Ambracius dufouri Stål

Ferreira, Paulo Sérgio F. & Henry, Thomas J., 2010, Revision of the genus Ambracius Stål, 1860 (Heteroptera: Miridae: Deraeocorinae: Clivinematini), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 2485, pp. 1-15 : 4-6

Ambracius dufouri Stål

(Fig. 3)

Ambracius dufouri Stål , l860: 59 (n.sp.); Walker, 1873: 168 (cat.); Atkinson, 1890: 48 (cat.) Reuter, 1913: 61 (descr.); Bergroth, 1922: 21 (list); Carvalho, 1952a: 50 (note); Carvalho, 1952b: 9 (syn.); Carvalho, 1954: 424 (syn.); Carvalho, 1957: 38 (cat.); Carvalho and Gomes, 1971: 90 (descr.); Carvalho and Afonso, 1977: 7 (list); Carvalho, 1981: 1 (note); Carvalho and Ferreira, 1986: 183 (list); Schuh, 1995: 587 (cat.); Ferreira, 1996: 271 (note); Ferreira, 1998: 57 (biol., note).

Capsus alternus Walker : 111 (n.sp.). Synonymized by Carvalho, 1954: 424.

Resthenia alternus: Atkinson, 1890: 57 (cat.) (n. comb.).

Fundanius alternus : Distant, 1904: 202 (n. comb.).

Fundanius bicolor Distant, 1888: 82 (n. sp.); Atkinson, 1890: 182 (cat.). Synonymized by Carvalho, 1954: 424.

Fundanius maculatus Distant, 1884: 291 (n. sp.); Atkinson, 1890: 45 (cat.). Synonymized by Carvalho, 1952b: 9. Fundanius marginatus Distant, 1884: 291 (n.sp.); Atkinson, 1890: 45 (cat.). Synonymized by Carvalho, 1952b:10.

Diagnosis: Distinguished by the pale head, with a fuscous band arising from the margin of each antennal fossa and coalescing posteriorly on the vertex; the pronotum with large, longitudinal, black stripe widening from anterior to posterior margins or with large to small black spots on disc and the calli lacking yellowish spots; the uniformly fuscous scutellum; and the hemelytron with clavus mostly fuscous, the corium with a large basal transverse stripe reaching the embolium, and membrane uniformly hyaline or brown and lacking a stripe.

Redescription: Male (Figs. 3a–e) (measurements taken from seven specimens, mean followed by range in parentheses): Body length 3.92 (3.68–4.16); width 1.91 (1.74–2.04). Head length 0.53 (0.52–0.54); width 0.82 (0.78–0.84); distance between eyes 0.38 (0.34–0.40); length of antennal segments I 0.30 (0.26–0.32), II 1.21 (1.12–1.28), III 0.53 (0.50–0.56), IV 0.39 (0.36–0.42); labium length 1.08 (0.92–1.20). Pronotum length 1.01 (0.84–1.10); width 1.46 (1.36–1.52); length from anterior margin to transverse suture 0.33 (0.30–0.34). Hind leg lengths: Femur 1.33 (1.28–1.40); tibia 1.94 (1.84–1.96); tarsus 0.26 (0.24–0.28). Scutellum length 0.64 (0.62–0.66); width 0.68 (0.62–0.72). Hemelytron length 3.60 (3.44–3.72); width 0.95 (0.86–1.02); length from base to cuneal fracture 2.05 (2.00–2.08); length from cuneal fracture to apex of membrane 1.55 (1.44– 1.64); cuneal length 0.68 (0.64–0.70); cuneal width 0.54 (0.50–0.60).

General coloration dark brown to fuscous, with pale brown areas. Head pale brown, with fuscous apical area of clypeus and band arising from margin of each antennal fossa and coalescing posteriorly on vertex; labium brown to fuscous, becoming nearly black apically; antennal segments uniformly fuscous to black. Pronotum pale brown, with a large median fuscous spot or band beginning at calli and extending and widening posteriorly; collar with fuscous spots. Scutellum brown to fuscous, with a large fuscous spot, apex usually with short pale brown stripe. Hemelytron at base, most or all of clavus, and entire embolium fuscous; area of exocorium, usually more or less hyaline; cuneus fuscous; membrane clear to pale brown with veins fuscous. Ventral side of body pale yellowish brown, with fuscous spot anteriorly on mesopleural-sternal region; underside of genital capsule dark brown to fuscous; ostiolar peritreme whitish. Legs pale brown, with apex of hind femur and all of hind tibia and tarsus dark brown to fuscous. Body with short adpressed setae.

Genitalia (Figs. 3b–e): Endosoma (vesica) with large membranous lobes (Fig. 3b); gutterlike structure (Fig. 3c) highly developed with apex slightly enlarged, longer than spine support structure; seminal duct rectangular, bearing at base a peculiar structure with apex long and acute. Left paramere (Fig. 3d) falciform with apex acute; sensory lobe weakly developed, bearing a few erect setae. Right paramere (Fig. 3e) reduced with apex and lateral projection acute.

Female (measurements taken from 10 specimens, mean followed by range in parentheses): Body length 4.41 (4.00–4.96); width 2.14 (2.00–2.24). Head length 0.58 (0.56–0.60); width 0.85 (0.82–0.88); distance between eyes 0.45 (0.42–0.48); length of antennal segments I 0.34 (0.30–0.36), II 1.23 (1.16–1.26), III 0.65 (0.60–0.70), IV 0.39 (0.34–0.42); labium length 1.19 (1.14– 1.30). Pronotum length 1.19 (1.02–1.28); width 1.67 (1.60–1.74); length from anterior margin to transverse suture 0.41 (0.40–0.44). Hind leg lengths: Femur 1.45 (1.40–1.48); tibia 2.03 (1.80–2.12); tarsus 0.29 (0.28–0.32). Scutellum length 0.71 (0.66–0.74); width 0.80 (0.74–0.84). Hemelytron length 3.92 (3.64–4.44); width 1.07 (1.00–1.12); length from base to cuneal fracture 2.24 (2.16–2.32); length from cuneal fracture to apex of membrane 1.64 (1.48–1.80); cuneal length 0.73 (0.64–0.82); cuneal width 0.56 (0.50–0.60).

General coloration highly variable, sometimes entirely orange except for appendages, usually yellowish brown to orange or occasionally red with fuscous to black areas. Head usually pale brown, with apex of clypeus fuscous; labium fuscous, becoming almost black apically; antennal segments uniformly fuscous, segment II occasionally black apically. Pronotum uniformly orange or pale brown, orange or red, with large fuscous spot or more often broad band extending from calli, widening posteriorly, to posterior margin of pronotum. Scutellum ranging from pale brown to red, rarely fuscous laterally. Hemelytron pale brown to red, with clavus (except at base), embolium (except at base and apex) and apical half of cuneus brown to fuscous; corium usually fuscous along clavus, with fuscous sometimes expanding to embolium; membrane clear to very slightly brown with veins fuscous. Ventral side of body pale brown to reddish, with fuscous anteriorly on mesopleural-sternal area; ostiolar peritreme pale. Legs with coxae and trochanters pale, femora pale brown or orange with bases and apices fuscous, reddish specimens with femora entirely fuscous, front and mid tibiae with basal halves fuscous, hind tibiae entirely fuscous. Other characters similar to males.

Genitalia (Figs. 3f–i): Posterior wall (Figs. 3f, h) divided into two triangular plates; sclerotized rings (Figs. 3g, i) simple, not twisted, with lateral margins thin.

Distribution: Brazil (Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina), Colombia, and Guatemala ( Schuh 1995).

Host plant: Unknown.

Material examined: Brazil: Espirito Santo: 13, Vitoria, Krauss, VII-1961 ( USNM); Minas Gerais: 1 Ƥ, Viçosa, 45, Carvalho ( USNM); 103, 9 Ƥ, Viçosa, 18/IV/79, Ferreira and Rossi ( UFVB); 1 Ƥ, Ouro Preto, IV- 54, N. L. H Krauss ( USNM); Paraiba: 13, 1 Ƥ, n2 22B, 7, 31-57, Campo Grande, ( USNM); Rio de Janeiro: 13, 1 Ƥ, Petropolis, Dec. 1970, Maldonado C. ( MNRJ); Santa Catarina: 1 Ƥ (compared with type), Nova Teutonia, 27º 11' N, 52º 23' W, May 16, 1966, F. Plaumann ( TAMU). Colombia: 13, 1 Ƥ, Guayabetal, 29 June 1965, J. A. Ramon ( MNRJ); 13, Anolaima, 10 Sept. 1965 (JMC); 1 Ƥ, Villeta, 28 Aug. 1965 ( MNRJ); 1 Ƥ, Paradilla 1000m., Apr. 1965, J. A. Ramos ( MNRJ); 13, 2 Ƥ, Apiay, 14 July 1965, J. A. Ramos ( MNRJ).

Discussion: We follow Carvalho’s (1952b, 1954) synonymic interpretation for this species, and, in addition, verify the synonymy of the various color forms based on male and female genitalia of specimens borrowed from various collections. We also examined a female from Santa Catarina, Nova Teutonia, Brazil, 27º11”N, 52º23’W, 16 May 1966, that Fritz Plaumann (TAMU) labeled as “compared with type by J. C. M. Carvalho” to further support our concept of this variable species.