Acanthaspis melanota, Cao & Rédei & Li & Cai, 2014

Cao, Liangming, Rédei, Dávid, Li, Hu & Cai, Wanzhi, 2014, Revision of the genus Acanthaspis Amyot & Serville (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Reduviinae) from China, with new records of species to adjacent countries, Zootaxa 3892 (1), pp. 1-66 : 39-41

Acanthaspis melanota sp. nov.

( Figs 132–144, 216 )

Description. Colouration. Black. Spots at external margin of ocelli, thochanters, base and apex of femur, tibia (except base), posterior half of each connexival segment, and tarsi dull yellow; antenna dark brown; base of corium and a transverse spot on posterior part yellowish; clavus, cubital cell of corium and membrane dark brown ( Figs 132, 216 ).

Structure. Medium sized. Body clothed with short golden setae, intermixed with sparse yellow long setae; dorsal side of head and pronotum clothed with short black setae; femora, tibiae with yellowish brown long setae, apical portion of tibia with golden long setae. Head oblong, anteocular portion nearly as long as postocular; longitudinal depression between eyes narrow and deep; transverse constriction behind eyes wide and shallow; mandibular plates between antennifers little prominent, apex round, a little higher than clypeus; maxillary plates not developed; gena round; ocelli not protruding; first visible rostral segment longer than second; first antennal segment long, slightly shorter than head; neck shining ( Figs 132, 133 ). Collar processes tuberculiform; anterior pronotal lobe slightly longer than posterior, sculptured and swollen; posterior lobe wrinkled obviously; humeral angles produced into short spine, directed posterolaterad; posterior margin with two obvious tubercles next to midline. Scutellum with concave impression centrally. Hemelytron surpassing abdominal apex; fossula spongiosa of both pro- and mesotibiae longer than one third of corresponding tibia. Abdominal sternites fused laterally, fourth, fifth and sixth sterna short along midline, their combined length is as long as that of seventh sternite, third to fifth sternites with a median ridge. Parameres irregularly club-shaped, curved behind middle ( Figs 137–129 ); median process of pygophore spiniform, apex curved; posterolateral margin of pygophore with a pair of lateral processes ( Figs 134–136 ). Basal plate thick, basal plate bridge minute ( Fig. 143 ), pedicel thick; median and posterodorsal part of phallotheca distinctly sclerotized; struts fused, surpassing apex of phallosoma, directed dorsad; endosoma with weakly sclerotized parts in basal portion ( Figs 140–142 ).

Measurements [in mm, ♂, (n=1)]. Body length 19.3; maximum width of abdomen 6.2. Head length 3.2; length of anteocular part 1.5; length of postocular part 0.7; length of synthlipsis 0.8; interocellar space 0.15; length of antennal segments I–IV=2.9, 4.4, 6.5, missing; length of visible rostral segments I–III=1.7, 1.2, 0.55; length of anterior lobe of pronotum 2.0; length of posterior lobe of pronotum 2.2; maximum width of thorax 4.8; length of scutellum 1.8; length of hemelytron 12.5.

Type material. Holotype, ♂, “ China, Guangxi, Longzhou, Nonggang, V.1980, Wang Zhuyin ” [rectangular white]; “ Holotype, Acanthaspis melanota Cao, Rédei, Li & Cai ” [rectangular red] ( CAU).

Distribution. China: Guangxi (Longzhou) ( Fig. 144 ).

Etymology. The specific name refers to its totally black pronotum.

Remarks. The colour pattern and structure of this species closely resembles A. apicata Distant, 1903 , described from India, however, it is readily distinguished from it by the absence of the apical white spot of the membrane (vs., it has the apical white spot in A. apicata ). Males of the two species can be easily distinguished by the different shapes of the pygophore: its posteroventral margin is broadly rounded in lateral view in A. melanota sp. n. (vs., it is weakly convex in A. apicata ).

Figures

FIGURE 144. Distribution of Acanthaspis melanota sp. nov. in China.

FIGURES 216–219. 216, Acanthaspis melanota sp. nov. ♂. Habitus. Scale bar = 3.86 mm; 217, Acanthaspis octoguttata sp. nov. ♂. Habitus. Scale bar = 4.01 mm; 218, Acanthaspis picta Hsiao, ♂. Habitus. Scale bar = 4.02 mm; 219, Acanthaspis quinquespinosa (Fabricius), ♀. Habitus. Scale bar = 3.75 mm.

FIGURES 133–143. Acanthaspis melanota sp. nov., ♂. 133, Head and pronotum, antennae removed; 134, 135, pygophore; 136, median pygophore process; 137–139, paramere; 140–142, phallus; 143, basal plate and basal plate bridge. 133, 134, 142, lateral view; 135, 140, ventral view; 136, caudal view; 141, 143, dorsal view. Scale bar of 133 = 1.60 mm; of 134, 135 = 1.43 mm; of 136, 143 = 0.77 mm; of 137–139 = 1.00 mm; of 140–142 = 0.83 mm.