Plagiognathus grandis Reuter, 1876b: 91

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 : 95-144

Plagiognathus grandis Reuter, 1876b: 91 (n. sp.). Gerhardiella rubidus Poppius, 1911: 85 (n. sp.).

NEW SYNONYMY.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the large size, very broad body, and somewhat mottled carmine coloration of the dorsum (fig. 8). Unlike any other Plagiognathus species in coloration and its heavy body. Vesica with short apical spines (fig. 25), similar in structure to concoloris , flavus , longipennis , lonicerae , and phaceliae .

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Large, heavy­bodied; total length 4.55–5.18, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 3.07–3.55, width across pronotum 1.58–1.75. COLORATION (fig. 8): General coloration, including venter and femora, mottled carmine, less commonly nearly solid carmine or more broadly pale; membrane moderately fumose, veins pale; antennal segment 1 intensely dark at base, sometimes lighter distally and with a pale apical annulus, segment 2 dark at base and sometimes infuscate distally, lighter mesially (fig. 17), segments 3 and 4 moderately infuscate; labium mostly carmine, apex infuscate; dorsal tibial spines with small dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum smooth, polished, and shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of relatively short, pale, recumbent, scattered, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Heavy­bodied, stout, hemelytra nearly parallel­sided; frons weakly tumid, clypeus not visible from above; anteocular distance 1.3 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by 1.3 times diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching apex of hind coxae. GENI­ TALIA (fig. 25): Vesica, including apical spines, sigmoid, body relatively heavy, base falling near base of secondary gonopore; apical spines mostly overlapping, anterior spine slightly longer than posterior; flange very narrow.

Female: Coloration as in male; body somewhat more ovoid. Total length 4.76– 5.09, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 3.33–3.56, width across pronotum 1.63–1.81.

HOSTS: Rhus microphylla , R. triloba (Anacardiaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Known from North Dakota in the north to Zacatecas, Mexico, in the south, from Utah and eastern Arizona in the west to west Texas in the east.

DISCUSSION: Comparison of a substantial amount of material identified as grandis and rubidus , ranging from Mexico to North Dakota and west to Arizona, indicates that a single species is involved. I am therefore treating rubidus as a junior synonym of grandis . I was unable to locate the types of grandis and rubidus during the course of this study. Nonetheless, the identity of this taxon, including the synonymy listed above, seems reasonably certain, based on all of the identified material I have examined.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: MEXICO.— Chihuahua: Chihuahua, 4600 ft, May 29, 1964, L. A. Kelton, 93, 15♀ (CNC). Zacatecas: Tropic of Cancer on Hwy 54, 1958 m, July 4, 1984, Carroll, Schaffner, Friedlander, 13 (TAMU). USA.— Arizona: Cochise Co. : 0.5 mi E of Portal, 1450 m, June 12, 1980, R. T. Schuh, K. and R. Schmidt, Rhus microphylla (Anacardiaceae) , 113, 24♀ (AMNH). 2.7 mi NW of Portal, 1600 m, June 13, 1980, R. T. Schuh, K. and R. Schmidt, Rhus microphylla (Anacardiaceae) , 173, 31♀ (AMNH). 8 mi W of Bisbee on Rt 92, 4700 ft, June 3, 1983, R.T. Schuh, Rhus microphylla (Anacardiaceae) , 383, 28♀ (AMNH). Portal, June 15, 1980, R. T. Schuh, K. and R. Schmidt, 1♀ (AMNH). Gila Co. : 5.2 mi S of Globe, May 13, 1999, J. C. Schaffner, 1♀ (TAMU). Globe, Pinal Creek, 4000 ft, June 6, 1953, A. and H. Dietrich, 1♀ (CU). Yavapai Co.: Ash Fork, June 30, 1991, W. F. Chamberlain, 23, 1♀ (TAMU). Colorado: Denver Co.: Denver, July 15, 1909, W. J. Gerhard, 23 (CAS). Douglas Co.: Waterton, June 25, 1981, J. T. Polhemus, 33, 1♀ (AMNH). Jefferson Co.: Waterton, Platte River, 5350 ft, July 11, 1986, J. T. Polhemus, 1♀ (AMNH). Larimer Co.: Fort Collins, July 15, 1900, E. P. Van Duzee, 13 (CAS). Unknown Co.: Macedonia, July 1, 1931, R. H. Beamer, 1♀ (KU). Natural Fort, 9 mi S of Cheyenne, Wyoming, August 16, 1968, P. Oman, 13, 1♀ (CNC). New Mexico: Otero Co.: 2 mi SW of Mayhill, July 17, 1979, Dolorme, Mc­ Hugh, Schaffner, Rhus microphylla (Anacardiaceae) , 2♀ (TAMU). North Dakota: Ramsey Co.: Roosevelt Natl. Mem. Park, N. Unit, June 30, 1973, L. A. Kelton, Rhus sp. (Anacardiaceae) , 83, 1♀ (CNC). Texas: Cameron Co.: Big Bend Natl. Park, Tornillo Flat, May 20, 1959, Howden and Becker, 23, 1♀ (CNC). Frio Co.: 10 mi N of Pearsall, April 23, 1976, G. V. Manley, 33, 1♀ (TAMU). 2 mi N of Pearsall, May 8, 1976, J. C. Schaffner, 263, 39♀ (TAMU). 2 mi S of Moore, May 8, 1976, J. C. Schaffner, 1♀ (TAMU). Jeff Davis Co.: Fort Davis, May 31, 1959, Howden and Becker, 1♀ (CNC). Kerr Co.: Kerrville, May 12, 1990, W. F. Chamberlain, 133, 13♀ (TAMU). Mason Co.: 14 mi SW of Mason, June 12, 1997, J. C. Schaffner, 13 (TAMU). Pecos Co.: Longfellow, July 1, 1930, J. O. Martin, 13, 1♀ (CAS). Rutherford Co.: Marathon, June 10, 1930, J. O. Martin, 93, 17♀ (CAS). Val Verde Co.: 15 mi E of Juno, May 27, 1976, G. V. Manley, 23 (TAMU). 28 mi N of Comstock, May 10, 1997, Gillogly and Schaffner, 243, 1♀ (TAMU). Utah: Cache Co.: Logan, July 10, 1903, 2♀ (USU). Salt Lake Co.: Salt Lake City, July 1, 1922, E. P. Van Duzee, 23, 5♀ (CAS). Sanpete Co.: 2.1 mi NE of Fairview on Rt 1, Cottonwood Creek, T13S R5E, 6750 ft, July 12, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Rhus triloba (Anacardiaceae) , 13, 4♀ (AMNH). Sevier Co.: 11 mi W of Sevier on I­70, 6400 ft, July 15, 1980, G. Stonedahl, Rhus sp. (Anacardiaceae) , 3♀ (AMNH). Uintah Co.: 5–10 mi SW of Bonanza, 5000–5600 ft, July 5, 1982, M. D. Schwartz, Rhus triloba (Anacardiaceae) , 2♀ (AMNH). Dinosaur National Monument (boundary on road to quarry), July 8, 1982, M. D. Schwartz, Rhus triloba

TABLE 1 Measurements of Plagiognathus spp.

( Anacardiaceae ), 1♀ (AMNH). Fort Duchesne, July 8, 1932, F. K. Steffers, 13 (USU). Unknown Co.: Antelope, July 1, 1931, R. T. Beamer, 13, 1♀ (KU). Utah Co.: 0.1 mi E of Covered Bridge Canyon on Rt 6/89, T8S R3E, 6000 ft, July 12, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Rhus triloba (Anacardiaceae) , 43, 9♀ (AMNH). American Fork, June 26, 1936, H. F. Thornton, 1♀ (USU). Pleasant Grove, June 20, 1937, G. F. Knowlton, 13 (USU). Rock Canyon, July 3, 1962, G. L. Jensen, Rhus triloba (Anacardiaceae) , 2♀ (UCB). Washington Co.: Snow Canyon State Park, T41S R16W, 4000 ft, May 22, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Rhus microphylla (Anacardiaceae) , 53, 17♀ (AMNH). Weber Co.: Ogden, August 7, 1963, G. F. Knowlton, 2♀ (USU). Wyoming: Platte Co.: Wheatland, July 14, 1937, R. H. Beamer, 13 (KU).