Edessa moesta, (Edessa), 1838

Roell, Talita, Lemaître, Valérie A., Webb, Michael D. & Campos, Luiz A., 2023, An annotated and illustrated Type Catalogue of the predacious Shieldbugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae) in the Collection of the Natural History Museum, London, Zootaxa 5232 (1), pp. 1-105 : 60

moesta (Edessa) Germar 1838: 161–162. [ Fig. 120 ]

Original data: “ Caput Bonae Spei” [Cape of Good Hope ]. [syntypes (“reliquis”)]

NON-TYPE [formerly considered as type] ♁: red-margined type disc; “ Cape Gd. Hope. 42--77. EX. coll. Drège. No. 1126.”; “C.GH / 42 77”; “ Edessa moesta type [with the last-mentioned word added in red ink, in a different hand] Germar det.”; “3. GLYPSUS MOESTUS ,”; “a”; “NHMUK 010592304”. Fourth and fifth right antennomeres, and third to fifth left antennomeres missing ( Fig. 120 ) .

Current status: Glypsus conspicuus (Westwood, 1837) (synonymised by Schouteden 1905: 206; see Schouteden 1907: 31, as a variety).

Notes: Edessa moesta was described from the female. Thomas examined three female syntypes in MFNB and so did the first author. Nevertheless, the specimen listed above is mentioned by Germar in the original description (“Specimen possideo, reliquis simillimum, sed antennae rufae, articulis apice nigris, ventris spina usque ad pede [sic!] anticos porrecta, compressa, apice falcata; an hujus mas?”). Although it was marked as type, we do not consider it a syntype as it was only dubiously associated to the type series. Our reply to Germar’s question is positive; it is the male of the species .

Figures

FIGURES 113–120. Type and non-type specimens deposited in NHMUK. 113, Cantheconidea migratoria; 114–115, Ealda minax; 116–119, Arma modesta; 120, Edessa moesta. Scale bars: 4 mm.