Plagiognathus (Plagiognathus) marivanensis, Linnavuori, 2010

Linnavuori, Rauno E., 2010, Studies on the Miridae (Phylinae, addenda to Deraeocorinae and Orthotylinae) of Khuzestan and the adjacent provinces of Iran (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 369-414 : 389-391

Plagiognathus (Plagiognathus) marivanensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 10A–H , 27B )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, IRAN: WEST AZERBAIJAN: near Sardasht , 14.–15.vi.2003 . PARATYPES: KOHGILUYEH & BOYERAHMAD: Madvan near Yasuj, 4 paratypes, 11.–12.vi.2003; Samirun, 1 paratype, 11.–12.vi.2003. KURDESTAN: near Marivan, 9 paratypes, 12.–13.vi.2005. The types will be deposited at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales (Cardiff, United Kingdom) .

Description. Length 3.75–4.0 mm (JJ), 3.5–3.75 mm (♀♀).

Colouration. Uniformly whitish yellow, immaculate ( Fig. 27B ). Eyes dark brown. Antennae pale yellow, immaculate. Apex of rostrum dark. Membranes of hemelytra pale greyish, veins pale yellow. Ventral surface of body pale yellowish, extreme tip of ovipositor dark. Legs pale yellowish; hind femora with faint brownish dots. Tibiae immaculate, tibial spines black. Hind tarsomere 3 dark.

Structure. Body about 3.2× as long as basal width of pronotum. Dorsal pubescence yellow. Head 0.65–0.67× (J) or 0.61–0.66× (♀) as broad as basal width of pronotum; eyes in male large, ocular index 1.07–1.21 (J) and 1.67–1.74 (♀). Length ratios of antennomeres 15: 60: 45: 22 (J), 12: 50: 30: 20 (♀), antennomere 2 1.26–1.33× (J) or 1.16× (♀) as long as diatone and 0.86–0.9× (J) or 0.71–0.77× (♀) as long as basal width of pronotum. Rostrum extending to hind coxae. Pronotum 2.0× (J) or 2.03–2.33× (♀) as broad as long in middle. Hind tibiae in J about 1.7×, in ♀ 1.4× as long as basal width of pronotum. Length ratios of hind tarsomeres 8: 15: 13. Claws as in Fig. 10A . Male genitalia: pygophore elongately conical, other characters of genitalia in Fig. 10B–H .

Differential diagnosis. Plagiognathus marivanensis sp. nov. belongs to the P. bipunctatus group. Plagiognathus bipunctatus albicans differs, e.g., in the presence of a dark spot beyond the apex of the cells of membrane, broader body and smaller eyes (ocular index about 1.7 (J) and 1.95–2.1 (♀ )). In P. zuvandiensis V. G. Putshkov, 1978 known from Azerbaijan and northern Iran, the general colouring is more brownish, the ocular index in J is about 1.3 and in ♀ 1.75 and the male genitalia are different with a long and slender vesica and sharp sensory lobe of the left style ( Fig. 11F–H ). Plagiognathus albus Reuter, 1894 ( Spain) is smaller, only 3.4 mm (J) to 3.3 mm (♀) long, antennomere 2 of J is 1.13× as long as width of head and 0.75× as long as basal width of pronotum and the male genitalia are different ( Fig. 11B–E ). Plagiognathus pallidus Reuter, 1900 ( Algeria) is according to WAGNER (1975: 19–20) larger with JJ 3.7–4.2 mm long, antennomere 1 has two and the base of antennomere 2 one faint dark ring, antennomere 2 is 1.3× as long as the width of head and 0.8× as long as the basal width of pronotum and ocular index equals 1.9. In the other species of the group, the dorsal pubescence is dark, antennomere 1 and the base of antennomere 2 have at least faint dark rings, the hind femora have more distinct dark spots, the extreme base of hind tibia is dark and wing membranes have a dark spot beyond the apex of the cells.

Habitat. Collected at light on mountain slopes with gardens and little forests.

Etymology. Named after the type locality.

Distribution. So far known only from Iran.

Figures

Fig. 10. Plagiognathus marivanensis sp. nov. A – claw; B – right paramere; C–D – theca; E–F – left paramere; G–H – vesica in dry mount and in slide.

Fig. 27. A – Plagiognathus bipunctatus albicans Reuter, 1901; B – Plagiognathus marivanensis sp. nov., paratype; C – Psallus shulsangaricus sp. nov., male holotype; D – Psallus corsicus Puton, 1875, specimen from Greece, Corfu Island.

Fig. 11. A–E – Plagiognathus albus Reuter, 1900: A – claw; B – theca; C – right paramere; D – left paramere; E – vesica. F–H – P. zuvandiensis V. G. Putshkov, 1978: F – right paramere, G – left paramere; H – vesica (after Put shkov 1978 and Ribes 1978).