Nephus (Geminosipho) reunioni ( Fuersch , 1974)

Magro, Alexandra, Churata-Salcedo, Julissa, Lecompte, Emilie, Hemptinne, Jean-Louis & Almeida, Lucia M., 2020, A new species of Nephus (Nephus) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) described from Reunion Island, ZooKeys 962, pp. 123-137 : 123

Nephus (Geminosipho) reunioni ( Fuersch, 1974) Figs 1 , 3

Scymnus (Nephus) reunioni Fürsch, 1974: 275 (original description).

Nephus (Sidis) reunioni Fürsch 2007: 5 (systematics).

Nephus (Geminosipho) reunioni : Poussereau et al. 2018: 132 (systematics).

Diagnosis.

Nephus reunioni differs from the other species in the number, shape and size of the spots and the pattern of genitalia.

Description.

Male. Length 1.7 mm, width 1.28 mm. Body oval, with short fine whitish pubescence. Integument of pronotum, scutellar shield and elytra black (Fig. 3A ). Elytra with two yellowish transverse spots on each elytron, arranged in a row; elytra apex yellowish (Fig. 3A ). Pronotum black, anterior border dark brown (Fig. 3A, D ). Head dark brown, antennae and mouthparts yellowish (Fig. 3B ). Meso- and metaventrite dark brown. Epipleuron black, without excavations to receive femora. Legs with coxae dark brown and femora, tibiae and tarsi yellowish (Fig. 1J ). Abdomen dark brown; postcoxal line incomplete (Fig. 1N ) and last ventrite emarginated (Fig. 3F ).

Genitalia with tegmen, penis guide, phallobase and parameres symmetrical. Penis guide narrow, longer than parameres, sharp at apex. Parameres articulated with phallobase, distant from each other, strongly widened at apex, with long bristles along parameres (Fig. 3G, H ). Penis sclerotized, J-shaped, with projection at apex, penis capsule T-shaped and elongated (Fig. 3J, I ).

Female. Length 1.75 mm, width 1.30 mm. Similar to male. Genitalia with coxites longer than wide, subtriangular, 3.0 × longer than wide; stylus mamiliform with short bristles (Fig. 3L ). Spermatheca short, C- shaped, without ramus and nodulus, with sharp base and truncated apex (Fig. 3K ).

Material examined.

Portugal: Specimens from a laboratory rearing (Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique, Université Toulouse III) initiated from field material collected in 2007 in Cascais, 10 specimens [DZUP].

Remarks.

It should be noted that Fürsch (2007), in his remarks about N. reunioni , mentions "The species is referred from various authors from South Africa (det. Fürsch), and even from Israel and Portugal. These specimens are breeded for pest control, but they seem to be misidentifications and in fact N. derroni ." In what concerns the Portugal population, we do not agree with Fürsch’s statement. Indeed, the specimens collected in Portugal and analyzed in the present study correspond to the original N. reunioni description by Fürsch presented in Chazeau et al. (1974). Raimundo (1992), who first described N. reunioni for Portugal, also illustrated the external morphology and genitalia corresponding to the original description by Fürsch in Chazeau et al. (1974). In both cases, the observations show that the specimens from the Portuguese population are distinct from N. derroni , first described from S. Tomé and presented in Fürsch (1974).

Figures

Figure 1. Scanning electron microscopy A-D antennae E-H prosternal process I-L tarsi M-P abdominal postcoxal line A, E, I, M Nephus (Nephus) oblongosignatus Mulsant, 1850 B, F, J, N Nephus (Geminosipho) reunioni (Fuersch, 1974) C, G, K, O Nephus (Nephus) voeltzkowi Weise, 1910 D, H, L, P Nephus apolonia Magro & Almeida, sp. nov.

Figure 3. Nephus (Geminosipho) reunioni (Fuersch, 1974) A dorsal view B ventral view C lateral view D frontal view E, F abdomen G-J male genitalia: tegmen (dorsal and lateral view): I, J penis K, L female genitalia: K spermatheca L coxites.