Rhopalimiris gagai, Yasunaga & Yamada & Tsai, 2023

Yasunaga, Tomohide, Yamada, Kazutaka & Tsai, Jing-Fu, 2023, New genera and new species of remarkably large-sized or uniquely-shaped mirine plant bugs from Taiwan (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae), Zootaxa 5278 (2), pp. 264-288 : 272-275

Rhopalimiris gagai new species

( Figs. 1F , 3 C−D, 6A−G, 12A−O)

Diagnosis: Recognized by moderate size and yellowish brown, oily shiny, glabrous, impunctate dorsum, with darkened scutellum, clavus and cuneus (male only) ( Fig. 4 A−B), in addition to the male and female genitalic structures mentioned in the above generic description. The male antenna is generally longer and cuneus is darker than those of female.

Description. Male: Body slender, parallel-sided, moderate in size; basic coloration dark brown; dorsum weakly shining, with sparsely distributed, short, simple setae. Head dark brown; vertex and frons sometimes pale brown mesally. Antenna dark brown; segment I about as long as head across eyes; segment II weakly incrassate, longer than basal width of pronotum; basal half of segment III pale. Labium shiny pale reddish brown, not exceeding posterior margin of mesepisternum; apical half of segment IV infuscate. Pronotum widely dark brown, with pale brown anterior 1/3 and median part, roughly and transversely wrinkled; collar dark brown, about as thick as basal part of antennal segment II; mesoscutum pale brown, darkened mesally and laterally; scutellum pale brown, widely darkened mesally; thoracic pleura almost uniformly pale brown; metathoracic scent efferent system as in Fig. 12G . Hemelytron dark brown; anterior corium across clavus pale brown; cuneus almost entirely darkened; membrane pale smoky brown, semitransparent, with dark brown veins and dark suffusion posterior to veins. All coxae and legs pale brown; apical part of each femur and each tibia more or less darkened; structure of protibia as in Fig. 12I . Abdomen almost uniformly pale brown; dorsal surface (abdominal terga and connexiva) darkened. Genitalia ( Fig. 6A–C ): As mentioned in generic description.

Female: Similar to male in overall appearance, but body wider and general coloration paler and more reddish. Antenna pale yellowish to reddish brown; segment II shorter than basal width of pronotum; apex of segment I and apical 1/4 of II, apical 1/4 of III and entire IV dark reddish brown. Posterior half of pronotum reddish brown; collar pale brown; scutellum widely pale brown with brown stripe mesally. Posterior half of hemelytron reddish brown. Legs pale reddish brown; apical part of metafemur brown. Abdomen uniformly pale brown, partly suffused with red. Genitalia ( Figs. 6D–G , 12J–O ): Posterior wall with small dorsal structure and rather narrow interramal lobe ( Figs. 6D , 12L ); interramal lobe with uniformly distributed spinules ( Fig. 12N–O ).

Measurements. See Table 1 ; maximum width corresponding to width across abdomen.

Etymology. Named after Mr. I. S. Lin (Gaga as his pseudonym) who kindly provided some images of live individuals of this new species for this study; a noun in genitive case.

Distribution. Taiwan (Pingtung, Taipei).

Biology. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype (♁). TAIWAN: Pingdung Co., Lanren River , 22°02'37.3''N, 120°51'05.8''E, UV lighting, J.-Z. Wang & Y.-C. Lan, 14 February 2012 ( AMNH _ PBI 00380765 ) ( NMNS) . Paratypes. TAIWAN: Pingdung (Pingtung) Co., 1 ♁, same data as for holotype, except for date 10 February 2012 ( NMNS) ; 1 ♁, Sheding , 21°55'42.7"N 120°49'40.2"E, Y.-C. Lan & J.-Z. Wang, 18 February 2011 ( NMNS) ; 2 ♀, Kenting Forest Recreation Area , 27°57'48.6"N 120°48'47.9"E, sweep-netting, W.-N. Lu & Y.-C. Lan, 10 March 2011 ( NMNS) ; 2 ♀, same locality, C.-T. Chou & Y.-C. Lan, 20 February 2011 ( NMNS) ; 1♁ 1♀, Taipei City , National Taiwan University, ex. Bischofia jabanica, Y.C. Tsai & C.C. Kuo , 27 Feb 2022 ( NMNS) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus images of live individuals of mirine plant bugs known from Taiwan. A–B. Eurystylus yixuanae n. sp., female (courtesy of Y.X. Hsieh). C. E. sauteri (Poppius), female. D. Same, head. E. E. ryukyus (Yasunaga, Nakatani & Chérot), male. F. Rhopalimiris gagai n. sp., male (courtesy of I. S. Lin).

FIGURE 3. Habitus images of dry-preserved specimens of Taiwanese mirine plant bugs. A. Rhopalimiris amplissimus n. sp., female, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C. R. gagai n. sp., male. D. Same, female. E. Taiwanocapsus luteocordatus n. sp., male. F. Same, ventral view. G. Same, female. H. Same, ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Female genitalia and egg (I–J) of Eocalocoris gotohi n. sp. (A–D), Eo. hirashimai Miyamoto & Yasunaga (E–F) and Rhopalimiris amplissimus n. sp. (G–J). A, B, E. Genital chamber. C, F, H. Ovipositor (gonapophysis) I. D. Posterior wall. G. Sclerotized rings and adjacent structures. Scale bars 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 6. Male (A–C) and female (D–G) genitalia of Rhopalimiris gagai n. sp. A. Left paramere. B. Right paramere. C. Vesica. D. Posterior wall. E. Ovipositor (gonapophysis) I. F. Genital chamber, dorsal view. G. Sclerotized rings and adjacent structures. Scale bars 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 12. Scanning electron micrographs for Rhopalimiris gagai n. sp., male (A) and female (B–O). A. Left lateral habitus. B–C. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. D. Antennomere IV. E. Posterior margin of pronotum and anterior scutellum. F. Metatarsus. G. Scent efferent system. H. Connexiva. I. Protarsus. J. Genital chamber. K. Ovipositor (gonapophysis) I. L–M. Posterior wall. N–O. Interramal lobe.