Halophylus, 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 : 113-117

Halophylus , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Halophylus tecticornii , species.

new

DIAGNOSIS: Head short and broad, vertex broad; weakly to rather strongly elongate, nearly parallel sided to elongate ovoid, coloration varying from deep brown, to pale green, to nearly white, sometimes showing substantial variation within a given species; body surface with woolly sericeous setae and some reclining, common setae; at least hind femora always with some dark spots, tibiae usually with dark spots at bases of spines (weak or absent in H. salsoli and H. tecticornii ); dorsum sometimes with blotchy spots in pale species; ventral surface of pygophore with a field of stout bristle; endosoma relatively short, stout, sigmoid, with two somewhat twisted apical spines, spines relatively stout, at least one usually bent or modified apically; secondary gonopore usually with field of obvious denticles on outer surface ventrad of aperture; posteroapical margin of left paramere undulating, produced posteriad and elevated dorsad of posterior and anterior processes. Female shorter than male, sometimes markedly so, more strongly ovoid (pl. 16). Most easily confused with Pulvillophylus on structure of apical endosomal spines and field of gonoporal denticles, but in Halophylus endosoma somewhat twisted, each endosomal strap forming a single apical spine, and dorsoposterior margin of left paramere strongly produced (pl. 17). Pulvillophylus with a single apical spine, this derived from ventral strap and bifid or hooklike apically (pl. 27), face weakly to very strongly elongate, and femora without spots (pl. 26); woolly seri ‐ ceous setae otherwise present in Lepidophylus , Proteophylus grevillea , and P. occidentalis , and some Pulvillophylus spp. Females of Halophylus and Pulvillophylus with a posteriorly directed medial projection on subgenital plate, a structural feature also seen in Maculiphylus .

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Total length 2.94–4.14, pronotum width 0.92–1.26. COLORATION (pl. 16): Overall coloration ranging from mostly chocolate brown, including appendages, to light green, to mostly pale; antennae and femora dark in dark species, pale in lightcoloration taxa; dorsum with spots or blotches in some pale-colored species; tibiae always pale, in most species tibial spines with dark bases. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 45B, C, E, pl. 16): Dorsum with woolly sericeous setae and some reclining, common setae. STRUCTURE (pl. 16): Body form often broad and nearly parallel sided, sometimes elongate ovoid. Head (fig. 45A, B, pl. 16): Head short and broad, eyes moderately to distinctly bulging; antennal segment 2 relatively long. Thorax (pl. 16): Pronotum weakly campanulate, with straight sides, or with sides weakly convex; calli often clearly demarcated along posterior margin; posterior lobe nearly flat, posterior margin straight to weakly excavated. Pretarsus and in figure 45F. Hemelytron: Costal margin often straight, hemelytron nearly parallel sided, sometimes more weakly convex and body form elongate ovoid. GENITALIA (figs. 45D, E, 46–51, pl. 17): Pygophore: Elongate conical with truncate posterior margin; single, long, erect seta located just ventrad of aperture and anteriad of each paramere insertion; ventral surface with broad field of short, stout bristles. Endosoma: Sigmoid, relatively short, distal one-half strongly bent to left in dorsal view; dorsal and ventral straps adhered to one another beyond secondary gonopore; each strap forming a variably shaped apical spine, usually of unequal length, sometimes twisted; secondary gonopore placed within ventral half of interstrap membrane, ovoid, usually well sclerotized, always with field of strong denticles on outer (dorsal) surface. Phallotheca: Apical portion narrowly conical and pointed; dorsal surface without crest; aperture elongate fusiform, attaining apex, situated on anterior dorsal surface. Parameres: Left paramere with distinctly and strongly undulating dorsoposterior margin, very strongly elevated dorsad of posterior and anterior processes; posterior process short, narrow, and straight apically, lateral margin undulating in dorsal view; anterior process relatively long, length subequal to posterior process; prominent seta, if present, placed apicolaterally on anterior process. Right paramere broadly fusiform, widest just distad of middle, attenuate apically, tapering to short medial or anteromedial spine.

FEMALE (pl. 16): Sexual dimorphism weak to strong, hemelytron ranging from slightly shorter than in male to strongly reduced and just covering abdomen; total length 2.50–4.45, pronotum width 0.94–1.42. GENITALIA (pl. 47): Subgenital plate of sternite 6: With posteriorly directed medial projection. Vestibular sclerites: Medium sized, attaining anterior edge of dorsal labiate plate. First gonapophyses: Relatively small basal blocks with undulate margins. Ventral labiate plate: Platelike medial anteroventral extension short, not as wide as lateral extent of basal gonapophysal structures, covering anterior surface of basal structures. Dorsal labiate plate: Medium sized, short longitudinally, with stepped anterior margin. Sclerotized rings: Relatively small, triangular, slightly concave, relatively thick walled; with strong spicules anteriad of rings. Posteromedial region: Surface without conspicuous microstructure. Anterolateral region: Anterior margin extending slightly beyond anterior edge of sclerotized rings. Posterior wall: Intersegmental structure: Variable bilobed transverse outpocket projecting anteriorly from ventral surface of connecting membrane. Interramal sclerites: Faintly sclerotized, lateral sclerites broadly wedge shaped, medial sclerite apparently absent.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Greek, halos, “salt,” and the generic name Phylus ; masculine.

DISCUSSION: See discussion under Pulvillo ‐ phylus .