Cataulax Spinola, 1837

Grazia, Jocélia, Campos, Luiz A. & Becker, Miriam, 2000, Revision of Cataulax Spinola, with Architas Distant as a New Synonymy (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Discocephalini), Anais da Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil 29 (3), pp. 475-488 : 476-477

Cataulax Spinola, 1837

Cataulax Spinola, 1837: 339 ; Dallas, 1851: 16; Stål, 1867: 500; Lethierry & Severin, 1893: 85; Kirkaldy, 1909: 216.

Hypata Stål, 1860: 15

Architas Distant, 1889: 323 . NEW SYN- ONYMY

Type species: Cataulax eximius (Stål)

Diagnosis. Obovate; mesosternum tumid, in a median, elevated, broad calloused ridge; metasternum hexagonal, elevated into a thicket plate, apicalmargin emarginate; third abdominal segment with a median, flat tubercle which fits in apical emargination of the metasternum; rostrumwith a minute intercalary segment between basal two segments.

Obovate; rather large, distinctly convex above, mildly so beneath; glossy to semiglossy; head and anterior portion of the pronotum distinctly declivitous. Head shorter than the median pronotal length, roundly triangular about twice wide through eyes than long, anteocularmargins feebly sinuate, jugae longer than clypeus and slightly overlapping apically, the apex rounded, entire. Antennae five segmented, thin, reaching, at least, basal third of scutellum. Pronotal transversely hexagonal, anterior margin no wider than head through the eyes; anterolateral margins straight, subcarinate, and very narrowly reflected; a minute, acute, anterior apical denticle on each side. Humeral angles obtusely rounded. Scutellum quiteprominent attaining, at least, the seventh abdominal tergite; frena end at middle, margins mildly sinuate there. Hemelytra reaching the end of abdomen, corium subequal to, or slightly longer than scutellum; apicalmargin of membrane truncate in males, veins of membrane slightly raised, subparalell or convergent posteriorly. Connexivum narrowly exposed, apicalangles rectilinear to subacute and very feebly produced. Bucculae feebly elevated, uniform in height, parallel; buccular canal relatively broad and shallow. Rostrum reaching beyond metacoxae, provided with a minute intercalary segment between the basal two segments; segment II arcuate, subequal to or slightly shorter than segments III and IV combined. Mesosternum distinctly tumid, its median area elevated into a thick, posteriorly widening, calloused ridge anteriorly convex, except in C. eximius . Metasternum hexagonal, slightly elevated into a flattish calloused plate, posterior margin excavated. Mesocoxae slightly more widely separated transverselythan they are from each other longitudinally. Ostiolar peritreme barely elevated, attenuating laterally into a long, thin, thread-like ruga nearly reaching lateral margin of plate. Third abdominal sternite with a median broad and flat tubercle that fits into emargination of metasternum. Median abdominal furrow broad and shallow, reaching sixth sternite; small calloused yellow tubercles next to spiracles. Legs moderate in size, tibiae planosulcate above, terminal tarsal segment subequal in length to basal two combined; femora and tibiae with numerous, widely spaced castaneous dots.

Male. Pygophore with postero-lateral angles expanded; internal borders of postero-lateral angles ending either ina lobe or ina denticle. Parameres stout, erect, simple or with branches. Proctiger opening ventrally; middlelength with 1+1 process or carina convergent posteriorly. Phallus : articulatory apparatus with two pairs of dorsal connectives. Vesicawith 1+1 or 2+2 dorsal basal processes. Conjunctiva present, with a 1+1 ventral, auricular process.

Female. Genital plates simple, smooth, much wider than long when taken together. Ectodermal genital ducts simple, chitinellipsen present.

Comments. Differential characters used by Distant (1889) to create the genus Architas are relatively minor, and, vary between species. Most of the characters conform to the requirements of the genus Cataulax , specially the genitalia of both sexes. The genera related to Cataulax have already been studied by the authors: Sympiezorhincus Spinola, 1837 was revised by Becker & Ruckes (1969), Ablaptus Stål, 1864 by Becker & Grazia (1989), Agaclitus Stål, 1864 by Becker & Grazia (1992) and Uncinala Ruckes, 1965 by Becker & Grazia (1995). The relationships among thesegenera can befound in thesepapers, and are extensively discussed in Becker & Grazia (1989, 1992). This is the first time that Cataulax is brought into the vicinity of these genera.