Heza pallidula (Walker, 1873) Walker, 1873

Gil-Santana, Helcio R. & Webb, Michael D., 2019, Transfer of the assassin bug Helonotus pallidulus Walker to the genus Heza Amyot & Serville (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae, Harpactorini), ZooKeys 872, pp. 91-99 : 91

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.872.35137

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BE4692DE-5F51-493A-96ED-EA88BCE44189

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/32D3A814-0778-544F-B419-4D2F6A2A37EE

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Heza pallidula (Walker, 1873)
status

comb. nov.

Heza pallidula (Walker, 1873) comb. nov. Figs 1-4 View Figures 1–4 , 5-6 View Figures 5, 6

Helonotus pallidulus Walker, 1873: 90 [description]; Lethierry and Severin 1896: 200 [catalog, among "Genera et species Harpactoridarum subfam. incerti loci systematic"].

Ploeogaster pallidulus ; Distant 1903: 251 [checklist]; Wygodzinsky 1949: 44 [catalog]; Maldonado Capriles 1990: 259 [catalog].

Notes.

This species was described from a single specimen (holotype) for which Walker (1873) provided the following data: " a. Cuenca. From Mr. Fraser’s collection". The reference to 58/132 on the label noted above ( Fig. 4 View Figures 1–4 ) refers to an entry in the BMNH register for 1858 132: Cuenca (Province of Ecuador) collected by Fraser. The type specimen, originally recorded as male is in fact female ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–4 ).

Material examined.

Helonotus pallidulus , female holotype, [Ecuador]: 5. Helonotus pallidulus . // a. Cuenca. // Cuenca [opposite side of same label]: 58/132// Holo- / type [rounded label with red circle] // ♀ // Type [rounded label with blackish circle] // QR CODE / NHMUK 013585371 (BMNH).

Redescription.

Female ( Figs 1 View Figures 1–4 - 6 View Figures 5, 6 ). Measurements: total length: 22.0 mm; maximum width of abdomen: approximately 7.5 mm.

Coloration.

General color pale brownish to brownish red ( Figs 1 View Figures 1–4 , 2 View Figures 1–4 ); pale yellowish on ventral surface of thorax and abdomen ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–4 ). Antenna with distal fourth of segments I and II darkened (other segments absent). Legs somewhat lighter, with fuscous ill-defined submedian marking on fore femur and submedian and distal markings on remaining femora; apices of femora somewhat darkened. Scutellum darkened, with apex reddish brown. Hemelytra: corium with base, apical portion at level of membrane and basal half of clavus reddish, median portion somewhat paler, grayish; membrane pale grayish, approximately basal half of anal and cubital veins and median vein mostly blackish ( Fig. 1 View Figures 1–4 ). Meso and metapleura reddish brown ( Fig. 5 View Figures 5, 6 ). Meso and metasterna generally paler; stridulitrum and lateral portions of mesosternum darkened ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–4 ). Abdomen: connexiva faintly darkened dorsally at basal half of segments IV–VII ( Fig. 1 View Figures 1–4 ); sternites generally yellowish to pale orange ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–4 ).

Structure.

Head ( Figs 5 View Figures 5, 6 , 6 View Figures 5, 6 ): elongated with a well marked transverse sulcus, shorter than pronotum, and a pair of spines just behind antennal bases; these spines (postantennal spines) are conspicuously bowed with the apex directed slightly anteriad ( Fig. 6 View Figures 5, 6 , pa). Eyes globose, glabrous, projecting laterally, rounded in dorsal view and suboval in lateral view. Ocelli elevated, closer to eyes than to each other. Antennal segments I–II (other absent) straight, slender, segment I somewhat longer than head and pronotum combined; segment II quite shorter than head. Labium stout, moderately curved, segment II (first visible) thickest and longest; segment IV, approximately half as long as segment III, tapering ( Fig. 6 View Figures 5, 6 ). Thorax. Pronotum: hind lobe approximately two and half times longer than fore lobe, with its maximum width (at posterior margin) somewhat more than twice that of fore lobe; anterior collar inconspicuous; anterolateral angles pronounced; transverse sulcus well marked ( Figs 1 View Figures 1–4 , 2 View Figures 1–4 ). Fore lobe divided in two sublobes by shallow median longitudinal depression, with a blunt tubercle on disc of each sublobe ( Figs 1-2 View Figures 1–4 , 5-6 View Figures 5, 6 , tf). Hind lobe finely transversely corrugate, with four sharp spines ( Figs 1 View Figures 1–4 , 2 View Figures 1–4 ); of these, the discal spines ( Figs 2 View Figures 1–4 , 5 View Figures 5, 6 , ds) shorter, directed dorsad, larger at base, preceded by an inconspicuous carina; lateral spines relatively long, conspicuous, horizontally directed laterally ( Figs 1 View Figures 1–4 , 2 View Figures 1–4 ). Posterior margin curved laterally, with a pair of rounded prominences at level of base of clavus; margin between these prominences slightly curved ( Figs 1 View Figures 1–4 , 2 View Figures 1–4 ). Scutellum with a rounded median tubercle on disc ( Fig. 5 View Figures 5, 6 , ts) just before apex, which is rounded and somewhat obliquely elevated ( Fig. 5 View Figures 5, 6 , as). Mesopleura with a well-developed plica ( Fig. 5 View Figures 5, 6 , p), i.e., a small raised tubercle over posterior margin of propleuron. Prosternum almost entirely anterior to fore coxa and shorter than them, with its median portion occupied by stridulitrum. Mesosternum flattened, somewhat depressed at median portion, larger than metasternum. Legs: fore coxae contiguous to each other; middle and hind coxae distant from each other by a distance approximately equivalent to twice width of each coxa ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–4 ). Apices of all femora with a pair of lateral small tubercles. Femora generally straight; fore femora thickened ( Figs 1-3 View Figures 1–4 ), approximately thrice thicker than middle and hind femora; middle and hind femora slender, slightly dilated subapically; hind femora longest, middle femora shortest. Fore tibiae curved inwards in distal half, somewhat enlarged at apex, with a dorsal spur apically; middle and hind tibiae generally straight, slender. Hemelytra surpassing apex of abdomen for a short distance ( Figs 1-3 View Figures 1–4 ). Abdomen spatulate, gradually widening to apex of segment V and then slightly narrowing to form a roughly truncate apex at last segment ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–4 ). All connexival segments without spines.

Vestiture.

Integument generally covered by short thin adpressed setae, more numerous on thorax ( Fig. 2 View Figures 1–4 ). Legs generally covered with longer straight erect setae; fore legs with trochanter, femur and tibia ventrally with a dense pubescence formed by short erect thin setae. Membrane of hemelytra glabrous.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Reduviidae

Genus

Heza