Slaterocoris fuscomarginalis Knight

Schwartz, Michael D., 2011, Revision And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The North American Genus Slaterocoris Wagner With New Synonymy, The Description Of Five New Species And A New Genus From Mexico, And A Review Of The Genus Scalponotatus Kelton (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2011 (354), pp. 1-290 : 111-113

Slaterocoris fuscomarginalis Knight

Figures 12 , 20F , 24A–B ; plates 2 , 4H; map 4

Slaterocoris fuscomarginalis Knight, 1970: 256 , fig. 35 (orig. desc.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 449 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 198 (catalog).

DIAGNOSIS: The male is distinguished from congeners by the conspicuous central hyaline section of the hemelytral membrane; clear region somewhat obscure in the much smaller membrane of the female (pl. 2). In addition to the membrane, the pale to golden dorsal vestiture (pl. 4H), the legs with mostly darkened femora with pale apices, pale tibiae, and black tarsomeres (fig. 12), black antennal segment I, antennal segment II longer than the width of the head, and the endosomal spicule with a narrow distal portion of the ventral lobe (fig. 24A, B), will serve to separate S. fuscomarginalis from the other apache -group species.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Moderately large, elongate; length 3.85–5.25, width 1.55–2.03 (pl. 2). COLORATION: Antennal segments I and II concolorous black; legs black, apices of femora and variable portions pale, tibiae yellow, distal portions variously darkened, tarsomeres black; hemelytral membrane clear with wide, darkly infuscate, peripheral band, veins and narrow adjacent portion of cells infuscate. VESTITURE: Sparse, moderately long, suberect pale to golden simple setae (pl. 4H); antennal segment II with sparse, long (just over twice as diameter of segment) setae. STRUCTURE: Costal margin of hemelytron subparallel; frons smooth; antennal segment II longer than foretibia and head width; pretarsus as in figure 20F. MALE GENITALIA: Tergal process: Short point directed toward midline on right side. Endosomal spicule: Ventral lobe with apicalmost region narrow, long, practically reaching medial curvature, marginal serrate; dorsal lobe narrow distally (fig. 24A, B). Right paramere: As in S. apache (fig. 17C) and S. croceipes (fig. 21D), typically with three apical spines and bifurcate, narrow basal lobe. Left paramere: Apex somewhat truncate and slightly expanded.

Female: Moderately small, obovate; length 3.60–4.28, width 1.75–1.90 (pl. 2). COLORATION: Hemelytral membrane with markings similar to male, but with a somewhat obscure clear medial spot, membrane much shorter than in male. STRUCTURE: Small; vertex wider and eye smaller than in male; costal margin arcuate. GENITALIA: As in species group except: Ventral labiate plate: Strongly produced, base moderately wide, triangular with apex entire. Interramal lobe: Narrow lobe on dorsomedial margin.

HOSTS: Most known specimens were taken on big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) , which is considered to be a breeding host. No specimens were associated with any of the six accepted subspecies of A. tridentata . Gutierrezia sarothrae and, perhaps, other species of Artemisia are probable asteraceous hosts of S. fuscomarginalis in southern Nevada.

DISTRIBUTION: From the eastern portion of the Snake River plain of northern Utah and southern Idaho and isolated populations in mountain ranges of the central Great Basin in Nevada ( map 4 ).

COLLECTION SUMMARY: 32 specimens from 6 collection events from mid May to late June.

DISCUSSION: Although the male genitalia of this species are similar in form to those of other apache -group species, the endosomal spicule appears to have features, unknown in related species. In comparison to other apache -group species the distal (recurved) portion of the ventral lobe is longer, more narrow, and serrate for a greater distance, whereas the dorsal lobe is distally entire, pointed, and with little or no marginal serration (fig. 24A, B). The right paramere is similar to that of S. apache and S. croceipes , but has three apical spines and a bifurcate basal lobe. The clear medial spot on the hemelytral membrane of the male, initially noticed by Knight (1970), is absent in all other species of Slaterocoris . The fact that S. fuscomarginalis is strongly sexually dimorphic was unknown to Knight (1970).

A male paratype from Snowville, Utah (00111893) was incorrectly attributed to S. fuscomarginalis . The hemelytron coloration of this specimen has a diffuse central spot without an obvious dark border. The male genitalia also differ from other specimens examined, in having the dorsal lobe of the endosomal spicule wide apically with several large apical serrations and the basal lobe of the right paramere entire. A female (00122276) from the same collection event was found in the USNM. Antennal segment I is mostly pale in both specimens whereas in S. fuscomarginalis segment I is black. Both specimens are actually S. apache .

HOLOTYPE: USA: Utah: Millard Co.: White Valley [39.125566 N 113.124446 W], 19 May 1940, R.W. Fautin, 18 ( AMNH _ PBI 00134014 ) ( USNM).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA: Idaho: Oneida Co. : 6 mi NW of Holbrook, 42.223276 N 112.735886 W, 13 Jun 1969, G.F. Knowlton, paratype, 18 (00122250) ( USNM). Nevada: Eureka Co.: 12 mi N of Rt 50 on Rt 278, 39.713166 N 116.059676 W, 1524 m, 27 Jun 1983, R.T. Schuh, M.D. Schwartz, Artemisia tridentata , 108 (00107872, 00108218–00108226), 15♀ (00108138, 00108227– 00108240) ( AMNH). 30 mi W of Elko, 40.660296 N 116.244686 W, 1788 m, 18 Jun 1982, T.J. Henry, Artemisia sp. , 18 (00134064) ( USNM). Nye Co.: 11 mi N of Belmont, T10N R46E S26, 38.68016 N 116.77126 W, 2195 m, 29 Jun 1983, R.T. Schuh and M.D. Schwartz, Gutierrezia sarothrae , 38 (00108137, 00108241, 00108242) ( AMNH). Utah: Box Elder Co. : South Curlew Valley, 41.708336 N 112.866676 W, 18 Jun 1969, G.F. Knowlton, paratype, 18 (00122251) ( USNM).

Figures

Plate 2. Dorsal habitus photographs of Slaterocoris elongatus—S. pilosus (see appendix 1 for USI codes and localities).

Map 4. Localities for Slaterocoris atratus, S. fuscomarginalis, S. pilosus, S. rubrofemoratus, and S. tibialis.

Fig. 12. Hind leg coloration for Slaterocoris species.

Fig. 20. Slaterocoris species, scanning electron micrographs. A–C. Head, anterior view. A. S. croceipes. B. S. pilosus. C. S. rubrofemoratus. D. S. pilosus, pronotum, scutellum, and hemelytra. E. S. croceipes, mesothoracic spiracle and metathoracic scent-efferent system, lateral view. F. S. fuscomarginalis, pretarsus, apical view.

Fig. 24. Slaterocoris species endosoma. A, B. S. fuscomarginalis. A. S Curlew Valley, UT. B. 12 mi N of Route 50 on Route 278, NV. C–E. S. tibialis. C. Siskiyou Summit, OR. D. Lower Klamath Lake Hill, OR. E. Mitchell, OR.