Psallus morrisoni Knight, 1923: 464

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 : 170-171

Psallus morrisoni Knight, 1923: 464 (n. sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the moderate size and mostly dark coloration (fig. 10), antennal segment 2 entirely dark (fig. 17), and the silvery, flattened, weakly scalelike setae on the dorsum, pleuron, and abdominal venter intermixed with recumbent, shining, silvery, simple setae. Similar in coloration of the antennae and type of vestiture to alnicenatus (fig. 5), astericola (fig. 5), and parshleyi (fig. 11); distinguished from astericola by its slightly larger size, from alnicenatus by its blacker coloration and smaller size, and from parshleyi by its smaller size and dark femora. The bases of the corium and the cuneus are frequently pale in morrisoni

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate, more or less parallel­sided, of moderate size; total length 3.30–3.85, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.22–2.57, width across pronotum 0.97–1.09. COLORATION (fig. 10): Almost entirely castaneous to nearly black; base of corium and base of cuneus frequently pale; corium narrowly pale adjacent to extreme base of membrane; membrane fumose, veins mostly pale; antennae black (fig. 17) except for pale apical annulus on segment 1; labium mostly pale, trochanters and adjoining areas of coxae and femora pale; femora narrowly pale at apex; tibial background coloration pale, dorsal tibial spines with dark spots at bases, spots frequently coalescing to form a banded appearance; tibiae black at femoral articulation. SURFACE AND VES­ TITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum, pleuron, and abdominal venter laterally composed of flattened, silvery, scalelike setae intermixed with recumbent, silvery, shining, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Lateral corial margins only very weakly convex; frons weakly convex, clypeus visible from above; anteocular distance equal to diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 2 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching to about apex of hind coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 28): Body of vesica short, stout, broadly J­shaped, base of vesica falling well below level of secondary gonopore, apical spines forming a nearly right angle with body of vesica, anterior spine nearly straight; flange broad, reaching to about midpoint of secondary gonopore.

Female: Body form much more strongly ovoid than in males; antennal segment 2 slightly narrower than in male, weakly pale distally. Total length 2.92–3.36, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.05–2.42, width across pronotum 0.93–1.06.

HOST: Breeds on the Myricaceae , including species of Comptonia and Myrica .

DISTRIBUTION: Northeastern North America.

DISCUSSION: This species was described in Psallus by Knight (1923) because of the weakly scalelike setae on the dorsum. In all other attributes, including the male genitalia, it clearly belongs to Plagiognathus .

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— New Brunswick: Kouchibouguac Natl. Park, July 26, 1977, D. J. Brown, 13 (CNC). Nova Scotia: Ingonish, July 30, 1976, L. A. Kelton, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 43 (CNC). Ontario: 25 mi E of Kenora, August 10, 1960, Kelton and Whitney, Myrica sp. (Myricaceae) , 103, 13♀ (CNC). Constance Bay, August 24, 1932, G. S. Walley, Myrica sp. (Myricaceae) , 143, 28♀ (CNC). Constance Bay, Pine Forest, July 18, 1991, M. D. Schwartz, Comptonia peregrina (Myricaceae) , 33, 20♀ (CNC). Effingham, August 11, 1961, L. A. Kelton, 1♀ (CNC). Effingham, near Fonthill, June 23, 1955, O. Peck, 1♀ (CNC). Marmora, July 29, 1952, C. D. F. Miller, Myrica sp. (Myricaceae) , 53, 9♀ (CNC). Muskoka, July 1, 1888, E. P. Van­ Duzee, 13 (USNM). North Bay, July 14, 1961, G. Brumpton, 13 (CNC). Norway Point, Lake of Bays, June 28, 1922, J. McDunnough, 33 (CNC). Shawanaga, July 26, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Myrica sp. (Myricaceae) , 63, 11♀ (CNC). Trenton, July 22, 1901, Evans, 1♀ (CNC). Waterford, July 17, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 13 (CNC). Quebec: Kazubazua, August 17, 1927, G. S. Walley, 333, 42♀ (CNC). Laniel, July 6, 1963, L. A. Kelton, 83, 1♀ (CNC). Leclerville, August 7, 1961, G. Brumpton, 13 (CNC). Moosonee, July 18, 1934, G. S. Walley, 13 (CNC). New Richmond, August 6, 1954, J. E. H. Martin, 13, 1♀ (CNC). Schwarz, August 6, 1931, G. S. Walley, 53, 3♀ (CNC). Shawville, August 6, 1958, L. A. Kelton, 183, 13♀ (CNC). Saskatchewan: Fort a la Corne, July 17, 1925, K. M. King, 13 (CNC). USA.— Connecticut: Mansfield Center, August 9, 1956, J. A. Slater, 23 (AMNH). Maine: Penobscot Co.: Orono, August 3, 1906, ex Myricaceae , 23 (USNM). Massachusetts: Suffolk Co.: Boston, Arnold Arboretum, July 27, 1921, H. Morrison, paratypes: 13, 2♀ (USNM). Boston, Arnold Arboretum, July 27, 1921, Harold Morrison, Comptonia sp. (Myricaceae) , paratypes:23, 10♀ (USNM); holotype male (USNM). Hyde Park, October 21, 1915, H. M. Parshley, Solidago sp. (Asteraceae) , paratype: 13 (CAS). Minnesota: Lake Co.: Cramer, August 10, 1922, H. H. Knight, Myrica gale (Myricaceae) , 123, 18♀ (USNM). Gabro Lake Portage, August 31, 1920, H. H. Knight, 33, 3♀ (USNM). Pine Co.: Willow River, August 7, 1922, H. H. Knight, 193, 21♀ (USNM). Willow River, August 7, 1922, H.H. Knight, Myrica asplenifolia (Myricaceae) , 153, 15♀ (USNM). New York: St. Lawrence Co.: Cranberry Lake, August 19, 1920, C. J. Drake, 23 (USNM). Pennsylvania: Centre Co.: 1 mi W of Philipsburg on Rt 322, August 26, 1981, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., ex Myricaceae , 2♀ (PDA). Dauphin Co.: Enterline, July 15, 1921, T. L. Guyton, 13, 1♀ (USNM). Lackawanna Co.: Springbrook, August 25, 1945, R. I. Sailer, Myrica asplenifolia (Myricaceae) , 33, 8♀ (USNM). Luzerne Co.: Stoddartsville, 480 m, July 18, 1998, M. D. Schwartz, 63, 4♀ (CNC). Schuykill Co.: 4 mi N of Rt 209 on I­80, August 11, 1973, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Comptonia peregrina (Myricaceae) , 23, 1♀ (AMNH). I­81 4 mi N of Rt 209, August 11, 1973, A. G. Wheel­ er, Jr., Comptonia peregrina (Myricaceae) , 33, 11♀ (PDA). Unknown Co.: Drumgold, July 16, 1920, T. L. Guyton, 13 (USNM). Pine Grove Forest, August 17, 1920, J. O. Pepper, 1♀ (USNM).