Loricula, Curtis, 1833

Yasunaga, Tomohide, Yamada, Kazutaka & Ohno, Tomohide, 2020, A new species of the genus Loricula Curtis from central Honshu, Japan (Heteroptera: Microphysidae), Zootaxa 4759 (1), pp. 98-106 : 105

Key to females of East Asian species of Loricula

[Revised from Yasunaga &Yamada (2017)]

1. Micropterous ( Fig. 4K ); dorsum only with vestigial hemelytral pads that are separated widely from each other; pronotum pale orange-brown, polished, narrow, truncate; abdomen fuscous, very shiny, wholly exposed, disk-like.................................................................................................. L. nikko Yasunaga & Yamada

- Coleopteroid (cf. Fig. 2 ); pronotum reddish brown to fuscous, more or less matte, shagreened, or roughened trapezoid or somewhat campanulate, with produced posterior corner; forewing (hemelytron) covering whole abdomen................... 2

2. Posterior angle of pronotum noticeably produced, elongate ( Figs. 2C , 4C , 6A ); hemelytron shiny fuscous, with its dorsal surface smooth, lacking micro-pilosity ( Fig. 5A )................................................. L. mikawa sp. nov.

- Posterior angle of pronotum moderately produced, triangular or trapezoidal in form; dorsal surface of hemelytron roughened, with uniformly distributed minute pilosity and often with granulate microstructure ( Fig. 5 B–D)....................... 3

3. Head anterior to antennal tubercle elongate, longer than antennal segment I; pronotum with a pair of clearly margined, ovoid canals ( Fig. 4I ); all femora chocolate brown; currently endemic to Yakushima Island..... L. yakushima Yasunaga & Yamada

- Head anterior to antennal tubercle as long as antennal segment I; pronotum more or less swollen medially, with ovoid canal (if any) shallow and faint ( Fig. 4A, D, G ); all femora reddish- or orange brown; known from temperate or cold temperate climate zone................................................................................................ 4

4. Antennal segment III longer than mesal pronotal length; posterior projection of pronotum triangular and sharp ( Fig. 4F )............................................................................. L. miyamotoi Yasunaga & Yamada

- Antennal segment III shorter than mesal pronotal length; posterior projection of pronotum rather broadened and blunt-tipped ( Fig. 4H )........................................................................... L. pilosella Miyamoto

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus images of Japanese Loricula species (adult females). A–C. L. mikawa sp. nov. (A: dorsal view, B: ventral view, C: right lateral view). D. L. miyamotoi Yasunaga & Yamada, dorsal view. E. L. yakushima Yasunaga & Yamada, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Scanning electron micrographs for Japanese Loricula species (adult females). A–C. L. mikawa sp. nov. D–F. L. miyamotoi. G, H. L. pilosella. I, J. L. yakushima. K, L. L. nikko. A, D, G, I & K. Anterior body, dorsal view. B, E & L. Ditto, left lateral view. C, F, H & J. Posterolateral process of pronotum.

FIGURE 5. Scanning electron micrographs for dorsal surface structure of female forewing (hemelytron). A. L. mikawa sp. nov. B. L. miyamotoi. C. L. pilosella. D. L. yakushima.

FIGURE 6. Compound microscopic images showing detailed morphology for L. mikawa sp. nov., female. A. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. B. Antenna. C. Labium. D. Thorax, ventral surface. E. Forewing base. F. Abdomen, ventral view. G. Apodemal process. H. Genital segments, ventral view. I. Three eggs found in abdomen (F).