Plagiognathus dimorphus, SCHUH, 2001

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 : 71-72

Plagiognathus dimorphus , new species Figures 7 , 16 , 23

HOLOTYPE: Male: ‘‘ USA: Wyoming: Shoshone Co.: Fox Crk. Cmpgrd., 6.9 mi E Cooke City on Rt. 212, 7250 ft., Aug. 11, 1986, Schuh, Schwartz, and Stonedahl, ex Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt. ( Elaeagnaceae )’’. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History, New York.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the moderately large size, elongate, somewhat flattened, nearly parallel­sided body form, totally dark antennae, generally brownish, rather than castaneous to blackish coloration of dorsum, and the diffuse pale area at base of corium running posteriorly from base of wing a short distance along radial vein (fig. 7). Pattern of coloration on dorsum in dimorphus not as distinct as in most Plagiognathus species and sexual dimorphism stronger than in most, females being shorter and much more strongly ovoid than males (fig. 7). Body of vesica and flange similar in conformation to obscurus (compare figs. 23 and 29), but these species easily distinguished on basis of external attributes. Possibly confused with paramundus , but that species with scutellum pale laterally with a dark, median, longitudinal stripe, with the hemelytra more exten­ sively pale, and with a relatively narrow flange on the vesica (fig. 11).

DESCRIPTION: Male: Elongate, more or less parallel­sided, large; total length 3.78–4.80, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.51– 3.06, width across pronotum 1.11–1.36. COLORATION (fig. 7): Background coloration of dorsum brown; vertex, and sometimes frons, pale; pronotum often partially to largely pale, but calli always dark; corium with a narrow pale area running down basal one­fourth of radial vein; costal vein mostly dark; cuneus pale on basal one­third; corium narrowly pale at extreme base of membrane; membrane fumose, veins mostly pale except along posterior margin of cells, membrane pale at angle between posterior margin of small cell and posteromesial margin of cuneus; all antennal segments castaneous to black (fig. 16), except for pale, narrow, apical annulus on segment 1; labium castaneous; venter entirely castaneous, including metathoracic scent­gland evaporatory area; legs mostly pale to very weakly infuscate, extreme base of coxae usually infuscate; femora with numerous dark spots; tibiae pale, spines with dark bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, dull to weakly shining. Vestiture of dorsum composed of recumbent, brown, golden, shining, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Lateral corial margins very weakly convex; frons moderately convexly rounded as viewed from above, clypeus 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. 23): Body of vesica stout and broadly curving, more or less U­shaped, base of vesica not quite reaching to level of secondary gonopore; posterior apical spine long, weakly curving, forming an oblique angle relative to body of vesica, anterior spine slightly longer than posterior, nearly straight in lateral view, angle relative to body of vesica not quite perpendicular; flange broad, nearly straight, long, reaching past midpoint of secondary gonopore.

Female: Body shorter, broader, and more strongly ovoid than in male (fig. 7). Pronotum and hemelytra more extensively pale than in male; mesoscutum and scutellum sometimes largely pale (fig. 7). Total length 3.81–3.99, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.64–2.72, width across pronotum 1.16– 1.28.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the strong sexual dimorphism.

HOSTS: Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) . Records from Salix spp. probably represent sitting occurrences.

DISTRIBUTION: Alaska and Yukon in the north, south through Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.

PARATYPES: CANADA.— Alberta: Kananaskis, Highwood /Cataract Zone, picnic area of Rt 40, July 24, 1994, M. D. Schwartz, 2♀ (CNC). Kananaskis, Peter Longhead Prov. Park, July 24, 1994, M. D. Schwartz, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 1♀ (CNC). British Columbia : Ft. Nelson, August 19, 1983, L. A. Kelton, ♀ (CNC). Hedley, July 22, 1970, L. A. Kelton, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 43, 5♀ (CNC). Langley, July 17, 1959, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). 11 mi NW of Osoyoos, 4 km SE of Mt. Kobau Summit, M. D. Schwartz, Alnus rugosa , 3♀ (CNC). Terrace, July 9, 1960, W. R. Richards, 1♀ (CNC). Toad River, 2 mi N of Wood Creek, August 1, 1982, G. G. E. Scudder, 43 (UBC). Yahk, August 8, 1973, L. A. Kelton, 33 (CNC). Yukon Territory: Carcross, July 29, 1982, G. G. E. Scudder, 33, 13♀ (UBC). Carmacks, July 17, 1982, L. A. Kelton, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 63, 2♀ (CNC). 14 mi SE of Dawson, 1300 ft, P. J. Skitsko, August 6, 1962, Populus sp. (Salicaceae) , 1♀ (CNC). Duke River, Burwash Landing, July 25, 1979, S. G. Cannings, 1♀ (UBC). Engineer Creek, Dempster Hwy, July 23, 1983, L. A. Kelton, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 83, 1♀ (CNC). Tagish, July 17, 1983, L. A. Kelton, 13 (CNC). Tatchun, August 18, 1982, L. A. Kelton, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 163, 11♀ (CNC). Tatchun Creek, July 19, 1982, G. G. E. Scudder, 13, 2♀ (UBC). Whitehorse, July 16, 1982, 1♀ (CNC). USA.— Alaska: Tok, July 22, 1982, L. A. Kelton, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 183, 15♀ (CNC). Colorado: Jackson Co.: 2 mi W of Gould, 9000 ft, August 13, 1968, Oman, 13 (OSU). Gould, August 12, 1968, L. A. Kelton, Shepherdia sp. (Elaeagnaceae) , 353, 31♀ (CNC). Jefferson Co.: Upper Beaver Br. Gulch, August 12, 1981, D. A. Polhemus, 43, 2♀ (JTP). Larimer Co.: 46 mi W of Fort Collins, Fish Creek Picnic Grounds, Pingree Park Road, 7700 ft, July 14, 1986, R. T. Schuh and J. T. Polhemus, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 103, 13♀ (AMNH). Montana: Park Co.: Rt 212 at Wyoming border, 7750 ft, August 11, 1986, Schuh, Schwartz, Stonedahl, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 153, 24♀ (AMNH, USNM). Teton Co.: 30 mi NW of Choteau on Rt 189, West Fork of Teton Riv­ er, 5600 ft, August 2, 1994, M. D. Schwartz, Salix sp. (Salicaceae) , 13, 1♀ (CNC). Utah: Box Elder Co. : Raft River Mts., 5 mi SW of Clear Creek Campground, 6200–8000 ft, July 31, 1981, M. D. Schwartz, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 283, 33♀ (AMNH, USNM). Wyoming: Fremont Co.: Wind River Mts., Shoshone Natl. Forest, Papoagie Cmpgrd on Rt 131, August 14, 1986, Schwartz and Stonedahl, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 183, 30♀ (AMNH). Shoshone Co.: 6.9 mi E of Cooke City on Rt 212, Fox Creek Campground, 7250 ft, August 11, 1986, Schuh, Schwartz, Stonedahl, Shepherdia canadensis (Elaeagnaceae) , 483, 55♀ (AMNH, USNM); holotype male (AMNH).

Figures

Fig. 7. Habitus figures of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. (see p. 263 for localities).

Fig. 16. Antennal segments 1 and 2 of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp.

Fig. 23. Male genitalia of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp.