Baiaptera, Heiss, Ernst, 2013

Heiss, Ernst, 2013, Aradidae from Vietnam I. Two new genera of micropterous Mezirinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae), Zootaxa 3694 (6), pp. 587-595 : 592

Baiaptera new genus

Type species: Baiaptera xinweiana n. sp.

Diagnosis. Small 2.7–2.85 mm micropterous species, body oval, surface submat at middle, with granulate ridges on pronotum and deltg II, apodemal impressions distinctly marked; body structures basically as of Phamaptera n. gen., however distinguished at once from the latter by the characteristic widely expanded evaporatoria of metathoracic scent glands.

Description. Head. Wider than width across eyes, clypeus short and elevated with a large tubercle at middle, genae adherent; antenniferous lobes short and blunt; antennae less than twice as long as width of head, moderately stout; segment I thickest, II shortest, III longest, IV with pilose apex, eyes oval inserted in head, postocular lobes rounded and constricted posteriorly; rostrum arising from a slit-like atrium, as long as head.

Pronotum. Subrectangular, colar ring-like; disk depressed at middle with rugosities, its lateral margins elevated and carinate converging anterolaterally to collar; anterolateral margins carinate, converging anteriorly, shorter than collar; posterolateral humeri concealed by the large dorsally reflexed irregularly shaped evaporatoria of the metathoracic scent glands which are distinctly visible from above.

Meso- and Metanotum. Fused flat median plate consists of meso-, metanotum and mtg I+II, fusion lines only laterally marked by furrows; wing pads with elevated surface, anterolateral margins carinate nearly completely covering metanotum of which a small rim is uncovered along posterior margin; apodemal impressions of mtg I+II roundly elevated at middle, surrounded by grooves.

Abdomen. Tergal plate with longitudinal median elevation bearing a round tubercle on mtg III, lateral apodemal impressions distinct and deeply depressed; deltg II+III fused, lateral margin carinate, inner margin of deltg II with a granulate ridge; deltg III–VII separated by sutures, their margins granulate; pe angles of deltg VI + VII roundly elevated.

Venter. Pro-, meso- and metasternum fused to sternites II–III, surface of median plate smooth, fusion lines marked by sutures; spiracles II ventral, III–VI sublateral placed on protruding tubercles of vltg III–VI and visible from above, VII lateral, VIII terminal on ptg VIII.

Legs. Trochanters distinct, femora moderately incrassate at middle, tibiae straight, tarsi twosegmented, claws with thin pulvilli.

Etymology. With great pleasure I dedicate this curious new genus to my friend Xiaoshuan Bai (Huhhot, Inner Mongolia, China), a very successful student and able collector of flat bugs who discovered this and several other new taxa.

Discussion. Habitus and body structures resemble the Oriental micropterous Mezirinae genus Hutanicoris Heiss 1993 from Malaysia and Indonesia and Phamaptera n. gen. described in this paper. Baiaptera differs from the latter by the conspicuous metathoracic scent gland structure. However, a similar structure can be observed in the micropterous Mezirinae genus Smetanacoris Heiss 1989 described from Sabah in Indonesia. The latter is distinguished by the presence of a distinct scutellum and different structure of thorax and abdomen with distinct elevations lacking in Baiaptera n. gen.