Plagiognathus salicicola Knight, 1929b: 69

SCHUH, RANDALL T., 2001, Revision Of New World Plagiognathus Fieber, With Comments On The Palearctic Fauna And The Description Of A New Genus (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2001 (266), pp. 1-267 : 215-216

Plagiognathus salicicola Knight, 1929b: 69 (n.

sp.).

Plagiognathus salicicola depallens Knight,

1929b: 70 (n. var.)

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the pale orange or light­brown background coloration of the dorsum (fig. 12: salicola 1), often with dark­ er longitudinal markings on the hemelytra (fig. 12: salicola 2), antennal segment 2 mostly pale with a dark base (fig. 19), elongate ovoid body, and the calli darkened and contrasting with much of remainder of pronotum. Similar to albatus (fig. 5) and tinctus (fig. 13) in having antennal segment 2 pale except at extreme base, and further to albatus in having much of the dorsum pale or weakly darkened; distinguished by its larger size, partly to totally pale coloration of the venter, and male genitalic structure (fig. 32). Pattern of coloration also similar to shepherdiae (fig. 13), but that species with antennal segment 1 mostly pale and feeding on members of the Elaeagnaceae rather than the Salicaceae .

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Moderately large, elongate ovoid; total length 3.98– 4.37, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.63– 2.93, width across pronotum 1.19 –1.33. COLORATION (fig. 12): Background coloration of dorsum pale, cream to light orange, sometimes entirely so, or with brown on calli, clavus, endocorium, exocorium, and discal area of cuneus; membrane weakly fumose, veins pale; face almost entirely pale in pale specimens, clypeus and maxillary plate castaneous, contrasting with surrounding areas of head in specimens with dark markings on dorsum; antennal segment 1 castaneous except for pale apical annulus, segment 2 pale except for extreme basal portion (fig. 19), segments 3 and 4 pale to weakly infuscate; labium pale to weakly infuscate; venter mostly pale, with some darker markings in specimens with dark markings on dorsum; legs generally pale, yellowish; femora with some dark spots; dorsal tibial spines with dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femur. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent, pale, shining, common setae. STRUCTURE: Body elongate­ovoid; frons weakly convex, slightly projecting beyond anterior margin of eyes, clypeus not visible from above; anteocular distance 0.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching to about apex of middle coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 31): Body of vesica relatively stout, strongly curving basally and more or less U­shaped; apical spines elongate, relatively slender, and nearly erect relative to body; flange moderately broad and terminating distad of base of secondary gonopore.

Female: Very similar to male in coloration and body shape. Total length 3.85–4.11, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.69– 2.94, width across pronotum 1.16–1.37.

HOSTS: Salix spp. (Salicaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Northeastern North America south and west as far as Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

DISCUSSION: Specimens of this species and of tinctus have at times been confused. Indeed, they have apparently been collected on the same Salix species at the same time, or at least at the same locality on the same day. As indicated in the diagnosis, however, the two are easily distinguished on the basis of external as well as genitalic characters.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Ontario: Dunnville, July 9, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 63, 2♀ (CNC). Fergus, July 24, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Achillea sp. (Asteraceae) , 13 (CNC). Kingsville, July 7, 1962, G. Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 23, 1♀ (CNC). McGregor, July 7, 1962, G. Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 23, 1♀ (CNC). Norwich, July 19, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 13 (CNC). Tillsonburg, July 20, 1955, L. A. Kelton, 6♀ (CNC). USA.— Indiana: Cass Co.: 2 mi E of Walton, July 4, 1979, T. J. Henry, Salix nigra (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (USNM). Iowa: Boone Co.: Ledges State Park, July 19, 1925, H. H. Knight, Salix longifolia (Salicaceae) , 13, 4♀ (USNM). Story Co.: Ames, July 26, 1928, H. H. Knight, paratype (depallens): 13 (USNM). Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Co.: LSU Campus, June 1, 1985, D. A. Rider, 1♀ (LSU). Michigan: Ingham Co.: East Lansing, July 16, 1991, Henry and Wheeler, 1♀ (USNM). Minnesota: Hennepin Co.: No specific locality, July 12, 1919, H. H. Knight, Salix longifolia (Salicaceae) , paratypes (depallens): 13, 5♀ (USNM). Ramsey Co.: No specific locality, July 11, 1925, H. H. Knight, Salix longifolia (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (USNM). St. Anthony Park, August 2, 1924, H. H. Knight, 1♀ (USNM). St. Anthony Park, August 2, 1924, H. H. Knight, 6♀ (USNM); holotype male (depallens) (USNM). Ohio: Auglaise Co.: St. Marys, July 17, 1927, S. A. Watson, holotype male (USNM). Montgomery Co.: 20 mi W of Springfield on I­70, July 4, 1970, T. J. Henry, Salix nigra (Salicaceae) , 13 (USNM). Pennsylvania: Erie Co.: near Erie, I­90 and Rt 97, June 24, 1975, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Salix nigra (Salicaceae) , 4♀ (PDA).