Plagiognathus schaffneri, SCHUH, 2001

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 : 217-219

Plagiognathus schaffneri , new species Figures 12 , 19 , 32

HOLOTYPE: Male: ‘‘[ USA] 2 mi. w. Iredell , Bosque Co., Texas, May 6, 1970, J. C. Schaffner’ ’. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the ovoid body of generally castaneous coloration (fig. 12), recumbent, golden, shining vestiture on the pronotum and anterior half of hemelytra with dark setae posteriorly, antennal segments 1 and 2 entirely dark (fig. 19), legs entirely pale yellowish, and tibial spines without dark spots at bases. Similar to punctatipes (fig. 12), rideri (fig. 12) and some specimens of obscurus (fig. 10: obscurus 4) from eastern North America in the dark coloration of the dorsum and the generally pale coloration of the legs; separated from obscurus , punctatipes , and rideri by the presence of some dark spots on hind femora in those species, and antennal segment 2 in punctatipes almost entirely pale. Also similar to annulatus in dark coloration of body with pale appendages, but that species with a black stripe distally on the medioventral surface of the hind femur and with a pale medial annulus on antennal segment 2. Differing from all of the above species by the dorsal vestiture being golden and shining on the pronotum, scutellum, and anterior half of the hemelytra and dark and dull on the posterior half of hemelytra.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate ovoid; total length 3.46–3.73, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.42–2.68, width across pronotum 1.17–1.32. COLORATION (fig. 12): Dorsum castaneous, never with additional pale markings; membrane and veins smoky; antennal segment 1 castaneous except for pale apical annulus, segment 2 castaneous, segments 3 and 4 pale to moderately infuscate; labium with segment 1 and apex infuscate, remainder pale; venter, including metathoracic scent­gland evaporatory area, entirely castaneous; legs, including coxae, pale, golden; tibial spines without dark spots at bases; tibiae pale at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent simple setae, golden shining on pronotum, scutellum, and anterior half of corium and clavus, dark on posterior one­half of corium and clavus. STRUCTURE: Relatively broadbodied; frons weakly convex as viewed from above, clypeus not visible; anteocular distance 0.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below level of eye by diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching to about apex of middle coxae. GENI­ TALIA (fig. 32): Body of vesica more or less J­shaped, base of vesica falling substantially below level of secondary gonopore; posterior apical spine relatively broad, weakly curv­ ing, nearly erect relative to body of vesica, anterior spine narrow and at nearly right angle to body of vesica; flange on vesica narrow, not reaching to base of secondary gonopore or overlapping body of vesica.

Female: Coloration as in male; body broader and more strongly ovoid. Total length 3.50–3.70, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.52–2.67, width across pronotum 1.27–1.37.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for J. C. Schaffner, collector of the holotype and other known specimens.

HOST: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Texas.

PARATYPES: USA.— Texas: Bosque Co.: 2 mi W of Iredell, May 12, 1969 – May 6, 1970, J. C. Schaffner, 33, 8♀ (TAMU). Brazos Co.: 8 mi S of College Station, Peach Creek at Hwy 6, April 13, 1987, R. Anderson, 43, 2♀ (TAMU). College Station, April 16, 1966, P. M. Wagner, 23, 1♀ (TAMU). College Station, April 9, 1965 – May 2, 1969, J. C. Schaffner, 153, 18♀ (AMNH, TAMU). College Station, March 24, 1971 – March 29, 1971, V. V. Board, 43 (TAMU). College Station, Nuclear Reactor Pond, April 20, 1970, V. V. Board, 53, 3♀ (TAMU). Koppe Bridge, April 20, 1966, J. C. Schaffner, 13, 1♀ (TAMU). Burleson Co.: Somerville Lake, April 29, 1969, V. V. Board, 13, 5♀ (TAMU). Burnet Co.: Inks Lake State Park, April 4, 1999, M. Yoder, 33 (TAMU). Fannin Co.: Selfs, May 14, 1978, J. K. Weaver, 23 (TAMU). Gonzales Co.: Palmetto State Park, April 13, 1970 – April 22, 1970, V. V. Board, 103, 6♀ (AMNH, TAMU). Palmetto State Park, April 17, 1965 – May 13, 1968, J. C. Schaffner, 113, 3♀ (TAMU). Palmetto State Park, April 19, 1969, Board and Schaffner, 1♀ (TAMU). Grimes Co.: 3 mi W of Roan’s Prairie, May 2, 1970, V. V. Board, 23 (TAMU). Lavaca Co.: 10 mi N of Hallettsville, April 18, 1964, H. R. Burke, 1♀ (TAMU). Milam Co.: 5 mi E of Thorndale on Rt 79, May 5, 1983, T. J. Henry, 13, 4♀ (USNM). Nacogdoches Co.: 2 mi W of Nacogdoches, April 18, 1972, V. V. Board, 1♀ (TAMU).

Plagiognathus shepherdiae Knight Figures 13 , 19 , 32

Plagiognathus shepherdiae Knight, 1929b: 70 (n. sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the large size, pale grayish coloration, contrasting brown calli, and the presence of longitudinal light brown markings on the clavus and corium (fig. 13). Pale coloration of the body and antennae most similar to flavidus (fig. 7), guttatipes (fig. 8), and tenellus (fig. 13). Distinguished from all of those species by their lack of longitudinal dark markings on the hemelytra and from tenellus also by the tibial spines in that species lacking black spots at bases and the tibiae being pale at the femoral articulation.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Relatively large, very elongate­ovoid; total length 4.12–4.68, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.71– 3.11, width across pronotum 1.16–1.36. COLORATION (fig. 13): General coloration, including most of venter and appendages, pale gray, with some brown markings as follows: clypeus mostly brown, frons often with brown transverse striate markings, calli always brown, hemelytra with elongate brown markings on clavus, endocorium, and exocorium, and cuneus with a central brown spot; membrane at least partly fumose, especially just posterior to cells, veins pale; antennal segment 1 always dark on tapered basal portion and at base of mesial spine, remainder of segment pale, antennal segment 2 pale except dark at extreme base (fig. 19), segments 3 and 4 pale; apex of labium infuscate; thoracic sternum and longitudinal subspiracular line on abdomen brown; femora with numerous dark spots; tibial spines with dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at femoral articulation. SURFACE AND VESTI­ TURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, dull to very weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent, pale to silvery, very weakly flattened setae. STRUCTURE: Body appearing flattened; frons weakly tumid as viewed from above, clypeus partly visible; anteocular distance equal to diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 0.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium relatively short, not quite reaching to apex of middle coxae. GENI­ TALIA (fig. 32): Vesica more or less Ushaped, body relatively heavy, base reaching to about base of secondary gonopore; posterior apical spine of moderate length, tapered, strongly angled relative to body of ve­ sica, anterior spine somewhat longer, slender, and at right angle to body of vesica; flange moderately broad and reaching just past midpoint of secondary gonopore.

Female: Shorter and more strongly ovoid than male; coloration similar to male. Total length 3.78–4.16, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.68–2.91, width across pronotum 1.20–1.33.

HOST: Shepherdia argentea (Elaeagnaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Known from the high plains of Colorado and Montana.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA.— Colorado: Archuleta Co.: Pagosa Springs , August 12, 1925, H. H. Knight, paratypes: 53, 5♀ (USNM) ; holotype male (USNM). Dolores Co.: 29 mi SW of Norwood, July 7, 1980, J. T. and D. A. Polhemus, 83, 5♀ (JTP). Montezuma Co. : Dolores, August 2, 1900, E. D. Ball, 43, 1♀ (USNM). Mancos, August 13, 1925, H. H. Knight, paratypes: 23 (USNM). Montana: Teton Co. : 6 mi NW of Choteau on Canyon Road off Rt 89, Eureka Reserv. Fishing Access, 4000 ft, August 2, 1994, M. D. Schwartz, Shepherdia argentea (Elaeagnaceae) , 33, 11♀ (AMNH) .

Figures

Fig. 12. Habitus figures of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. (see p. 264 for localities).

Fig. 19. Antennal segments 1 and 2 of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp.

Fig. 32. Male genitalia of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp.

Fig. 13. Habitus figures of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. (see p. 264 for localities).