Bifidostylus, Randall T. Schuh & Michael D. Schwartz, 2016

Randall T. Schuh & Michael D. Schwartz, 2016, Nineteen new genera and 82 new species of Cremnorrhinina from Australia, including analyses of host relationships and distributions (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylininae: Cremnorrhinini), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 401, pp. 1-279 : 42-45

Bifidostylus , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Bifidostylus silveirae , new species.

DIAGNOSIS: Moderately to strongly elongate, parallel sided. Coloration of dorsum often nearly uniform (except B. agnew and B. cassisi ) and never with pairs of dark spots at apex of corium and apex of membrane cells (pl. 4). Right paramere with a bifid apex, as seen in Europiella Reuter from the Northern Hemisphere; left paramere with an undulating posterior margin and posterior process; endosoma J-shaped to weakly sigmoid, without spines arising laterally and without membranous ornamentation apically, but distinctly bifid apically in some species; phallotheca usually greatly elongate on basal portion (figs. 9–18). Sexual dimorphism moderate, female somewhat shorter and more strongly ovoid than male (pl. 4). Most easily confused with Monospiniphallus , Eremotylus , and Myrtophylus on basis of uniform green coloration of dorsum (except in B. agnew and B. cassisi ), but distinguished from all of those taxa by structure of right paramere with a bifid apex.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Moderately to strongly elongate, parallel sided; total length 2.96– 5.15, pronotum width 0.83–1.23. COL- ORATION (pl. 4): Often nearly uniform green, including appendages, never with dark spot on corium at inner angle of cuneus and at apex of membrane cells, although membrane frequently infuscate; B. agnew and B. cassisi with longitudinal reddish or infuscate markings on hemelytron and with antennal segment 1 and parts of segment 2 nearly black. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 8A, B, pl. 4): Body surface smooth, sometimes weakly granulate, dull to weakly shining; dorsum with short to long reclining common setae. STRUCTURE: Head (fig. 8A, B): Eyes usually large, head broad with broad vertex, eyes sometimes smaller and head not so broad; frons at most weakly swollen and only slightly protruding beyond anterior margin of eye. Thorax (fig. 8A): Hemelytron: Relatively short to strongly elongate, usually nearly parallel sided with costal margin nearly straight; cuneus ranging from short and relatively broad to strongly elongate triangular and slender; thoracic pleuron as in figure 8D. Pretarsus as in figure 8F. GENITALIA (figs. 9–18, pl. 5): Pygophore: Posterior margin truncate; broadly or elongate conical or triangular, sometimes dorsal surface with tubercles of variable size and distribution or with bristles. E ndosoma: J-shaped, sometimes weakly sigmoid, without lateral, proximally directed spines, sometimes with apical membrane, but never with spicules or microtrichia on membrane; endosoma sometimes distinctly narrow with single pointed apical spine, or variously bifid apically, rarely with undulating straps; secondary gonopore narrow, weakly sclerotized and of variable length, or well sclerotized and ringlike, rarely absent. Phallotheca: Posterior apical portion variously conical, elongate or pitcher shaped; aperture of variable size, situated on dorsal surface of anterior aspect, rarely with basal outpocket; basal portion usually greatly elongate. Parameres: Typically phyline, dorsoposterior margin usually undulating, elevated dorsad of posterior and anterior processes, sometimes not raised; posterior process usually bent or undulating; anterior process minute and barely protruding from anterior contour of paramere. Right paramere usually elongate, sometimes shorter and slightly swollen, usually with bifid apex, rarely with single point apically.

FEMALE (pl. 4): Body short, more robust than in male, more strongly ovoid, total length 2.87–4.51, pronotum width 0.82–1.22.

Coloration similar to male. Eyes smaller than in male, vertex wider, usually more strongly protruding beyond anterior margin of eye. GENITALIA (pl. 42): Subgenital plate of sternite 6: Concave medially. Vestibular sclerites: Moderately large, reaching to level of sclerotized rings. First gonapophyses: Small to moderate size, wedge-shaped or elongate basal blocks. Ventral labiate plate: Platelike medial anteroventral extension relatively wide, extending lateral of anterior surface of basal structures. Dorsal labiate plate: Long longitudinally. Sclerotized rings: Medium size, gently concave, triangular, anterior and posterior angles strongly attenuate. Posteromedial region: Surface with microstructure. Anterolateral region: Strongly projecting anteriad of sclerotized rings. Posterior wall: Intersegmental structure: Not differentiated from connecting membrane. Interramal sclerites: Faintly sclerotized, lateral sclerites narrow, medial sclerite apparently absent.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Latin, bifidus, “forked,” and stylus, “pointed instrument,” in reference to the right paramere; masculine.

DISCUSSION: The most consistent features in this genus are in the structure of the male genitalia, particularly the bifid apex of the right paramere and the elongate basal portion of the phallotheca that attaches to the pygophore (figs. 9–18). The endosoma is usually J-shaped, although it is sigmoid in some taxa; the straps may be parallel and of about equal length (pl. 5), although in about half of the known species this is not the case. The dorsal margin of the posterior process of the left paramere is usually undulating, although this attribute is not obvious in all species and also occurs in some species of other genera, e.g., Eremotylus and Omnivoriphylus . The dark coloration of antennal segment 1 and part of segment 2 sets B. agnew and B. cassisi apart from all other Bifidostylus spp. These aspects of variation in structure and coloration make Bifidostylus among the most heterogeneous of the genera we recognize. On the other hand, none of the species show any spotting on the femora, nor do any of them have the dark spot on the corium at the inner angle of the cuneus and at the apex of the membrane cells, features that are found in many other genera.