Plagiognathus flavoscutellatus Knight, 1923: 440

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 : 82-83

Plagiognathus flavoscutellatus Knight, 1923: 440

(n. sp.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the large, heavy body, entirely black antennae, and the moderately long labium reaching to near the apex of the hind coxae, the scutellum pale at least at apex and often entirely so, and the anterior pale area of the corium extending pos­ teriorly along radial vein (fig. 8). Pattern of coloration of obscurus type, with base of corium pale and cuneus at least partially pale. Most similar in appearance to brevirostris , being large and heavy bodied, but labium longer than in brevirostris , reaching to near apex of hind coxae, scutellum always pale at apex and often entirely so, and femora pale with dark spots rather than mostly dark. Extension of pale basal area of corium posteriorly along radial vein also seen in alboradialis , mundus , and paramundus .

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate, relatively heavy­bodied, large; total length 4.03–4.50, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 3.01– 3.15, width across pronotum 1.26–1.34. COLORATION (fig. 8): Background coloration of dorsum castaneous; corium pale, yellowish to light orange, on basal one­third, the posterior margin of this area jagged and extending posteriorly along the radial vein; costal vein usually pale, less commonly dark; cuneus at least basally, and adjacent area of corium, pale; corium narrowly pale at extreme base of membrane; scutellum ranging from pale only at apex to entirely so; vertex and frons pale, area below base of clypeus mostly castaneous; membrane fumose, veins pale; all antennal segments castaneous to black (fig. 16) except for pale, narrow, apical annulus on segment 1; labium entirely castaneous; venter mostly castaneous, metathoracic scent­gland evaporatory area often at least partially pale; coxae mostly castaneous, trochanters and femora pale, yellowish to orange, femora with numerous dark spots; tibiae pale, yellowish to orange, dorsal spines with small dark bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VES­ TITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, dull to very weakly shining. Face at and below base of clypeus more highly polished than remainder of body surface. Vestiture of dorsum composed of reclining, relatively long, golden, shining, simple setae. STRUC­ TURE: More or less parallel­sided, lateral corial margins very weakly convex; frons weakly convex, clypeus barely visible from above; anteocular distance 0.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching almost to apex of hind coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 24): Body of vesica only moderately stout, broadly curving, very broadly J­shaped, base of vesica at about level of base of secondary gonopore; posterior apical spine long, smoothly curving, anterior spine slightly longer than posterior and more strongly angled relative to body of vesica; flange very narrow, not extending beyond margin of vesica, terminating at base of secondary gonopore.

Female: Body slightly broader and more strongly ovoid than in male. Coloration very similar to that of male. Total length 4.13– 4.44, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.92–3.20, width across pronotum 1.31–1.35.

HOSTS: Recorded from Salix longifolia by Knight (1923). Specimens examined for this study indicate its occurrence on a variety of Salix spp. Records from other groups probably represent sitting occurrences.

DISTRIBUTION: Known from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota and south to Iowa and Ohio.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Nova Scotia: Ingonish, July 30, 1976, L. A. Kelton, 43, 2♀ (CNC). Truro, August 2, 1917, 1♀ (CAS). Ontario: Bayfield, June 22, 1962, H. Blanchard, 13 (CNC). Dashwood, July 10, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 1♀ (CNC). Dunnville, July 9, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 133, 3♀ (CNC). Exeter, July 12, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Grand Bend, July 11, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 23, 1♀ (CNC). Jordan, July 17, 1961, L. A. Kelton, 23 (CNC). Kingsville, July 7, 1962, G. Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 43, 7♀ (CNC). Lake Placid, 2000 ft, July 19, 1962, J. R. Vockeroth, 13 (CNC). Mt. Pleasant, July 10, 1958, L. A. Kelton, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Newry, July 12, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 1♀ (CNC). Norwich, July 19, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 13 (CNC). Orangeville, July 24, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 13, 1♀ (CNC). Ottawa, July 21, 1914, G. Beaulieau, 13, 3♀ (CNC). Shipka, July 10, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 3♀ (CNC). St. Catherines, September 3, 1961, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). Strathroy, July 9, 1925, H. F. Hudson, 13 (CNC). Tillsonburg, June 20, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Vienna, July 18, 1962, Kelton and Thorpe, 13 (CNC). Vineland, July 10, 1961, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). Vittoria, July 13, 1962, H. Blanchard, Rubus sp. (Rosaceae) , 13 (CNC). Windsor, July 7, 1962, G. Thorpe, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Quebec: Hull, July 19, 1924, J. I. Beaulne, paratypes: 13, 1♀ (CNC). USA.— Connecticut: Colebrook, Colebrook Resevoir, August 21, 1970, F. P. Maroney, 13 (AMNH). East Hartford, Tunxis State Forest, July 20, 1970, F. P. Maroney, 1♀ (AMNH). Ridgefield, Titicus Hamlet, September 2, 1970, F. P. Maroney, 1♀ (AMNH). Rt 67 N of Southbury, Powerline Tri., September 1, 1970, F. P. Maroney, 13 (AMNH). Illinois: Clark Co.: West Union, June 26, 1932, Ross, Dozier, Park, 13 (AMNH). Indiana: Cass Co.: 2 mi E of Logansport, East 13th Street Bridge, July 11, 1976, T. J. Henry, Salix interior (Salicaceae) , 1♀ (PDA). 2 mi E of Walton, July 4, 1979, T. J. Henry, Salix nigra (Salicaceae) , 4♀ (USNM). Tippecanoe Co.: No specific locality, June 10, 1939, D. W. LaHue, 1♀ (PDA). Iowa: Boone Co.: Ledges State Park, July 19, 1925, H. H. Knight, Salix longifolia (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (TAMU). Ledges State Park, July 19, 1925, H. H. Knight, Salix longifolia (Salicaceae) , 23, 2♀ (USNM). Ledges State Park, June 22, 1962, J. C. Schaffner, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13, 6♀ (TAMU). No specific locality, June 22, 1962, J. C. Schaffner, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 23, 4♀ (TAMU). Clinton Co.: Clinton, June 23, 1925, G. S. Walley, 13, 2♀ (CNC). DeWitt, June 21, 1928, G. S. Walley, 23, 1♀ (CNC). Scott Co.: Pleasant Valley, June 23, 1928, G. S. Walley, 1♀ (CNC). Story Co.: Ames, June 24, 1930, H. M. Harris, 1♀ (TAMU). Ames, September 24, 1949, W. Downes, 13 (AMNH). Michigan: Berrien Co.: Berrien Springs, St. Joseph River, July 16, 1914, 1♀ (AMNH). Minnesota: Ramsey Co.: No specific locality, July 18, 1922, H. H. Knight, paratypes: 13, 1♀ (CAS). New York: Tompkins Co.: Ithaca, Cornell University, July 2, 1978, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 1♀ (PDA). Ithaca, July 6, 1979 – July 8, 1979, A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Salix interior (Salicaceae) , 213, 21♀ (PDA). Ohio: Summit Co.: Barberton, August 13, 1936, L. J. Lipovsky, 13 (KU). Pennsylvania: Dauphin Co.: Harrisburg near Rockville, July 18, 1979, T. J. Henry, Betula nigra (Betulaceae) , 33, 2♀ (PDA). Monroe Co.: Delaware Water Gap, E. P. Van Duzee, 1♀ (AMNH). Vermont: Windsor Co.: Norwich, July 8, 1908, 1♀ (AMNH). Wisconsin: Walworth Co.: East Troy, August 10, 1935, P. B. Lawson, 2♀ (KU).