Notoplocaptera hainanensis Bai, Heiss & Cai

Bai, Xiaoshuan, Heiss, Ernst & Cai, Wanzhi, 2011, New taxa and records of flat bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) from Hainan of China, Zootaxa 3012, pp. 48-58 : 53-54

Notoplocaptera hainanensis Bai, Heiss & Cai , n. sp.

( Figs. 4 , 10–12 , photo 7, 8)

Material examined. Holotype, 3, labelled: China, Hainan, Jianfeng / Beiganxian 820m / 2007 VIII 8, Bai XS / Ent. Mus. CAU, Beijing // Holotype, 3 / Notoplocptera / hainanensis n.sp. / des. Bai, Heiss, Cai 2011 ( CAU); paratypes: 133Ƥ collected with holotype ( EMIH); 13 China, Hainan, Jianfeng / Beiganxian 820m / 2007 VIII 9, Bai XS / Ent.Mus. CAU, Beijing ( EMIH); 33 China, Hainan, Jianfeng / Beiganxian 820m / 2007 VIII 14, Bai XS / Ent.Mus. CAU, Beijing ( EMIH); 531Ƥ China, Hainan, Jianfeng / Tianchi 810m / 2007 VIII 16, Zhang & Bai / Ent. Mus. CAU, Beijing ( EMIH); 132Ƥ China, Hainan, Tongzha / Wuzhishan / 2009 V 6, Zhang & Yang / Ent.Mus. CAU, Beijing ( CAU, CEHI); 131Ƥ China, Hainan Isl. / Mt. Wuzhishan env. / 18,53 N, 109,42 E, 1800m / 25 IV– 8 V 0 8, S. Carlo ( CEHI); they are designated and labelled accordingly.

Kormilev & Froeschner (1987) listed 6 species of Notoplocaptera ; its type species is enigma Usinger & Matsuda 1959 recorded from Borneo. Additional species later described are N. kaszabi Vasarhelyi 1988 , N. draco Vasarhelyi 1988 both from Borneo, and N. taiwanica Heiss & Nagashima 2008 from Taiwan. N. draco was transferred to the genus Encopicephalus Heiss 2010 (Heiss 2010).

These taxa are distributed from northern India (indica Vasarhelyi 1983) to Burma (now Myanmar) ( malaisei Drake 1957 ) and Vietnam (sternalis Vasarhelyi 1976, kaszabi Vasarhelyi 1988 ) reaching Taiwan ( taiwanica Heiss & Nagashima 2008 ); three of them were described from Borneo ( enigma Usinger & Matsuda 1959 , mystica Kormilev 1968b, breviceps Kormilev 1983). As five of the eight species presently assigned to Notoplocaptera were described from a single female, it seems necessary to revise this genus when more material and / or molecular data are available to ascertain their taxonomic status. It is true that some characters are variable between male and females (e.g., length of antennae and genae, body shape) which were partly used to separate species. We refrain therefore from giving here a key to these species.

The new species N. hainanensis n. sp. is different from all species by a combination of characters, and considering the limited distribution range of apterous flat bugs it is therefore described as new. Unless a revision supports the present taxonomic status of all species assigned to Notoplocaptera hainanensis n. sp., is tentatively placed there.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized apterous species, sharing the character of anterolateral angles of pronotum not produced over collar with enigma Usinger & Matsuda and mystica Kormilev but differs from both by genae not produced over clypeus and ventral position of spiracles II–IV (not lateral); however, it resembles malaisei (Drake) , sharing the short genae and the rectangular lateral lobes of pronotum, but differs from the latter e.g., by anterolateral lobes of pronotum not produced over collar, antenniferous lobes with acute not blunt apex, shorter antennae, straight not rounded postocular lobes, and the position of spiracles II–IV ventral and V–VII lateral (II–III ventral, IV–VII lateral on tubercles).

Description. Male, apterous; body elongate oval thorax attenuated anteriorly, surface mat, after removal of usual incrustation submat to glabrous. Head and body except smooth median thoracic plate and tergal plate irregularly rugose, colouration dark reddish brown, antennae, and legs lighter yellowish brown.

Head. Longer than width across eyes (21/18); genae diverging at apex as long as clypeus, this reaching 1/3 of antennal segment I; antenniferous lobes with acute apex; antennae 2.11x as long as width of head (38/18), segment I longest and thickest, II–III cylindrical thinner and shorter, IV fusiform and shortest; length of segments I/II/III/IV = 14/9.5/7.5/7; eyes globular and granulate inserted in head; postocular lobes carinate straight converging posteriorly with a setigerous tubercle anteriorly; vertex elevated, bicarinate with 2 (1+1) ovate callosities laterally delimited by the carinae of postocular lobes. Rostrum arising from slit-like atrium as long as head, lateral margins of rostral groove carinate, closed posteriorly.

Pronotum. About 2.3x as wide as long (28/12); collar ring-like with smooth surface posteriorly delimited by a deep sulcus, this continuing at middle of disk, lateral elevated and rugose lobes separated from collar by a deep incisures; lateral margins straight, anterolateral angles nearly rectangular shorter than anterior margin of collar; disk depressed lateral of median sulcus, surface rather smooth, posterior margin nearly straight, a deep groove separates it from mesonotum.

Mesonotum. 3.5x as wide as long (35/10) fused to metanotum but separated by deep grooves; consisting of two elevated rugose lateral lobes interrupted at middle by an anteriorly converging smooth ridge which is widening and extending posteriorly along metanotum and fused mtg I+II reaching anterior margin of tergal plate; lateral margins rounded converging anteriorly.

Metanotum. Formed by two large pentagonal rugose elevated lobes which are highest at its sublateral carina; smooth median ridge widening posteriorly to mtg I+II, this delimited by a short longitudinal sulcus which continues laterally and separates mtgI+II from metanotum.

Abdomen. Tergal plate flat slightly elevated along midline, its anterior margin triangular delimited by a deep sulcus; surface smooth with the usual pattern of wide and flat apodemal impressions; deltg II+III fused and triangular reaching of metanotum, deltg IV–VII separated by deep sutures their surface smooth with large round callosities laterally delimited by a carina; lateral margin of deltg IV–VII anterolaterally with a triangular tubercle bearing at its middle the spiracle which is visible from above; tergite VII posteriorly raised for the reception of the pygophore.

Venter. Prosternum roundly elevated at middle separated from mesosternum by a transverse suture; meso- and metasterna fused to each other and to sternites II+III, their surface smooth and flat; sternites IV–VII separated by distinct sulci, surface smooth at middle and rugose laterally, spiracles II–IV ventral close to lateral margin but not visible from above, V–VII placed on lateral triangular tubercles and visible from above, VIII terminal on ptg VIII.

Legs. Long and unarmed, femora and tibiae cylindrical and straight, claws with distinct pseudopulvilli.

Genitalic structures. Pagophore wider than long, posteriorly declivous with a median ridge; parameres as figs. 10–12.

Female. General appearance as male but of larger size; abdomen more rounded, tergite VII posteriorly raised to a submarginal transverse ridge; paratergites VIII triangular shorter than tricuspidate tergites IX+X.

Measurements. Holotype: length 5.2mm; width of abdomen across tergite IV 2.45 mm; females: length 6.2, 6.3 mm; length of antennae 1.85, 1.85 mm; ratio length of antennae / width of head 1.90, 1.92; width of abdomen across tergite IV 3.0, 3.2 mm.

Etymology. Refers to the host country Hainan Island of the new taxon.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6 Head and thorax dorsal view. 1 Hainanmezira latiscutellata n. sp., male; 2 Bengalaria gibbosa, male (after Heiss 1982 a); 3 Parapictinus ingridae, female holotype (after Heiss 1982 b); 4 Notoplocaptera hainanensis n. sp., female; 5 Notoplocaptera malaisei (female topotype); 6 Notoplocaptera enigma, female holotype (after Usinger & Matsduda, 1959). Scale 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 7 – 12 parameres in different positions. 7 – 9 Caiaptera picea n. sp.; 10 – 12 Notoplocaptera hainanensis n. sp. Scale 0.1 mm.