Microphylellus longirostris Knight, 1923: 458

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 : 155-156

Microphylellus longirostris Knight, 1923: 458 (n.

sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the castaneous to nearly black, elongate body (fig. 9), entirely pale white legs (fig. 9), pale antennae with segment 1 dark only at extreme base

(fig. 17), and rostrum reaching well onto the abdomen. Most similar in general appearance and coloration to flavipes (fig. 7) and modestus (fig. 10), but antennal segment 2 pale rather than dark as in flavipes ; differing from modestus by the more strongly projecting head and longer rostrum reaching well onto the abdomen.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate, relatively slender, of moderate size; total length 3.46– 3.90, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.52–2.73, width across pronotum 1.03–1.12. COLORATION (fig. 9): General coloration of dorsum castaneous; head often more deeply castaneous at and below level of antennal insertion than remainder of body, and more highly polished; membrane and veins strongly fumose; antennal segments 1–4 pale, except extreme base of segment 1 castaneous (fig. 17); labium pale, except basal two­thirds of segment 1 and apex castaneous; venter entirely castaneous; legs, including coxae and trochanters, pale; tibial spines without dark spots at bases. SURFACE AND VESTI­ TURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of weakly reclining, relatively long, dark, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Nearly parallel­sided, corial margin only weakly convex; body form more or less tubular; head not projecting anteriorly, clypeus not visible from above; anteocular distance about 1.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 2 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium slightly to distinctly surpassing apices of hind coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 26): Body of vesica distinctly J­shaped, relatively slender, apical spines at nearly right angle to body of vesica, anterior spine nearly straight and conspicuously longer than posterior; flange very narrow and terminating well below secondary gonopore.

Female: Similar in coloration and general structure to male; body somewhat broader. Total length 3.39–3.71, length apex clypeus– cuneal fracture 2.44–2.72, width across pronotum 1.00–1.12.

HOSTS: Most commonly found breeding on Corylus spp. (Betulaceae) ; also known to breed on Hamamelis virginiana (Hamamelidaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Northeastern North Ameri­ ca, known as far west as Manitoba and Iowa and as far south as Kansas and Illinois.

DISCUSSION: The species was placed in Microphylellus by Knight (1923) on the basis of coloration of the legs, which have tibial spines with pale bases. The male genitalia are, however, of the typical Plagiognathus type.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Manitoba: 8 km N of Spirit Sands, Spruce Wood Prov. Park (16 km S of Carberry), July 8, 1990, M. D. Schwartz, Hamamelis virginiana (Hamamelidaceae) , 253, 31♀ (CNC). Carberry, July 29, 1953, Brooks and Kelton, 2♀ (CNC). Oak Lake, July 9, 1953, Brooks and Kelton, 13, 1♀ (CNC). Pilot Mound, July 31, 1958, A. and J. Brooks, 1♀ (CNC). Ontario: Hamilton, July 6, 1955, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). Tillsonburg, July 11, 1958, L. A. Kelton, Corylus sp. (Betulaceae) , 183, 8♀ (CNC). Tillsonburg, July 14, 1955, L. A. Kelton, Corylus sp. (Betulaceae) , 3♀ (CNC). Tillsonburg, July 18, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Corylus sp. (Betulaceae) , 73, 23♀ (CNC). Tillsonburg, October 19, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 3♀ (CNC). USA.— Connecticut: Storrs, July 16, 1954 – July 31, 1954, J. A. Slater, 13, 1♀ (AMNH). Storrs, July 16, 1954, J. A. Slater, 33 (AMNH). Illinois: Calhoun Co.: Hardin, June 5, 1932, H. L. Dozier, 23 (AMNH). Clark Co.: Dolson, Rocky Branch, June 25, 1932, Frison and Mohr, 13 (AMNH). Iowa: Clayton Co.: Strawberry Point, July 27, 1927, Harris and Johnston, 23 (CNC). Story Co.: Ames, July 15, 1932, F. Andre, 1♀ (UCB). Kansas: Douglas Co.: No specific locality, May 30, 1949, R. H. Beamer, Corylus americana (Betulaceae) , 23 (KU). Massachusetts: Middlesex Co.: Holliston, July 3, 1900 – July 13, 1900, N. Banks, 163, 20♀ (AMNH). Woburn, July 11, 1907, 1♀ (CAS). Minnesota: Hennepin Co.: Fort Snelling, July 10, 1924, H. H. Knight, 13 (CAS). Ramsey Co.: St. Anthony Park, June 23, 1921, H. H. Knight, 13 (USNM). Winona Co. : Kings Bluff, June 30, 1922, H. H. Knight, 1♀ (CAS). Kings Bluff, June 30, 1922, H. H. Knight, paratype: 13 (CNC). No specific locality, July 1, 1922, H. H. Knight, paratype: 13 (USNM). New Jersey: Bergen Co.: Ramsey, July 26, 1917, 13 (AMNH). New York: Cattaraugus Co.: Gowanda, August 2, 1907, E. P. Van Duzee, 1♀ (CAS). Rockland Co.: Tuxedo , July 8, 1928, C. H. Curran, 13 (AMNH). Tompkins Co.: Ithaca, July 2, 1920, H. H. Knight, paratype: 13 (USNM); holotype male (USNM). Westchester Co.: White Plains, July 24, 1915, 1♀ (CNC). Pennsylvania: Dauphin Co.: Middle Paxton Township, Rt 443, Fishing Creek Valley School, July 13, 1980, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Corylus americana (Betulaceae) , 13 (PDA). Luzerne Co.: Rice Township, Andy Pond, July 14, 1979, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Corylus americana (Betulaceae) , 1♀ (PDA). Wisconsin: Bayfield Co.: 5.5 mi W of Ino, August 16, 1973, G. F. Hevel, 2♀ (USNM). Polk Co.: No specific locality, July 1, 1900, Baker, 13 (CAS).