Agaveocoris bimaculatus Henry and Menard, 2020

Henry, Thomas J. & Menard, Katrina L., 2020, Revision and Phylogeny of the Eccritotarsine Plant Bug Genus Caulotops Bergroth, with Descriptions of Four New Genera and 14 New Species (Hemiptera Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) Associated with Agave (Agavoideae Asparagaceae) and Related Plant Genera, Zootaxa 4772 (2), pp. 201-252 : 216

Agaveocoris bimaculatus Henry and Menard , new species

( Figs. 18–20 , 77 –79, 122)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:87689A40-4AA0-4294-8CC8-0A0374113385

DIAGNOSIS. This species ( Figs. 18–20 ) is separated from other taxa by the overall pale yellowish- to grayish-brown coloration with two shiny reddish-brown maculae on the middle of each corium, the matte surface of the hemelytron, the interocular distance three times greater than width one eye, and the small size.

DESCRIPTION. Male: (n = 5; holotype measurements in parentheses): Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 2.08–2.11 mm (2.14 mm); length from apex of head to apex of membrane 3.01–3.20 mm (3.04 mm); widest point across hemelytra 1.15–1.28 mm (1.23 mm). Head: Width across eyes 0.91–0.93 mm (0.90 mm); interocular width 0.56–0.59 mm (0.58 mm). Labium: Length 1.54–1.62 mm (1.55 mm), extending well onto genital capsule. Antenna: Segment I length 0.38–0.43 mm (0.40); II, 0.53–0.58 mm (0.51 mm); III, 0.42–0.43 mm (curled); IV, 0.35–0.38 mm (curled). Pronotum: Median length 0.42–0.48 mm (0.42 mm); posterior width 1.06–1.09 mm (1.06 mm).

Macropterous, small, weakly ovoid. General coloration pale yellowish to grayish brown. COLORATION. Head: Pale yellow, frons with two dark brown transverse stripes, frons with a row of short transverse stripes on either side of media; area of gena ventral to antenna brown, clypeus, except base, and labrum dark brown. Labium: Basally pale yellowish brown, segments III and IV darker brown. Antenna: Segment I pale yellowish brown with brown sub-basal ring; segments II-IV pale yellowish brown. Pronotum: Pale yellowish brown, slightly darker brown on disc; a narrow mark lateral to each callous dark brown, calli densely spotted with dark brown. Mesoscutum: Pale yellowish brown. Scutellum: Pale whitish yellow. Hemelytron: Pale yellowish to grayish brown, with narrow margins of claval suture, costal margin of corium, and lateral and inner margin of cuneus accented with slightly darker pale brown; middle of corium with a large, shiny brown spot; membrane translucent, with dark brown veins. Ventral surface: Thorax pale yellowish brown, mesosternum dark shiny brown; abdomen pale yellowish brown, margins of segments sometimes darker brown, genital capsule and tubercle dark brown. Legs: Coxae pale yellow, narrowly dark brown at bases; femora pale with dark brown spots anteriorly and dorsally; tibiae yellow; tarsomeres pale yellow, last tarsomere and claws darker brown. SURFACE and VESTITURE. Head: Smooth, clothed with dense simple setae, antennal segments with dense simple setae of uniform length. Pronotum: Weakly rugulose, pronotum with dense simple setae, most dense near furrows of calli, scutellum with simple setae. Hemelytron: Simple setae covering hemelytral surface, hemelytra surface weakly matte, veins with simple setae. Ventral surface: Clothed with simple setae, setae thicker and longer around genital capsule. STRUCTURE: As in generic description.

Male genitalia: Endosoma ( Fig. 77 ) as in generic description. Left paramere (Fig. 78) small, L-shaped. Right paramere (Fig. 79) elongate, shallowly C-shaped with a blunt upturned apex.

Female: (n = 5): Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 2.12–2.28 mm; length from apex of head to apex of membrane 3.14–3.44 mm; widest point across hemelytra 1.28–1.39 mm. Head: Width across eyes 0.94–0.98 mm; interocular width 0.59–0.61 mm. Labium: Length 1.63–1.65 mm. Antenna: Segment I length 0.43–0.45 mm; II, 0.54–0.56 mm; III, 0.43–0.46 mm; IV, 0.37–0.42 mm. Pronotum: Median length 0.45–0.50 mm; posterior width 1.09–1.17 mm.

Similar to male in size, shape, and coloration. Genitalia as in generic description, except, lateral plate on left side of vestibulum with a pronounced spine.

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet “ bimaculatus ” is given to denote the large, shiny, dark brown spot at the middle of each corium.

HOSTS. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION. Known only from Zacatecas, Mexico.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype ♂, MEXICO: Zacatecas: 4 mi. northeast Concepcion del Oro, 4 July 1984, Carroll, Schaffner , and Friedlander ( TAMU) . Paratypes: 22♂♂, 27♀♀, same data as for holotype (16♂♂, 21♀♀, TAMU; 1♂, 1♀, UNAM; 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, USNM) .

DISCUSSION. This species differs morphologically from the other species of Agaveocoris because the relatively wide vertex and small eyes, the large shiny spot on the corium, and the one spine of the left side of the vestibulum along with the relatively short vestibular arm in the female genitalia. However, the male genitalia share most of the characteristics diagnostic for Agaveocoris .

Figures

FIGURES 8–20. Caulotops and Agaveocoris spp. 8–10, Caulotops platensis. 8, male (dorsal aspect). 9, male (lateral aspect). 10, female (dorsal aspect). 11–20. Agaveocoris spp. 11, A. agavis (Reuter), male (dorsal aspect). 12, A. agavis, male (lateral aspect). 13, A. agavis, female (dorsal aspect). 14, A. barberi (Knight), male (dorsal aspect). 15, A. barberi, female (dorsal aspect). 16, A. barrerai, n. sp., male (dorsal aspect). 17, A. barrerai, n. sp., female (dorsal aspect). 18, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., male (dorsal aspect). 19, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., male (lateral aspect). 20, A. bimaculatus, n. sp., female (dorsal aspect).

FIGURES 67–77. Male genitalia of Caulotops and Agaveocoris spp. Caulotops platensis: 67, genital capsule. 68, left paramere. 69, right paramere. Agaveocoris agavis: 70, endosoma. 71, left paramere. 72, right paramere. A. barberi: 73, left paramere. 74, right paramere. A. barrerai, n. sp.: 75, left paramere. 76, right paramere. A. bimaculatus, n. sp.: 77, endosoma. 78, left paramere. 79, right paramere.