Plagiognathus blatchleyi Reuter, 1912: 61

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 : 47-48

Plagiognathus blatchleyi Reuter, 1912: 61 (n. sp.). Plagiognathus blatchleyi nubilis Knight, 1923 :

444 (n. var.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the relatively large size, heavy bodied appearance, pale background coloration of the dorsum, posterior lobe of the pronotum almost uniformly brown and anterior lobe pale or greenish (fig. 6), and the black antennae. Sometimes dorsum almost entirely orange. Similar in coloration, size, and body form to pale color phase of politus (fig. 11), but anterior lobe of pronotum and cuneus usually mostly dark in politus whereas these areas usually, although not always, pale in blatchleyi . Plagiognathus blatchleyi and politus unequivocally distinguished by the form of the male genitalia, the flange of the vesica being serrate distally in politus (fig. 31) and smooth in blatchleyi (fig. 21).

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Large, heavy bodied; total length 3.76–4.44, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.54–3.02, width across pronotum 1.13–1.40. COLORATION (fig. 6): General coloration pale, yellowish to faintly greenish; posterior lobe of pronotum, posterior two­thirds of clavus, and posterior one­third of corium usually brown, the pronotum most consistently so; clypeus at least partially castaneous, polished, and contrasting with remainder of head; membrane variably fumose, veins pale and at least weakly contrasting with membrane coloration; antennae black (fig. 15) except for pale apical annulus on segment 1, basal tapered portion of segment 1 highly polished and shining in contrast to dull remainder; labium weakly infuscate over much of length; femora usually pale as much of body, sometimes partially dark, always with some small dark spots; dorsal tibial spines with dark spots at bases; tibiae dark at femoral articulation; prosternum and sometimes genital capsule largely brown to dark brown. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Dorsum smooth, weakly shining. Vestiture of pronotum composed of reclining, golden, shining, simple setae, with some dark setae along anterior and lateral margins, hemelytra with recumbent, golden, shining, simple setae. STRUCTURE: Body relatively heavy, broad, and deep; pronotum steeply declining anteriorly; head transverse, short, not projecting anteriorly, clypeus at most barely visible from above; anteocular distance 0.3 times diameter of antennal segment 1; head projecting below eye by diameter of antennal segment 1; labium long, reaching to apex of hind coxae or slightly beyond. GENITALIA (fig. 21): Vesica relatively short and stout, body broad; apical spines angled relative to body of vesica, anterior more strongly than posterior; flange broad, terminating past midpoint of secondary gonopore.

Female: Coloration as in male; body more strongly ovoid. Total length 4.01– 4.33, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.79– 3.07, width across pronotum 1.35–1.54.

HOSTS: Ambrosia trifida , Verbesina alternifolia (Asteraceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Recorded from Ontario west to Manitoba and Colorado, south to Texas, and east to Virginia.

DISCUSSION: Reuter (1912) described blatchleyi on the basis of material collected at Hamburg, New York, by E. P. Van Duzee. He apparently saw both male and female specimens, inasmuch as he provided measurements for both sexes. His description was not rendered in sufficient detail to allow unequivocal recognition of the species. I have not seen any specimens that appear to have been examined by Reuter. Therefore, my treatment of synonymy for this taxon is based on what I believe to be authoritative identifications and the examination of material used by Knight (1923) in preparing his description of nubilis. Knight (1923) did not indicate if he actually saw Reuter’s material. He recorded nubilis as occurring only in New York. I would judge that his description of blatchleyi was not simply translated from that of Reuter, because it is not identical to Reuter’s, nor are his measurements identical to those of Reuter.

I examined two specimens deposited in the United States National Museum of Natural History, the female specimen of which bears the handwritten label (of Uhler?): ’’ Macrotylus blatchleii Uhl. , Ind’’. The male bears the labels ‘‘26’’ and ‘‘PR Uhler Collection’’, and ’’ Plagiognathus blatchleyi Reuter , det H. H. Knight’’. The male genitalia are those of Plagiognathus rosicola Knight.

I have concluded from the above­cited information that the potential exists for confusion regarding the identity of Plagiognathus blatchleyi . As noted in the diagnosis, blatchelyi (as here conceived) can easily be confused with politus . To make matters more complicated, the two species can apparently be found feeding on the same host at the same time, as suggested by a long series of specimens collected by H. H. Knight on Ambrosia trifida (Asteraceae) at St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 3, 1923, which contained large numbers of both sexes of both blatchleyi and politus . Until contradictory information comes to light, however, I have accepted Knight’s (1923) conclusions concerning the identity of blatchleyi and his conclusion that nubilis is only a color variant of the taxon examined by Reuter.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CANADA.— Manitoba: Morris , August 15, 1953, A. R. Brooks, 53, 3♀ (CNC). Winnipeg, August 14, 1953, A. and J. Brooks, Ambrosia trifida (Asteraceae) , 163, 32♀ (CNC). Ontario: Ojibway, August 30, 1961, J. Brumpton, 23, 2♀ (CNC). Rainy River, August 3, 1960, Kelton and Whitney, Ambrosia sp. (Asteraceae) , 43, 9♀ (CNC). USA.— Colorado: Larimer Co.: Fort Collins, August 13, 1898, 13 (USNM). Fort Collins, July 16, 1900, E. P. Van Duzee, 23, 2♀ (CAS). Connecticut: 4.5 mi S of Salisbury, Mt. Riga State Park, July 25, 1970, J. Slater and J. Harrington, 2♀ (AMNH). Cheshire, June 20, 1959, J. A. Slater, 1♀ (AMNH). Storrs, July 7, 1956, R. M. Baranowski, 1♀ (AMNH). Illinois: Mc­ Henry Co.: Chemung, August 13, 1937, Ross and Burks, 1♀ (USNM). Vermilion Co.: Oakwood, October 6, 1930, Frison, Ambrosia sp. (Asteraceae) , 13, 1♀ (AMNH). Indiana: Howard Co.: NW Howard County, August 16, 1983 – August 17, 1985, D. A. Rider, 113, 4♀ (DAR). NW Howard County, August 17, 1985, D. A. Rider, 23, 1♀ (LSU). Iowa: Story Co.: Ames, July 5, 1942, 13, 1♀ (USNM). Ames, September 1, 1967, H. H. Knight, 43, 6♀ (USNM). Maryland: Unknown Co.: Cabin Junction Bridge, October 20, 1901, 1♀ (USNM). Massachusetts: Essex Co.: Beach Bluff, August 31, 1914, H. M. Parshley, paratype (nubilis): 13 (USNM). Hampshire Co.: Northampton, August 13, 1918, H. M. Parshley, 13 (CAS). Minnesota: Ramsey Co.: St. Paul, September 3, 1923, H. H. Knight, Ambrosia trifida (Asteraceae) , 283, 40♀ (USNM). St. Paul, September 5, 1923, H. H. Knight, Ambrosia trifida (Asteraceae) , 13 (CNC). Missouri: Lacleade Co.: Sleeper, September 19, 1942, E. H. Froeschner, 1♀ (USNM). St. Louis Co.: Webster Groves, September 25, 1925, Scatterthwait, 13 (USNM). Unknown Co.: Kimmswich, September 17, 1944, R. C. Froeschner, 1♀ (AMNH). New Jersey: Gloucester Co.: Westville, September 1, 1925, J. C. Lutz, 13 (USNM). New York: Albany Co.: Rensselaerville, Huyck Preserve, June 29, 1977, R. T. Schuh, 1♀ (AMNH). Cattaraugus Co.: Ashford, July 22, 1946, L. D. Beamer, 13 (KU). Erie Co.: Elma, August 25, 1912, E. P. Van Duzee, 13, 1♀ (CAS). Hamburg, June 28, 1896, E. P. Van Duzee, 1♀ (CAS). Lancaster, August 1, 1886, E. P. Van Duzee, 13, 1♀ (USNM). Genesee Co.: Batavia, July 31, 1915, H. H. Knight, 1♀ (USNM). Tompkins Co.: Ithaca, July 1, 1915, H. H. Knight, 1♀ (USNM). Ithaca, July 1, 1915, H. H. Knight, holotype male (nubilis) (USNM). Ithaca, July 25, 1945, R. H. Beamer, 1♀ (KU). Ithaca, July 26, 1916, H. H. Knight, 33, 3♀ (USNM). Westchester Co.: White Plains, September 5, 1920, J. R. Torre­Bueno, 1♀ (USNM). North Dakota: Traill Co.: No specific locality, August 14, 1923, A. A. Nichol, 1♀ (USNM). No specific locality, July 19, 1933 – August 9, 1927, A. A. Nichol, 93, 4♀ (USNM). Ohio: Clark Co.: Springfield, August 24, 1916, W. S. Adkins, paratypes (nubilis): 23 (USNM). Franklin Co.: Columbus, June 20, 1905, E. P. Van Duzee, 23, 2♀ (CAS). Gallia Co. : Grove City, August 23, 1915, C. J. Drake, paratype (nubilis): 13 (USNM). Meigs Co.: Apple Grove, August 17, 1915, C. J. Drake, paratype (nubilis): 13 (USNM). Pennsylvania: Westmoreland Co.: Greensberg, September 4, 1905, 33, 3♀ (PDA). Tennessee: Anderson Co.: Clinton, August 21, 1916, W. S. Adkins, 13 (USNM). Texas: Bexar Co.: Lackland Air Force Base, October 17, 1983, T. Lockley, Ambrosia trifida (Asteraceae) , 13 (USNM). Brazos Co.: College Station, November 7, 1979, W. C. Dickson, 13, 1♀ (TAMU). College Station, October 13, 1975, R. R. Murray, 13 (TAMU). College Station, October 3, 1928, S. E. Jones, 13, 1♀ (TAMU). College Station, September 30, 1933, H. G. Johnston, 23, 8♀ (TAMU). Virginia: Fairfax Co.: Great Falls, August 10, 1906, 1♀ (USNM). Great Falls, August 10, 1906, 1♀ (USNM). Washington, D.C.: 1♀ (CAS). No specific locality, September 5, 1910, 1♀ (USNM). West Virginia: Pendleton Co.: mouth of Seneca River, south branch of Potomac Riv­ er, 1300 ft, July 27, 1977, N. L. Herman, 103, 9♀ (AMNH). Pocahontus Co.: Rt 219 N of Slatyfork, August 15, 1982, Verbesina alternifolia (Asteraceae) , 23, 3♀ (PDA).