Sphaeridops Amyot & Serville, 1843

Gil-Santana, Hélcio R., 2021, A revision of Sphaeridops (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), Zootaxa 5020 (3), pp. 521-549 : 523

Genus Sphaeridops Amyot & Serville, 1843

Sphaeridops Amyot & Serville, 1843: 381–382 . Type species: Reduvius amoenus Lepeletier & Serville, 1825 , by monotypy.

Sphaeridops: Stål ([1866]: 121) (in key), Stål (1872: 109, 113) (in key, checklist), Walker (1873a: 52, 82) (listed as unique genus of Sphaeridopidae , also in key to genera of subfamily Acanthaspida ), Walker (1873b: 10) (catalog), Lethierry & Severin (1896: 115) (catalog, in subfamily Acanthaspidae ), Pinto (43, 44) (diagnosis), Wygodzinsky (1949: 64) (catalog), Putshkov & Putshkov (1985: 99) (catalog), Maldonado (1990: 490) (catalog), Schuh & Slater (1995: 158) (citation), Gil-Santana et al. (1999: 2) (citation), Gil-Santana et al. (2000: 1) (citation), Gil-Santana & Alencar (2001: 96, 99–100) (citation, diagnostic characteristics, in key), Forero (2004: 164, 189) (diagnosis, distribution, in key), Weirauch (2008: 242, 244, 245) (diagnostic characters, included in cladistic analysis), Doesburg & Forero (2012: 516) (phylogenetic relationships), Weirauch et al. (2014: 101) (comment on general coloration), Gil-Santana et al. (2015: 336, 337) (citation, in key), Gil- Santana & Oliveira (2019: 97, 98, 100, 101, 119, 120) (citations, taxonomic history, in key), Schuh & Weirauch (2020: 356) (citation).

Diagnosis. Sphaeridops can be separated from other genera of Sphaeridopinae by its prosternum being variably prolonged posteriorly, forming a cylindrical median process surpassing level of posterior margin of base of fore coxae to a variable extent, distinctly obliquely directed downwards and separated from adjacent sclerite (in Veseris there is a large rounded to subrounded prosternal excavation, in Volesus the prosternum is posteriorly shortly prolonged at midline, not surpassing level of posterior margin of base of fore coxae, and it is continuous with adjacent sclerite). Additionally, in Veseris the length of the third (second visible) labial segment is equal or subequal to the second (first visible) segment, while in Sphaeridops the latter segment is, at least, somewhat more than three times longer than the precedent segment. Volesus has only two labial segments instead of three as in other Sphaeridopinae , including Sphaeridops . In Sphaeridops the eyes occupy a larger portion of the head, being separated by a distance much narrower than the width of an eye dorsally and almost touching each other ventrally, while in Volesus they are smaller, separated by a distance larger than the width of an eye dorsally and approximately equivalent to it ventrally. In Sphaeridops the antennifer presents a lateroapical long and an acute prominence, while in Volesus the antennifers are apically straight, without such prominence.

Redescription. Structure. Head short, subspherical in dorsal view; antennifers large, stout, cylindrical, diverging anteriad, with a long and acute lateroapical prominence; anteocular region short, curved downwards, not, or barely, visible in dorsal view; with moderately impressed transverse sulcus just behind the base of the antennifers, extending to inner posterior angle of eyes; first antennal segment stout, slightly curved and thicker than the second but thinner at base; second antennal segment much longer than others, straight, cylindrical; third and fourth antennal segments much thinner than first two, progressively shorter; interocular distance in dorsal view smaller than width of an eye; eyes large, on ventral portion occupying almost all surface of head, closely approaching midline, separated by a distance equivalent to width of labium; second [first visible] labial segment short, thick; third and fourth labial segments thin and straight, third segment longest, at least about three times longer than the second; fourth segment reaching stridulatory sulcus at its basal portion, very far from its apex. Ocellar tubercle prominent, positioned just behind transverse sulcus; ocelli large; neck short. Thorax. Pronotum trapezoidal; anterior collar narrow; anterolateral angles rounded; fore lobe much shorter and narrower than hind lobe, lobes separated by a barely marked transverse sulcus; median sulcus narrow, variably deep, sometimes indistinct, reaching neither anterior margin nor posterior third or fourth of hind lobe; fore lobe slightly elevated just behind anterior collar, intercalating areas of rugous and smooth integument; surface of the latter, under higher magnification, formed by a papillar cuticle (cf. Weirauch 2005b: fig. 5); integument of hind lobe corrugate, frequently transversely wrinkled to a variable extent; humeral angles acute; lateroposterior and midposterior margins of hind lobe variable, almost straight or sinuous. Scutellum triangular, variably depressed at disc, process stout, variably enlarged at basal portion. Supracoxal lobes of propleura somewhat prominent, those of meso- and metapleura progressively less or not prominent. Pleurae with smooth areas on upper portion: small and located below fore lobe of pronotum on propleura; larger on meso and metapleura; sometimes divided into two portions on mesopleura; these smooth areas form a papillar cuticle ( Weirauch 2005b); integument of propleura similarly corrugate as that of hind lobe of pronotum; meso and metapleura with parallel linear vertical to oblique impressions on approximately inferior two thirds, variable in deepness and number. Prosternum with a pair of short, rounded, anterior processes, shortly directed forward; median portion mostly occupied by stridulitrum and variably prolonged posteriorly, forming a cylindrical median process which surpasses level of posterior margin of base of fore coxae for a variable extent, distinctly obliquely directed downwards and separated from adjacent sclerite; mesosternum flattened on median portion, somewhat elevated laterally; metasternum slightly elevated, except at its margins, with a median shallow keel variably present or not, if present then variable in extension; fore coxae close, separated by a distance shorter than width of each coxa; middle coxae separated by a distance larger than hind coxae, both separated by a distance larger than the width of each respective coxa. Femora, tibiae and tarsi slender, segments with similar width in all three pairs of legs; a small acute dorsal spur and a mesal comb at apex of fore tibiae; a small pad on apices of fore and middle tibiae; hind femora and tibiae longer than respective portions of preceding legs. Tarsi three-segmented. Hemelytra of variable length, not reaching, reaching, or slightly surpassing apex of abdomen. Abdomen oval; connexivum largely exposed laterally to hemelytra, with a vertical sclerite separating their dorsal and ventral components. Sternites generally with a smooth integument and very thin shallow numerous transverse linear striations; small canaliculae at lateral sides of midline for a short distance between sternites II and III, sometimes indistinct; a median shallow keel variably present only on sternite II and basal portion of following segment, most segments or on all segments. Vestiture. Integument of the body mostly glabrous; scattered stout, curved, dark setae variably present on clypeus, adjacent areas, and basal portion of first visible labial segment. Antennae covered by a pubescence formed by thin, somewhat curved pale to whitish setae and by longer, straight, stout, dark to blackish setae, both less numerous on scape; stout longer dark setae less numerous and slightly longer and thin pale setae shorter on flagellum. A group of numerous stout golden setae implanted on inner margin of posterior border of pronotum, over and/or beside scutellar base; inner margins of approximately basal half of prosternum, laterally to stridulitrum, covered by a pubescence formed by very short, adpressed, pale, thin setae; posterior margin of prosternum just above fore coxa and laterad to median process, with several pale short setae; dorsal portion of median process of prosternum with a variable number of long setae; posteromedial margin of supracoxal lobe of propleura with a group of numerous moderately long pale setae; basal portion of mesosternum below fore coxae with sparse or more numerous thin, long, pale setae. Legs: coxae covered by short, thin, curved pale setae, except on a pair of subbasal glabrous areas; sometimes a tuft of long pale setae present on basal portion of outer surface of hind coxae. Trochanters covered by somewhat longer and stouter setae than those of coxae. Femora and tibiae covered by variably curved, dark or somewhat paler, setae which are sparser on dorsal and lateral surfaces of femora and much more numerous on ventral surfaces of tibiae, in which they are longer and thicker. Tarsi with longer and thinner paler setae, more numerous on ventral surface. Lateral margins of connexivum and sternites with short, stout setae, absent or sparser and frequently pale on basal segments, becoming more numerous and generally darker towards distal segments, even more numerous on last segment. Exposed portions of genitalia variably covered by scattered short or somewhat longer, stout or thinner, dark or paler setae. Male terminalia. Abdominal segment VIII almost completely concealed, except its exposed median portion of posteroventral margin; sclerotized only on ventral face, becoming wider towards posterior margin; dorsal portion entirely membranous and narrower; spiracles on dorsal margin of ventral portion. Male genitalia. Pygophore suboval to subrectangular in ventral view, subhemispherical in lateral view; integument moderately rugous with thin transverse incomplete and irregular shallow linear impressions and scattered punctation; apical margin straight or slightly curved at median portion. In dorsal view: between anterior and posterior genital openings, a narrow dorsal (transverse) somewhat curved bridge (br); socket of insertion of paramere (so) approximately in mid-portion of pygophore, and usually with numerous, somewhat long, erect setae inserted above it; membranous areas of posterior genital opening smooth and transversely striated at approximately basal and distal halves of them, respectively; striated distal portion somewhat more sclerotized; proctiger (pct) subsquared to subrectangular, somewhat enlarged towards apex, with long setae on distal margin. Medial process of pygophore (mpp) conspicuous, obliquely directed upwards, elongated in lateral view. Paramere apices close or in contact in resting position; parameres (pa) symmetrical, elongated, with a rounded enlargement just above inserted portion, moderately and strongly curved inwards at mid and apical portions, respectively, narrowing towards its somewhat rounded to acute tip; with straight to moderately curved, thin or stouter setae, more numerous towards apical portion and absent on basal (inserted) portion and variably on outer and inner surface of basal portion of exserted portion. Articulatory apparatus with moderately short basal plate arms (bpa); basal arms and basal plate bridge (bpb) forming a subtriangular set in dorsal view; pedicel (pd) elongated, subrectangular in ventral and dorsal views, curved in lateral view. Dorsal phallothecal sclerite (dps) wider at approximately basal third, lateral margins rounded subbasally and straight at distal two-thirds, slightly convergent towards apex; just above subbasal rounded portion, a few shallow and short grooves (gr); dorsal surface weakly sclerotized, basal margin curved, lateral portion (lpds) more sclerotized at approximately distal half to distal two thirds, folded up in a right angle in relation to the dorsal surface; struts (st) elongated, straight in lateral view and generally lanceolate in dorsal view; its approximately basal third located below basal margin of dorsal phallothecal sclerite (dps), formed by a pair of separated but close, slightly divergent basally, parallel arms which become united at median portion of the struts, latter enlarged and rounded; distal portion tapering towards apex. At apical portion of dorsal surface of dorsal phallothecal sclerite (dps), a pair of membranous lobes on endosoma (mle), united at their median portion by a membranous flat extension; in ventrosuperior view, between lateral folds (lpds) of dorsal phallothecal sclerite (dps), most of processes of the endosoma are visible. Three paired and an unpaired processes of endosoma: a pair of bent and slightly sclerotized curved basal processes (bp), connected to each other at median portion by a membranous portion; longer and larger tubular membranous extensions connect apical portions of these basal processes (bp) to following pair of subbasal processes (sbp); latter mostly membranous, with numerous rugosities at apical and submedian portion, largely connected at median portion; just laterad to latter and between the submedian rugosities, a pair of groupings of sclerotized longitudinal linear shallow ridges forming a set at each side; a median subconical subapical process (sp), formed by very numerous rugosities and connected laterally to apical processes (ap); latter formed by a pair of large flat lobes covered by very numerous elongated spined small processes.