Plagiognathus laricicola Knight, 1923: 452

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 : 146-147

Plagiognathus laricicola Knight, 1923: 452 (n.

sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Medium­sized species, dorsum dark brown (fig. 9), legs moderately infuscate, and antennae largely dark in most specimens, although segment 2 sometimes black only at extreme base and somewhat pale distally (fig. 17). Similar in size and coloration to fenderi , fuscipes , pemptos , piceicola , and suffuscipennis . Separated from fenderi by the much smaller anteocular distance and the nonoverlapping distributions. Separated from fuscipes by the labium in that species surpassing the apex of the hind coxae rather than reaching only to apex of middle coxae, the form of the male genitalia, and the Potentilla host preference in that species. Separated from pemptos by the dull black setae on the dorsum of that species. Separated from suffuscipennis by the pale hemelytra of that species in eastern North America where the ranges of the two species overlap, and by the smaller size of suffuscipennis . Separated from piceicola by the form of the male genitalia and the nonoverlapping ranges.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate­ovoid species of moderate size; total length 3.25–4.06, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.31– 2.77, width across pronotum 0.99 –1.17. COLORATION (fig. 9): Dorsum and venter dark brown or blackish brown, posterior margin of vertex and costal veins often tending toward pale; corium weakly pale adjacent to extreme basal area of membrane; corium narrowly pale at cuneal fracture; membrane fumose, except vein demarcating posterior margin of cells pale; antennal segment 1 dark, segment 2 dark in most specimens, although sometimes black only at extreme base and somewhat lighter colored distally (fig. 17), segments 3 and 4 dark; femora moderately infuscate to almost entirely dark, with some dark spots; dorsal tibial spines with small dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent, golden, shining, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Corial margins weakly convex; frons moderately tumid and weakly bulging beyond anterior margin of eyes in dorsal view, clypeus not visible from above; anteocular distance equal to diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 1.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching to about apex of middle coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 26): Body of vesica relatively stout, base falling at about level of base of secondary gonopore; apical spines moderately long, posterior spines nearly erect relative to body of vesica, anterior spine longer than posterior and at nearly right angles to body of vesica; flange narrow, terminating at base of secondary gonopore.

Female: Body usually more strongly ovoid than in male; coloration as in male. Total length 3.43–3.74, length apex clypeus– cuneal fracture 2.39–2.60, width across pronotum 1.05–1.14.

HOSTS: Larix decidua , L. laricina (Pinaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern North America, in Canada as far west as Alberta, farther south as far west as Iowa and south into Illinois and Virginia.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Alberta: Nordegg , August 4, 1921, J. Mc­ Dunnough, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 33, 1♀ (CNC); 3♀ (CNC). Manitoba: Carberry, July 27, 1953, Brooks and Kelton, 2♀ (CNC). Pine Falls, July 12, 1962, 23, 4♀ (CNC). Seldon’s Cor., July 10, 1964, 4♀ (CNC). New Brunswick: Berwick, August 2, 1966, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 123, 13♀ (CNC). Edmunston, July 25, 1966, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 53, 12♀ (CNC). Fredericton, June 28, 1976, L. A. Kelton, 1♀ (CNC). Kouchibouguac Natl. Park, July 21, 1977 – July 29, 1977, D. J. Brown, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 283, 30♀ (CNC). Moncton, June 25, 1966, L. A. Kelton, 43, 1♀ (CNC). Nova Scotia: Kentville, July 15, 1966, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 53, 12♀ (CNC). Woodville, July 20, 1968, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 33, 3♀ (CNC). Ontario: Bala, July 19, 1932, W. S. Walley, 43, 4♀ (CNC). Bells Corners, 2 km W of Moodie Dr. on Robertson Rd., July 16, 1991, M. D. Schwartz, Larix laricina (Pinaceae) , 103, 34♀ (CNC). Black Hawk, August 3, 1960, Kelton and Whitney, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 1♀ (CNC). Ipperwash, July 11, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 63, 24♀ (CNC). Mt. Pleasant, July 10, 1958, L. A. Kelton, 1♀ (CNC). St. Lawrence Is. Natl. Park, McDonald Is., July 14, 1976, W. Reid, 13 (CNC). Sturgeon Falls, July 27, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 373, 24♀ (CNC). Tillsonburg, July 11, 1958, L. A. Kelton, 2♀ (CNC). Prince Edward Island: Scotch Fort, July 10, 1966, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 293, 11♀ (CNC). Quebec: Charteris, July 24, 1955, C. H. Mann, 13 (CNC). Fabre, July 5, 1963, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 223, 19♀ (CNC). Ladysmith, July 24, 1958, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). Laniel, July 6, 1963, L. A. Kelton, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 53, 2♀ (CNC). Magog, July 2, 1961, G. Brumpton, 23 (CNC). Mt. Albert, July 25, 1954, W. J. Brown, 1♀ (CNC). Otter Lake, July 24, 1958, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). Trinity Bay, August 20, 1929, W. J. Brown, 13 (AMNH). Saskatchewan: Prince Albert, July 23, 1959, A. and J. Brooks, 33, 7♀ (CNC). USA.— Illinois: Lake Co.: Antioch, July 5, 1932, Frison et al., 13, 2♀ (AMNH). Iowa: Story Co.: Ames, June 17, 1927, H. H. Knight, 13 (USNM). Kansas: Douglas Co.: Lawrence, Twilight, E. S. Tucker, 13 (AMNH). Maine: Penobscot Co.: Orono, July 5, 1911, paratype: 13 (CAS). Washington Co.: Princeton, July 12, 1909, 2♀ (CAS). Massachusetts: Essex Co.: Danvers, July 3, 1914, 13 (AMNH). Missouri: Jackson Co.: Atherton, June 27, 1915, C. F. Adams, 13 (AMNH). Kansas City, June 16, 1900, F. Rogers, 1♀ (KU). New York: Essex Co.: Lake Placid, Patch Lane, 540 m, July 4, 1991, M. D. Schwartz, Larix laricina (Pinaceae) , 163, 43♀ (CNC). Rockland Co.: Tuxedo , July 5, 1918, C. H. Curran, 13, 2♀ (AMNH). St. Lawrence Co.: Cranberry Lake, July 10, 1920, C. J. Drake, Larix laricina (Pinaceae) , 23 (TAMU). Tompkins Co.: Ithaca, Cornell University, July 1, 1978, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , 13, 2♀ (PDA). Ithaca, June 27, 1920, Larix sp. (Pinaceae) , paratypes: 53, 3♀ (CAS, USNM). Ithaca, June 27, 1920, H. H. Knight, paratype: 13 (CNC); holotype male (USNM). Pennsylvania: Clinton Co.: Tamarack, Rt 194, August 23, 1973, T. J. Henry and A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 1♀ (PDA). Dauphin Co.: Harrisburg, Cameron Street, June 4, 1974, T. J. Henry, Platanus acerifolia (Platanaceae) , 13 (PDA). Harrisburg, Crooked Hill Road, June 27, 1973, W. Blosser, Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 13, 2♀ (PDA). Harrisburg, East Harrisburg Cemetery, May 22, 1977, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 43, 4♀ (PDA). Harrisburg, May 30, 1973, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Pseudotsuga taxifolia (Pinaceae) , 13 (PDA). Hershey Hotel, June 12, 1973, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 23, 1♀ (PDA). Susquehanna Township, Crooked Hill Road, May 22, 1974, T. J. Henry and A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 23, 1♀ (PDA). Indiana Co.: Indiana, Oakland Cemetery, June 15, 1979, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 23, 4♀ (PDA). Montgomery Co.: Dresher, Mfg. Golf Club, May 31, 1973, A. G. Wheel­ er, Jr. and J. Stimmel, Larix decidua (Pinaceae) , 2♀ (PDA). Virginia: Giles Co.: Sink­ ing Creek, 1850 ft, June 25, 1969, G. W. Byers, 1♀ (KU).