Ectomocoris borealis Malipatil & Liu, 2023

Malipatil, M. B., Liu, Yingqi & Cai, Wanzhi, 2023, Revision of Australian Ectomocoris with the description of nine new species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), Zootaxa 5263 (4), pp. 451-504 : 460-463

Ectomocoris borealis Malipatil & Liu , sp. nov.

( Figs. 5–7 )

Type specimens. [ macropterous males and brachypterous females]. Holotype male, Australia, Queensland, 12.40S 142.40E Batavia Downs , at light, 13-19.i.1993, P. Zborowski ( ANIC) . Paratypes: QUEENSLAND. 2 males, 15.11S 143.52E, Hann River , at light, 14. i.1994, P. Zborowski & E. D. Edwards ( ANIC) ; 1 male, 13.53S 143.11E GPS, 6 km NNE Coen , at light, 13. i.1994, P. Zborowski & E. D. Edwards ( ANIC) ; 1 male, Claudie R., 11/12.2.13 (1913), Colld. J. A. Kershaw ( MV) ; 3 males, same data except 17.i.14 ( MV) ; 1 male, same data except 28.i.14 ( MV) ; 1 male, Mutchilba , i.1933, A. D. Selby ( MV) ; 1 male, Bamaga , xii.1983, J. H. Sedlacek ( QM) . NORTHERN TERRITORY. 4 males, 1 female, Oenpelli, 12.18, D. P. Cahill ( MV) ; 1 male, King R., 24.xii.1915 ( MV) ; 1 female, Murgenella , 11.34S 132.52E, pit trap, 29.i.-2.ii.1987, P. Horner ( NTM) ; 1 male, Mary R., G. F. Hill ( NHM) . WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 1 male, Forrest River district , 1915-177 ( WAM) .

Description.

Macropterous male ( Fig. 5A–C )

Colouration ( Fig. 5A–C ): Black, with yellow to brownish yellow as follows: two patches on each hemelytron, one small subbasal elongate stripe on corium adjoining claval suture, a second large patch about half way on inside of hemelytra on apical area of corium and base of membrane, covering most of AIC and narrow basal area of AEC, exteriorly delimited by outer margin of cells AIC / AEC, connexiva with about anterior one third to half of margins of each of segments III–VII, dorsally these areas narrowing inwards and not extending to full width of connexiva, apical half of fore coxae, basal one third of mid femora excluding ventral aspects, basal one third of hind femora, tibiae excluding apical areas.

Scutellar arch and pronotum (except rugulose stripes) shiny black. Head and body including abdomen generally covered with fine short pubescence, with sparse longer bristles obvious on appendages.

Structure ( Figs. 5A–C , 6 , 7 ): Body large, robust.

Head: elongate fusiform, wholly covered with short whitish pilosity and sparse longer bristly setae, prominent on mandibular plates and on dorsal aspect of first labial segment. Anteocular region elongate triangular, clypeus slightly elevated above mandibular plates. Interocular region with arcuate convex sulcus at posterior border of eyes. Postocular region slightly angulately narrowed to neck. Neck with lateral tubercles scarcely obvious. Ventral surface of head tumid before eyes. Antennae with all segments cylindrical, with short whitish pilosity and sparse longer setae. Scape thickest, pedicel thinner, basi-and distiflagellum thinnest. Eyes large, reniform, not reaching ventral margin in lateral view. Ocelli large, conspicuously raised, separated from each other by slightly over diameter of single ocellus, separated from eye by slightly less than diameter of single ocellus. Labium with second visible segment tumid narrowing distally, second and third sparsely covered with longish setae.

Thorax: Anterior lobe of pronotum with collar armed with rounded tubercles at lateral ends, integument with stripes smooth, sulci indistinct, except shallow middle long sulcus in basal half. Posterior pronotal lobe arcuately quadrate, integument finely rugulose, with short pilosity, humeri rounded, posterior margin almost smoothly rounded, posterior angles not developed. Scutellum triangular, disc deeply depressed, sides carinate, integument pilose, apically modified to a strongly pointed horizontal process, with a few bristles. Propleuron with integument almost smooth, set off from dorsal surface by a carina. Mesopleuron integument minutely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron with integument more densely granulate but granules less distinctly striate, metapleural sulcus strongly bicarinate and curved, pilose with silvery dense hairs posteriorly. Pronotum densely pilose laterad of labial groove. Mesosternum with disc raised, metasternum with disc more or less tumid.

Hemelytra almost fully covering abdomen, exposing connexiva, costa pilose, more so at base.

Legs: Fore leg with coxa contiguous, with whitish pilosity; trochanter unarmed, sparsely hairy; femur strongly fusiform, greatly incrassate near base narrowing distally, much thicker than other femora, armed below with rows of bristly setae, in addition sparsely pilose laterally and above; tibia cylindrical, more or less straight but apex slightly reflexed, fossula spongiosa present, occupying slightly over 3/4 tibial length; tarsi three segmented, denser short pilosity ventrally. Mid leg with coxa globular, femur only slightly thickened, tibia with short whitish pilosity for whole length, with fossula spongiosa about 3/4 its length. Hind leg with femur cylindrical, not at all thickened, tibia with brush of seta, denser at apex.

Abdomen: In male, elongate oval, sternum carinate in midline, carina becoming more prominent towards posterior margin of sternite VII ( Fig. 6B&C ) on its left side with a strongly sclerotised cuticular extragenital process about halfway up on sternite VII posterior margin and almost facing this process is a slightly swollen cuticular area armed with tufts of bristly hairs ( Fig. 6B&C ). Connexivum with golden pilosity as elsewhere on sternum. Spiracles situated near connexival suture, about halfway between anterior and posterior margin of each segment ( Fig. 6A ). Each spiracle postero-ventrally with small circular shiny impressed spot, also a smaller and irregularly shaped impressed spot close to anterior margin of each abdominal sternum—there appear to be an additional irregular impressed spot below this one on all sternites ( Fig. 6A ). These spots present on corresponding segments on dorsum also but are obscured by hemelytra.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 ): Median pygophore process short, fusiform blade-like, apex gradually pointed, posterior surface with a pair of narrow parallel carinae that are widened basally to form two small knobs ( Fig. 7A&C ). Parameres paddle shaped, apex with a small process ( Fig. 7D&E ), right paramere ( Fig. 7E ) broader than left paramere ( Fig. 7D ). Phallus ( Fig. 7F–H ) in resting position with basal plate bridge slightly longer than basal plate ( Fig. 7F ); pedicel nearly straight and shorter than basal plate ( Fig. 7G ); dorsal phallothecal sclerite broad, apex twisted in middle and upturned ( Fig. 7F ), lateral phallothecal sclerite with one sharp process at bottom angle of inner margin and one subrectangular process on lower margin ( Fig. 7H ).

Brachypterous female ( Fig. 5D–F )

Colour pattern generally as in male, hemelytra with two yellow patches markedly smaller due to brachypterous hemelytra that extends to about half-way on tergum III ( Fig. 5D ).

Abdomen as in male except sternum not carinate medially, shiny smooth ( Fig. 5F ), intersegmental sutures strongly curved anteromedially, all sterna appearing narrow medially except VII very enlarged ( Fig. 5F ), shiny impressed spots present both on tergites and corresponding sternites outside connexival suture as in male; additional irregular impressed spot below the one on anterior margin of abdominal sternites less conspicuous on venter. Dorsum with three small scent gland scars of subequal width on visible terga III–IV, IV–V and V–VI ( Fig. 5D ).

Measurements: [of holotype male macropterous, followed by paratype female brachypterous]. Body length 18.80 (♁), 20.28 (♀); maximum width of abdomen 4.70 (♁), 5.77 (♀); length of head 3.04 (♁), 3.61 (♀); length of anteocular region 1.53 (♁), 2.01 (♀); length of postocular region 0.57 (♁), 0.57 (♀); width of head across eyes 2.01 (♁), 2.09 (♀); width of interocellar space 0.38 (♁), 0.32 (♀); length of eye in dorsal view 0.95 (♁), 1.06 (♀); width of eye in dorsal view 0.72 (♁), 0.60 (♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 1.78 (♁), 1.82 (♀) / 3.53 (♁), 3.61 (♀) / 3.42 (♁), 3.61 (♀) / 3.04 (♁),? (♀); length of visible labial segments I–III 1.14 (♁), 1.14 (♀) / 2.09 (♁), 2.28 (♀) / 1.14 (♁), 1.52 (♀); length of pronotum 4.71 (♁), 5.15 (♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe 3.21 (♁), 3.90 (♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe 1.50 (♁), 1.25 (♀); length of scutellum 1.82 (♁), 1.71 (♀); maximum width of scutellum 2.09 (♁), 1.59 (♀); length of hemelytra 11.70 (♁), 4.68 (♀); length of fore tibia 4.18 (♁), 4.56 (♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia 3.23 (♁), 4.10 (♀).

Distribution. Australia (Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory).

Etymology. The species epithet is the Latin adjective borealis (meaning ‘northern’), alluding to the species’ distribution in northern Australia.

Notes. The species exhibits some variation in colour markings among the specimens in both macropterous males and brachypterous females, particularly in the intensity, size and shape of the yellow patches on the hemelytra.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Ectomocoris borealis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., habitus. A–C, holotype, male; D–F, paratype, female. A, D, dorsal view; B, E, lateral view; C, F, ventral view. Scale bar = 3.00 mm.

FIGURE 6. Ectomocoris borealis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., male abdomen.A, abdomen in lateral view; B, abdomen in ventral view; C, posterior part of abdomen.Orange arrow indicates median carina on abdomen, blue arrow indicates extragenital process.

FIGURE 7. Male genitalia of Ectomocoris borealis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov. A–C pygophore; D, left paramere; E, right paramere; F–H, phallus. A, caudal view; B, F, dorsal view; C, G, H, lateral view; D, E, outer ventrolateral view. Abbreviations: bp, basal plate; bpb, basal plate bridge; dps, dorsal phallothecal sclerite; kb, knob on median pygophore process; lps, lateral phallothecal sclerite; mpp, median pygophore process; ped, pedicel; st, struts.