Grandivesica, 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 : 86-88

Grandivesica , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Grandivesica pilbara , new species.

DIAGNOSIS: Recognized by the short, stout, sometimes sigmoid endosoma, apex of endosoma sometimes with foliaceous, plate like elaborations or with a terminal membranous bag devoid of microtrichia (figs. 32–36, pl. 11; phallotheca usually with a distinct crest on dorsodistal margin (figs. 32–36); body ranging from small to moderate size; coloration pale, yellowish, or green, usually with contrasting dark spot at inner angle of cuneus (pl. 10). Most easily confused with Eremotylus , Gyrophallus, Omnivoriphylus , and Spinivesica on the basis of pale coloration and dark spot on corium at inner angle of cuneus, but Grandivesica (except G. cassis i) lacking additional dark spot at apex of membrane cells seen in many species placed in those genera. Stout endosoma virtually unique within Australian Cremnorrhinina, although possibly confused with the relatively short and stout endosoma in Halophylus , Proteophylus , and Pulvillophylus , but those taxa always with distinct, usually paired, apical spines of forms unlike the conditions seen in Grandivesica .

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Total length 2.41–4.06, pronotum width 0.83–1.27. COLORA- TION (pl. 10): Pale, yellowish, or green, including all appendages; corium usually with infuscate mark adjacent to inner angle of cuneus. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 31A–C, pl. 10): Dorsum smooth, polished and weakly to moderately shining. Dorsum clothed with recumbent simple or scimitar-shaped setae, usually pale, sometimes dark. STRUCTURE: Head (fig. 31A, pl. 10): Short, transverse; frons at most weakly surpassing anterior margin of eyes; eyes moderately large, weakly bulging, confluent with anterior margin of pronotum; eyes in lateral view occupying about two-thirds height of head; antennal segment 2 relatively short, ranging from 0.92–1.09 times width of head, either stout and parallel sided or weakly tapered proximally; antenna inserted at nearly ventral margin of eye. Thorax (fig. 31A–C, pl. 10): Pronotum with lateral margins nearly straight to weakly convex, anterior lobe short, calli weakly demarcated along posterior margin, posterior lobe at most weakly elevated, posterior margin straight to weakly concave, with rounded humeral angles; mesoscutum weakly to broadly exposed; scutellum triangular, flat. Pretarsus as in figure 31E, F. Hemelytron: Short to weakly elongate, corial margin nearly straight to moderately convex. GENITALIA (figs. 31D, 32–36, pl. 11): Pygophore: Broadly conical, left margin of aperture slightly raised, with row of bristles; dorsal surface usually without tubercles or patches of bristles; rarely with pair of blunt tubercles on either side of dorsal surface anteriad of aperture. Endosoma: Variable; J-shaped, short and stout with dorsal strap variably reduced and ventral strap predominate and strongly curved to left with variable terminal spines; or sigmoid with variable distal spines; apex sometimes with foliaceous, platelike elaborations or with a terminal ribbonlike sclerite supporting billowy membranous bag with microtrichia; secondary gonopore large, well sclerotized, subapical or practically apical. Phallotheca: Apical portion well sclerotized, roughly conical, dorsal surface with variable crest, aperture usually placed on anterior dorsoapical aspect reaching to and ventrad of apex, margin undulating, large and wide; basal portion reaching to middle of ventral surface of pygophore in situ. Parameres: Left paramere with straight dorsoposterior margin not significantly elevated above posterior and anterior processes; size usually large, elongate; sometimes relatively small with typical phyline shape; posterior process relatively long and straight, lateral margin undulating; anterior process usually large and rounded apically, sometimes short and placed medially on anterior margin; prominent seta placed laterally or on anterior process. Right paramere moderately large to large, broad across dorsal aspect; apical margin with one more or less distinct, usually short, projection.

FEMALE (pl. 10): Coloration and structure similar to male; total length 2.52–3.92, pronotum width 0.87–1.24. Costal margin more noticeably convex than in male; antennal segment 2 more slender and tapering proximally. GENITALIA (pl. 45): Vestibular sclerites: Large, attaining anterior edge of sclerotized rings. First gonapophyses: Relatively small, narrow basal blocks. Ventral labiate plate: Platelike medial anteroventral extension wider than lateral extent of basal gonapophysal structures, anterior surface undulate, covering anterior surface of basal structures. Dorsal labiate plate: Large; long longitudinally; seminal receptacle sometimes long, thickly membranous. Sclerotized rings: Large, subtriangular or subovoid, relatively flat, thick walled, medial angle sometimes attenuate. Posteromedial region: Surface with conspicuous microstructure. Anterolateral region: Anterior margin extending beyond anterior edge of sclerotized rings. Posterior wall: Intersegmental structure: Not differentiated from connecting membrane. Interramal sclerites: Moderately sclerotized, lateral sclerites wedge shaped, medial sclerite broadly triangular.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Latin, grandis, “large,” and vesica, in reference to the robust structure of the endosoma; feminine.

DISCUSSION: The endosoma in Grandivesica spp. is large and heavily sclerotized even though the size of the insects themselves is usually small, G. kadji being the largest species. The structure of the endosoma and associated male genitalic structures shows substantial morphological variation.