Heissothignus slateri, Brailovsky, Harry, 2011

Brailovsky, Harry, 2011, Two new species of Heissothignus from New Guinea (Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Heterogastridae), Zootaxa 3130, pp. 63-68 : 63-64

Heissothignus slateri sp. nov.

( Figs. 3, 4 )

Description. Holotype male. Dorsal color. Head dull brown with eyes stalks, lateral margin including antenniferous tubercle, and middle third of vertex pale yellow, and punctures dark castaneous orange; antennal segment I dark brownish orange, II and III dark yellow with apical third dark brownish orange, and IV dark brownish orange with basal third and apex yellowish orange; pronotum dull brown, punctures and irregular scattered marks dark castaneous orange and light yellow triangular spot in the center of anterior pronotal lobe; scutellum dark yellow with punctures and lateral margins dark castaneous orange; clavus castaneous orange with anal margin black; exocorium dull brown with four light yellow irregular maculas; endocorium hyaline, castaneous orange, with basal third dark brown; hemelytral membrane hyaline with contrasting dark brown veins; connexival segments II to VI dark castaneous brown with anterior third light yellow, and VII dark castaneous brown with anterior third and posterior margin light yellow; dorsal abdominal segments III to VI light yellow with posterior margin dull brown, and VII dull brown with lateral margins light yellow. Ventral color. Yellow with punctures and several tiny discoidal spots on abdominal sterna reddish brown; rostral segments I to IV (apex of IV black) yellowish orange; coxae, trochanter, fore and middle femora yellow; hind femur yellow with dark brown subdistal irregular ring; tibiae yellow with apical third pale reddish orange; tarsi pale reddish orange; abdominal sterna III to VII with black discoidal spot lateral to midline; genital capsule dark brown.

Structure. Head including the stalks wider than long, elongate, acuminate, non-declivent; tylus weakly raised, attaining middle third of antennal segment I; jugum with carina paralleling to tylus; antenniferous tubercle clearly extending forward over base of antennae, with apex curved around base of antennal segment I; ocelli located near base of eye stalks; eyes set far out on distal end of thick, elongate, dorso-lateral stalks; vertex nearly flat; buccular grove reaching base of head; bucculae tiny raised, extending to level of base of eye stalk; rostrum elongate, reaching posterior border of sternite VI; rostral segment I reaching middle third of eye stalk. Pronotum wider than long, declivent; anterior margin slightly convex, with an upturned barely flared collar; anterior pronotal lobe much shorter, separated from prominent posterior lobe by complete transverse impression; anterolateral margin of anterior lobe narrowly carinate, crenate, and weakly convex, and posterior lobe crenate and straight; humeral angles somewhat swollen but lacks of lateral expansions or sharp spines; posterior margin straight; pro-, meso-, and metasternum deeply notched; metathoracic scent gland auricle elongate-oval; evaporative area reduced, occupying ventral third of metapleura ( Fig. 3 ). Femora slender, unarmed. Scutellum wider than long; anterior half swollen, distal half depressed on either side of low raised median ridge; apex truncated. Hemelytra macropterous, extending beyond apex of abdomen; apical margin of corium straight; membrane with distinct basal cell. Abdomen. Posterior angle of connexival segments slightly exposed; sternite II and III fused, IV not; all abdominal spiracles of ventral position; spiracles on abdominal segments III and IV directly on lateral edge of abdomen. Genital capsule rounded; middle third of capsular disk raised at midline; posteroventral edge straight.

Integument. Head, pronotum, scutellum and exocorium coarsely punctate, these irregular punctures anastomosing; clavus semi-hyaline, with two regular rows of punctures along claval suture and an indistinct series along scutellum; corium with inner third hyaline, separated from remainder corium by impressed line (corial fracture); corium with prominent row of punctures along claval suture; ventral surface punctate; pro-, meso-, and metasternum impunctate.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (in mm). Head length 1.40; width across eyes including stalks 2.48; interocellar distance 0.56; space between bases of stalks 0.92; antennal segment length I, 0.80, II, 1.55, III, 1.16, IV, 1.48; pronotum length 1.68; width across humeral angles 2.80; total length of claval commissure 0.44; scutellar length 1.36; width 1.56; total body length 7.60.

Type. Holotype male. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Gulf: Ivimka Res. Station, Lake Kamu Basin, 120 m, 7°44’S- 146°30’E, 22-II-1-III-2000, T. Sears ( UCDA).

Diagnosis. Heissothignus slateri sp. nov., is easily distinguished by the humeral angles unarmed, the pronotal disk not uniformly yellowish brown or with dark reddish brown central band with lateral areas strongly contrastingly pale yellow, and abdominal spiracles of sterna III and IV located directly on lateral edge of abdomen.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Etymology. It is a pleasure to dedicate this important species to the memory of my good friend the late Dr. James A. Slater for his many important contributions to hemipterology and his personal kindness.

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 4. Heissothignus slateri sp. nov. 3, head and pronotum. 4, male habitus.