Nythomiris nepalicus, Yasunaga, 2024

Yasunaga, Tomohide, 2024, Reassessment of characters of the ‘ Orientomiris-group’, with descriptions of three new genera and eight new species of the tribe Mirini from the Oriental Region (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 64 (2), pp. 397-426 : 424

Nythomiris nepalicus sp. nov.

( Figs 3C–D, 4C− E, 5E–H, 6D–E, 15I–P, 16H–P)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, NEPAL: Makawanpur Dist., Chitwan National Park, Machan Resort [current Parsa Wildlife Reserve], 27°32′06″N, 84°44′17″E, 270 m, on flowers of Mallotus sp. , 7–9.xi.2005, T.Yasunaga, M. Takai & B. Shishido ( AMNH _ PBI 00378801 ) ( NMTU). PARATY- PES: NEPAL: same data as for holotype, 1 J 1 ♀ ( TYCN); Bagmati Zone, Kathmandu, Tripureshwor, 27.693555, 85.316545, UV lighting, 17.vi.2006, T. Yasunaga, 1 ♀ ( TYCN).

Diagnosis. Distinguished from the other congener, N. nagamasai sp. nov., by its medially darkened, wider vertex; dark striae on frons; brown ring near base of antennomere I; basally annulated antennomere II; longer labium reaching apex of metacoxa; widely concaved median part of metathoracic scent efferent system; and darker pronotum and hemelytra, in addition to allopatric distribution pattern of each species.

Description. As in generic description. Basic coloration pale brown; dorsum relatively shining, with dark maculae ( Figs 3C–D), almost glabrous ( Figs 3C, 15L). Head pale grayish brown; vertex irregularly darkened mesially, wide, 0.28–0.30 (J) / 0.32–0.34 (♀) times as wide as head across eyes; frons with several dark brown striae. Antenna pale brown; segment I with brown ring near base; segment II with dark apical 1/3 and two annulations in middle and at base, about as long as metafemur; apical half of segment III and apical 3/4 of IV brown. Labium shiny pale brown, slightly exceeding apex of metacoxa; segment I and apical 1/3 of segment IV dark reddish brown. Pronotum brown, irregularly and widely speckled with fuscous maculae (as in Figs 3C–D), with creamy yellow collar and posterior margin; pleura castaneous, somewhat matte; metathoracic scent efferent system with creamy yellow, widely and semi-circularly concaved medially ( Fig. 15M); scutellum yellowish white, with triangular fuscous macula at base and dark apex. Hemelytron shiny pale brown, with dark brown, rather squared macula on median corium; apical part and inner half of clavus darkened; base of corium darkened; cuneus fuscous brown, margined by scarlet fascia, with creamy yellow apex; membrane pale smoky brown, semitransparent. Coxae and legs pale brown; procoxa partly reddish brown; legs pale brown; metafemur sometimes with brown rings apically; apical part of metatibia partly darkened; metatarsomere II shorter than III ( Fig. 15I); pretarsal structures as in Fig. 15J. Abdomen castaneous brown. Male genitalia ( Figs 5E–G, 6F–G, 16L–P): left paramere with stout sensory lobe and sharp hypophysis ( Figs 5E, 16N); vesical spicules and lobal sclerites elongate ( Figs 5G, 6G, 16O–P). Female genitalia ( Figs 5H, 16H–J): sclerotized rings semi-circular, relatively small, separated from each other mesally ( Fig. 5H).

Measurements. See Table 1.

Etymology. Named for Nepal; latinized as an adjective.

Biology. The adults were collected by sweep-netting the inflorescences of Mallotus sp. ( Euphorbiaceae ). However, its accurate breeding host is yet to be confirmed with immature forms.

Distribution. Nepal (Makawanpur District, or subtropical savanna-zone of southern Himalayas).