Australocoris Malipatil, 2012

Malipatil, M. B., 2012, Australocorinae, a new subfamily of Geocoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) from Australia, with descriptions of a new genus and two new species, Zootaxa 3554, pp. 75-88 : 76-79

Australocoris Malipatil , gen. nov.

Head (e.g., Fig. 1): Broad, with clypeus rounded and exceeding juga.

Thorax: Pronotum (e.g., Fig. 4) rather trapezoidal, with lateral margins sinuate separating anterior and posterior lobe areas, not well demarcated dorsally, calli smooth and impunctate, posterior lobule on pronotum absent. Prothoracic pleura punctuate. Thoracic scent gland opening (e.g., Fig. 8) narrow and directed posteriorly. Scutellum (e.g., Fig. 4), distinctly punctate except for a median laevigate ridge. Hemelytra (e.g., Fig. 1) hyaline, corium with costal margin parallel-sided in basal third, then gradually slightly dilated, widest at about mid length. Hind wing with hamus reduced; 2 secondary veins (SV) present and joined at base. (Note: should be examined with a good light and from different angles). Articulation of metacoxae directed laterally.

Abdomen: Sutures between terga IV–V only slightly curved and those between V–VI moderately curved caudad from margin to meson. Scent gland scars between terga IV–V and V–VI about subequal and indistinct, that between III–IV absent (e.g., Fig. 10). Inner laterotergites present, not distinct on VII. Trichobothria on sterna III and IV medial (e.g., Fig. 11); in loose triangular to linear arrangement on III and almost linear to triangular on IV, but variable in spacing and degree of development, with sometimes one trichobothrium reduced or absent altogether. Trichobothria on sterna V–VII placed laterally or sublaterally, and arranged one in anterior half, and two (one behind the other) in posterior half of segment, either distinct or reduced. Sutures between sterna III–IV and V–VI almost straight, reaching lateral margin (e.g., Fig. 11).

Male: Pygophore (e.g., Fig. 19) posteriorly gradually rounded, lacking processes. Paramere (e.g., Fig. 20) with dorsal (outer) flange more prominent than ventral (inner) lobe which has long setae. Aedeagus with conjunctiva tubular, membranous, gradually narrowed towards upper (distal) end; body, wings and neck of ejaculatory reservoir (e.g., Fig. 23) well developed.

Female: Only sternum VII divided by ovipositor. Trichobothria generally reduced, arranged as follows: on III almost linear to subtriangular; on IV sublinear to triangular. Spermatheca (e.g., Fig. 16) with bulb slightly sclerotised and spherical to subspherical in shape, with an indistinct flange near base; basal duct short. Ovipositor with first ramus traversing to nine-tenths length of first gonapophysis (e.g., Fig. 14); second gonapophysis broadly spatulate (e.g., Fig. 15).

Etymology. Generic name (= “southern bug”), (of southern distribution), masculine gender.

Type species: Australocoris kurandae Kirkaldy.