Filicicoris tatarnici, Anna Namyatova & Gerasimos Cassis, 2016

Anna Namyatova & Gerasimos Cassis, 2016, A remarkable new genus and six new species of fern-inhabiting plant bugs endemic to the Society Islands (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae: Filicicoris gen. nov.), Insect Systematics & Evolution 47, pp. 285-312 : 306-307

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1163/1876312X-47032144
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5690257
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F0694F-FFCE-0233-223B-FD901286FA87
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Filicicoris tatarnici
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Filicicoris tatarnici sp. nov.

Figs. 1 View Fig. 1 , 3 View Fig. 3 N–P, 6A

Etymology

The species is named after Dr Nikolai Tatarnic, who organised and participated in the fieldwork, during which this species was collected.

Material

Holotype. French Polynesia: Society Islands: Tahiti Is: Tahiti Iti, Taravao Plateau, 17.77665 ° S 149.25456 ° W, 877 m, 19 May 2011 – 22 May 2011, G. Cassis and N. Tatarnic, Metrosideros collina (Myrtaceae) , 1♂ (00404959) ( MNHP).

Diagnosis

Recognized by the following combination of characters: bright green coloration; relatively long body size, 4.18 in male; antennal segment I subequal to head width; head slightly elongate and acute apically (as in Fig. 2 View Fig. 2 A); vesica with three lobes, one of them having small scarce tubercles ( Fig. 3 View Fig. 3 N).

Description

Male. Total length 4.18. Coloration ( Fig. 1 View Fig. 1 ): Mainly green to bright green with appendages mostly pale green. Head: Mostly green, greenish yellow posteriorly. Eye dark brown to black. Labium: Uniformly green. Antenna: Segment I greenish yellow, segment II yellow basally and dark brown apically, segments III–IV dark brown. Eye: Dark brown to black. Thorax: Pronotum mostly bright green with greenish yellow calli; scutellum and mesoscutum uniformly green; pleura, including scent gland evaporative area, yellow green to bright green. Hemelytron: Mostly bright green, membrane pale brown with dark green veins. Legs: Coxae green, fore- and middle femora green; hind femur yellow; tibia green brown apically; tarsi brown to dark brown. Abdomen: Uniformly green. Surface and vestiture: As in generic description, without dark setae on head and pronotum. Structure and measurements: See generic description. Body ca. 3.6× longer than pronotum width; head slightly elongate and acute dorsally (as in Fig. 2 View Fig. 2 A); vertex ca. 1.7× as wide as eye; antenna slightly longer than body; antennal segment I ca. 1.1× longer than head width and ca. 0.7× longer than pronotum width; antennal segment II ca. 2.7× wider than head, ca. 1.8× longer than pronotum width; antennal segment III ca. 0.75× longer than segment II; mesoscutum slightly exposed; pronotum ca. 1.7× wider than long and ca. 1.5× wider than head. Male genitalia ( Fig. 3 View Fig. 3 N–P): Right paramere not curved dorsally ( Fig. 3 View Fig. 3 O); left paramere slightly swollen basally ( Fig. 3 View Fig. 3 P); vesica with three lobes, lacking small sclerotized spicules, one of lobes bearing small tubercles ( Fig. 3 View Fig. 3 N).

Female. Unknown.

Distribution

The single specimen is known from Taravao Plateau, Tahiti Island ( Fig. 6 View Fig. 6 B).

Host plant

The holotype was collected from Metrosideros collina (Myrtaceae) . However, as it is described from a single specimen, this plant affiliation could also be a sitting record.

Remarks

Labial segment III not seen.

Discussion

Filicicoris tatarnici is similar to F. viridis in body size, however, the latter differs in its pale green to yellow coloration ( Fig. 1 View Fig. 1 ), its head is short and rounded dorsally ( Fig. 2 View Fig. 2 D), and the vesica has four lobes ( Fig. 4 View Fig. 4 A, B).

Two females from Tahiti Is from the collection of the Bishop P. Bernice Museum are similar to F. tatarnici in the body structure. Although the coloration of those specimens is light brown with a reddish tinge, they were collected in ethanol (Malaise trap) in 1961 and are likely to have faded. There were no males collected during this event, and the observation of their genitalia is generally necessary for determination of Filicicoris species.