Halophylus tecticornii, Randall T. Schuh & Michael D. Schwartz, 2016

Randall T. Schuh & Michael D. Schwartz, 2016, Nineteen new genera and 82 new species of Cremnorrhinina from Australia, including analyses of host relationships and distributions (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylininae: Cremnorrhinini), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 401, pp. 1-279 : 127-129

Halophylus tecticornii , new species

Figures 45, 51, map 12, table 1, plates 16, 17,

47A–C, E

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by largely brown coloration, short to moderately elongate and weakly ovoid body form, and tibial spines without dark bases (pl. 16); apical endosomal spines moderately elongate, of unequal length, shorter spine curving over entire length, longer spine with a small tooth near apex (fig. 51, pl. 17). Female brachypterous, but hemelytron always exceeding apex of abdomen; coloration as in male. Most easily confused with H. maireani on basis of frequently brown coloration in males, but females always green in H. maireani rather than brown as in H. tecticornii , tibial spines with dark bases (pl. 16), and endosomal spines of nearly equal length in H. maireani (pl. 17).

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 3.50, mean pronotum width 1.21. COLORATION (pl. 16): Overall coloration mostly dark, chocolate brown; membrane heavily fumose; antennae and femora dark; femora with contrasting dark (obscure because of dark background coloration) spots, tibial spines without dark bases. SURFACE AND VES- TITURE (fig. 45A–C, E, pl. 16): Body surface smooth and weakly shining; dorsum with woolly sericeous setae and some reclining, dark common setae. STRUCTURE: Body form elongate, rectangular. Head: Head short and broad, eyes bulging; eye occupying twothirds height of head; antenna inserted at ventral margin of eye, eye very weakly emarginate above insertion; antennal segment 2 elongate, slender (1.21), 1.22 times width of head; labium just surpassing posterior margin of mesosternum. Pronotum weakly campanulate, with weakly concave sides, calli distinctly demarcated along posterior margin, posterior margin of pronotum concave; mesoscutum rather broadly exposed. Hemelytron: Costal margin nearly straight. GENITALIA (figs.

45, D, 51, pl. 17): As in generic description but with the following details: Pygophore: Ventral surface with many prominent stout dark bristles. Endosoma: Dorsal apical spine short, gently deflected, and pointed apically; ventral apical spine subapically gently bent laterad, apically slightly deflected, parallel to and twice as long as dorsal apical spine; secondary gonopore without denticles. Parameres: Left paramere with dorsoposterior surface somewhat elevated above posterior and anterior processes; posterior process deflected laterally. Right paramere as in figure 51.

Female (pl. 16): Coloration as in male; hemelytron brachypterous, membrane reduced and somewhat exceeding apex of abdomen; mean total length 3.86, mean pronotum width 1.31. GENITALIA: As in plate 47A–C, E.

ETYMOLOGY: From the generic name Tecticornia , the halophytic host of this species.

HOSTS: Recorded from Arthrocnemum halo ‐ cnemoides, Halosarcia indica , H. pterygosperma , Maireana oppositifolia , and Tecticornia disarticulata (pl. 32E, F) ( Chenopodiaceae ). Also recorded from Leptospermum erubescens (Myrtaceae) , but this is certainly an error in specimen handling.

DISTRIBUTION (map 12): Widely distributed in areas of Australia with saline soils.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 139.2 km SE of William Creek, Finnis Springs (63 km NW of Maree), 29.60001°S 137.4175°E, 21 m, 0 7 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh, and Schwartz, Sclerostegia disarticulata Paul G.Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW666337, 1d (AMNH_PBI 00098881) (SAMA).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 25 km E of Copely, Flinders Range, 30.51668°S 138.631°E, 450 m, 0 8 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh, and Schwartz, Sclerostegia disarticulata Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW666337, 11d (00098260–0 0 0 98267, 0 0 0 97143, 0 0 0 98268, 00413020), 6♂ (00098269– 0 0 0 98271, 0 0 0 98273, 0 0 0 97144, 00098272) (AMNH). 139.2 km SE of William Creek, Finnis Springs (63 km NW of Maree), 29.60001°S 137.4175°E, 21 m, 0 7 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh, and Schwartz, Sclerostegia disarticulata Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW666337, 1d (00391061) (AM), Sclerostegia disarticulata Paul G.Wilson (Chenopodia ‐ ceae), det. NSW staff NSW666337, 80d (000 98145, 0 0 0 98159–0 0 0 98177, 0 0 0 98091–0 0 0 98 114, 0 0 0 58602, 0 0 0 98823–0 0 0 98845, 0 0 0 98873– 0 0 0 98880, 0 0 0 97134, 0 0 0 98115, 0 0 0 98116, 00413021), 72♂ (00098157, 0 0 0 98182– 0 0 0 98205, 0 0 0 98210, 0 0 0 98211, 0 0 0 98117– 0 0 0 98130, 0 0 0 98850–0 0 0 98867, 0 0 0 98872, 0 0 0 98882–0 0 0 98888, 0 0 0 97135, 0 0 0 98131, 00098132) (AMNH), 2d (00098846, 00098847), 2♂ (0 0 0 98868, 0 0 0 98869) (ANIC), 2d (00098180, 00098181), 2♂ (00098208, 00098209) (CNC), 4d (00098142–0 0 0 98144, 00098146), 11♂ (00098147–0 0 0 98156, 00098158) (SAMA), 2d (00098848, 00098849), 2♂ (00098870, 00098871) (USNM), 2d (00098178, 00098179), 2♂ (00098206, 00098207) (ZISP). Victoria: 27 km W of Hattah, Murray Sunset National Park, 34.73835°S 142.0 1°E, 45 m, 0 3 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Halosarcia indica (Willd.) Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW658086, 3♂ (00412813–00412815) (AMNH). 41.8 Km W of Hattah, Murray Sunset National Park, 34.80035°S 141.919°E, 53 m, 0 3 Nov 2002, Cassis, Schuh, Schwartz, Silveira, Halosarcia indica (Willd.) Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW658086, 3d (00412808– 00412810), 2♂ (00412811, 00412812) (AMNH). Neds Corner, Loop track nr Red Rise Track, 34.17991°S 141.47116°E, 34 m, 29 Nov 2011, M. Cheng, L. Durber & P. Simper, sp. not determined ( Chenopodiaceae ), det. V. Stajsic (RBG Melb), 1d (UNSW_ENT 00025037) (UNSW). Western Australia: 4.2 km SE of Esperance, Lake Mullet Nature Reserve, 33.79691°S 121.95427°E, 10 m, 23 Nov 1999, R.T. Schuh, G. Cassis and R. Silveira, 1d (00414346) (AM). 12 mi E Katanning, 29 Dec 1971, J.A. Slater, Arthrocnemum halocnemoides Nees var. pterygospermum (Chenopodiaceae) , 2d (00412804, 00412805), 2♂ (00412806, 00412807) (AMNH).

22 km S of Watheroo, 30.43161°S 116.0438°E, 400 m, 0 2 Nov 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Halosarcia indica (Willd.) Paul G. Wilson bidens (Chenopodiaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5236843, 9d (00389400–0 0 389407, 00087202), 10♂ (00389408–0 0 389416, 00087203), 1d (00087463) (AM), 10d (00134879–00134888), 15♂ (00134889–00134903) (AMNH). 26 km SE of jct of Manga Rd and Shark Bay Rd, Shark Bay World Heritage Area, 26.26835°S 113.8491°E, 15 m, 25 Oct 2004, Cassis, Wall, Weirauch, Symonds, Halosarcia pterygosperma (J.M.Black) Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH6987923, 1d (00389417) (AM). 40 km N of Ravensthorpe, 33.31524°S 119.8151°E, 500 m, 0 5 Nov 1996, Schuh and Cassis, Maireana oppositifolia (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5236630, 1d (00414642), 1♂ (00414643) (AM), 2♂ (00128824, 00128825) (AMNH). Carnarvon, Small Boat Harbour, 24.90044°S 113.6477°E, 26 Oct 2004, Cassis, Wall, Weirauch, Tatarnic, Symonds, Halosarcia halocnemoides (Nees) Paul G. Wilson subsp. tenuis (Chenopodiaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH6989071, 1d (00389418), 1♂ (00389419) (AM). Charles Darwin Reserve, track to White Dam, 29.68594°S 116.92094°E, 307 m, 22 Sep 2009, C. Symonds, Tecticornia disarticulata (Paul G.Wilson) K.A. Sheph. & Paul G.Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) , det. WA Herbarium, 1d (00414530) (UNSW). Pallarup Nature Reserve, west side, 33.26485°S 119.7565°E, 310 m, 0 5 Dec 1997, Schuh, Cassis, Brailovsky, Asquith, Leptospermum erubescens Schauer (Myrtaceae) , det. PERTH staff PERTH 0 5056373, 2d (00414344, 00414345) (AM). ca. 107.7 km SE of North West Coastal Hiway, on Mardathuna Rd (W of Kennedy Range National Park), 24.66376°S 114.7821°E, 163 m, 0 1 Nov 2004, Cassis, Wall, Weirauch, Tatarnic, Symonds, 1♂ (00412816) (AMNH).