Austrokatanga, Weirauch, Christiane, Rabitsch, Wolfgang & Redei, David, 2009

Weirauch, Christiane, Rabitsch, Wolfgang & Redei, David, 2009, Austrokatanga, gen. nov., new genus of Ectrichodiinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) from Australia, Zootaxa 2094, pp. 1-15 : 2-3

Austrokatanga , new genus

( Figs 1 –8)

Etymology: Named for its similarity with species in the genus Katanga , together with the prefix indicating its distribution in the southern continent Australia. The gender is feminine.

Type species: Austrokatanga monteithi , new species

Diagnosis: Recognized by the moderately stout body (males longer and stouter than females), mostly dull brown coloration, elongate, almost cylindrical head, pigments of ocelli present, but lens absent, straight and relatively slender labium with second and fourth segment short, third segment long, cylindrical, antennal setation similar in males and females, legs moderately stout, with strong spine ventromedially on distal third of fore and, to a lesser degree, on middle femora, males longer and stouter than females with fore and middle legs stouter and armature more pronounced. The only known species is apterous in both sexes. Similar to Katanga and Cimbus with respect to general body shape, elongate head, straight labium with third segment about 5 times longer than second segment, lack of fossula spongiosa on fore and middle tibiae, and presence of a subapical spine on ventral surface of fore tibia. Distinguished from both genera by the cylindrical head shape, the slightly greater diameter of the labium, the armature of fore and middle femora, shape of the hind leg, armature of pregenital abdomen, and the pygophore with process on inner margin triangular (narrow triangular in Cimbus , truncate in Katanga , Fig. 7 ).

Description: Apterous male: elongate ovoid, of moderate size, head almost cylindrical, thorax stout, abdomen ovoid ( Fig. 1 ). Vestiture: Head, thorax, and abdomen glabrous, with simple and relatively sparse adpressed and suberect setation on antennae and legs ( Figs 2 , 3 ). Coloration ( Fig. 1 ): General coloration dull brown with yellowish spots. Structure: Head: almost cylindrical, anteocular area about 1.5 times as long as postocular, postocular region ranging from almost globular to ovoid in dorsal view ( Figs 2 A–B, 5), mandibular plate small with distinct median depression, maxillary plate of moderate size with rounded apex, genal region distinct anterior to maxillary plate, clypeus slender and slightly raised, labrum subdivided, antennifer pronounced, laterally situated on head at midpoint between anterior margin of eye and apex of clypeus, ocellar lens absent, but pigments of ocelli present on weakly raised area posterior to posterior margin of eye ( Fig. 2 C); Eyes: small, half as high as head, globular; Antenna: scapus slender, reaching apex of clypeus, pedicellus about twice length of scapus, distal two-thirds with relatively sparse and short setation, distalmost trichobothrium situated at about three-fourths and with distinct oval membrane ( Figs 2 D–E, 5A–B), preflagelloid distinct, basiflagellomere divided into two pseudosegments, intraflagelloid present, distiflagellomere divided into four pseudosegments, antenna thus divided into 8 subdivisions; Labium: relatively slender, almost straight; second segment (first visible) short and stout, third segment about 5 times longer than second, straight, fourth segment about as long as second, gently tapering towards apex. Thorax: Pronotum with anterior and posterior lobes at most weakly developed, collar indistinct, laterally with strong, anteriad directed, acute spines; mesonotum with small wing pads, scutellum represented by weak subparallel, longitudinal elevations; prosternum with stridulatory bearing process long and slender, apex rounded ( Fig. 3 C); opening of metathoracic gland small ( Fig. 3 D), meshwork-like cuticle of evaporatory area ( Weirauch, 2006) restricted to shallow depression adjacent to metacetabulum. Legs: moderately slender to relatively stout ( Fig. 6 A), coxae globular, trochanters slender and short; fore femur weakly or moderately bent subbasally, armed with ventral, medial process at about apical third ( Fig. 3 E), fore tibia straight with more or less pronounced small tubercles ( Fig. 3 E) and subapical spine on ventral surface ( Fig. 3 F); middle and hind legs more slender than fore leg, femora and tibiae unarmed; fossula spongiosa absent on fore and middle leg ( Fig. 3 F–G); pretarsus with moderately stout claws ( Fig. 3 H). Abdomen: suture between fifth and sixth tergites curved anteriad medially, dorsal abdominal gland (DAG) 1 absent, DAG 2 (tergites 4/5) with close-set paired openings, paired openings of DAG 3 (tergites 5/6) wider apart than those of DAG 2 ( Fig. 4 A); sternites fused, lines of fusion distinct ( Fig. 4 B), median area of third to sixth sternites raised and flat, with distinct, keel-like rim on third sternite, keel-like rim extending to fourth sternite in large specimens, distinct tubercles present at posterior margin of third sternite and anterior margin of fourth sternite in moderately seized and large specimens ( Figs 4 B–C, 6). Genitalia: Pygophore: ovoid, posterior inner margin with median triangular process ( Fig. 7 B); Parameres: relatively stout and angular, with distinct subapical tooth on anteromedial surface ( Fig. 7 A); Aedeagus: in semi-extended condition elongate ovoid with membranous apical lobe and subapical lateral lobes, basal plates relatively small and rounded, basal plate extension short, basal plate struts high and narrow, dorsal phallothecal sclerite distinct only in distal portion, squarish with rounded edges ( Fig. 7 E).

Apterous female: Similar to male, but slightly smaller and more slender ( Fig. 1 ) than male, spines on pronotal collar less distinct, legs and especially fore femur more slender ( Fig. 6 A), femoral spine smaller, tibia unarmed, abdominal sternites sloping in cross section, without distinct raised median area and without a keellike rim or lateral tubercles ( Fig. 6 B). External genitalia: short and plate-like, as in Fig. 7 F. Internal genitalia: as in Fig. 7 G, with large lateral membranous pouch on bursa copulatrix; vermiform gland with both, section 2 (muscle attachment portion) and section 3 (glandular portion) elongate and slender; lateral spermathecae with slightly widened duct and ovoid pouch.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Austrokatanga monteithi. A, male holotype, Queensland; B, female paratype, Queensland; C, male, New South Wales; D, female, New South Wales; E, female, Northern Territory; F, female, Western Australia.

FIGURE 2. Head and antenna of A. monteithi, SEM. A, B, head, lateral view; C, head, dorsal view, inset showing area posterior to apophysis that lacks ocellar lenses, but shows slightly modified cuticle (black arrows); D, E, antenna, dorsal view, D, part of pedicellus, showing trichobothrium with oval membrane; E, scapus and pedicellus.

FIGURE 3. Thoracic structures of A. monteithi, SEM. A, thorax in dorsal view, B, prothorax in dorsal view; C, prosternum in ventrolateral view, showing stridulatory bearing process; D, metathorax in ventrolateral view, showing opening of the metathoracic gland and evaporatory area close to margin of acetabulum; E, part of fore femur and tibia in posterior view, showing ventral process on femur and tubercles on ventral surface of tibia (white arrow); F, G, apex of fore tibia, F, anterior surface, showing cleaning comb and subapical process; G, posterior surface; H, pretarsus in frontal view.

FIGURE 4. Abdominal structures of A. monteithi, SEM. A, fifth and sixth abdominal tergites with openings of dorsal abdominal glands (DAG) 2 and 3; B, C, abdominal sternites of male with lateral protuberance in large specimen (B) and in medium sized specimen (C).

FIGURE 6. Legs and abdominal structures of A. monteithi. A, fore leg in anterior view of two males and two females, showing differences in size and armature; B, abdominal sternites of three males and one female, showing variation of armature on the sternum.

FIGURE 7. Male and female genitalic structures of A. monteithi (A, B, E – G) and rim of pygophore of Cimbus sp. (C) and Katanga sp. (D). A, parameres; B, pygophore; E, aedeagus in dorsal, lateral, and ventral perspective; F, female external genitalia, caudal view; G, female internal ectodermal genitalia, showing bursa copulatrix with membranous lateral lobes, median vermiform gland and paired lateral spermathecae.