Plagiognathus fulvaceus Knight, 1964: 144

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 : 84-85

Plagiognathus fulvaceus Knight, 1964: 144 (n.

sp.).

Microphylellus symphoricarpi Knight, 1968: 30

(n. sp.). NEW SYNONYMY.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by moderately large size, generally dull reddish coloration (including all appendages [fig. 8], although antennal segment 1 sometimes partially to completely dark and segment 2 often dark at base), and vestiture of dorsum reclining, golden, shining, and somewhat shaggy. Similar to aquilinus (fig. 6) and mexicanus (fig. 10) in the red coloration, but those species with black setae on the dorsum and mexicanus with all antennal segments black. Also potentially confused with concoloris and lonicerae , but those species larger and not so strongly reddish and with dark setae on pronotum. Vesica (fig. 24) distinctive, similar in form to that of albifacies (fig. 20), long, relatively slender, broadly curving, and with relatively short, slender, erect, weakly curving apical spines.

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Medium­sized, nearly parallel­sided; total length 3.90–4.75, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.40– 3.08, width across pronotum 1.12–1.25. COLORATION (fig. 8): General coloration of dorsum, including most of venter and appendages, dull reddish; venter slightly dark­ er; membrane weakly fumose, pale at angle between posterior margin of cells and posteromesal margin of cuneus; veins of membrane reddish; antennal segment 1 varying from entirely reddish to entirely castaneous, segment 2 frequently infuscate at base and apex (fig. 16), segments 3 and 4 castaneous; apex of labium infuscate; femora with some dark spots; tibial spines without dark spots at bases. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum shaggy, composed of densely placed, reclining, golden, shining, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Body elongate, flattened, nearly parallel­sided; frons weakly tumid, clypeus barely visible from above; anteocular distance equal to diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below level of antennal insertion by diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching to apex of middle coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 24): Vesica, including apical spines, more or less J­shaped, body relatively slen­ der, broadly curving, base falling near base of secondary gonopore; apical spines erect, slender, nearly cylindrical, weakly curving, and of nearly equal length; flange very narrow.

Female: More strongly ovoid than male; coloration similar to male; frons more strongly protuberant. Total length 2.89–4.26, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.11– 2.86, width across pronotum 1.04–1.31.

HOSTS: Symphoricarpos longiflorus , S. oreophilus , S. sp. ( Caprifoliaceae ); Vaccinium sp. (Ericaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Known from Nevada , Utah, and western Colorado.

DISCUSSION: Knight (1964) described fulvaceus and symphoricarpi in separate genera. Comparison of Knight’s original material with additional specimens, and dissection of the male genitalia, indicates that these two nominal taxa are the same. The name fulvaceus has priority.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA.— Colorado: Montezuma Co. : Dolores, August 15, 1925, H. H. Knight, holotype male (USNM). Rio Blanco Co.: 10 mi S of Buford, Hill Creek Campground, August 6, 1978, J. T. Polhemus, 23, 7♀ (JTP). Nevada: Clark Co. : Charleston Peak, 7500 ft, July 22, 1982, J. T. Polhemus, 23, 1♀ (JTP). No specific locality, July 18, 1929, C. C. Searl, 1♀ (SDNH). Nye Co.: 35 mi N of Tonapah, Coyote Hole Spring/Sevier Reservoir, R42E S11 & 23, 6000 ft, June 30, 1983, Schuh and Schwartz, Symphoricarpos longiflorus (Caprifoliaceae) , 53, 5♀ (AMNH). Atomic Test Site, 2 mi W of Tippapah Hwy on Mine Mt. Road, 4400 ft, June 7, 1983, Schuh, Schwartz, Stonedahl, Symphoricarpos oreophilus (Caprifoliaceae) , 123, 31♀ (AMNH). Mercury, 17 M, June 16, 1965, H. Knight and J. Merino, Symphoricarpos longiflorus (Caprifoliaceae) , paratypes ( symphoricarpi ): 23 (CNC); holotype male ( symphoricarpi ) (USNM). Utah: Cache Co.: Tony Grove Canyon, August 17, 1976, Knowlton and Hanson, 23 (USU). Daggett Co.: 9 mi S of Dutch John, Uinta Mts., 0.2 mi N of jct Rts 44 & 260, 7500 ft, August 2, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Vaccinium sp. (Ericaceae) , 73, 6♀ (AMNH). Duchesne Co.: Left Fork Indian Canyon Summit on Rt 33, T7S R8W, 9100 ft, August 9, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Vaccinium sp. (Ericaceae) , 13, 1♀ (AMNH). Garfield Co.: near Bryce Canyon National Park, July 10, 1986, R. S. Peigler and T. B. Allen, 13 (TAMU). San Juan Co.: 2.7 mi W of Rt 95 on Rt 263, T37S R17E, 6000 ft, June 18, 1983, R. T. Schuh and M. D. Schwartz, Symphoricarpos oreophilus (Caprifoliaceae) , 63, 10♀ (AMNH). Sanpete Co.: 13 mi E of Fairview on Rt 31, T14S R6E, 7500 ft, August 8, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Symphoricarpos sp. (Caprifoliaceae) , 23, 4♀ (AMNH). Wasatch Co.: Dock Flat, 1 mi NE of Rt 40, T28S R12W Sec 9, 8000 ft, August 14, 1982, M. D. Schwartz, 5♀ (AMNH).