base of metacoxae. Pronotum: broadly trapezoidal ( Fig. 24a View Fig ), strongly convex; anterolateral margins elongate, rectilinear, carinate; humeral angles rounded; posterolateral margins short, rounded; posterior margin rectilinear. Scutellum: elongate ( Fig. 24a View Fig ), strongly convex in profile, anterolateral angles depressed; apex truncate ( Fig. 24a View Fig ); forewings weakly exposed basally and caudally. Thoracic sterna: without prominent carination ( Fig. 25b View Fig ). Thoracic pleura: anterior margin of proepisternum lobate, moderately explanate ( Fig. 25b View Fig ). Thoracic Pleura: external efferent system of metathoracic glands moderately developed ( Fig. 25d View Fig ), os-tiole small; peritremal plate large, strongly convex ( Fig 25b View Fig ), without prominent medial sulcation; evaporative areas restricted to either side of anterior and posterior margins of the peritremal plate, not extending to mesepimeron ( Fig. 25d View Fig ). Male abdomen: strongly convex, broad; abdominal trichobothria in recessed area; urite VIII hidden. Male Genitalia: pygophore moderately sized, lozenge-shaped, ventral surface sinuate in profile, medially excavate, posterior margin with deep v-shaped notch ( Figs 25e, f View Fig , 26a View Fig ), with moderate distribution of setae ( Fig. 25f View Fig ); parameres basally columnar with shallow, hook-shaped apex, tip rounded ( Fig. 26b View Fig ); aedeagus with heavily-sclerotized box-shaped phallotheca, without processes ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); two conjunctival appendages, CAII pair symmetrical membraneous, bifid, CAII(M) and CAII(L) with apical conical sclerites ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); CAIII bifid, large, heavily-sclerotized, U-shaped, medially fused at base ( Figs 26c,d View Fig ); ductus seminis proximalis narrow; ejaculatory apparatus with heavily-sclerotized ventral convoluted conducting canals ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); ejaculatory reservoir heavily-sclerotized, elongate-ovoid ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ): dorsal conducting canal broad, strongly sclerotized ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); ductus seminis distalis strongly sclerotized ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ); vesica broad ( Figs 26c, d View Fig ). Female Terminalia: paratergites VIII broad, large, medially emarginate; paratergites IX small, subelliptoid; gonocoxae I subtriangular, with posterior margins concave; fecundation canal short; spermathecal reservoir circular, large, strongly thickened; fecundation canal short, narrow spermathecal bulb heavily sclerotized, with proximal and distal flanges.

Diversity and distribution: Calliscyta is a monotypic genus, restricted to tropical eastern Queensland.

Included species: C. stalii ( VOLLENHOVEN 1863) Australia

Remarks: MCDONALD & CASSIS (1984) synonymized Calliscyta with CHoerocoris based on similarities of the male and female genitalia. Males of Calliscyta stalii differ significantly from CHoerocoris paganus and C. variegatus , by having the ductus seminis distalis tapered as opposed to greatly incrassate. In contrast, the conjunctival appendages of C. stalii and C. paganus are more alike, than the latter is with its congener C. variegatus . MCDONALD (1963a) reported on the significance of the bifid condition of the CAII and CAIII conjunctival appendages in these taxa. However, our observation reveal that these character states are broadly held in scutellerids. We consider the shape of the conjunctiva as of importance in separating species, but are doubtful indicators of phylogenetic significance. MCDONALD & CASSIS (1984) also indicated that the female genitalia of Calliscyta and CHoerocoris are closely aligned, but our observations indicate no special similarities in the external female genitalia and spermatheca. The conditions described in MCDONALD (1963b) are more descriptive of the Scutellerinae , rather than at any subordinate taxonomic level.

In contrast, Calliscyta stalii , differs from CHoerocoris , by the following characters: lateral margins of jugae rounded (cf. carinate), forewings extending beyond apex of scutellum (cf. covered), peritreme and evaporative areas of the metathoracic glands greatly reduced (cf. extensive), ventral margin of the male pygophore emarginate (cf. entire), and tapered ductus seminis distalis. These character differences are not only sufficient in recognising Calliscyta , but also provide significant differentiation from CHoerocoris , such that the closeness of the relationship of these two genera is in question.