Plagiognathus cibbetsi, 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 : 62-63

Plagiognathus cibbetsi , new species Figures 6 , 15 , 22

HOLOTYPE: Male: ‘‘ USA: California: San Diego Co.: Cibbets Flat Cmpgrd on Kimball Crk Rd, 1280 m, April 29, 1985, R. T. Schuh, Ribes indecorum Eastw. (Saxifragaceae) ’’. Deposited in the American Museum of Natural History.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the relatively small size, pale, somewhat yellowish, coloration (figs. 6), the antennae pale except for dark base of spine on segment 1 and extreme base of segment 2 (fig. 15), and the structure of the male genitalia (fig. 22). Similar to polhemorum (fig. 11) and ribesi (fig. 12) in pale coloration, presence of a dark blotch on membrane posterior to cuneus, and relatively small size, but those species more greenish, with blotch on membrane darker and more obvious, and with dark stripe on dorsal surface of all femora. Similar to luteus in uniform coloration and general structure of vesica in male, but that species strongly bright orange with antennal segment 1 black.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Weakly ovoid, small; total length 3.13–3.33, length apex clypeus– cuneal fracture 2.11–2.48, width across pronotum 1.01–1.10. COLORATION (fig. 6): General coloration pale, yellowish, translucent; membrane pale with a faint fumose marking posterior to cuneus and membrane cells; spine on interior surface of antennal segment 1 and extreme base of segment 2 dark (fig. 15); labium infuscate at apex; mid­ dle and hind femora with some dark spots; dorsal tibial spines with dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at articulation with femora. SUR­ FACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum weakly granular, smooth, shining, translucent. Vestiture of dorsum composed of reclining pale, golden­shining, simple setae with some dark­ er setae on pronotum. STRUCTURE: Body flattened, relatively broad, lateral corial margins weakly but distinctly convex; frons weakly tumid, clypeus visible from above; anteocular distance 1.5 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by diameter of antennal segment 1; labium reaching apex of hind coxae. GENITALIA (fig. 22): Vesica, including apical spines, sigmoid, of moderately and more or less uniform thickness over length of body, base of vesica reaching to base of secondary gonopore; apical spines elongate, relatively slen­ der, anterior spine smoothly curving, posterior spine much shorter than anterior; flange on vesica relatively short and at most moderately broad.

Female: Very similar in shape and proportions to male (fig. 7). Total length 3.10– 3.40, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.21–2.42, width across pronotum 1.04– 1.14.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for its occurrence at Cibbets Flat Campground, San Diego County, California.

HOSTS: Ribes spp. (Grossulariaceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Mountains of southern California and southern Nevada .

PARATYPES: USA.— California: San Diego Co.: Cibbets Flat Campground on Kimball Creek Road, 1280 m, April 29, 1985, R. T. Schuh, Ribes indecorum (Grossulariaceae) , 53, 5♀ (AMNH). Nevada: Clark Co. : Charleston Peak, July 20, 1982, J. T. Polhemus, Ribes sp. (Grossulariaceae) , 103, 10♀ (AMNH, JTP).

Figures

Fig. 6. Habitus figures of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. (see p. 263 for localities).

Fig. 15. Antennal segments 1 and 2 of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp.

Fig. 22. Male genitalia of Nearctic Plagiognathus spp. fl = flange.