Neolethaeus densus, Li, Junlan & Bu, Wenjun, 2006

Li, Junlan & Bu, Wenjun, 2006, Three new species of Neolethaeus Distant (Hemiptera: Lygaeoidea: Rhyparochromidae: Lethaeini) from China, with a key to the Chinese species, Zootaxa 1270, pp. 45-56 : 47-48

Neolethaeus densus sp. n.

( Figs.1 , 4, 7, 8, 13)

Description. Body of medium size, long, oval, and dull.

Head black, tylus apically reddish brown, surface coarsely punctate with an X­ shaped impunctate area at basal half. A pair of long setae present before ocelli. Ventral surface of head black­brown, with rather coarse, alveolate punctures, these joined with each other. Rostrum testaceous, reaching mesocoxae, first segment extending slightly beyond base of head. Antennae testaceous, first segment black­brown with basal and apical ends testaceous, third segment with apical 2/3 yellow.

Pronotum trapezoidal, testaceous with anterior lobe black­brown, posterior lobe with irregularly scattered black­brown maculae, a pair of whitish yellow short ridges on posterolateral angles; surface except calli coarsely punctate, lateral margin slightly sinuate before middle, with a narrow carina, posterior margin nearly straight.

Scutellum black, with a large testaceous Y­shaped carina, surface with coarse punctures, these rather more sparse on carina. Hemelytra brown, coarsely punctate. Clavus with two small maculae between inner two rows of punctures yellow, Pcu vein testaceous. Corium with veins, exocorium, maculae external to basal 1/3 of claval suture, before apical angle and at inner angle testaceous.

Ventral and pleural surfaces of thorax black­brown with posterior areas of mesopleura and metapleura reddish brown, collar area as punctate as head ventral surface, pleural surface also thickly punctate but punctures not joined with each other. Legs black­brown, tibiae and tarsi testaceous, fore femora slightly incrassate, armed with 3–4 long setae, apically with four thorn­like spines, male with hind femora not incrassate and lacking protuberances.

Ventral surface of abdomen black­brown, shining, posterior margin of sternum VII lacking processes. Paramere (Fig.4): blade short, slender, inner projection prominent, outer projection also prominent and vertical with blade, shank with flange. Sperm reservoir (Fig.7, 8): vesical seminal duct relatively short, without apical coils; sleeve apparent; membranous bulb unknown; wings right­angled; holding sclerites V­shaped, a crescent sclerotized patch present before holding sclerites. Opening of genital capsule with anterior and posterior margins broadly concave, laterally with pair of small pointed projections (Fig. 13).

Measurements (mm). Length head 0.80(0.80–0.82), width 1.0(1.02–1.15), interocular space 0.56(0.60–0.70); Length antennal segments I 0.56(0.60–0.72), II0.88(0.90–1.04), III 0.46(0.50–0.60), IV 0.70(0.74–0.80); Length pronotum 1.20(1.20–1.30), width anterior pronotal margin 0.90(0.90–1.0), width posterior pronotal margin 2.0(2.10–2.30); Length scutellum 1.0(1.04–1.20), width 1.0(1.04–1.20); Total body length 5.20(male, 5.20–5.40female, 5.50–6.50). (5 paratypes measured)

Type material. Holotype, male, CHINA, Yunnan, Hekou, Xiaonanxi, 10­VI­1956, leg. Keren Huang, light trap. Paratype: 4 females, 3 males, CHINA, Yunnan, Menglun, other information unknown (1 male dissected); 1 female, CHINA, Yunnan, Simao, Nuozhadu, alt. 650m, 19­V­2001, leg. Wenjun Bu, light trap; 1 female, CHINA, Guangxi, Longrui, 19­V­1984, light trap; 2 females, CHINA, Guangxi, Napo, Defu, alt. 1350m, 18­ VI­2000, leg. Wenzhu Li ( IZAS, 1 female photographed); 1 male, as the former, 19­VI­ 2000.

Etymology. densus is derived from Latin word for dense, meaning the new species is densely punctate.

Distribution. China (Guangxi, Yunnan)

Remarks. This new species is similar to N. esakii (Hidaka) from China in habitus and body size, and both have the pronotum entirely punctate. The former can be distinguished by the following characters: head, pronotum, and scutellum more coarsely punctate; body relatively paler than N. esakii : ground color of posterior pronotal lobe and excorium testaceous; scutellum with Y­shaped carina more prominent; paramere with outer projection more projecting. The new species is also similar to N. carinulatus Breddin from Sri Lanka and N. signatus (Distant) from Burma, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia; but in N. carinulatus Breddin the pronotum is entirely black and has a distinct median longitudinal keel; the antennae are black­brown, the second segment paler, articulations between segments 2, 3, and 4 whitish; in N. signatus the body is larger, 9mm; the pronotum is black with the collar and lateral angles pale.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neolethaeus densus sp. n., dorsal views (Paratype). (scale bars = 0.1 mm).