Metoisops variabilis Herczek & Popov

Herczek, Aleksander & Popov, Yuri A., 2014, Revision of the genus Metoisops (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Miridae, Isometopinae) from late Eocene European amber, Zootaxa 3887 (3), pp. 401-421 : 417

Metoisops variabilis Herczek & Popov , sp. nov.

( Figs. 20–22 )

Diagnosis. This species different from all species (except M. intergerivus ) by very narrow mesoscutum which more than 4x shorter than length of scutellum. M. variabilis has also some wider mesoscutum and wrinkled scutellum differing it from M. intergerivus .

Description. Body 2.66 mm, elongate, 2.18x as long as wide. General coloration uniformly green-blue, antennae green-blue, rostrum and legs light- yellowish, hemelytral membrane dark-brown and mildly rugulose ( Figs. 20, 21 ). Head, calli and mesoscutum shiny and devoid of setae; pronotum, basal part of the scutellum and whole hemelytra with deep punctation with reclining setae arising from articulate punctures; antennae covered with short adpressed hairs about as long as segment is thick. Head moderately transverse, twice as wide as long, distinctly wider than anterior margin of pronotum. Vertex 1.85x narrower than dorsal width of eye; eyes globular; combined antennal length of 3rd and 4th segments 1.2x longer than 2nd, 2nd segment 2.88x longer than 1st, 4th segment 1.37x longer than 3rd segment. Pronotum trapezoidal, moderately transversal, 1.75x as wide as long; calli weakly developed, intercallian pit weakly expressed; ratio length posterior/anterior margin 2.3x wider than median length; posterior margin weakly convex. Visible portion of mesoscutum very narrow. Scutellum length 4.25x longer than mesoscutum length. Claval commissura long, ratio length claval commissure/mesoscutum+scutellum 1.26. Corium length 4.5x longer than length of cuneus; cuneus 2.25x as long as wide; large cell of hemelytral membrane very long 3.8x as long as wide. Tibia 3.13x longer than tarsus; 1st tarsal segment of hind leg very short, 2nd segment 2.72x longer than the 1st.

Dimensions. Male. Length of body from apex of hemelytra 2.66, width 1.21; length of head 0.31, width 0.70, dorsal width of eye 0.28, width of vertex 0.18; antennal segments I:II:III:IV= 0.26:0.75:0.38:0.52; rostral segments I:II:III:IV= 0.34:0.42:0.23:0.39; length of pronotum 0.52, width 0.39 (ant.) and 0.91 (post.); length of mesoscutum 0.08; length of scutellum 0. 34; claval commissure 0.52; length of hind femur 1.10, width 0.18; length of tibia 1.22; length of tarsus 0.39 (I+II = 0.11+0.30).

Etymology. From variabilis (lat.) = changeable.

Specimens Examined. Holotype, ♂ PIN RAS 964/1308. The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Borisyak Paleontological Institute Russian Academy of Sciences (Arthropod laboratory), Moscow.

Remarks. M. variabilis shares several characters of different species of Metoisops , such as: the ratio width/ length head (2.5)— M. punctatodiffusus , M. intergerivus and M. groehni ; ratio dorsal width of eye/ width of vertex (1.55–1.58)— M. punctatodiffusus ; ratio width/length pronotum (1.72–1.82)— M. punctatus , M. grabenhorsti , M. intergerivus , and M. punctatodiffusus ; ratio posterior width/anterior width (2.3–2.4) of pronotum with M. grabenhorsti and M. groehni ; ratio length scutellum/length mesoscutum (4.0–4.5)— M. kerzhneri , M. punctatus , M. intergerivus ; ratio length claval commissure/mesoscutum+scutellum (1.25–1.27)— M. punctatus , M. groehni , and M. intergerivus . However, it is the combination of these characteristics that makes M. variabilis a unique species.

Figures

FIGURES 20 – 22. Metoisops variabilis — dorsal views, antennal segments.