Helenus White, 1879

Heiss, Ernst, 2016, RevIew of the NeotropIcal genus Helenus WhIte, 1879, wIth descrIptIon of a new specIes (HemIptera: Heteroptera: AradIdae), Zootaxa 4088 (4), pp. 555-562 : 556

Genus Helenus White, 1879

Type species: Helenus hesiformis White, 1879: 85

General appearance, habitus and size of Helenus is very close to that of the Neotropical genus Hesus Stål, 1862 , both distributed in South- and Central America. Usinger & Matsuda, 1959 published detailed redescriptions of both genera ( Hesus p. 368; Helenus p. 369) which need not to be repeated here.

The distinguishing characters are given in their key for the “American Genera of Mezirinae ” p. 203 as follows:

• Body covered with shaggy, erect pubescence. Pronotum without anterolateral lobes. Head without rounded

postocular lobes = Helenus White

• Body not pubescent. Pronotum with brief anterolateral lobes bent inward to anterior collar. Head with

rounded postocular lobes. = Hesus Stål

The most recent summaries of published records of these genera are given by Heiss, 2009 (Review of Hesus ) and Coscaron & Contreras, 2012 (Catalog of the Aradidae for the Neotropical Region).

Key to species of Helenus

1 (4) Body surface covered with dense shaggy pubescence consisting of shorter yellowish adpressed hairs intermixed with longer erect setae; pe-angles of lateral margins of deltg II–VI not or inconspicuously protruding (Figs.1,6,7).................. 2 2 (3) Pilosity generally more dense, exposed part of male pygophore wide and conical posteriorly, its median dorsal elevation anteriorly depressed along longitudinal suture, raised laterally ( Fig.8 ), parameres more slender ( Fig.11 )....... hesiformis White 3 (2) Pilosity generally less dense, exposed part of male pygophore wide and truncate posteriorly, its median dorsal elevation keellike ( Fig.10 ), parameres with wider body ( Fig.13 )................................................. wachteli n. sp. 4 (1) Body surface granulate, yellowish adpressed hairs intermixed with erect setae less dense and more dispersed; pe-angles of lateral margins of deltg II–VI distinctly protruding ( Fig.2 ); (exposed part of male pygophore triangular narrowly conical posteriorly, median dorsal elevation keel-like ( Fig.9 ), parameres slender ( Fig.12 ))......................... hirsutus Champion

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 10. Helenus spp.: 6 — Helenus wachteli n. sp., holotype male, dorsal view; 7 — Helenus wachteli n. sp., paratype female, dorsal view; 8 – 10. Male pygophore: 8 — hesiformis; 9 — hirsutus; 10 — wachteli n. sp.

FIGURES 11 — 13. Left paramere of Hesus spp.: 11 — hesiformis; 12 — hirsutus; 13 — wachteli n. sp.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Helenus spp.: 1 — Helenus hesiformis, holotype male, dorsal view; 2 — Helenus hirsutus, lectotype male, dorsal view; 3 — labels attached to holotype of hesiformis; 4 — ditto, reverse side; 5 — labels attached to holotype of hirsutus.