Callitricola parawirra, Symonds & Cassis, 2018

Symonds, Celia L. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2018, Systematics And Analysis Of The Radiation Of Orthotylini Plant Bugs Associated With Callitroid Conifers In Australia: Description Of Five New Genera And 32 New Species (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2018 (422), pp. 1-229 : 124-129

Callitricola parawirra , new species

Figures 13 , 37 ; map 3

DIAGNOSIS: Defined by the following characters: moderate size; forewing membrane veins bright green, with bright green spot in major cell; pygophore dorsal margin weakly concave with one tergal process, just left lateral or midline, tergal process short with round spiniferous apex; left paramere apophysis subrectangular; apex truncate with either strongly recurved, reduced hook or without hook, replaced with two small prongs; right paramere subtriangular in lateral view, apex flattened, not curved inward, large ridge on inner subapical ventral margin with small cluster of spinelike serrations, subapical dorsal margin strongly expanded, with strong, spinelike serrations; phallotheca with doubled subapical ventral tumescence, left dorsal margin with large, broad lobe folding completely over dorsal opening; aedeagus with PES wrapped sheathlike around secondary gonopore, left ventrolateral position, bifurcate medially, distally serrate, left branch strongly directed downward, right branch broad, small threadlike process below bifurcation; DES2 with broad base, bifurcate in distal third, branches of subequal length, distally serrate; DES1 unbranched, with broad base, serrate apex, shorter than other two spicules.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Midsized, total length 3.67–3.97 mm, pronotal length 1.06–1.16 mm.

COLORATION: Dorsum mostly yellow-green, often faded to yellow with patches of bright green pigmentation remaining on hemelytra, creating spotted appearance on faded yellow background; forewing membrane light brown, with slightly darker patches laterally, vein bright green with color extending onto surrounding membrane, major cell with bright green spot, sometimes faint due to fading (fig. 13). VESTITURE: Dorsum with moderately dense distribution of medium to dark brown simple setae. STRUCTURE: Head: Antennae with AI subequal to vertex width, AII subequal to pronotal width; labium midlength, extending to metacoxae. Hemelytra: Cuneus and major cell of membrane moderately elongate, major membrane vein slightly round (fig. 13).

GENITALIA: Pygophore: Dorsal margin of genital opening weakly concave, with one tergal process positioned just left lateral of midline; tergal process sclerotized, short, linear, apex round and with few minute spinelike serrations at tip; ventral margin slightly concave medially; phalloguide with small, round lobe ventrad to right paramere articulation; right half of lobe sclerotized with minute spinelike serrations on surface (fig. 37A). Left paramere: Apophysis subrectangular; apex truncate with either strongly recurved, reduced hook (fig. 37C) or without hook, replaced with two small prongs (fig. 37B); sensory lobe very slightly angular. Right paramere: Base short; subtriangular in lateral view; apex uncurved inward, flattened and slightly concave; subapical dorsal margin enlarged, bulbous, sclero- tized, surface covered with large spinelike serrations; inner subapical ventral margin expanded into prominent, sclerotized ridge or flange, margin irregular with small cluster of spinelike serrations; inner surface weakly excavated (fig. 37D). Phallotheca: Dorsal opening large, distal to medial; slightly pointed at apex; doubled subapical ventral tumescence (fig. 37F); large right lateral tumescence (fig. 37E); broad basal lobe on right dorsal margin (fig. 37E); left dorsal margin with large, broad lobe folding completely over dorsal opening of phallotheca (fig. 37E, F). Aedeagus: Spicule arrangement (fig. 37): PES left ventrolateral to secondary gonopore, wrapped sheathlike around secondary gonopore, DES2 left lateral to first spicule and secondary gonopore, DES1 left lateral to DES2; bases of spicules originating at base of secondary gonopore, all adjacent (fig. 37H); bases of spicules flattened and broad, sheathlike; PES bifurcate medially, branches subequal in length and distally serrate, left branch directed basally, strongly downturned and narrow, right branch directed distally and broad with pointed apex; PES also with small submedial threadlike process on dorsal margin, before bifurcations point; DES2 bifurcate medially, branches subequal in length, constricted at bifurcation point and then leaf shaped to apex with distally serrate margins; DES1 unbranched, base very broad, narrowing in distal third, apex serrate, shorter than PES and DES2 spicules, basal keel (DESk) elongate (fig. 37G, H).

Female: Smaller than male, body length 3.29– 3.33 mm, pronotal width 1.07 mm. GENITALIA: Unknown. Female specimens not dissected.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the type locality, the Para Wirra Conservation Park, in South Australia. Noun in apposition.

HOST PLANTS: Known from Callitris gracilis and C. verrucosa in Victoria and an unidentified Callitris species at two localities in South Australia (table 2).

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 7 km E Para Wirra National Park near Williamstown , 34.70001 ° S 138.85 ° E, 250 m, 31 Oct 1995, Schuh, Cassis, and Gross, Callitris sp. , det. Field ID, 1♂ ( AMNH _ PBI 00000255 ) ( SAMA).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 7 km E Para Wirra National Park near Williamstown, 34.70001 ° S 138.85 ° E, 250 m, 31 Oct 1995, Schuh, Cassis, and Gross, Callitris sp. , det. Field ID, 2♂ ( AMNH _PBI 00000256, 00000263) ( AM), 4♂ ( AMNH _PBI 00000251, 00000252, 00000257, 00000258, AMNH _PBI) ( AMNH), 4♂ ( AMNH _PBI 00000254, 00000259, 00000260, 00000264) ( SAMA). Victoria: Wyperfeld National Park, Moonah Track, 35.45218 ° S 142.066 ° E, 78 m, 05 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Callitris verrucosa , det. RBG Sydney NSW658107, 1♂ ( AMNH _PBI 00016561) ( AM). Wyperfeld National Park, Moonah Track, 35.46302 ° S 142.0464 ° E, 65 m, 04 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Callitris gracilis , det. RBG Sydney NSW658101, 1♂ ( AMNH _PBI 00016560) ( AM).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: road to Streaky Bay from Poochera, 32.73441 ° S 134.7605 ° E, 100 m, 21 Oct 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Callitris sp. (Cupressaceae) , det. Field ID, 2♀ (AMNH_PBI 00000148, 00000150) (AMNH).

DISTRIBUTION: Callitricola parawirra is known from semiarid southern Australia, from northwestern Victoria to just northeast of Adelaide (map 3). It was collected with Callitricola gracil-

iphila and Erysivena schwartzi at two localities, and with E. schuhi near Streaky Bay and E. drepanomorpha in Victoria (table 2). It has a similar range to C. graciliphila , but does not extend as far west (map 2). It similarly has a smaller range than the other cooccurring species (maps 4–5).

REMARKS: Callitricola parawirra is larger than C. boorabbin and C. gammonensis , and is of a similar size to C. finlayae . It differs from C. finlayae by having smaller and less bulbous eyes, green hemelytral membrane veins and a prominent green spot within the major cell (fig. 13). The PES of C. parawirra resembles that of C. boorabbin , with the small threadlike process proximal to the bifurcation point (cf. figs. 29D, 37G), which does not occur in any other Callitricola species. See also remarks for C. finlayae .

Figures

FIG. 13. Callitricola species, dorsal habitus photographs of males. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIG. 37. Male genitalia of Callitricola parawirra. A. Pygophore, dorsal. B. Left paramere, ventral. C. left paramere, dorsal. D. Right paramere, left lateral. E. Phallotheca, dorsal. F. Phallotheca, right lateral. G. Aedeagus, ventral. H. Aedeagus, dorsal. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.