Witchelinamiris viridimaculatus, Namyatova, Anna A., Elias, Michael & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2011

Namyatova, Anna A., Elias, Michael & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2011, A new genus and two new species of Orthotylinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) from central Australia, Zootaxa 2927, pp. 38-48 : 45-47

Witchelinamiris viridimaculatus sp. nov.

Figures 1 , 2 C, 4, 5, 6, 7

Etymology. The species is named so, as it has bright green spots on pronotum and hemelytra. From Latin “viridis” means “green” and “macula” means “mark” or “spot”.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: Witchelina Nature Reserve, about 40 km North West of Lyndhurst, 29.99611 ° S 138.07694 ° E, 180 m, 11 Oct 2010, A. Namyatova, Sclerolaena limbata (Chenopodiaceae) , 1 3 ( USI 38861) ( SAMA).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: Witchelina Nature Reserve, about 40 km North West of Lyndhurst, 29.99611 ° S 138.07694 ° E, 180 m, 11 Oct 2010, A. Namyatova, ex Sclerolaena limbata (Chenopodiaceae) , 1 Ƥ ( USI 4694) ( UNSW). Witchelina Nature Reserve, about 40km north west of Lyndhurst, 30.15333 ° S 137.93611 ° E, 149 m, 12 Oct 2010, A. Namyatova, ex Maireana appressa (Chenopodiaceae) , 2 3 ( USI 4696, USI 4697) ( SAMA, UNSW).

Differential diagnosis. The two known species differ in male genitalic structure. In W. viridimaculatus the dorsal process of the phallotheca is semioval and smooth ( Fig. 6 A), the apex of the left paramere is straight ( Fig. 6 E), and the large endosomal spicule has two processes ( Figs. 6 B, C). In W. mchughi the dorsal process of the phallotheca is oval and serrate ( Fig. 3 A), the apex of the left paramere is curved downwards (fig, 3E), and the large endosomal spicule has three processes (Figs. B, C). Externally the species can be distinguished by the relative length of the labial segments. In W. viridimaculatus LII is almost as long as LI and LIII is longer than LII, whereas in W. mchughi LII is longer than segment I and LIII is as long as segment II.

Description. Male. Total length 4.0–4.4. Head: yellowish with vertex pale green, reddish pattern on head as in generic description; spots on dorsal side sometimes reddish brown. Eye: brownish with reddish tinge. Antennae: AI uniformly coloured or with pale brown indistinct band basally; AII pale green with brownish bands as in generic description; AIII gradually changing colour from pale green basally and pale brown apically; AIV uniformly pale brown or pale green at base. Labium: LII pale yellow or pale green; LIII uniformly yellow; LIV brownish; pale brown at base. Pronotum: as in generic description, with yellow stripes distinct, sometimes with bright green markings. Scutellum: pale green, colour pattern as in generic description. Mesoscutum: whitish or pale green, colour pattern as in generic description. Thoracic pleura: mesopleuron uniformly yellow, or upper part yellow and inferior part reddish. Legs: tibiae yellow with tiny reddish markings, sometimes with brownish apex; tarsal segments I and III brownish; segment II yellow or pale brown. Hemelytron: as in generic description, with or without bright green markings. VESTITURE: As in generic description. STRUCTURE: Mostly as in generic description; labium reaching middle of abdomen; LII almost as long as LI and LIII longer than LII; body 4.5–5.0x as long as width of pronotum; vertex 2.2–2.8x as wide as eye; segment II 1.7–1.9x as long as width of head, 1.1–1.2x as long as width of pronotum; pronotum 1.9–2.4x as wide as long and 1.5–1.6x as wide as head. GENITALIA: left paramere with apex straight ( Fig. 6 E); phallotheca with semioval and smooth dorsal process ( Fig. 6 A); large endosoma spicule with two processes ( Figs. 6 B, C).

Female. Total length 2.8. Colouration, vestiture and genitalia as in generic description. STRUCTURE: As in generic description; body 3.8x as long as width of pronotum; vertex 3.2x as wide as eye; segment II 1.7x as long as width of head, 1.3x as long as width of pronotum; pronotum 1.8x as wide as long and 1.4x as wide as head.

Distribution. All known specimens were collected in Witchelina National Reserve ( Fig. 5 ).

Host plants. Specimens were collected from Sclerolaena limbata (J.M.Black) Ulbr. and Maireana appressa (Benth.) Paul G.Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus view of Witchelinamiris mchughi (male) and W. viridimaculatus (male without green markings on dorsum, male with green markings on dorsum, female). Scale bar is 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 3. Witchelinamiris mchughi, male genitalia. A. Phallotheca. B. Spicules, dorsal view. C. Spicules, lateral view. D. Right paramere. E. Left paramere. Scale bar is 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Host plants of Witchelinamiris viridimaculatus. A. Locality general view. B. Sclerolaena limbata, general view. C. Maireana appressa, general view. D. Maireana appressa, leaves.

FIGURE 5. Distribution map of Witchelinamiris mchughi (circle) and W. viridimaculatus (square).

FIGURE 6. Witchelinamiris viridimaculatus, male genitalia. A. Phallotheca, dorsal view. B. Spicules, dorsal view. C. Aedeagus, lateral view. D. Right paramere, dorsal view. E. Left paramere, dorsal view. Scale bar is 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. A. Witchelinamiris mchughi, head and pronotum, dorsal view. B. W. mchughi, head, lateral view. C. W. viridimaculatus, evaporatorium. D. W. mchughi, pygophore.