Flexitibia orientalis, Zhao, Ping, Pham, Minhlan, Truong, Xuan Lam & Cai, Wanzhi, 2014

Zhao, Ping, Pham, Minhlan, Truong, Xuan Lam & Cai, Wanzhi, 2014, Flexitibia, a new genus of Harpactorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), with a discussion on the functional morphology of fore legs of the related genera, Zootaxa 3795 (5), pp. 564-570 : 565-569

Flexitibia orientalis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–10 , 14 )

Description. Color. Body above yellowish brown tinged with red, underneath paler yellowish brown. Basal 2/3 of first antennal segment, apical 3/5 to 2/3 of third segment, fourth segment (except apical part) dark brown; apical 1/6 of first segment, second segment black; a pale annular markings near 1/3 of apex of first segment, basal 2/5 to 1/3 of third segment, apical part of fourth segment orange; posterior margin of propleuron dark brown; each segment of abdominal sternum laterally with a pair of round black spots; mid and hind femora pale yellowish brown, subapical part darker; tibia reddish brown, apical part pale; tarsus pale yellowish brown, apex darker; eyes whitish gray, with irregular black markings ( Fig. 1 ).

Structure. Body of medium size. Head, thorax, abdomen and legs clothed with sub-erect setae; fore femur and tibia ventrally clothed with dense short setae; dorsal and lateral sides of head, pronotum, corium of fore wing covered with bent procumbent short setae; first and second antennal segments sparsely clothed with suberect setae, apical 1/3 of second segment densely clothed with short suberect setae, third and fourth segment densely clothed with procumbent pubescence. Head cylindrical and with a short spinous tubercle at base of antenna; antennae slender, first segment longer than head, pronotum and scutellum together, second antennal segment sub-equal to 1/3 of first segment; eyes protruding laterally, interocellar space about 2 times as long as distance between ipsilateral eye and ocellus; rostrum robust, first segment extending beyond posterior margin of eyes and longer than second and third segments together ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum centrally slightly bulged and prominently anteriorly declining, lateral margin nearly straight; anterior angles obscure; anterior pronotal lobe centrally shallow sulcate and laterally with shallow arc-shaped glabrous markings, distinctly smaller than posterior lobe in size; posterior pronotal lobe frosted; lateral pronotal angles spinously produced, short; scutellum sub-angular with “ Y ”-shaped carina. Abdomen laterally nearly parallel. Fore wing passing abdominal tip. Pygophore elliptic; paramere clavate, apical part somewhat dilated ( Figs. 5–7 ); median pygophore process broad, its posterior margin wavelike ( Figs. 5, 6 ). Basal plate of phallobase slightly longer than and thicker than plate bridge, pedicel short;. Phallosome elliptic; dorsal phallothecal sclerite sclerotized, apical part gradually constricted and concave in apex ( Figs. 8, 9 ); struts shown as Figs. 8, 9 .

Measurements [in mm, ♂ (n= 5)]. Body length 19.2–20.40; maximum abdomen width 3.66–4.60. Head length (including neck) 3.20–3.46; anteocular part length 1.45–1.47; postocular part length 1.40–1.53; synthlipsis length 0.80–0.93; interocellar space 0.57–0.60; antennal segments length I–IV = 9.80–1.00, 3.45–4.00, 6.17–7.19, 3.03–3.46; rostral segments length I–III =2.20–2.33, 1.20–1.33, 0.55–0.60. Anterior pronotal lobe length 1.10–1.20; posterior pronotal lobe length 2.40–2.60; maximum thorax width (including lateral pronotal spines) 4.26–4.46 (5.50–5.53); scutellum length 1.93–2.00; hemelytron length 13.32–13.95.

Type material. Holotype, ♂, Vietnam, Cuc Phuong National Park, 144 m, N20˚15’31.0”, E105˚42’25.5”, 2012-V-16, Pham ML leg. Paratypes, 2♂, same data as holotype; 1♂, China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Menglun, 2009-V- 6, 630 m, Yang Xiushuai leg.; 1 ♂, China, Yunnan, Mengzhe, VI- 30-1960, 875 m, the specimen is not in good condition, fourth antenna and fore legs are missing.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan), Vietnam.

Etymology. The specific name alludes to it distribution in the Oriental Region.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Flexitibia orientalis sp. nov., ♂, habitus. Scale bar of 1 = 2.52 mm.

FIGURES 2 – 10. Flexitibia orientalis sp. nov. ♂. 2, head and pronotum, antennae removed; 3, apical part of hind tibia; 4, apical part of abdomen; 5, 6, pygophore; 7, paramere; 8, phallus; 9, 10, phallosoma. 5, 10, ventral view; 2, 4, 6, 8, lateral view; 9, dorsal view. Scale bar of 2 = 0.87 mm; of 3, 7 = 0.31 mm; of 4 = 0.73 mm; of 5, 6 = 0.34 mm; of 8 – 10 = 0.31 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 16. 11. Camptibia obscura Cai & Tomokuni; 12. Rihirbus sinicus Hsiao & Ren; 13. Brassivola hystrix Distant; 14. Flexitibia orientalis sp. nov.; 15. Agyrius watanabeorum Ishikawa; 16. Endochus cingalensis Stål. 11 – 16, fore leg. 11 – 16, lateral view. Scale bar of 11 – 13, 16 = 2.00 mm; of 14 – 15 = 1.33 mm.