Pilophorus tagoi Yasunaga & Duwal

Yasunaga, Tomohide & Duwal, Ram Keshari, 2016, Three new species of the ant-mimetic plant bug genus Pilophorus from Japan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Pilophorini), Zootaxa 4117 (2), pp. 172-182 : 180

Pilophorus tagoi Yasunaga & Duwal , n. sp.

( Figs. 1 C −D, 2, 3, 4A −B)

Diagnosis. Distinguished readily from congeners by its ovoid body (non-antlike) shape ( Fig. 1 C −D); small size; simple, long, semierect setae on dorsum; broad head ( Fig. 4 B); uniformly distributed, appressed scalelike setae on pleurites and abdomen ( Fig. 4 A), and scattered scalelike setae on hemelytron. The ovoid body shape similar to those of P. yunganensis Schuh, 1984 from Fukien, China and P. linnavuorii Schuh, 1989 from Nigeria; easily distinguished by totally different dorsal coloration, and hemelytral and pleural vestiture pattern. The 4th and 5th instar nymphs are recognized by the ovoid shape and color patterns of the antenna and legs similar to those of the adult, shiny fuscous basic coloration, and reddish abdominal sterna. Habitus images of live individuals (both adults and nymphs) are available on a website, http://ujiharao.exblog.jp/i177/3/.

Description. Body generally castaneous, ovoid, weakly constricted (HCR 0.81−0.89); dorsal surface with uniformly distributed, simple, semierect setae and scattered, scalelike setae ( Fig. 1 C −D). Head shiny fuscous, widened; eye small; vertex wide. Antenna yellowish brown, short; apical 1/2−2/3 of segment I, apical 1/3−1/2 of II, apical 2/3 of III and whole IV brown, partly tinged with red; segment II clavate, with apical part twice as thick as base; segments III and IV filiform. Labium shiny brown, exceeding apex of mesocoxa. Pronotum shiny black, polished, with uniformly distributed, simple, semierect setae; scutellum fuscous, somewhat shagreened, with scattered, scalelike setae which are aggregated anterolaterally and posteriorly; pleura with uniformly distributed, appressed scalelike setae ( Fig. 4 A). Hemelytron almost totally matte, with scattered, scalelike setae and sparsely distributed, simple, semierect setae; cuneus narrow; membrane smoky brown, with narrow, pale, semitransparent part along inner margin of cuneus. Leg pale brown, partly tinged with red; apical part of each femur with dark rings; basal half of metatibia sometimes weakly darkened. Abdomen shiny fuscous, with uniformly distributed, appressed scalelike setae. Male genitalia ( Figs. 2–3 ): Genital segment (pygophore) trapezoidal; apex of phallotheca slightly broadened. Left paramere splayed-out. Endosoma nearly C-shaped, with a triangularly elongated, medial process.

Measurements. ♂/♀: Total body length 2.2−2.4/ 2.6−2.7; length from apex of clypeus to cuneal fracture 1.86−2.02/ 2.05−2.09; width of head across eyes 0.83−0.86/ 0.79−0.84; head height 0.56−0.58/ 0.57−0.58; width of vertex 0.39−0.44/ 0.43−0.46; lengths of antennal segments I −IV 0.19−0.23, 0.67−0.75, 0.28−0.30, 0.30−0.38/ 0.20−0.21, 0.71−0.73, 0.29−0.30, 0.32−0.38; basal width of pronotum 1.04−1.08/ 1.01−1.07; minimum width across hemelytron 1.03−1.04/ 1.00−1.05; maximum width across hemelytron 1.16−1.24/ 1.23−1.26;; and length of metafemur, tibia and tarsus 0.93−0.99, 1.33−1.35, 0.33−0.36/ 0.97−1.05, 1.32−1.33, 0.36−0.38.

Etymology. Named for Mr. Toshihiro Tago who collected most known specimens of this new species.

Biology. This new species is now known to be associated only with a Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. ex L.f.) D. Don. ( Cupressaceae : Taxodioideae ), which is endemic to Japan. The immature forms often cooccur with those of Atractotomoidea castanea Yasunaga ( Phylinae : Nasocorini), but population density of the latter is usually higher (Tago, personal communication). Although the Japanese cedar is broadly used for forestry and landscaping in Japan, Pilophorus tagoi is currently restricted to Satoyama landscape (or traditional Japanese rural environments) in Kanto region of central Honshu. The adult is occasionally attracted to light.

Holotype: ♂, JAPAN: Honshu: Chiba Pref., Nagareyama City, Ichinotani, Cryptomeria japonica , 1 Aug 2006, T. Tago ( AMNH _PBI 00380412) ( AMNH).

Paratypes. Honshu: same data as holotype, 2♂ 5♀ ( TYCN); Saitama Pref., Ogawa, Kasayama, light trap, 2 Aug 1997, M. Nozawa, 1♂ ( TYCN); Tochigi Pref., Sano, Toyoshiro, 15 Jul 2006, S. Maehara, 1♀ ( AMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus images of new Japanese Pilophorus spp. A. P. nakatanii, holotype male (AMNH _ PBI 00380410). B. Same, dry-preserved condition, right lateral view. C. P. tagoi, male. D. Same, female. E. P. maeharai, holotype male (00380411). F. Same, ventral view. G. Same, female.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia (genital segment and parameres) of new Japanese Pilophorus spp. named on the figure.

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia (endosoma) of new Japanese Pilophorus spp. named on the figure.

FIGURE 4. Left lateral side of body (A, C, E, G) and frontal head (B, D, F, H) of Asian pilophorines. A − B. Pilophorus tagoi n. sp., paratype. C − D. Pherolepis fasciatus (Kerzhner) from Hokkaido, Japan. E − F. Pherolepis kiritshenkoi (Kerzhner) from Honshu, Japan. G − H. Hypseloecus katrinae Yasunaga, Yamada & Artchawakom from Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.