Parthenicus taxodii Knight, 1941

HENRY, THOMAS J., 2007, Synopsis of the Eastern North American Species of the Plant Bug Genus Parthenicus, with Descriptions of Three New Species and a Revised Key (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae), American Museum Novitates 3593, pp. 1-32 : 19-23

Parthenicus taxodii Knight figures 32, 33

Parthenicus taxodii Knight, 1941: 76 (n.sp.); Froeschner, 1949: 166 (note, key); Carvalho, 1958: 124 (cat.); Henry, 1982: 363 (descrip., distr., host, key, figs.); Snodgrass et al., 1984: 853 (list, host); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 441 (cat.); Schuh, 1995: 181 (cat.); Henry et al., 2005: 61 (distr., host).

DIAGNOSIS: This species, known only from macropterous specimens, is distinguished from other species by the small size; uniformly yellow coloration ( figs. 32, 33 ), often with a faint orange tinge; silvery sericeous pubescence on the dorsum; and the pallid tibial spines lacking spots at the bases.

HOST: Bald cypress, Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. ( Taxodiaceae ) ( Knight, 1941).

DISTRIBUTION: Originally described from Illinois ( Knight, 1941) and later reported from Missouri ( Froeschner 1949), Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi ( Henry, 1982; Henry and Wheeler, 1988; Henry et al., 2005). New state records are Arkansas, Maryland, and Tennessee.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED: PARATYPES: USA: Illinois: Alexander Co.: Cairo, 37.00528 ° N 89.17639 ° W, 27 Jul 1930, Knight and Ross, Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 13 (AMNH_PBI 00070895), 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070894) (USNM). Champaign Co.: Urbana, 40.11056 ° N 88.20722 ° W, 28 Aug 1917, H.H. Knight, 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070893) (USNM). Pulaski Co.: Karnak, 37.2936 ° N 88.97535 ° W, 26 Jul 1930, H.H. Knight, Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 43 (AMNH_PBI 00070844– 00070847), 6♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070848–00070853) (USNM); 26 Jul 1930, Knight and Ross, Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 93 (AMNH_PBI 00070827–00070835), 8♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070836– 00070843) (USNM). Union Co.: Jonesboro, 37.45172 ° N 89.26814 ° W, 2 Aug 1932, H. L. Dozier, Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 23 (AMNH_PBI 00070856, AMNH_PBI 00070857), 2♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070854–00070855) (USNM).

+

(New York, Suffolk Co., nr. Quoque, 29 August 1981). 35, P. vaccini , female (Michigan, Marquette Co., Rt. 28, E of Harvey, 25 July 1991). 36, P. weemsi , male (pale form) (Florida, Highlands Co., 12 mi S of Lake Placid, 23 April 1982). 37, P. weemsi , female (pale form) (Florida, Highlands Co., Rt. 70, 2 mi W of Rt. 27, nr Archbold Biol. Stn., 30 April 1982). 38, P. weemsi , male (dark form) (Florida, Saint Lucie Co., Port Saint Lucie, 6 February 1989). 39, P. weemsi , female (dark form) (Florida, Highlands Co., Rt. 27, 9.5 km NNW of Lake Placid, 6 February 2000). 40, P. wheeleri , male (Oklahoma, Garvin Co., Rt. 76, 4 km N of Stephens Co. line, NW of Purdy, 20 May 2001). 41, P. wheeleri , female (Texas, Mills Co., Rt. 16, 9 km SW of Goldthwaite, 30 May 2001).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA: Arkansas: Chicot Co.: Lake Village, 33.32873 ° N 91.2817 ° W, 9 Jun 1987, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 8♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070858–00070865) (USNM). Florida: Liberty Co.: 3 mi. S of Bristol, County Road 379, 30.388 ° N 84.965 ° W, 7 May 1981, T.J. Henry, Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 23 (AMNH_PBI 00070868– 00070869), 2♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070866–00070867) (USNM). Illinois: Ft. Defiance, Cairo Point, 36.98516 ° N 89.13466 ° E, 20 Jun 2001, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr, Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 7♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070870–00070876) (USNM). Kentucky: Bullitt Co.: Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, 37.91833 ° N 85.66716 ° W, 22 Jun 2001, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 23 (AMNH_PBI 00070879–00070880), 3♀ (AMNH_ PBI 00070881–00070883) (USNM). Calloway Co.: Murray, Calloway County Park, 36.60933 ° N 88.30716 ° E, 19 Jun 2001, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 13 (AMNH_PBI 00070877), 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070878) (USNM). Fayette Co.: Lexington, University of Kentucky Campus, 38.03483 ° N 84.5025 ° W, 17 Jun 2001, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 173 (AMNH_PBI 00070897–00070913), 20♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070914–00070933) (USNM). Maryland: St. Mary’s Co.: Point Lookout, 39.07678 ° N 76.59385 ° W, 20 Jul 1985, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 6♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070884– 00070889) (USNM). Mississippi: Washington Co.: Greenville, 33.4101 ° N 91.06177 ° W, 19 Jul 1982, G.L. Snodgrass, 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070890) (USNM). Stoneville, 33.42401 ° N 90.9151 ° W, 14 Jul 1982, G.L. Snodgrass, Gossypium sp. L. ( Malvaceae ), 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070891) (USNM). Missouri: Dunklin Co.: Holcomb, 36.39923 ° N 90.0237 ° W, 23 Aug 1942, R.C. Froeschner, 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070896) (USNM). Tennessee: Tipton Co.: 3 mi N Covington, 35.607 ° N 89.646 ° W, 2 Jun 1985, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Taxodium distichum L. ( Taxodiaceae ), 13 (AMNH_PBI 00070892) (USNM).

Parthenicus vaccini (Van Duzee) figures 34, 35

Psallus vaccini Van Duzee, 1915: 117 (n.sp.).

Parthenicus vaccini: Van Duzee, 1916: 45 (list), 1917: 401 (cat.), 1918: 30 (key); Knight, 1918: 43 ( fig. 17 ), 1923: 499 (descrip., key), 1941: 21 ( fig. 54 ); Blatchley, 1926: 805 (descrip., note, key); Carvalho, 1958: 124 (cat.); Henry, 1978: 546 (note, host), 1982: 364 (descrip., distr., hosts, key, figs.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 442 (cat.); Schuh, 1995: 181 (cat.); Roble and Hoffman, 2000: 44 (note, hosts, distr.).

DIAGNOSIS: This species is recognized by the overall gray to grayish-green coloration ( figs. 34, 35 ), with numerous fuscous spots on the dorsum, legs, and antennae; and the long rostrum that extends to near the base of the genital capsule. Males ( fig. 34 ) are always macropterous, whereas females are known from both macropterous and subbrachypterous ( fig. 35 ) or short-winged individuals with abbreviated hemelytral membranes.

HOSTS: As Henry (1978) pointed out, the specific epithet vaccini , named for the host genus Vaccinium (Ericaceae) , is a misnomer. The true hosts for this species are Pinebarren goldenheather, Hudsonia ericoides L. ( Cistaceae ); woolly beachheather, H. tomentosa Nutt. ; and beach pinweed, Lechia maritima Leggett (Cistaceae) ( Henry, 1978, 1982), all specialized plants that grow in sandy pinebarren habitats along the East Coast and around certain areas of the Great Lakes.

DISTRIBUTION: Originally described from Massachusetts ( Van Duzee, 1915) and later reported from New York ( Knight, 1923), Florida ( Blatchley, 1926) , New Jersey ( Henry, 1978), and Virginia ( Roble and Hoffman, 2000). New state records are Michigan and New Hampshire .

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED: PARATYPE: USA: Massachusetts: Essex Co.: Ipswich , 42.67917 ° N 70.84167 ° W, 22 May 1909, E.P. Van Duzee, 13 (CNC) .

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA: Massachusetts: Michigan: Alpena Co.: Lakewood, 45.19085 ° N 83.43387 ° W, 200 m, 28 Jul 1960, Kelton and Whitney, Hudsonia sp. (Cistaceae) , 263, 12♀ (CNC); 18 Aug 1960, Kelton and Whitney, Hudsonia sp. (Cistaceae) , 503, 49♀ (CNC). Marquette Co.: Rt. 28, E of Harvey, 46.489 ° N 87.332 ° W, 25 Jul 1991, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Hudsonia sp. (Cistaceae) , 73 (AMNH_PBI 00070943–00070949), 9♀ (AMNH_ PBI 00070935–00070943) (USNM). New Hampshire: Rockingham Co.: Seabrook, Rt. 1A along dunes, 28 Jun 1989, T.J. Henry and A. G. Wheeler, Jr., Hudsonia tomentosa Nutt. (Cistaceae) , 53 (AMNH_PBI 00070950–00070954), 2♀ (AMNH_ PBI 00070955–00070956) (USNM). New Jersey: Ocean Co.: Lakehurst, 40.01444 ° N 74.31111 ° W, 18 m, 30 Aug 1915, collector unknown, Hudsonia sp. (Cistaceae) , 13 (CNC); 1 Aug 1915, H. G. Barber, Hudsonia sp. (Cistaceae) , 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070957) (USNM). Rt. 37, near Tom’s River, 39.9628 ° N 74.1921 ° W, 13 Jun 1977, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Hudsonia ericoides L. ( Cistaceae ), 13 (AMNH_PBI 00070959) Hudsonia ericoides L. ( Cistaceae ), 11♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070960– 00070970) (USNM). Seaside Park, 39.92679 ° N 74.07708 ° W, 1 Jul 1915, Weiss and West, 13 (AMNH_PBI 00070958) (USNM). New York: Suffolk Co.: Mattituck, Long Island, 40.99121 ° N 72.5342 ° W, 7 Oct 1947, R. Latham, 13 (AMNH_PBI 00070971) (USNM). Near Quogue, 40.82305 ° N 72.60944 ° W, 5 m, 29 Aug 1981, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Hudsonia tomentosa L. ( Cistaceae ), 153 (AMNH_PBI 00070972–00070986), 1♀ (AMNH_PBI 00070987) (USNM). Near Yaphank, 40.83666 ° N 40.83666 ° W, 13 m, 29 Aug 1981, T.J. Henry and A.G. Wheeler, Jr., Hudsonia tomentosa Nutt. (Cistaceae) , 83 (AMNH_PBI 00070988–00070995), 1♀ (AMNH_ PBI 00070996) (USNM).

Figures

Figs. 32–41. Habitus figures of Parthenicus spp. 32, P. taxodii, male (Kentucky, Fayette Co., Lexington, University of Kentucky, 17 June year). 33, P. taxodii, female (same data as for male). 34, P. vaccini, male

Figs. 13–18. Scanning electron photomicrographs of Parthenicus cruentus adult male. 13, Lateral aspect (35.8X). 14, Head and pronotum, dorsal aspect (64.5X). 15, Head and pronotum, lateral aspect (121X). 16, Scalelike setae on head (1080X). 17, Ostiolar evaporative area (304X). 18, Genital capsule, caudal aspect (240X).

Figs. 50–55. Scanning electron photomicrographs of adult female Parthenicus sedumicola. 50, Dorsal aspect (41.2X). 51, Lateral aspect (41.1X). 52, Head and pronotum, dorsal aspect (79.5X). 53, Head and pronotum, lateral aspect (106X). 54, Head, frontal aspect (97.0X). 55, Scalelike setae on head (825X).