Slaterocoris rubrofemoratus Knight

Schwartz, Michael D., 2011, Revision And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The North American Genus Slaterocoris Wagner With New Synonymy, The Description Of Five New Species And A New Genus From Mexico, And A Review Of The Genus Scalponotatus Kelton (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2011 (354), pp. 1-290 : 115-118

Slaterocoris rubrofemoratus Knight

Figures 12 , 20C , 26 ; plates 3 , 4N; map 4

Slaterocoris rubrofemoratus Knight, 1968: 90 , fig. 111 (orig. desc.); Kelton, 1968: 1127, fig. 11 (disc.); Knight, 1970: 243, fig. 17, (disc.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 451 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 199 (catalog).

Slaterocoris nicholi Knight, 1970: 243 , fig. 16, (orig. desc.); Henry and Wheeler, 1988: 450 (catalog); Schuh, 1995: 198 (catalog). NEW SYNONYMY.

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from other apache -group species by the sparse, moderately long, suberect brown vestiture (pl. 4N); the mostly red femur and black tibia (pl. 3, fig. 12); and the ventral lobe of endosomal spicule with apical portion expanded but not twisted (fig. 26C–G). Females could be confused with those of S. robustus , both of which have black tibiae and are sympatric across the distribution of S. rubrofemoratus . The latter is easily segregated by the fine, dorsal vestiture and antennal segment II longer on average (0.91); S. robustus has dorsal vestiture of bristlelike setae (pl. 4M) and segment II is shorter on average (0.86).

REDESCRIPTION: Male: Moderately small, elongate; length 3.70–4.35, width 1.48–1.85 (pl. 3). COLORATION: Antenna black, sometimes segment I pale except for black basal annulus; legs with femora variable, usually basally black from one-quarter to one-half their length, with variable distal portions bright to dusky orange-red; sometimes femora entirely black; tibiae variable, usually black, often with bases reddish black; tarsomeres black (fig. 12). VESTITURE: Sparse, moderately long, brown, suberect simple setae (pl. 4N). STRUCTURE: Costal margin elongate; frons smooth (fig. 20C); antennal segment II longer than foretibia. GENITALIA: Tergal process: Short with single point on right directed toward midline. Phallotheca: Open distally and on right side; somewhat convoluted distally; left lateral surface slightly compressed (fig. 26A, B). Endosomal spicule: Ventral lobe with apex expanded in line with long axis of spicule and with moderate dense marginally serration; dorsal lobe variable, usually attenuate distally with large marginal serration (fig. 26E–G), sometimes smooth margined (fig. 26C, D), or with conspicuous basal spine on medial margin (fig. 26G). Right paramere: With either two (fis. 26K, M) or three (fig. 26L, N) apical spines and relatively long and sharply attenuate (fig. 26M) or bifurcate (fig. 26K, L, N) basal lobe. Left paramere: Distal portion shorter than basal portion; ventral margin of distal portion somewhat scalloped (fig. 26H, I).

Female: Moderately small, obovate; length 3.40–4.83, width 1.55–1.80 (pl. 3). COLORATION: Sometimes antennal segment I pale; sometimes femur black except for red on distal one-quarter. STRUCTURE: Costal margin arcuate. GENITALIA: As in species group except: Ventral labiate plate: strongly produced, base moderately wide, triangular, apex entire or cleft. Interramal lobe: Short process on dorsomedial margin.

HOSTS: Two species of Artemisia (Asteraceae) , A. filifolia , A. tridentata ssp. parishii , have the most specimen records and are probably breeding hosts. A significant number of specimens throughout the distribution of S. rubrofemoratus were also taken on A. tridentata without the subspecies being noted, which suggests that additional subspecies of A. tridentata serve as breeding hosts. Another breeding host is Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (Asteraceae) .

DISTRIBUTION: Lower elevations and foothills of the Colorado River Basin of northwestern Colorado, southern Utah, northern Arizona, and southern Nevada. Also from apparently isolated populations in the extreme southwestern portion of the Mojave Desert, Los Angeles County, California ( map 4 ).

COLLECTION SUMMARY: 189 specimens from 26 collection events with dates spanning from late May to late July.

DISCUSSION: Knight (1970) set apart his new species S. nicholi from S. rubrofemoratus based on the length of antennal segment II and morphology of the right paramere. As reported by Knight (1970), antennal segment II is short (0.88) and the right paramere has three apical spines in nicholi ; in rubrofemoratus segment II is long (1.02) and the right paramere has two spines. A review of specimens, annotated below, demonstrates that the length of antennal segment II in the male spans a range (0.85–1.04) greater than that reported by Knight for the nominal species. Also the number of apical spines of the right paramere is variable across localities from California, Nevada, and Utah (fig. 26J– N) and from the same collection event (cf. fig. 26K–L, M–N). The dorsal lobe of the endosomal spicule, not examined by Knight, is variable (fig. 26C–G) to the same extent as that observed in the right paramere. The leg coloration in S. rubrofemoratus is more variable than as documented in Knight (1968, 1970), with the extent of black color in relation to the distal orange-red color ranging from a basal one-quarter to one-half. Specimens placed in S. rubrofemoratus from Colorado have the femora completely black, but conform to the structure of the male genitalia attributed to this species. In light of these observations, I propose S. nicholi as a junior synonym of S. rubrofemoratus .

The untwisted, expanded, apical portion of the ventral lobe in the endosomal spicule seems to be unique to S. rubrofemoratus ; in S. pilosus the expanded apex is twisted in relation to the long axis of the spicule. Specimens of S. rubrofemoratus from Los Angeles County, California, have a mostly pale antennal segment I and male body length shorter (3.70–3.90) than the average including other parts of the range (4.07) in response to the membrane length. Females from Sevier County, Utah, have completely black legs, sometimes with the apical portions of the femora bright red, and antennal segment II can be shorter (0.78–0.85) than in females of S. rubrofemoratus from outside Sevier County (0.83–1.00). The small size and coloration of these specimens would seem to correspond to females of the junior synonym, for which the female was not described ( Knight, 1970).

HOLOTYPES: USA: Arizona: Coconino Co.: Grand Canyon [36.054446 N 112.138616 W, 2134 m], 22 Jun 1925, A.A. Nichol, 18 (AMNH_PBI 00134018) (USNM) ( S. nicholi : junior synonym). Nevada: Nye Co.: Mercury, 401 M [36.660566 N 115.993616 W], 22 Jun 1965, H.H. Knight and J. Merino, 18 (AMNH_PBI 00134019) (USNM) ( S. rubrofemoratus : senior synonym).

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: USA: Arizona: Coconino Co.: Rt 64 just SE of Grand Canyon National Park in Kaibab National Forest, 36.054446 N 112.138616 W, 26 Jun 1980, K. and R. Schmidt, Artemisia sp. , 58 (00107880, 00107882, 00107884–00107886), 1♀ (00108216) ( AMNH). Williams, 35.249446 N 112.190286 W, 2134 m, 24 Jun 1925, A.A. Nichol, paratype of junior synonym, 18 (00122257) ( USNM). California: Los Angeles Co.: Acton , Escondido Canyon Rd off Rt 14, 34.502886 N 118.22916 W, 950 m, 16 May 2004, Schuh , Cassis , Schwartz , Weirauch , Wyniger , Forero , Artemisia tridentata ssp. parishii , det. A. Saunders UCR 140648 [PBI_CAL04-H5], 158 (00091704, 00091709, 00091711–00091723), 5♀ (00091724–00091728), Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus , det. in field, 108 (00088713–00088722), 16♀ (00088723– 00088738) ( AM), Artemisia tridentata ssp. parishii , det. A. Sanders UCR140648, 198 (00322797–00322815), 16♀ (00322816– 00322831) ( AMNH). ‘‘Los Ang.’’, 34.05486 N 118.24966 W, 122 m, unknown, 18 (00134359), 1♀ (00134364) ( USNM). Los Angeles County, 34.052226 N 118.242786 W, Coquillett Collection, 18 (00134367), 3♀ (00134358, 00134365–00134366) ( USNM). Mint Canyon, 34.415286 N 118.452786 W, 06 Jul 1933, R.H. Beamer, 1♀ (00117845) ( KU) ; 26 May 1937, E.P. Van Duzee, 68 (00242446, 00242448, 00242450, 00242452, 00242454, 00242456), 11♀ (00121680, 00242447, 00242449, 00242451, 00242453, 00242455, 00242457–00242461) ( CAS). San Diego Co.: beyond Jacumba, 32.61756 N 116.188896 W, 11 Jun 1915, Harold Morrison , 18 (00134407) ( USNM). Colorado: Garfield Co. : W Evacuation Creek , 11 mi SE of Colorado state line on Rt 45, 39.772866 N 109.048356 W, 2073 m, 09 Jul 1981, M.D. Schwartz, Artemisia tridentata , 18 (00111913) ( CNC). Moffat Co. : Gates of Lodore , 40.713336 N 108.892226 W, 28 Jun 1979, D.A. Polhemus, 18 (00116705), 1♀ (00116758), 78 (00116724, 00116793–00116798), 10♀ (00116799–00116808) ( JTP). Nevada: Clark Co. : Charleston Peak , 36.272226 N 115.694176 W, 2286 m, 22 Jul 1982, J.T. Polhemus, 18 (00116729) ( JTP). Esmeralda Co. : 2 mi W of Lida, 37.45136 N 117.514916 W, 1935 m, 08 Jun 1966, W. Gagne, 28 (00119288– 00119289), 2♀ (00119290–00119291) ( UCB). 3 mi W of Lida, 37.458336 N 117.551856 W, 2073 m, 07 Jun 1966, W. Gagne, 28 (00119292–00119293) ( UCB). Nye Co. : Mercury, 401 M, 36.660566 N 115.993616 W, 19 Jun 1965, H.H. Knight and J. Merino, Artemisia tridentata , paratype, 1♀ (00111912) ( CNC), paratypes, 28 (00119021–00119022) ( TAMU), paratypes, 28 (00134628, 00164867) ( USNM) ; 22 Jun 1965, H.H. Knight and J. Merino, paratype, 18 (00111909), Artemisia tridentata , paratype, 18 (00111910), paratype, 1♀ (00111911) ( CNC), paratype, 1♀ (00119023) ( TAMU). Utah: Garfield Co.: Lonesome Beaver, Henry Mountains , 38.099156 N 110.780156 W, 2286 m, 20 Jul 1968 – 21 Jul 1968, H.F. Howden, 2♀ (00111907–00111908) ( CNC). San Juan Co.: 23 mi SW of I-95 and Rt 236, 37.333336 N 110.316666 W, 12 Jul 1992, G.F. Hevel, 1♀ (00134129) ( USNM). Brushy Basin Rim Rd , SW of Blanding, county rd # 227, 0.5 E of milepost 116, T37S R12E, 37.566246 N 109.55346 W, 1737 m, 12 Jun 1982, M.D. Schwartz, Artemisia tridentata , 38 (00111914– 00111916) ( CNC). White Canyon, Duckett Crossing , 37.808896 N 110.428896 W, 29 May 1985, J.T. and D.A. Polhemus, Artemisia tridentata , 78 (00116707, 00116757, 00116809–00116813), 3♀ (00116814–00116816) ( JTP). Sevier Co. : 11 mi W of Sevier on I-70, 38.575016 N 112.461326 W, 1999 m, 15 Jul 1980, R.T. Schuh and G.M. Stonedahl, Artemisia tridentata , 5♀ (00107992–00107995, 00108217) ( AMNH). Clear Creek Narrows Summit on Rt 4, 38.581566 N 112.256786 W, 2243 m, 15 Jun 1980, R.T. Schuh and G.M. Stonedahl, 18 (00107878) ( AMNH). Washington Co.: 2 mi NW of Toquerville on Rt 17, 37.273776 N 113.309586 W, 1158 m, 25 May 1981, M.D. Schwartz, Artemisia filifolia , 38 (00111894–00111895, 00115514), 10♀ (00111896– 00111905) ( CNC). Snow Canyon State Park , T 41S R16W, tent campground, 37.206116 N 113.649176 W, 1219 m, 22 May 1981 – 23 May 1981, M.D. Schwartz, Artemisia filifolia , 1♀ (00111906) ( CNC). Zion Canyon , 37.1656 N 113.011946 W, 1152 m, unknown, 18 (00164874) ( USNM). Zion National Park , 37.248616 N 112.955836 W, D. Elden Beck, 1♀ (00164873) ( USNM) .

Figures

Plate 3. Dorsal habitus photographs of Slaterocoris punctatus—S. tibialis (see appendix 1 for USI codes and localities).

Map 4. Localities for Slaterocoris atratus, S. fuscomarginalis, S. pilosus, S. rubrofemoratus, and S. tibialis.

Fig. 12. Hind leg coloration for Slaterocoris species.

Fig. 20. Slaterocoris species, scanning electron micrographs. A–C. Head, anterior view. A. S. croceipes. B. S. pilosus. C. S. rubrofemoratus. D. S. pilosus, pronotum, scutellum, and hemelytra. E. S. croceipes, mesothoracic spiracle and metathoracic scent-efferent system, lateral view. F. S. fuscomarginalis, pretarsus, apical view.

Fig. 26. Slaterocoris rubrofemoratus, male genitalia. A–C, H–J. Mercury, NV. D, E, M, N. 2 mi NW of Toquerville, UT. F, G, K, L. Escondido Canyon Road, CA.