Australonaucoris, Sites, 2022

Sites, Robert W., 2022, Phylogeny and revised classification of the saucer bugs (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 195, pp. 1245-1286 : 1277-1279

AUSTRALONAUCORIS GEN. NOV.

FIG. 23

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: E165175A-EC63-4447-954B-EFE478B99A16

Type species: Australonaucoris congrex ( Stål, 1876) . Description: Form ovate; widest at middle, the middle of embolia; moderately flattened for family. Head broad, about twice as wide as long, eyes and anterior margin continuously and evenly convex to anterolateral corners of pronotum. Eyes convergent anteriorly in anterior half, subparallel in posterior half; each eye narrowing anteriorly when viewed from above, anteroventral margin concave; narrow band of cuticle posterior and lateral to eye, widening slightly at anterolateral point. Labrum arising at front of head between inner margins of eyes; apex broadly rounded. Maxillary plates angled ventromedially, tips rounded, nearly attaining apex of labrum. Rostrum with three visible segments, with segments one and part of two concealed behind labrum. Antennae four segmented with segment 1 short and inconspicuous, 2 and 4 longer, 3 longest, segments 2–4 setose. Midventer of head with rounded, setose carina. Head and pronotum moderately flattened transversely.

Pronotum with anterior margin straight or slightly concave between eyes, then concavity becoming more pronounced as margin contours around eyes; lateral margins straight to slightly convex and convergent anteriorly; posterior margin mostly straight, with slight concavity medially and convexity laterally to angulate posterolateral corners. Scutellum triangular, approximately twice as wide as long, flattened, heavily punctate, lateral margins concave posteriorly and convex anteriorly. Hemelytra usually not covering tip of abdomen, leaving last segment exposed; narrowed such that lateral margins of abdominal terga are widely exposed. Embolium well defined with embolar suture, yellowish anteriorly, dark posteriorly; clavus well defined with claval and intraclaval sutures; corium, clavus and membrane punctate, darkly coloured, with sparse fine recumbent hairs.

Propleuron lateral to coxal cavity infuscated and setose; posterolaterally light coloured and glabrous; mesal margin subducting beneath (dorsad to) prosternellum. Probasisternum sharply carinate, carina continuous with rounded midventral carina of head. Mesosternum broadly carinate medially with a brush of long hairs and several isolated short, dark spines, which can be concealed by hairs. Metaxyphus with sharp median carina. Abdominal venter covered with long hairs except wide glabrous lateral band; laterosternites with paired, oval, glabrous depressions near spiracles.

Profemur inflated, anterior margin with dorsal and ventral rows of golden hairs sandwiching two rows of short, dark spines. Protarsus single segmented with single, fixed, minute pretarsal claw. Meso- and metafemora with posteroventral row of short spines; those on mesofemur densely packed such that adjacent spines are touching or nearly touching; those on metafemur less densely packed, spaced approximately one spine width apart. Meso- and metatibiae with numerous rows of long dark red spines. Long golden swimming hairs sparse on mesotibia and tarsus, profuse on metatibia and tarsus.

Male genitalia with aedeagus long and slender, with right side angled apically and left side curving slightly to acuminate apex; parameres strongly asymmetrical, criss-crossing in basal two-thirds; left paramere overlapping right, broad, without pronounced lobe on left margin; right paramere slenderer, helically twisted, with elongate sulcus in distal fourth to embrace aedeagus; pygophore asymmetrical. Female mediosternite VII (subgenital plate) as wide as long, convex transversely, lateral margins with distinct concavity at middle, convergent toward broadly rounded apex.

Diagnosis: The left paramere is without a pronounced lobe on the left side and the pygophore is asymmetrical.

Etymology: The genus name recognizes the Australian region in which these former members of Naucoris occur, while still referencing the previous generic association. The prefix is derived from the Latin australis, southern.

Comments: The left paramere is diagnostic for this former member of Naucoris . Among other species of Naucoris from Australia, figures included in the original description of N. subaureus and the redescription of N. subopacus clearly show the left parameres each without a lobe on the left side and pygophore asymmetrical (Lansbury, 1985); thus, these species are transferred to Australonaucoris . Validation for the transfer of N. subopacus was provided recently whereby it was recovered as sister to the clade with the New Guinea endemic genera (Ye et al., 2020). The parameres of N. magela were illustrated twice (figs 19, 20) by Lansbury (1991). Although each illustration shows a dramatically different shape of the left paramere that cannot be resolved by considering viewing angles, neither illustration shows a pronounced lobe on the left side, suggesting that N. magela also should be transferred to Australonaucoris ; thus, this species is provisionally transferred pending confirmation of paramere condition. The parameres of N. australicus have not been illustrated, so until specimens have been examined for paramere shape and other features, this species remains incertae sedis. The following new combinations are proposed:

Australonaucoris congrex ( Stål, 1876) comb. nov.

Australonaucoris magela ( Lansbury, 1991) comb. nov.

Australonaucoris subaureus (Lansbury, 1985) comb. nov.

Australonaucoris subopacus ( Montandon, 1913) comb. nov.

Figures

Figure 23. Australonaucoris congrex male: dorsal habitus (a), genital capsule with parameres and terga IX and X removed (b), left paramere (c), right paramere (d). Sizes are not proportional among figures.