Eocalocoris Miyamoto & Yasunaga, 1990

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 : 265

Genus Eocalocoris Miyamoto & Yasunaga

Eocalocoris Miyamoto & Yasunaga 1990: 15 (new genus), type species by original designation: Eocalocoris hirashimai Miyamoto & Yasunaga, 1990 ; Yasunaga & Takai, 1994: 75 (diagnosis); Yasunaga, 2001: 232 (diagnosis); Schuh, 2002 – 2013 (online catalog); Aukema, 2018 (online catalog).

Diagnosis: Recognized by the following combination of characters: Body moderate to relatively large in size (total length 6.5–9.8 mm and maximum width 2.7–4.0 mm), thick and boxlike; general coloration reddish-brown ( Fig. 2A–C ) or creamy white (in E. albicerus Yasunaga & Takai, 1994 , as in Fig. 2D ); dorsum weakly shining, relatively matte, impunctate, with uniformly distributed, dark, simple setae and sparsely distributed, silvery, reclining setae; antennal segments I and II thick; segment II longer than pronotal width, more or less thickened toward apex; segment III and IV filiform; segment III slightly shorter than I; labium longer, reaching or exceeding apex of mesocoxa; pronotal collar wider, about as thick as base of antennal segment II; metathoracic scent efferent system elongate vertically, with relatively developed peritreme ( Fig. 8E, M ); scutellum weakly inflated; hemelytra declivous at cuneal fracture; vesica with four sclerites; sclerotized rings thick-rimmed; posterior wall with spinulate dorsal structure and interramal lobes. Further generic characters were provided by Yasunaga & Takai (1994).

Distribution. Japan (southwestern Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu), Taiwan (Nantou).

Discussion. Eocalocoris was proposed by Miyamoto & Yasunaga (1990) to accommodate a single Japanese species, E. hirashimai Miyamoto & Yasunaga , known only from mountain areas of Shikoku and Kyushu. Subsequently, Yasunaga & Takai (1994) added a uniquely creamy-white species, E. albicerus , which is restricted to southwestern Japan and associated cryptically with white inflorescence of a deciduous broadleaf, Clethra barbinervi s Sieb. & Zucc. ( Clethraceae ). The genus was assumed to be endemic to southwestern Japan. Nonetheless, the present examination confirms that two female specimens collected from Central Taiwan evidently represents an undescribed species which is described below as new to science.

This genus is most similar in external features and closely related to Miyamotoa Yasunaga, 1990 , from which Eocalocoris can be distinguished by the following diagnostic characters:Dorsal silvery setae more densely distributed; eyes larger; labium longer, reaching or exceeding apex of mesocoxa; pronotal collar wider, about as thick as base of antennal segment II; metathoracic scent efferent system elongate vertically, with relatively developed peritreme; sensory setae on parameres longer and denser; vesica lacking paired elongate lobal-sclerites; sclerotized rings thick-rimmed; and posterior wall with developed dorsal structure and spinulate interramal lobes.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus images of dry-preserved specimens of mirine plant bugs.A. Eocalocoris gotohi n. sp., female, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Eo. hirashimai Miyamoto & Yasunaga, male (from Kyushu, Japan). D. Eo. albicerus Yasunaga & Takai, male (from Shikoku, Japan). E. Eurystylus yixuanae n. sp., holotype male. F. Same, left lateral view.

FIGURE 8. Scanning electron micrographs for female of Eocalocoris gotohi n. sp. (A–H) and Eo. hirashimai Miyamoto & Yasunaga (I–O). A, I. Anterior body, dorsal view. B, L. Left lateral habitus. C, J. Head and anterior pronotum. D, K. Scutellum and corium. E, M. thoracic pleura, left lateral view. F, N. Cuneus and membrane. G. Protarsus. H. Pretarsal structure of proleg. I. Mesotarsus.