Coridromius epithema, Tatarnic & Cassis, 2008

Tatarnic, N. J. & Cassis, G., 2008, Revision Of The Plant Bug Genus Coridromius Signoret (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2008 (315), pp. 1-95 : 58-59

Coridromius epithema , new species Figures 4, 6, 11G–H, map 8

HOLOTYPE: Female: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Morobe: Mount Kaindi , 7.35 ° S 146.68333 ° E, 2350 m, 11–18 Sep 1972, J.L. Gressitt ( AMNH _ PBI 00041549 ) ( BPBM type# 16728) ( BPBM).

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the following combination of characters: costal margin of hemelytron flared anteriorly, then sharply angled inward from the midpoint to the cuneus, extremely long metepimeral lobe, swollen and depressed right laterotergites II and III, and nearly uniform orange-brown coloration. This species appears very similar to nigrus and hermosus , both of which share similar paragenital structures, head shape, hemelytral shape, and metepimeral lobes. All three can be distinguished by their coloration, and ephippius differs further by having the longest metepimeral lobe, which is rounded apically (fig. 11G) but shorter and triangular (fig. 13E) in the other species.

DESCRIPTION: COLORATION (figs. 4, 6): Nearly uniform orange-brown. Head: Orange-brown; mandibular and maxillary plates, buccula, gena, ocular margins, and posterior margin of vertex slightly lighter orange; labium yellow-orange, brown apically. Antenna: AI and AII orange brown, AIII and AIV missing from specimen. Thorax: Pronotal collar light orange-brown; pronotum orange-brown with paler medial stripe and margins; mesoscutum and scutellum orange-brown; thoracic pleura mainly dark orange-brown with mesopleuron and posterior margins somewhat paler. Hemelytra: orange-brown, membrane somewhat lighter. Abdomen: Dark orange-brown. Legs: Coxae yellow-orange; femora and tibiae orangebrown; metafemur without contrasting dark stripes; tarsi somewhat yellowed. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (figs. 4, 6): Impunctate; scutellum weakly rugulose; head and dorsum sparsely coated with white, decumbent setae, most setae knocked off specimen. STRUC- TURE (figs. 4, 6, 11G): Head: Wide; weakly tumescent medially; lateral tubercles adjacent to eyes small and ill-defined, bordered posteriorly by shallow depressions; posterior margin of vertex nearly flat. Thorax: Pronotum broad and steep, anterolateral margins weakly upturned, posterior and lateral margins carinate, submarginal region of humeral angles shallowly excavated, callar region undifferentiated; proepisternum unilobed; metepimeron extended in a long, winglike lobe (fig. 11G); metanotum not prominent and flared. Hemelytra: Embolium thin, flaring outward from base then abruptly angling medially at midpoint. Legs: Metatibial spines short and thin. MALE GENITALIA: Unknown. FEMALE PARAGENITALIA (fig. 11G–H): Right laterotergites II and III swollen, desclerotized and depressed, posterior margin of right abdominal sternite II strongly carinate and flared outward, small paragenital opening between sternites II and III (fig. 11G–H).

ETYMOLOGY: The name epithema , meaning ‘‘lid’’ or ‘‘cover’’ in Greek, reflects the extended metepimeral lobe which partially covers the paragenitalia.

HOST: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Mt. Kaindi, Papua New Guinea (map 8).