Lygaeus arbustorum Fabricius, 1794: 175

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 : 44-45

Lygaeus arbustorum Fabricius, 1794: 175 (n. sp.). Plagiognathus arbustorum: Fieber, 1858: 320 (n.

comb.).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the generally ochre­colored dorsum (fig. 6), the entirely black antennae (fig. 15), and the orange lateral angles of the mesoscutum; setae on dorsum black and weakly bristlelike. Potentially confused with darker specimens of chrysanthemi , concoloris , and flavus , but the first of those species usually much greener and with antennal segment 2 mostly pale; the latter two usually more orange in general coloration and with the apical blades of the vesica relatively shorter than those in arbustorum and with the flange on the vesica very narrow and inconspicuous.

Male: Total length 3.93–4.57, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.71–3.06, width across pronotum 1.13–1.27. GENITALIA (fig. 21): Body of vesica relatively slender on basal portion, broadly curving, base falling somewhat below level of secondary gonopore; posterior apical spine long and slender, longer than anterior, obliquely angled relatively to body of vesica, anterior spine more strongly angled; flange well developed, mod­ erately broad, terminating at about base of secondary gonopore.

Female: Total length 3.81–3.95, length apex clypeus–cuneal fracture 2.74 –2.88, width across pronotum 1.19–1.23.

HOSTS: Urtica dioica (Urticaceae) ; unidentified Asteraceae ; Sarothamnus scoparius (Fabaceae) (see Kelton, 1982b).

DISTRIBUTION: Widely distributed in the western Palearctic and Central Asia. Introduced into the Pacific Northwest of North America ; known from coastal localities in Washington and British Columbia .

DISCUSSION: This species would appear to be a relatively recent introduction into the Pacific Northwest. The earliest collection record of arbustorum appears to be that of Kelton (1982b), who found it feeding on various roadside plants at Langley, British Columbia , on July 17, 1959. (See also ‘‘Distribution’’ in generic discussion section.) The known distribution has not been extended greatly since that first report.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA.— Washington: King Co.: Fort Lawton Park, 200 ft, August 28, 1986, M. D. Schwartz, Urtica dioica (Urticaceae) , 13 (AMNH). Seattle, Discovery Park, June 22, 1994, M. D. Schwartz, 13 (CNC). Seattle, University of Washington, July 22, 1981, J. T. Polhemus, 43 (JTP). Skagit Co.: Samish River near Rt 9, 200 ft, July 21, 2000, R. T. Schuh and G. M. Stonedahl, 23, 2♀, ex Asteraceae (AMNH) .