Diaditus tejanus Giacchi

Blinn, Robert L., 2009, New records for the genus Diaditus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Stenopodainae) in America north of Mexico, Zootaxa 2125, pp. 57-62 : 58-60

Diaditus tejanus Giacchi

( Figs. 1 A, 2A–H)

1980 Diaditus tejanus Giacchi , 39:1.

Diagnosis. Diaditus tejanus differs from all other Diaditus in the small overall body length (ca. 8.50 mm). It differs from other members of Diaditus in: the usually divergent, rarely parallel, subconicus juga; the shorter juga (1/2 that of the first antennal segment); the presence of setigerous tubercles bordering the prosternal sulcus, with the apex of the setae being spatulate; the presence of a row of setigerous tubercles with spatulate setae along the posterior margin of head; the presence of a broad fuscous mark on the propleura; the presence of 2 large, fuscous spots on the connexivum, which in some specimens coalesce into one large spot, leaving the anterior and posterior portion of the segment pale and with a broad area in the middle fuscous; the presence of longer stout setae on the 2nd antennal segment (located on the distal half of the segment in males and on the distal ¼ in females); and on the distal half of the hind femora and the entire to weakly sinuate 7th abdominal tergite in the male.

Material examined. ALABAMA: Baldwin Co., Bon Seccur NWR, 30°13’43”N 87°41’28”W, 12-16 May 1994. T. L. Schiefer (coll.), blacklight in fore dunes (13, MEM); Baldwin Co., Bon Seccur NWR, 30°14’31”N 87°49’49”W, 7 August 1994, R. L. Brown (coll.), blacklight trap (13, MEM); Baldwin Co., Bon Seccur NWR, 30°13’43”N 87°49’51”W, 8-9 August 1994, R. L. Brown (coll.), blacklight trap (23, 3Ƥ, MEM); Baldwin Co., Weeks Bay NER Reserve, 30°24’58”N 87°49’50”W, 3 August 2000, J. R. MacDonald (coll.), blacklight trap in pitcher plant bog (23, MEM); Baldwin Co., Weeks Bay NER Reserve, 30°25’03”N 87°49’50”W, 4 August 2000, blacklight & mercury vapor lamp in mixed forest near estuary T. L. Schiefer (coll.) (23, MEM), J. A. MacGown (coll.) (43, 2Ƥ, MEM); same label information other than date, 1 August 2000, J. A. McGown (23, MEM), T. L. Schiefer (coll.) (23, 1Ƥ, MEM); 6 August 2000, T. L. Schiefer (coll.) (73, 1Ƥ, MEM); Bibb Co., Glades Pres., 33°03’28”N 87°02’21”W, 5 June 2003, J. A. MacGown (coll.), blacklight in dolomite glade (13, MEM); Monroe Co., Hainess Island Park, 31°43’23”N 87°28’10”W, 24-25 July 1995, T. L. Scheifer (coll.), blacklight trap (13, MEM).

FLORIDA: Alaucha Co., 5½ mi. S. Gainesville, Edgecliff subdivision, 1 September 1991, D. H. Habeck (coll.), at blacklight (23, FSCA); same label information other than date, 13 September 1991 (1Ƥ, FSCA); Brevard Co., Micco, 17 July 1999, Micco Scrub Sanctuary, Scrubby flatwoods light trap/sheet (13, FSCA); Brevard Co., Viera, 20 July 1999, Z. Prusak & M. Knight (colls.), at light (1Ƥ, FSCA); Dade Co., Kendall, 14501 US Hwy. 1, 12 July 2001, P. Skelley (coll.) (1Ƥ, FSCA); Franklin Co., Eastpoint, 29 May 2002, J. & B. Brambila (colls.), at lights (13, FSCA); Highlands Co., Archbold Biol. Station, 14 July 1995, A. Wild (coll.) (13, FSCA); St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, 30 July 2004, K. Hibbard (coll.), on ground (13, FSCA).

GEORGIA: Emanuel Co., Ohoopee Dunes N.A., 32°32’15”N 82°27’40”W, 19 June 2002; R. Brown, J. MacGown (coll.), blacklight boxtrap in xeric dune scrub (1Ƥ, MEM).

MISSISSIPPI: Jackson Co., Grand Bay Savannah, 30°27’31”N 88°25’14”W, 28 August 1995, T. L. Scheifer (coll.), blacklight trap in coastal savannah (53, 4Ƥ, MEM); Jackson Co., MS Sandhill Crane NWR, 30°27’34”N 88°41’28”W, 29 August 1995, T. L. Scheifer (coll.), blacklight trap in coastal savannah (93, 1Ƥ, MEM, 13, 1Ƥ, NCSU).

Discussion. McPherson, et al. (1995) suggested that the published distribution records for D. tejanus indicate that this species may be restricted by coastal factors. Additional distribution records presented here, particularly the one female collected in Georgia at the Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area, further support this hypothesis. The Ohoopee Dunes are a series of inland sand dunes believed to have been formed by wind deposition of sand on the east side of the Ohoopee River during the late Pleistocene. The unique sand dune system is a center of biological diversity in Georgia and is located some 80 miles or so from the Atlantic coast.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus. A, Diaditus tejanus Giacchi, Morphbank ID # 471343; B, Diaditus semicolon Stål, Morphbank ID # 471347.