Plagiognathus ribesi Kelton 1982a: 169

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 : 209-210

Plagiognathus ribesi Kelton 1982a: 169 (n. sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by its moderately small size, pale somewhat greenish coloration (fig. 12), black stripe on dorsal margin of all femora, and black stripe on the outer surface of antennal segment 1 (fig. 18). Distinguished from polhemorum (fig. 11) by black stripe on outer surface of antennal segment 1. Similar to cibbetsi (fig. 6) and luteus (fig. 9) in pale coloration and general structure of vesica in male, but cibbetsi more yellowish, with fainter blotch on membrane, and without black stripe on dorsal surface of femora and outer surface of antennal segment 1; luteus distinguished by being strongly bright orange with antennal segment 1 black and having a short black stripe on dorsal margin of hind femur only.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate­ovoid, moderately small; total length 3.14–3.43, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.11– 2.31, width across pronotum 0.97–1.03. COLORATION (fig. 12): General coloration pale, weakly greenish, translucent; mem­ brane pale with a conspicuous, transverse, fumose marking posterior to cuneus and membrane cells; outer surface of antennal segment 1, spine on interior surface of antennal segment 1, and extreme base of segment 2 black (fig. 18); labium infuscate at apex; all femora with a black stripe along almost entire length of dorsal surface; hind femora with a short black stripe distally on medioventral surface; dorsal tibial spines with dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VES­ TITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, shining, semitranslucent. Vestiture of dorsum composed of reclining pale to weakly darkened, golden, shining, simple setae. STRUC­ TURE: Body flattened, moderately broad, lateral corial margins weakly convex; frons weakly tumid, clypeus visible from above; anteocular distance 1.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 1.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching apex of hind coxae. GENI­ TALIA (fig. 31): Body of vesica relatively broad, curving, base of vesica not reaching to base of secondary gonopore; apical spines very long and slender, nearly straight, and only weakly tapering toward apex, posterior spine distinctly shorter than anterior; vesica without obvious flange.

Female: Body much more strongly ovoid than in male; coloration as in male. Total length 2.79–3.39, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 1.99–2.29, width across pronotum 0.95–1.06.

HOSTS: Ribes spp. (Grossulariaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: British Columbia south to northern California.

DISCUSSION: Kelton (1982a) described this species from Summerland and Rock Creek, British Columbia . Specimens from both localities were collected on Ribes . He also included among designated paratypes a series of specimens from Waterton, Douglas County, Colorado, taken on Ribes cereum . The male genitalia and coloration of antennal segment 1 in the Colorado specimens are distinct, and the specimens identified as ribesi by Kelton are included under the species polhemorum , described as new above.

Kelton noted that adult specimens of ribesi were observed feeding on aphids.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Brit­ ish Columbia: Summerland , July 2, 1974, L. A. Kelton, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , paratypes: 23, 2♀ (CNC). USA.— California: Mono Co. : Mammoth Camp, D. Pierce, 13, 3♀ (LACM). Placer Co.: Juniper Creek, 7300 ft, August 2, 1969, W. Gagne, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 1♀ (UCB). Shasta Co.: 2 mi E of Lake Eiler, July 22, 1947, R. L. Usinger, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 53, 6♀ (UCB). Siskiyou Co.: 2.5 mi N of Medicine Lake on Medicine Lake Rd, July 19, 1985, G. M. Stonedahl and J. D. McIver, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 143, 12♀ (AMNH). 6.9 mi S of Medicine Lake on Powder Hill Road, July 19, 1985, G. M. Stonedahl and J. D. McIver, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 73, 9♀ (AMNH). 8.5 mi S of Lava Beds Natl. Monument toward Medicine Lake, 7000 ft, July 27, 1986, R. T. Schuh, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 93, 16♀ (AMNH). Bray, June 30, 1935, R. H. Beamer, 13, 2♀ (KU). Etna, July 1, 1970, F. D. Horn, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 8♀ (CAFA). just S of Lava Beds Natl. Mon. on Medicine Lake Road, July 17, 1985, G. M. Stonedahl and J. D. McIver, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 133, 26♀ (AMNH). Oregon: Crook Co.: 0.5 mi W of Ochoco Natl. Forest on Rt 26, T14S R18E Sec 11, June 22, 1979, R. T. Schuh, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 43, 1♀ (AMNH). Ochoco Natl. Forest, T14S R18E Sec 11, June 22, 1979, M. D. Schwartz, Ribes cereum (Grossulariaceae) , 33, 5♀ (OSU). Jackson Co.: 5 mi NE of Union Creek, August 16, 1968, P. Oman, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 113, 7♀ (OSU). Klamath Co.: 5 mi S of LaPine, P. Oman, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 63, 15♀ (OSU). Chiloquin, Rt 97, July 4, 1982, G. M. Stonedahl and T. J. Henry, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 43, 2♀ (AMNH). Washington: Okanogan Co.: 15 mi NW of Omak, Salmon Creek, July 7, 1966, W. Gagne and J. Haddock, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 133, 6♀ (UCB). 8 mi WNW of Republic, Sweet Creek, 3600 ft, July 20, 1978, N. Herman, 1♀ (AMNH).