Plagiognathus (Plagiognathus) bipunctatus albicans (Reuter, 1901) Linnavuori, 2010

Linnavuori, Rauno E., 2010, Studies on the Miridae (Phylinae, addenda to Deraeocorinae and Orthotylinae) of Khuzestan and the adjacent provinces of Iran (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 369-414 : 388-389

Plagiognathus (Plagiognathus) bipunctatus albicans (Reuter, 1901) , stat. nov.

( Fig. 27A )

Material examined. Numerous specimens: KHUZESTAN: Abadan , 21.–22.iv.2007 ; Andimeshk , 5.–6.vi.2008 ; Andimeshk – Tangvan , 9.–10.vi.2006 ; Bagh Malek , 9.–11.v.2007 ; Dezful , 6.–7.vi.2005 ; near Lali , 6.–7.vi.2008 ; Sadde-e-Dez , 6.–7.vi.2005 ; Zeydoon, 26.–28.iv.2007. BUSHEHR: Ab Pakhsh , 25.–26.iv.2007 ; near Bandar-e-Genaveh, 21.–22.iv.2007. ILAM: near Eyvan, 9.–10.vi.2006. KURDESTAN: Marivan , 24.–25.vi.2006 ; 20 km NE of Marivan, 24.–25.vi.2006. WEST AZERBAIJAN: 20 km S of Mahabad , 19.–30.vii.2004 ; near Sadasht , 14.–15.vi.2003 .

Comments. Plagiognathus bipunctatus bipunctatus is generally pale greenish. Antennomeres 1 and 2 are often blackish ( var. picticornis Horváth, 1898 ) and the extreme base of the hind tibiae is also dark and dorsal pubescence blackish. A pale form, originally described as P. albicans Reuter, 1901 , was synonymized with P. bipunctatus by KERZHNER (1970: 644). It is pale whitish yellow with uniformly pale antennae and hind tibiae and mostly to entirely pale yellowish dorsal pubescence. Specimens collected in northern Iran belong to the nominotypical form. In Khuzestan and the adjacent areas, the majority represents the form albicans . As no intermediate forms were found, P. albicans apparently represents a separate subspecies.

Known from Central Asia and Iran.

Figures

Fig. 27. A – Plagiognathus bipunctatus albicans Reuter, 1901; B – Plagiognathus marivanensis sp. nov., paratype; C – Psallus shulsangaricus sp. nov., male holotype; D – Psallus corsicus Puton, 1875, specimen from Greece, Corfu Island.