Parataiwanaptera, Heiss, 2010

Heiss, E., 2010, Two new genera of Aradidae from Malaysia and Vietnam (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae), Zootaxa 2619 (1), pp. 56-62 : 57

Parataiwanaptera new genus

Type species: Parataiwanaptera laevigata n. sp.

Diagnosis: The type specimen of this apterous genus resembles at first view specimens of the monotypic genus Taiwanaptera Heiss & Nagashima 2008 described from Taiwan and Ryukyu Islands ( Japan). However, these two genera can be distinguished by the following characters (those for the type species Taiwanaptera glabra [photo 2,5] in brackets):

Antennae much shorter 1.48x as long as width of head (1.90x); antennal segment I longest (III longest); genae with a distinct lateral tubercle at the base (without such tubercles); surface of body shiny and smooth (with fine granulation); tergal plate with shallow flat inner apodemal impressions (with deep oval impressions); spiracles II–IV sublateral and visible from above (II–III sublateral but not visible from above).

Description: Medium-sized apterous, median parts of meso- and metathorax and abdomen smooth and finely chagreened on dorsal and ventral side, granulate or rugose elsewhere including legs and antennae. Colouration dark brown.

Head: About as long as wide; genae produced over clypeus, diverging anteriorly with a lateral tubercle at base; antenniferous lobes short and blunt; antennae about 1.5x as long as width of head, segment I longest and thickest followed by shorter and thinner II–IV; eyes semiglobose, granulate; postocular lobes converging straight toward collar with a row of posteriorly decreasing round tubercles; rostrum arising from a slitlike atrium, rostral groove wide and as long as head, closed posteriorly.

Pronotum: Nearly 3x as wide as long; collar ringlike with a lateral tubercle on each side, lateral margins sinuate, anterolateral angles rounded not projecting over collar; disk with 2(1+1) oval callosities separated at middle by a deep furrow, this connected with transversal furrow delimiting carinate posterior margin.

Mesonotum: Consisting of a T-shaped scutellumlike median sclerite, this fused to 2(1+1) oval lateral lobes extending over pronotal margins; disk smooth except lateral rugose parts, the median longitudinal sulcus interrupted at apex by a short carinate elevation.

Metanotum: The 2(1+1) sclerites lateral of median scutellar projection of mesonotum consisting of a smooth oval disk delimited by deep furrows and lateral rugose portions; this fused to mtg I+II but separated by a thin transverse anteriorly convex suture.

Tergites I+II: Of trapezoidal shape with deep lateral furrows which are not connected at middle, lateral margins converging, surface smooth; deltg I+II fused to each other and to deltg III, of triangular shape, surface granulate except area of apodemal impressions on deltg III.

Abdomen: Tergal plate with slightly rounded lateral margins, its surface rather flat and smooth, apodemal impressions very shallow; scent gland on mtg IV slightly elevated; deltg III–VI with thickened granulate margins, their inner half smooth bearing 2 apodemal impressions; tergite VII smooth at middle, posterior margin carinate, deltg VII granulate and triangular; tergite VIII bilobate and granulate, shorter than tricuspidate tergites IX+X.

Venter: Smooth at middle, lateral parts of thorax and abdomen granulate; spiracles II–IV sublateral and visible from above, V–VII placed on the increasingly reflexed posterolateral margins of ventral laterotergites and visible from above; VIII terminal.

Legs: Slender and cylindrical, trochanters distinct.

Etymology: From>para<(Greek) = close to, and Taiwanaptera , the closest related genus.