Taurocerus achilles Stål, 1862

Jocélia Grazia & Aline Barcellos, 2005, Revision of Taurocerus (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae, Pentatomini), Iheringia, Série Zoologia 95 (2), pp. 173-181 : 175-177

Taurocerus achilles Stål, 1862

( Figs. 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 27 )

Taurocerus edessoides AMYOT & SERVILLE, 1843:151 , non SPINOLA, 1837.

Taurocerus achilles STÅL, 1862:108 ; 1872:46; WALKER, 1867:391; DISTANT, 1880:81, pl. 7, fig. 24 (list); LETHIERRY & SEVERIN, 1893:185 (cat.); KIRKALDY, 1909:150 (cat.).

Taurocerus divergens WALKER, 1867:392 ; STÅL, 1872:46; DISTANT, 1880:81 (list).

Type-locality. Northern Brazil.

Type material. Holotype, examined, labeled: a) Mexico coll. Signoret; b) Achilles det Signoret; c) Achilles Stal. ( NMWH). Holotype of T. divergens, examined,,labeled: a) Type; b) Braz 62 57 [material from Bates’ collection, collected “on the banks of the Amazon”, purchased by Stevens] .

Dorsal surface dark to light-castaneous, abdominal venter castaneous. Apex of humeri black. Rostrum reaching the third sternite. V-shaped callous of scutellum thin.

Male. Measurements (n = 4). Total length 15.91 (14.88-16.63) ± 0.82; head length 2.87 (2.75-3.06) ± 0.14; width 3.17 (3.06-3.25) ± 0.09; eye width 0.76 (0.75-0.78) ± 0.02; interocular distance 1.69 (1.63-1.75) ± 0.05; anteocular length 1.25 (1.22-1.28) ± 0.03; antennal segments I, 0.91 (0.88-0.94) ± 0.04; II, 1.31 (1.25-1.38) ± 0.09; III, 1.66 (1.63-1.69) ± 0.04; IV, lost; V, lost; pronotal length 4.05 (3.75-4.25) ± 0.21; width 14.42 (12.63-15.19) ± 1.20; scutellum length 6.83 (6.50-7.00) ± 0.24; width 6.03 (5.75-6.38) ± 0.28; corium length 9.63 (8.88-10.00) ± 0.53; abdominal width 8.69 (8.25-9.13) ± 0.36.

Genitalia reduced when compared to the other species of the genus, despite their similar body size. Pygophore subtrapezoidal, elliptical in caudal view, widely open dorsally. Proctiger subquadrangular. Parameres distally broad ( fig. 13 ), apex curved anterolaterally ( fig. 7 ). Dorsal rim slightly sinuated ( fig. 4 ). Posterolateral angles rounded apically, mutic. Ventral rim: median process inconspicuous; lateromedian processes obtuse, delimiting a median U-shaped excavation ( fig. 10 ). Phallus about one half as long as in the other species ( figs. 16, 19, 22 ). Basal plate short, about one sixth as long as phallotheca. Visible part of processus phallothecae about one fifth of the length of phallotheca. Vesica little developed, without visible processes (maybe so in the everted phallus). Ductus seminis distalis short, not surpassing conjunctiva. Conjunctiva little-developed, with no evident processes.

Female. Measurements (n = 10). Total length 16.10 (15.00-17.75) ± 0.86; head length 2.79 (2.44-3.06) ± 0.22; width 3.15 (2.97-3.38) ± 0.14; eye width 0.72 (0.66-0.84) ± 0.05; interocular distance 1.70 (1.63-1.81) ± 0.06; anteocular length 1.23 (1.16-1.31) ± 0.05; antennal segments I, 0.87(0.75-0.94) ± 0.08; II, 1.32 (1.19-1.44) ± 0.09; III, 1.65 (1.50-1.81) ± 0.10; IV, 3.03 (2.88-3.25) ± 0.12; V, 3.17 (3.00-3.31) ± 0.10; pronotal length 3.91 (3.63-4.38) ± 0.26; width 14.69 (13.38-17.13) ± 1.34; scutellum length 6.85 (6.13-7.88) ± 0.47; width 6.02 (5.25-6.75) ± 0.46; corium length 9.73 (9.00-10.88) ± 0.55; abdominal width 8.83 (8.13- 9.75) ± 0.57.

Genitalia. Gonocoxites 8 broad and short, about two and a half times wider than long. Sutural borders contiguous at median third, divergent apically. Posterior borders of gonocoxites 8 slightly sinuated. Laterotergites 9 broad at the apex ( fig. 25 ). Secondary thickenings of gonapophysis 9 subtrapezoidal ( fig. 27 ).

Material examined. BRASIL, Amazonas: Benjamin Constant ( rio Javari , alto Amazonas ),, III.1942, Dirings col., Coll. Dirings, ( MZSP) ; Pará: Óbidos, ( Canta Galo ),, XII.1956, Dirings col., Coll. Dirings ( MZSP) ; idem, ( baixo Amazonas ),, I.1958, Dirings col. ( MZSP) ; Acre: Rio Branco, 2, 25.X- 08.XI.1991, F. Ramos, A. Henrique, I. Gorayeb, N. Bitencourt col. ( MPEG) ; idem, ( Reserva Humaitá ),,, 11.IV.1996, A. Bonaldo col. ( UFRG) ; Rondônia: Ouro Preto d’Oeste ( margem esquerda Rio Santa Helena ),, 20.III.1985, M. F. Torres col. ( MPEG) ; idem, ( Sitio Deus é Amor ),, idem; idem,, 04.VII.1985, F. F. Ramos col. (“ arm. suspensa 1.6 m ”) ( MPEG) ; Espírito Santo: Linhares ,, 24-29.IV.1972, C. Elias col. ( DZUP) ; idem,, II.[1]973, F. M. Oliveira col. ( AMNH) ; Rio de Janeiro: Petrópolis ( Serra dos Órgãos ),, XI.1940, Parko col. ( UFRG) ; PERU, San Martin: Achinamisa ,, 10-26.I, H. Bassler Collection, F.600, Acc. 33591 ( AMNH) ; Madre de Dios: Rio Tamborata (Res. 30 km (air) sw P[uer]to Maldonato, 290 m, o o 12 50’ S, 06 20’W), ( BMNH) ; Junín: Satipo ,, XII.1943, P. Paprzyck col. ( FIOC) .

Comments. The general brown color and the blackish apices of humeri distinguish this species from T. edessoides and T. amazonensis . The size and shape of male genitalia, and the shape of gonocoxites 8 also separate T. achilles from their congeners.

Figures

Figs. 4-12. Pygophore, respectively dorsal, caudal and ventral views: 4, 7, 10, Taurocerus achilles Stål, 1862; 5, 8, 11, Taurocerus amazonensis sp. nov.; 6, 9, 12, Taurocerus edessoides (Spinola, 1837) (dr, dorsal rim; lmp, lateral-median process; mp, median process; pa, paramere; vr, ventral rim; X, tenth segment). Scale bar, 1 mm.

Figs. 13-15. Left paramere, outer-lateral view: 13, T. achilles Stål, 1862; 14, T. amazonensis sp. nov; 15, T. edessoides (Spinola, 1837). Scale bar, 0.5 mm

Figs. 16-24. Phallus, respectively dorsal, lateral and ventral views: 16, 19, 22, T. achilles Stål, 1862; 17, 20, 23, T. amazonensis sp. nov.; 18, 21, 24, T. edessoides (Spinola, 1837) (bp, basal plate; cj, conjunctiva; dsd, ductus seminis distalis; ph, phallotheca; prcj1, processus conjunctivae 1; prcj2, processus conjuctivae 2; prph, processus phallothecae; prv, processus vesicae; v, vesica). Scale bars: figs 16, 19, 22, 0.5 mm; 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 1 mm.

Figs. 25-26. Genital plates, ventral view: 25, T. achilles Stål, 1862; 26, T. edessoides (Spinola, 1837) (gc8, gonocoxite 8; gc9; gonocoxites 9; la8, laterotergite 8; la9, laterotergite 9; VII, seventh abdominal sternite; X, tenth segment). Scale bar, 1 mm.

Figs. 27-28. Laterotergites, gonocoxites and gonapophyses of ninth segment, and ectodermical genital ducts, ventral view: 27, T. achilles Stål, 1862; 28, T. edessoides (Spinola, 1837) (aac, anterior annular crest; dr, ductus receptaculi; cs, capsula seminalis; gc9, gonocoxites 9; la9, laterotergite 9; mt, median thickening of gonapophyses 9; pac, posterior annular crest; pi, pars intermedialis; st, secondary thickenings of gonapophyses 9; tvi, thickening of vaginal intima; X, tenth segment). Scale bar, 0.5 mm.