Polytes discrepans ( Uhler 1875 ) Eger J. E., 1994

Eger J. E., 1994, New synonymy in the genus Polytes Stal (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae), Florida Entomologist 77, No. 3, pp. 376-378 : 376-377

Polytes discrepans ( Uhler 1875) New Combination

Pachycoris discrepans Uhler 1875:282-283 .

DIAGNOSIS. Dorsum black with red markings as follows: 4 evenly spaced macules on pronotum (lateral 2 oval, mesial 2 elongate, extending from near posterior pronotal margin to just anterad of cicatrices); cicatrices; two oval macules near lateral margins on anterior half of scutellum. Dorsal punctation concolorous, dense, most dense laterally. Venter entirely black, coxae and rostrum slightly lighter in color than remainder of venter. Posterior margin of last abdominal sternite lacking colored line or macule. Length 8.9.

This article is from Florida Entomologist Online, Vol. 77, No. 3 (1994). FEO is available from the Florida Center for Library Automation gopher (sally.fcla.ufl.edu) and is identical to Florida Entomologist (An International Journal for the Americas). FEO is prepared by E. O. Painter Printing Co., P.O. Box 877, DeLeon Springs, FL. 32130.

Head very broadly rounded anteriorly; 2.1 long, 2.5 wide across eyes. Length of antennal segments 1-4 (5 missing): 0.6; 0.4; 0.5; 1.0, respectively.

Pronotum 2.7 long mesially, 5.4 wide across humeri. Anterolateral margins slightly convex. Scutellum 5.4 long, 5.0 broad at widest point. Pleura unmarked, densely punctate. Venter of abdomen densely punctate, less so mesially and on striated areas.

Posterior margin of genital cup shallowly concave mesially, convex laterally. Ventrally exposed portion of cup densely punctate.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype: male, labeled: (a) Peru, Orton. (b) PR Uhler Collection. (c) Pachycoris discrepans , Peru, Uhler. The type is deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C .

Polytes discrepans resembles a number of other species in the P. fenestra Breddin species group ( P. bullocki Eger , P. bicolor Distant , P. lattini Eger , P. leopardinus Distant , P. speculiger Breddin , and P. ruth Breddin ) in having a broadly rounded head. It differs from all of these except P. ruth in lacking a large bilobed mesial macule on the posterior margin of the last abdominal sternite. There is a thin pale line on the posterior margin of this sternite in P. ruth , but P. discrepans has no pale markings on this sternite. Polytes ruth is also larger and is very differently colored than P. discrepans . The dorsal coloration of P. discrepans is most similar to that of P. lattini , but the head of P. discrepans is distinctly more broadly rounded than that of P. lattini , and the pronotal vittae are longer than those of P. lattini .

Because P. discrepans appears to be distinct from all known congeners, I opted not to dissect the unique male holotype.

Polytes discrepans will key to couplet 12 in the key by Eger (1990), but does not fit either option given for this couplet. The following changes to the key will allow recognition of P. discrepans :