Brachysandalus westraliensis Malipatil & Liu, 2024

Liu, Yingqi & Cai, Wanzhi, 2024, Revision of Australian Brachysandalus with the description of nine new species including one cavernicolous species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), and observations on male extragenital structure and leg teratology, Zootaxa 5490 (1), pp. 1-112 : 97-102

Brachysandalus westraliensis Malipatil & Liu , sp. nov.

( Figs. 53 , 54 )

Type specimens. Holotype macropterous male, Australia, Western Australia, 33.48S 123.46E 10 km WSW of Point Malcolm , 15–18. i. 1982, B. Hanich & T. F. Houston 426-3a, at light at night ( WAM) . Paratypes: 2 macropterous males (1 dissected), same as holotype ( WAM) .

Other specimens. [ M, macropterous; B, brachypterous]. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 1 M male, Koolan Island , vii.1968, F. C. van Ingen ( WAM) ; 2 M males, Yardie Ck , iv.1958, Snell ( MV) ; 1 B female, Murchison 49-941 ( WAM) ; 1 B female, 13 km S of Wannoo 26.49S 114.37 E, on ground, 615, 21–23. viii.1985, T. F. Houston ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Kalbarri , xi.1969, W. J. Marsh ( WAM) ; 1 M male, 1 B female, Geraldton, J. Clark ( MV) ; 1 B male, 12 57S 114 44 E, Greenough , 25–29.viii.1979, R. P. McMillan ( WAM) ; 2 B females, 16 km NW Eneabba 29.49S 115 16 E, 9–12.ix.1987, 652-14, T. F. Houston ( WAM) ; 2 B females, Culham , 2.ix.1958, R. P. McMillan ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Dongara , 2.x.1987, R. P. McMillan ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Araluen , 3.xi.1964, L. N. McMillan ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Floreat Pk , 6.xi.1966, G. Kantoolas ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Darlington ( Perth ), v.1982, G. H. Lowe ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Riverside-Bassendean ( Perth ), 8.vi.1974, J. Jowett ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Tuart Hill , ix.1962, P. Sundstrom ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Balga , iv.1969, K. Hubrus ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Reabold Hill , 10.x.1974, L. E. Koch ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Wongan Hills , 1.x.1989, D. Mueller ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Ellenbrook, Glenbourne Farm near Margaret River , 1. i.1978, G. W. Kendrick ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Abrolhas E Wallabyl , xi.1913, 8647 ( WAM) ; 1 M male, Koojan , 5.vi.1966, R. Humphries ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Claremont , 31.viii.1912, W.B.A. 5200 ( WAM) ; 1 M male, Midland Jn , 11.xii.1947, A. D. ( MV) ; 1 B male, Rottnest Is , 31.x.1948, A. B ( MV) ; 1 B male, 1 B female, Red Hill , 28.viii.1964, L.E. Koch leg. ( WAM) , 1 B male, same except 29.ix.1964, L. E. Koch ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Mundaring Dam area , 31.xii.1965, R. Humphries ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Cape Peron , xii.1965, O. W. Kendrick ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Upper Murray Valley , 13 km S of Dwellingup, 2.xii. 1985, D. Mueller ( WAM) ; 2 B females, E. Dwellingup, Jarrah Banksia gully, 24.iii.1971, unburnt for 12 yrs, W. H. Butler ( WAM) ; 1 B male (dissected), 1 B female, Lane-Poole Reserve ca 20 km S of Dwellingup, 2.iii. 1987, D. Mueller ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Dryandra , 4.ix.1977, R. P. McMillan ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Narrogin , 36-3541 ( WAM) ; 1 B male, 1 B female, 6 ml S of York at Greenhills T /O, 10.vii.1975, R. P. McMillan ( WAM) ; 2 B males, Ocean Reef, Heatheridge ( Perth ), ex pitfall Banksia woodland, 3–17.ix.1978, A. Chapman & R. How ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Bald Park , 8–18. x.1969, L. N. McKenna leg. ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Wellington Mills , 42-338 ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Bulong , 20–21.vi.1969, L. E. Koch leg. ( WAM) ; 2 B females, Bulong , 22.vi.1969, L.E. Koch leg. & D. D. Guiliani ( WAM) ; 1 B female, 33 59S 119 15 E, 31 km S Balladonia Motel , stop 28, 9.ii.1980, D. C. F. & B. G. F. Rentz ( ANIC) ; 1 B female, Dumbleyung , 10.viii.1962, H. Udell leg ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Deepdene , 16.xii.1962, L. M. O’Halloran ( WAM) ; 2 M males, 33 27S 121 44E, Scaddan , 25.i.1977, A. M. & M. J. Douglas ABFO ( WAM) ; 1 B male, 1 nymph, Scott River National Park , 5.i.1988, S. D. Bradshaw ( WAM) ; 1 M male, Yanmah , ’35-2881’ ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Boranup , 18.v.1963, A. Saar ( WAM) ; 1 B female, Dingup , 36-820 ( WAM) ; 1 B female, N end of Isongerup Track, Striling Ranges , 16.v.1975, S. Slack- Smith ( WAM) ; 1 B female, 33 59 S 119 15 E, Fitzerald River Nat. Park , on ground, 240-20, 24–28.xii.1978, T. F. Houston ( WAM) ; 1 B male, 1 mi. E Hamersley Inlet, Fitgerald River Reserve , 4.i.1971, L. E Koch leg. & W. K. Youngson ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Thomas River , 22.v.1977, R. P. McMillan ( WAM) ; 1 B male, 33.48S 123 46E, 10 km WSW of Point Malcolm , 426–27, 15–18.i.1982, B. Hanich & T. F. Houston ( WAM) ; 1 B male, 33.48S 123.46 E 10 km WSW of Point Malcolm, in pit fall trap in sand heath / Banksia , 15–18.i.1982, 428-3a, B. Hanich & T. F. Houston ( WAM) ; 1 B male, Israelite Bay , 3.x.1970, L. E. Koch leg & A. M. Douglas ( WAM) ; 1 M male, 33 38S 123 40E, Sheoaks Hill W Israelite Bay , 7.i.1993, E. D. Edwards & E. S. Nielsen ( ANIC) ; 1 M male, King George’s Sound , ‘K50967’ ( AM) .

Diagnosis.

Macropterous male, brachypterous male and female known, body small-medium sized. Blackish brown to black ( Fig. 53 ), hemelytron of macropterous male with a large oval yellowish spot involving apical 2/3 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins PCu+1A and Cu, often expanding to base of membrane ( Fig. 53A ), hemelytron of brachypterous individuals uniformly brown except membrane area brownish yellow. Fore femur armed below with two indistinct rows of minute blackish tubercles, rows separated by a faint median furrow, mid femur armed below with minute tubercles in indistinct rows ( Fig. 53B&C ); fore tibia with fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length, mid tibia with fossula spongiosa only about 1/3 its length ( Fig. 53B&C ); in male, abdominal sternite VII without visible extragenital process or with a greatly reduced minute toothlike process on cuticle ( Figs. 55M–P , 56M–P ); male genitalia with median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 54B ), and slightly spatulate, bent and tapered in lateral view ( Fig. 54C ); inner margin of lateral phallothecal sclerite slightly undulate ( Fig. 54I ).

Description.

Macropterous male ( Fig. 53 )

Colouration ( Fig. 53 ): Blackish brown to black.Apical three antennal segments and labium dark brown; legs with tarsi brown; hemelytron dark brown with a large oval yellowish spot involving apical 2/3 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins PCu+1A and Cu, often expanding to base of membrane, and an inconspicuous yellowish white, thin, curved stripe near base of costal margin on membrane, other area of membrane pale to dark brown.

Structure ( Figs. 53 , 54 ): Body small-medium sized. Head, pronotum, scutellum and corium with brown setae of varying lengths; dorsal surface of head and narrow stripes on pronotum also covered with yellowish white, short pubescence; antenna densely covered with yellowish white, short pubescence and brown, long suberect setae; thoracic pleura, sterna and abdominal sternites densely covered with yellow to yellowish brown, relatively long pubescence; legs densely covered with golden pubescence and brown, long setae.

Head: elongate fusiform, wholly covered with short whitish pilosity and sparse longer bristly setae, prominent on mandibular plates, dorsal aspect of head and between eyes, and on dorsal aspect of first labial segment.Anteocular region elongate triangular, clypeus near its base slightly elevated above mandibular plates. Interocular region with arcuate convex sulcus at posterior border of eyes, a small pit near base. Postocular region almost rounded to neck, with a distinct head part. Neck with lateral tubercles not developed. Antennae with all segments cylindrical, with short whitish pilosity and sparse longer setae. Scape thickest, pedicel scarcely thinner than, basi-and distiflagellum thinnest. Eyes medium sized, reniform, not reaching ventral margin of head in lateral view, width of eye about 0.6X width of interocular space. Ocelli well developed, slightly raised, separated from each other by slightly more than diameter of single ocellus, separated from eye by similar space. Labium with second and third visible segments sparsely covered with longish setae.

Thorax: Anterior lobe of pronotum with integument smooth, stripes distinct, median longitudinal sulcus on basal half of anterior pronotal lobe shallow. Posterior pronotal lobe much wider than anterior lobe, integument with fine wrinkles or rugulose, with short pilosity, posterior margin almost smoothly rounded, posterior angles not developed. Scutellum triangular, disc depressed and irregularly granulate, sides carinate, integument pilose, scutellar process short, apically rounded and slightly directed obliquely in lateral view. Propleuron with integument finely granulate, smoothly pilose, set off from dorsal surface by a carina. Mesopleuron integument minutely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron with integument with high density and distinct granules but granules not striate, metapleural sulcus distinctly bicarinate and curved, pilose with silvery dense hairs posteriorly. All sternites smooth, moderately pilose. Mesosternum with disc raised, metasternum with disc slightly tumid and granulate.

Legs: Fore leg with coxa with whitish pilosity; trochanter unarmed, sparsely hairy; femur strongly fusiform, greatly incrassate from near base and narrowing distally, much thicker than other femora, armed below with two indistinct rows of minute blackish tubercles, rows separated by a faint median furrow, in addition sparsely pilose laterally and above; tibia cylindrical, more or less straight but apex slightly reflexed, fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length. Mid leg with coxa globular; femur only slightly thickened, armed below with minute tubercles in indistinct rows, tibia with short whitish pilosity for whole length, brush of longer setae denser in apical 1/3, with fossula spongiosa only about 1/3 its length. Hind leg with femur cylindrical; tibia with brush of setae, denser at apex.

Abdomen: Dorsally elongate, sternum carinate in midline and slightly curved to right side of body, shiny, smooth with sparse longer hairs in addition to pilosity, sternite VII without visible extragenital process or with a greatly reduced minute toothlike process on cuticle (see below). Connexivum with golden pilosity as elsewhere on sternum. Spiracles situated below connexival suture, about halfway between anterior and posterior margin of each segment. Each spiracle postero-ventrally and anteriorly near anterior margin of each abdominal sternum with impressed spots and irregular area obviously visible. Hemelytron distinctly surpassing tip of abdomen, only narrowly exposing middle three or four abdominal tergites.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 54 ): Median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp, oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 54B ); slightly spatulate, bent and tapered in lateral view ( Fig. 54C ). Parameres ( Fig. 54D&E ) slenderly falcate, apex of left paramere ( Fig. 54D ) slightly truncate, left paramere ( Fig. 54D ) slightly broader and longer than right paramere ( Fig. 54E ). Phallus ( Fig. 54F–I ) in resting position with length of basal plate subequal to length of basal plate bridge ( Fig. 54F ), pedicel nearly straight and slightly longer than basal plate; length of struts longer than half length of phallosoma ( Fig. 54H&I ); apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite bluntly rounded ( Fig. 54F ); lateral phallothecal sclerite subquadrangular with inner margin slightly undulate ( Fig. 54I ); pair of slender sclerites near base of venter of phallosoma moderately sclerotized ( Fig. 54G ).

Brachypterous male and female

As in macropterous male except hemelytron uniformly brown except membrane area brownish yellow. Ocelli reduced to faint spots on cuticle. Pronotum modified with width of anterior and posterior lobes subequal in width, posterior lobe shortened in length to about 1/3 anterior lobe length. Hemelytron greatly reduced to small, sclerotized flaps, usually extending to anterior margin of tergum II, but exceptions see below. Abdominal dorsum with three small scent gland scars of subequal width on terga III–IV, IV–V and V–VI. Abdominal venter generally shinier and smoother, and without median carina in female.

Measurements: [of paratype macropterous male, followed by one brachypterous male, and one brachypterous female]. Body length 13.20, 10.40 (♂), 11.70 (♀); maximum width of abdomen 3.90, 3.12 (♂), 3.90 (♀); length of head 1.78, 1.82 (♂), 1.90 (♀); length of anteocular region 0.64, 0.76 (♂), 0.79 (♀); length of postocular region 0.45, 0.56 (♂), 0.57 (♀); width of head across eyes 1.44, 1.21 (♂), 1.33 (♀); width of interocular space 0.60, 0.58 (♂), 0.61 (♀); width of interocellar space 0.19, ocelli indistinct (♂), 0.20 (♀); length of eye in dorsal view 0.57, 0.48 (♂), 0.49 (♀); width of eye in dorsal view 0.39, 0.24 (♂), 0.30 (♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 1.02, 0.91 (♂), 0.91 (♀) / 2.12, 1.71 (♂), 1.52 (♀) / 1.97,? (♂),? (♀) /?,? (♂),? (♀); length of visible labial segments I–III 0.86, 0.66 (♂), 0.68 (♀) /1.21, 1.14 (♂), 1.10 (♀) / 0.45, 0.45 (♂), 0.45 (♀); length of pronotum 3.19, 2.39 (♂), 2.43 (♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe 1.90, 1.82 (♂), 1.86 (♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe 1.33, 0.50 (♂), 0.49 (♀); width of anterior pronotal lobe 2.28, 2.16 (♂), 2.09 (♀); width of posterior pronotal lobe 3.61, 2.20 (♂), 2.28 (♀); length of scutellum 1.50, 0.79 (♂), 0.91 (♀); maximum width of scutellum 1.63, 0.95 (♂), 1.29 (♀); length of hemelytron 10.00, 2.10 (♂), 1.82 (♀); length of fore tibia 2.35, 2.01 (♂), 2.16 (♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia 0.86, 0.68 (♂), 0.70 (♀).

Distribution. Australia (Western Australia).

Etymology. The species name alludes to the current distribution of the species (Western Australia).

Comparative notes. This species is similar to B. lurco but differs from the latter in macropterous males by having smaller eyes, the width of each eye about 0.6X of interocular space (vs. eyes larger, width of each eye subequal to interocular space in B. lurco ); scutellar process slightly shorter and thicker (vs. longer and thinner in B. lurco ), and distribution only in Western Australia ( B. lurco distributed in Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia and Northern Territory, but not Western Australia). However, the females of both these species cannot be differentiated, other than by the Western Australian distribution of the new species, i.e., B. westraliensis , as its name implies.

Remarks. In some southern Western Australian specimens, the male extragenital process on sternum VII appear to be present as a highly variably reduced tooth, as follows. Macropterous males from Scaddan, Geraldton, King George’s Sound, Koojan, Red Hill and Yanmah as well as brachypterous male from 10 km WSW Point Malcolm have a very minute and rather remnant extragenital process on sternum VII, as have brachypterous males from Lane-Poole Reserve, Scott River and Hamersley Inlet specimens, while the brachypterous male from Deepdene possesses a slightly more developed and pointed extragenital process ( Figs. 55M–P , 56M–P ).

In some brachypterous specimens examined, the hemelytral pads exhibit variation in length, as follows. The Israelite Bay, Thomas R, Deepdene and Hamersley Inlet Fitzgerald River specimens have longer pads that extend to about middle of abdominal tergum III, while in Lane-Poole specimens the male has wing pads that extend to posterior margin of tergum II and in female they extend to anterior margin of tergum II. In one Scott Creek male specimen, the wing pad lengths are variable, with the right one extending to almost posterior margin of tergum III while the left pad is narrowly elongate extending to almost posterior margin of tergum IV.

Figures

FIGURE 53. Brachysandalus westraliensis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., holotype, macropterous male, habitus.A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, lateral view. Red arrow indicates median carina on abdomen. Scale bar = 2.00 mm.

FIGURE 54. Brachysandalus westraliensis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov., male genitalia. A–C, pygophore; D, left paramere; E, right paramere; F–I, phallus. A, G, ventral view; B, caudal view; C, H, I, lateral view; D, E, outer ventrolateral view; F, dorsal view. Abbreviations: bp, basal plate; bpb, basal plate bridge; dps, dorsal phallothecal sclerite; lps, lateral phallothecal sclerite; mpp, median pygophore process; ped, pedicel; st, struts. Scale bar = 1.00 mm (for A–C); 0.80 mm (for D–I).

FIGURE 55. Close-up photos of extragenital process of Australian Brachysandalus species.A, B. sepulchralis (Distant, 1902); B, B. howarthi Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; C, B. alutaceus (Reuter, 1881); D, B. helluo Stål, 1866; E, B. ephippiger (White, 1843); F, B. punctorius Stål, 1866; G, B. flavidus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; H, B. crassifemur (Reuter, 1881); I, B. maculatus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; J. B. ayyammae Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; K, B. fulvipes Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; L, B. gunbalanyae Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; M–P, B. westraliensis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov. Blue arrow indicates extragenital process. Scale bar = 0.50 mm.

FIGURE 56. Illustrations of extragenital process of Australian Brachysandalus species. A, B. sepulchralis (Distant, 1902); B, B. howarthi Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; C, B. alutaceus (Reuter, 1881); D, B. helluo Stål, 1866; E, B. ephippiger (White, 1843); F, B. punctorius Stål, 1866; G, B. flavidus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; H, B. crassifemur (Reuter, 1881); I, B. maculatus Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; J. B. ayyammae Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; K, B. fulvipes Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; L, B. gunbalanyae Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov.; M–P, B. westraliensis Malipatil & Liu, sp. nov. Scale bar = 0.50 mm.