Plagiognathus mundus Van Duzee, 1917b: 281

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 : 172

Plagiognathus mundus Van Duzee, 1917b: 281 (n.

sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by its moderately large size, moderately elongate body form, yellowish to very weakly greenish appearance of pale areas on dorsum, anterior pale portion of corium extending posteriorly down radial vein, often pale vertex, pronotal disc, and scutellum (fig. 10), and relatively narrow and curving flange of vesica terminating near base of secondary gonopore (fig. 28). Possibly most easily confused with paramundus (fig. 11) by the far western distribution, dull appearance of the dorsum, and extension of pale anterior area of corium posteriorly along radial vein. Most specimens easily separated from paramundus by scutellum in that species being almost always pale laterally with a dark median stripe whereas when scutellum pale in mundus never with a median, longitudinal, dark stripe. Extension of pale basal area of corium posteriorly along radial vein also seen in alboradialis and flavoscutellatus .

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Parallel­sided to very elongate ovoid, moderately large; total length 3.85–4.60, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.63–3.15, width across pronotum 1.09–1.25. COLORATION (fig. 10): Background coloration of dorsum chocolate brown to castaneous, pale areas of dorsum with a distinctly yellowish or greenish cast; posterior margin of vertex broadly pale; disc of pronotum and much of scutellum frequently pale; corium pale basally, the area sometimes extensive, always extending posteriorly along radial vein and often along claval suture; clavus frequently pale along entire length, either along claval suture or just mesad of claval suture; costal vein ranging from entirely dark to entirely pale; cuneus and corium pale across cuneal fracture; membrane fumose, veins pale to orange, strongly contrasting with membrane; all antennal segments castaneous to black (fig. 17), antennal segment 1 with a narrow apical annulus; labium castaneous; venter mostly castaneous, including much of metathoracic scent­gland evaporatory area; coxae and femora ranging from mostly pale yellowish to largely castaneous, hind femora always infuscate at least on distal half; tibiae pale to moderately infuscate, dorsal spines with large dark bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, usually dull. Face more highly polished than remain­ der of body surface. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent, silvery, shining, very weakly flattened setae. STRUCTURE: General form somewhat slender; frons very weakly convex, clypeus barely 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 to about apex of hind coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 28): Body of vesica only moderately stout and broadly curving, more or less J­shaped, base of vesica falling well below level of secondary gonopore; posterior apical spine long, nearly straight, almost erect relatively to body of vesica; anterior spine only slightly longer than posterior, weakly angled relative to body of vesica, and nearly straight in lateral view; flange narrow, curving, terminating slightly above base of secondary gonopore.

Female: Body distinctly shorter and more strongly ovoid than in male. Vertex, pronotum, and scutellum more extensively pale than in male. Total length 3.33–4.25, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.37–2.97, width across pronotum 1.03–1.28.

HOSTS: Although recorded from other plants, appears to breed primarily on Urtica spp. (Urticaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Western North America, from Idaho and Washington in the north, south into Utah and the Central Valley of California.

DISCUSSION: My concept of mundus is based on the examination of the 20 paratypes listed under Specimens Examined.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA.— California: Alameda Co. : Niles Canyon, June 13, 1917, W. M. Giffard, paratypes: 83, 9♀ (CAS). Alpine Co.: SE of Markleesville on Rt 89, Toiyabe Natl. Forest, 6750 ft, July 5, 1994, M. D. Schwartz, Urtica holosericea (Urticaceae) , 103, 6♀ (AMNH). Butte Co.: Chico, Bidwell Park, May 17, 1987 – May 31, 1987, S. H. Dreistadt, Ulmus procera (Ulmaceae) , 23, 1♀ (USNM). Oroville, June 24, 1927, H. H. Kelfer, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 1♀ (CAS). Oroville, May 8, 1951, 13 (UCB). Contra Costa Co.: Moraga, May 4, 1976 – June 28, 1977, D. G. Dennig, 23, 4♀ (UCB, UCD). No specific locality, June 14, 1917, W. M. Giffard, paratypes: 33 (CAS). Del Norte Co.: Klamath, July 18, 1934, E. P. Van Duzee, 1♀ (CAS). Fresno Co.: 2 km W of Kaiser Pass on USFS 80, 2600 m, July 25, 1999, M. D. Schwartz, 13, 3♀ (CNC). 5 km S of Big Creek on USFS 80, Huntington Lake Road, 1600 m, July 25, 1999, M. D. Schwartz, Lupinus sp. (Fabaceae) , 83, 16♀ (AMNH, CNC). Shaver Lake Point, at weir on Stevenson Creek, 1600 ft, July 25, 1999, M. D. Schwartz, 13, 1♀ (CNC). Humboldt Co.: Beatrice, August 10, 1952, B. P. Brunson, 53, 12♀ (CAS). Beatrice, June 21, 1959, Kelton and Madge, 93, 9♀ (CNC). Bridgeville, June 20, 1959, Kelton and Madge, 1♀ (CNC). Eureka, June 22, 1959, Kelton and Madge, 13 (CNC). Shively, June 21, 1959, Kelton and Madge, 13 (CNC). Kern Co.: Fort Tejon, July 18, 1975, J. Doyen, ex Urticaceae , 13 (UCB). Marin Co.: Muir Woods, July 15, 1917, W. M. Giffard, 23, 5♀ (CAS). Mono Co.: 4 mi E of Monitor Pass on Rt 89, July 15, 1966, J. Powell, 13, 3♀ (UCB). Sacramento Co.: Sacramento, American River, June 15, 1985, C. B. Barr, 2♀ (LSU). Shasta Co.: 5 mi N of Cassel, July 15, 1947, C. A. Hanson, 13 (UCB). Millville, June 16, 1959, Kelton and Madge, 1♀ (CNC). Siskiyou Co.: Hornbrook, June 14, 1959, Kelton and Madge, 13, 1♀ (CNC). Trinity Co.: Deer Creek, August 2, 1973, T. Griswold, 43 (PUC). Tulare Co.: 5 mi W of Three Rivers, Terminus Res. Camp, June 16, 1971, M. H. Sweet, 93, 1♀ (TAMU). Idaho: Bannock Co.: 3 mi E of McCammon, June 29, 1966, W. Gagne and J. Haddock, 13 (UCB). Blaine Co.: 20 mi N of Shoshone, Big Wood River, July 1, 1966, W. Gagne and J. Haddock, Urtica sp. (Urticaceae) , 143, 9♀ (UCB). Nevada: Eureka Co. : 23 mi W of Carlin, Humboldt River, W. Gagne, 23 (UCB). Oregon: Jackson Co.: Siskiyou Summit, Old Road, 1260 m, July 22, 1999, M. D. Schwartz, Phacelia sp. (Hydrophyllaceae) , 1♀ (CNC). Klamath Co.: Geary Ranch at Wocus Bay, 1280 m, July 10, 1979, R. T. and Joe Schuh, Urtica lyalli (Urticaceae) , 83, 13♀ (AMNH). Klamath Falls, Algoma, July 19, 1946, Joe Schuh, 23, 1♀ (OSU). Morrow Co.: 26 mi E of Heppner, July 12, 1960, P. Oman, 2♀ (OSU). Utah: Box Elder Co. : Willard Basin, July 15, 1964, G. F. Knowlton, 13 (USU). Cache Co.: Ricks Spring, July 24, 1943, G. F. Knowlton, 13 (USU). Utah Co.: American Fork Canyon, July 21, 1954, 13 (USU). Washington: King Co.: Seattle, July 7, 1917, W. M. Giffard, 13 (CAS).