Abelocephala yilanensis, Forthman, 2021

Forthman, Michael, 2021, Two new species of Abelocephala (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) from Taiwan, Zootaxa 4920 (2), pp. 278-286 : 283-285

Abelocephala yilanensis sp. nov.

( Figures 10–16 )

DIAGNOSIS: Males recognized among other species of Abelocephala by the head (including collum) about 1.2 times longer than wide, visible labial segment I longer than II, anterior pronotal lobe medial length about 0.4 times that of the posterior pronotal lobe, acutely angled apex of the distal M+Cu cell of the hemelytron, and overall shape of the medial pygophore process. This species closely resembles the macropterous males of A. albula ( Fig. 3 ), which can be distinguished from one another by the dimensions of the head and pronotum ( A albula head length:width, 1.4 or greater; anterior pronotal lobe:posterior pronotal lobe medial length, 0.6) and the straight medial pygophore process in lateral view (posteriorly curved in lateral view in A. albula ).

DESCRIPTION: Small body size (length [with/without hemelytra]: 4.45/ 3.23 mm, holotype). COLORATION ( Fig. 10 ): Body yellow-brown, except: head, anterior pronotal lobe, scutellum, and base of hemelytron along the anterior margin dark brown; integument of scapus, pedicellus, and legs yellow-brown but appear a slightly darker shade of brown due to dark brown vestiture; basi- and distiflagellomeres and longitudinal line parallel between posterior margin of hemelytron and distal 1A vein gray-whitish; corial cell suffused with fuscous coloration, much like the hemelytral membrane; and membrane with dark brown spots at base of distal M, Cu, and 1A veins, with rest of veins brown except paler distal R and M veins; remainder of corial veins and ventral body surface orangebrown; acetabula and tarsi pale yellow. VESTITURE ( Fig. 10 ): Head, anterior pronotal lobe, marginal areas of thoracic pleura, thoracic sterna, scutellum, and base of ventral abdomen densely covered with dark brown bulbous trichomes interspersed with paler suberect short and long setae; similar setation on scapus, pedicellus, and legs but not as dense; labium and corial veins with sparse pale yellow to brown long and short suberect setae; lateral and posterior margins of the abdomen, including posterior margin of abdominal sternite VII with numerous brown long and short suberect and decumbent setae; remainder of abdominal venter with sparse, short, suberect pale setation. Scapus and pedicellus with setae up to three times the diameter of the corresponding antennal segment. STRUCTURE: HEAD ( Figs. 10–12 ): Largely obscured by vestiture; ovoid head shape; about as long as wide; slightly shorter than pronotum; anteocular and postocular regions subequal in length; postocular region moderately broad in dorsal view; synthlipsis about 2.5 times width of eye; antennal shield not concealing antennal insertion in lateral view; eyes large, reniform, not reaching dorsal and ventral margins of head; gula flat, with glabrous c-shaped region; first visible labial segment reaching posterior eye margin, about 1.3 times longer than second visible labial segment; third visible labial segment very short; scapus and pedicellus subequal in length. THORAX: Pronotum ( Figs. 10 , 11 ) wider than long; anterior pronotal lobe obscured by vestiture, about 0.6 times as wide and 0.4/0.5 (medial/greatest) times as long as posterior pronotal lobe; posterior pronotal lobe smooth; medial longitudinal depression of pronotum wider posteriorly, not reaching the posterior margin; lateral depressions distinct on posterior pronotal lobe, smooth; pleura smooth; prosternal stridulatory process very wide; meso- and metasterna obscured by vestiture; legs slender, unarmed; hemelytron ( Figs. 10 , 13 ) about 1.8 times as long as wide, exceeding apex of abdomen by almost 0.3 times its length; distal part of R vein faintly present but not forming R+M cell; base of distal M+Cu cell as wide as distal Cu+1A cell; distal M+Cu cell acutely angled apically, with M vein not extending beyond apical junction of cell. ABDOMEN ( Fig. 10 ): Apex rounded; tergites obscured by hemelytron; ventral intersegmental sutures obsolete (sternites fused); sternites medially flat; spiracles small, round, positioned near ventral laterotergite. GENITALIA ( Figs. 14–16 ): Medial pygophore process relatively broad and as long as wide in dorsal view, wide and relatively straight in lateral view, directed dorsoposteriad, with apex subtruncate; paramere basally narrow; apical two-thirds wide and strongly curved inwards, with rounded, inwardly projected apex in dorsal view; basal plate without discernable bridge; basal plate extension shorter than basal plate; dorsal phallothecal sclerite subtruncate at apex; endosomal struts subparallel, slightly wider at midlength, distinctly constricted at apical fourth with apex wider than constricted area, reaching apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite; endosomal struts-dorsal phallothecal sclerite fusion area slightly more sclerotized, ovate.

MEASUREMENTS: Male holotype: total length with hemelytra 4.45, without hemelytra 3.23; head length without neck 0.59, with neck 0.69; head width across eyes 0.56; anteocular region 0.18; postocular region 0.21; synthlipsis width 0.31; length of first visible labial segment 0.46; length of second visible labial segment 0.36; scapus length 0.67; pedicellus length 0.66; anterior pronotal lobe greatest length 0.29, medial length 0.22, greatest width 0.66; posterior pronotal lobe greatest length 0.56, medial length 0.52, greatest width, 1.06; scutellar length 0.28, width 0.40; hemelytral length 3.14, greatest width 1.73; abdominal length 1.54, width 1.4.

ETYMOLOGY: The species epithet, an adjective, is based on Yilan County of Taiwan where the holotype was collected .

DISTRIBUTION: Taiwan.

HOLOTYPE: MALE: TAIWAN: Yilan County; Datong township .; roadside drainage valley; 24.648°N, 121.569°E; 250m; 9–16.vi.2019; Malaise Trap; AD Young, SL Winterton, Bill Wu; CSCA19 L414.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral habitus of Abelocephala yilanensis sp. nov. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 11–16. Abelocephala yilanensis sp. nov. 11, head and pronotum, dorsal view; 12, head, lateral view; 13, hemelytron; 14, pygophore, dorsal view; 15, pygophore, lateral view; 16, phallus, dorsal view.

FIGURES 2–3. Dorsal habitus, 2, Abelocephala thai Maldonado, 1996, male holotype; 3, male of Abelocephala albula Ishikawa, Cai, & Tomokuni, 2015, reproduced from Ishikawa et al. (2015) with permission from the copyright holder (© Magnolia Press). Scale bars: 1 mm