Liaghinella andina, Forero, Dimitri, 2007

Forero, Dimitri, 2007, Description of a new species of Liaghinella (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) from the Colombian Andes, with notes on its feeding habits and conservation status, Zootaxa 1502, pp. 55-68 : 56-61

Liaghinella andina sp. nov.

Diagnosis. L. andina differs from L. farri by the color pattern of antenna and fore leg, and in the structure of head and anteroventral series of profemur. In L. farri the scapus is fuscous, lighter at base with a submedian pale yellow annulus, whereas in L. andina it is completely yellowish and apically darkened. In L. farri the protibia has basal and submedian pale yellow annulus, and the protarsus is yellowish at base; L. andina has a large basal pale yellow annulus on the protibia, nearly half the length of the segment, and the protarsus is completely brownish. Another difference between the males of the two species is that the meso- and metafemora in L. farri have well defined pale annuli, whereas in L. andina these femora only have irregular pale markings. The head has a pair of prominent tubercles behind the transverse sulcus in L. farri , but such tubercles are absent in both sexes of L. andina , which have instead numerous setiferous tubercles. The structure of the anteroventral series of the profemur is quite different in the two species, as stated below in the description and in the key. The seventh abdominal tergite in the males of L. farri is abruptly pointed upwards apically, whereas in L. andina it is flattened and less pointed. The male genitalia are different in the two species: In L. farri the phallosoma is globular without any sclerotized parts, whereas in L. andina it is more cylindrical and with at least the apical half sclerotized.

From all other Emesinae , L. andina is distinguished by its one-segmented protarsus, large process of profemur inserted on its base, particular color pattern, apterous condition, anteroventral series setae of profemur composed only of spiniform setae inserted on small tubercles, and body covered with numerous setiferous tubercles.

Description. Apterous male: MEASUREMENTS (Holotype): Total length: 8.95. Head length: 1.40, width: 0.93, height: 0.70; interocular space 0.56; length of labial segments II: 0.43, III: 0.33, IV: 0.80; scapus: 2.56, pedicellus: 1.40, basiflagellomere: 0.20, distiflagellomere: 0.93. Thorax, pronotum length: 1.26, width: 0.96; mesonotum length: 0.83, width: 1.16; metanotum length: 0.40, width: 1.30. Legs, procoxa length: 1.66, width: 0.33; profemur length: 2.53, width: 0.48; protibia length: 1.20; protarsus length: 1.23; mesofemur length: 2.80, width: 0.20; mesotibia length: 3.36; length of mesotarsal segments I: 0.15, II: 0.07, III: 0.13; metafemur length: 4.13, width: 0.20; metatibia length: 4.86; length of mesotarsal segments I: 0.13, II: 0.08; III: 0.12. Abdomen, length: 5.06; maximum width: 1.46. COLORATION: Overall color dark brown, dull, antennae and tibiae yellowish brown (figs. 1A, C). Head: Dark; clypeus apically light brown; anteocular region light brown, postocular region dark with a tenuous longitudinal yellowish line; labium yellowishbrown, somewhat darker at base of third (second visible) segment; antennae yellowish, scapus and pedicellus apically dark, basiflagellomere dark, distiflagellomere basally and apically dark. Thorax: Pronotum with blurred longitudinal narrow pale line; meso- and metanota with a yellowish longitudinal line, and paired lateral yellowish lines. Legs: Procoxa dorsally somewhat yellowish; profemur dark brown, dorsally yellowish brown with an irregular pattern of dark markings, three irregular pale spots laterally between the dark and yellowish areas (fig. 1C); spiniferous processes of posteroventral series of profemur, including large basal one, yellowish with dark apices; meso- and metafemora dark brown with irregular and scattered pale markings; protibia yellowish, with base, apex, and ventral surface dark brown; meso- and metatibiae yellowish, darkened at base and apex, with sub-basal dark ring; protarsus light brown; meso- and metatarsi dark brown. Abdomen: Tergite I dark brown with pale longitudinal line, tergites II–V light brown, VI and VII darker; tubercles on each dorsal laterotergite segment pale; sternites dark brown. SURFACE AND VESTITURE: Body covered with numerous setiferous tubercles and scattered small whitish setae; setae on tubercles hooklike, strongly curved (fig. 5E). STRUCTURE: Head: Clypeus acute, with whitish setae on surface (fig. 2B); scapus basally curved, remaining segments straight (fig. 1A), pedicellus with an apical trichobothrium surrounded by small dense setae; anteocular region approximately twice as long as postocular, the latter gently constricted towards neck (fig. 1A); interocular sulcus running before eyes, curved posteriorly, strongly impressed (fig. 2A); eyes rounded, small, not reaching upper or bottom edge of head in lateral view (fig. 2B); gula with numerous very short dense golden setae, area next to gula glabrous; labial segment II wide, slightly curved; III as wide as II at base, tapering apically; IV nearly straight, slightly curved at apex, narrow, reaching stridulatory sulcus (fig. 2B). Thorax: Pronotum cylindrical, declivent, ovoid in dorsal view, about as long as meso- and metanota combined, anterolateral angles blunt, slightly excavated medially before posterior margin; meso- and metanota bell-shaped, with slightly impressed median longitudinal carina, and paired lateral rows of setiferous tubercles; mesonotum constricted anteriorly (fig. 2A, arrow); stridulatory sulcus triangular, slightly surpassing procoxal cavities, lateral margins strongly projected as flap-like processes; prosternum with posterior margin emarginated; meso- and metasterna with strongly elevated median longitudinal carina. Legs: Procoxa cylindrical, about half length of profemur; meso- and metacoxae globose, laterally with numerous whitish setae; trochanters on all legs elongate ovoid; profemur wider than procoxa, narrow basally and apically, barely longer than protibia and protarsus combined; posteroventral series not interrupted at base, composed of apically blunt, small and medium-sized spiniform processes intermixed with setae, basal process larger than any of series (fig. 2C, arrow), setae longer than processes (fig. 2C); anteroventral series not interrupted at base (fig. 2D, arrow), composed of spiniform setae arising from short bases (fig. 2D), apex of series with medium-sized spiniform tubercle; accessory series composed of very short spiniform tubercles; meso- and metafemora long, slender, about half width of procoxa; mesofemur straight; metafemur curved basally in dorsal view (fig. 1A); protibia subequal in length to protarsus, ventroapically with dense patch of long setae, and with one row of triangular tubercles on ventral surface (fig. 5A); meso- and metatibiae straight; protarsus long, heavily sclerotized, ventrally with two rows of small, relatively long, heavily sclerotized adpressed spiniform processes (fig. 5B); meso- and metatarsi three-segmented; fore claws unequal in size, lateral shorter than the medial one, former with inconspicuous, latter with conspicuous ventral, medially incised lamella (fig. 5C); mid and hind claws larger than fore claws, medial and lateral claws symmetrical, with a distinct ventral lamella, incised more basally than fore claws (fig. 5D). Abdomen: Broadly joined with metanotum, and with scattered whitish setae on entire ventral surface; tergite I triangular, with a median longitudinal carina; tergites II–VI each with irregular fine transverse lines, and with a medial tubercle on posterior margin, somewhat elevated in tergites V–VI; tergite VII elevated laterally and somewhat excavated medially in proximal half, covering pygophore on its distal half (fig. 3A), apically triangular, flat, blunt (fig. 3C), with transverse lines and a few whitish setae; dorsal laterotergites slightly wider than ventral laterotergites, with relatively more whitish small setae than tergites, each segment with a small blunt tubercle directed posteriad; each sternite partially covering the respective ventral laterotergite; sternites II–VII with a medial longitudinal carina; sternite VIII completely visible with spiracles located on sclerites projecting posteriad, posterior margin broadly cleft medially (fig. 2F). Genitalia: Pygophore relatively large, with scattered whitish setae; medial process on posterior margin of pygophore rectangular, slightly directed backwards (fig. 3B), gently constricted before apex, with two blunt processes projecting laterad (fig. 3E); parameres externally visible, long, with numerous setae, L-shaped in lateral view, hook-shaped apically, strongly produced (fig. 3G); aedeagus symmetrical, cylindrical; articulatory apparatus strongly curved in lateral view; dorsal phallothecal sclerite heavily sclerotized on distal half, dorsoapically with a drop-like notch; phallotheca with ventral sclerotization noticeable in lateral view; basal plate struts apparently not joining phallotheca, hardly visible in lateral view; endosoma with small and medium sized dark sclerotized spiniform processes; apical endosomal process protruding from apex of phallotheca in uninflated condition, rounded apically in dorsal view, with several dorsally denticulate, sawlike processes in lateral view (fig. 3H).

Apterous female: Similar to male but slightly larger and wider. MEASUREMENTS (one paratype): Total length: 9.45. Head length: 1.43, width: 0.96, height: 0.73; interocular space 0.60; length of labial segments II: 0.50, III: 0.36, IV: 0.83; scapus: 2.60, pedicellus: 1.43, basiflagellomere: 0.16, distiflagellomere: 1.00. Thorax, pronotum length: 1.33, width: 1.03; mesonotum length: 0.83, width: 1.50; metanotum length: 0.46, width: 1.30. Legs, procoxa length: 1.73, width: 0.33; profemur length: 2.86, width: 0.56; protibia length: 1.27; protarsus length: 1.33; mesofemur length: 2.80, width: 0.20; mesotibia length: 3.40; lengths of mesotarsal segments I: 0.16, II: 0.12, III: 0.15; metafemur length: 3.93, width: 0.20; metatibia length: 4.73; lengths of metatarsal segments I: 0.20, II: 0.12; III: 0.16. Abdomen length: 5.40; maximum width: 1.90. COLORA- TION: Very similar to male’s (figs. 1B, D), except as follows. Thorax: Legs: Procoxa dorsally yellowish; meso- and metafemora yellowish, mesofemur with two irregular subapical dark rings, metafemur with one subapical ring. Abdomen: Dorsally dark brown; each dorsal laterotergite segment with an anterolateral yellowish spot. STRUCTURE: Thorax: Anteroventral series of profemur with spiniform tubercle at apex of series larger than in male. Abdomen: Dorsal laterotergites with tubercles strongly projecting posteriorly, in particular segment VII; sternum VII preapically concave (figs. 1D, 4A). Genitalia: Tergite VIII transverse, not clearly separated from tergite IX, spiracles located on a lateral rounded sclerite, posterior margin with elevated ridge, medial longitudinal carina, and paired ovoid protuberances; tergite IX elongate, subrectangular, with tenuous transverse ridges, medially prominent transverse carina elevated longitudinally, carina reaching posterior margin, with paired lateral prominent elongate protuberances, posterior margin broadly emarginate; first gonocoxa broadly rounded in lateral view, with minute transverse ridges; first gonapophysis usually not protruding (figs. 4A, B); opening of the anus with numerous setae.

Egg: Subcylindrical, somewhat ovoid at base, shiny black; chorion without noticeable microsculpturation; operculum reticulated, with its center elevated; corona with 12 long slender prolongations (fig. 4D); adherent substance present at base, light brown, sometimes almost imperceptible.

Late instar: COLORATION: Overall color light brown. Head: Area between eyes somewhat paler than the rest; setiferous tubercles with pale bases; eyes red; antennae brown, scapus yellowish at the base, distiflagellomere mostly yellowish, slightly darkened at base. Thorax: Pronotum somewhat dark anteriorly, with a central pale area; sterna dark brown. Legs: Profemur with two lateral and three medial yellowish spots; processes of posteroventral series yellowish, with dark apices; protibia with inconspicuous median pale ring; protarsus brownish, yellowish basally; middle and hind legs yellowish, with an irregular dark and pale pattern. Abdomen: Dorsally yellowish, ventrally dark brown. STRUCTURE: Head: Nearly oval; postocular region with numerous large setiferous tubercles, smaller tubercles on vertex; clypeus with small apical tubercle; eyes circular in lateral view, neither reaching superior nor inferior margins of head; postocular sulcus deeply impressed; labium enlarged; scapus basally curved, longer than remaining segments, basiflagellomere the shortest, distiflagellomere slightly longer than pedicellus, somewhat expanded apically. Thorax: Pronotum wider on anterior margin than posterior one, with numerous setiferous tubercles, anterolateral angles blunt, convex in lateral view, more convex posteriorly; mesonotum constricted anteriorly but wide, with lateral carina bearing setiferous tubercles; coxal cavities and part of coxae visible from above; meso- and metapleura with setiferous tubercles; prosternum flat with a few setiferous tubercles. Legs: Procoxa cylindrical, protrochanter without spines, profemur somewhat cylindrical, narrow basally and apically; anteroventral series of profemur not interrupted at base, composed of small spiniform setae inserted on wart-like bases, apex of series with small tubercle; posteroventral series composed of five medium-sized processes, several small ones, and a basal process twice as large as other tubercles of series, all intermixed with long setae; protibia expanded apically, with hook-shaped processes on ventral surface and a tuft of setae ventroapically; protarsus not segmented; mid and hind legs with curved, hook-like setae on femora and tibiae; meso- and metacoxae globose; meso- and metatrochanters subequal in size to respective coxa; meso- and metafemora cylindrical, straight, slightly expanded apically, metafemur slightly curved in dorsal view; meso- and metatibiae straight, slender than respective femur; meso- and metatarsi two-segmented, setose ventrally, segment I shorter than II. Abdomen: Broadly jointed with metanotum, narrowing posteriorly, with lateral margins subparallel; tergites flat; each dorsal laterotergite posteriorly with a small protuberance preceded of small, scattered setiferous tubercles; sternites convex, with numerous curved setae.

Type material: Male holotype: COLOMBIA. Cundinamarca. Bogotá D.C., Quebrada La Vieja (04º38’N 74º02’W), 2850 m, 29 jul 2001, D. Forero, leg. / Liaghinella andina Forero / HOLOTYPE (red label) [ UNCB]. Paratypes: [same data as holotype], 2 jun 2001 / Liaghinella andina Forero / PARATYPE (green label), 1;f [ UNCB]; [same data as holotype], 5 may 2001 / Liaghinella andina Forero / PARATYPE (green label), 1;f [ UNCB]; [same data as holotype], 26 ago 2001 / Liaghinella andina Forero / PARATYPE (green label), 1;f [ MUJ]; [same data as holotype], 27 oct 2001 / Liaghinella andina Forero / PARATYPE (green label), 2;f;f [ AMNH].

Other material examined: One nymph: COLOMBIA. Boyacá. Villa de Leyva (05º38’N 73º31’W), ~ 2300m, “bosque Murciélagos”. 5 nov 1998. D.Forero, leg. (Colectado en trampa Winkler) / Liaghinella andina Forero [ IAVH, in alcohol].

Etymology. The name refers to the localities in which the specimens were collected, at Bogotá and Villa de Leyva, both situated high on the eastern Colombian Andes.