Brachysandalus helluo Stål, 1867

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 : 53-57

Brachysandalus helluo Stål, 1867

( Figs. 26 , 27 )

Brachysandalus Helluo Stål, 1867: 260 . Type locality: Australia (Melbourne).

Pirates helluo : Walker (1873: 126).

Pirates (Brachysandalus) Helluo : Stål (1874: 60).

Brachysandalus helluo : Maldonado Capriles (1990: 346).

Peirates helluo : Cassis & Gross (1995: 342).

Type specimen examined. Lectotype (present designation), macropterous female, Typus, Melbourne, Stevens., helluo, NHRS-GULI 000000124 ( NHRS).

Other specimens examined. [all macropterous]. QUEENSLAND. 1 male, 24 07S 143 11E, Noonbah Homestead, iv.1991 – iii.1992, A. Emmott ( QM). NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 female, Caldwell , 27.ii.1952, V. Robb ( MV) , 5 males (1 dissected), 1 female, same except 5. x.1952 ( MV) ; 1 male, Moorna Station , 50 km W Mildura ( MV) ; 2 males, Trangie station , 8–9.iv.1977 ( ANIC) . VICTORIA. 1 male (dissected), Wimmera. Xii. 12, L. Kelly, pres. By Dr A.E. Shau ( MV) ; 1 male, 1 female, Hattah, Mallee, 1913 ( MV) ; 2 males, Mallee dist. ( MV) ; 1 male, Colac , 1.xii.1964, Dr G. Brown ( MV) ; 1 female, St Albans, 27.vii.22, J.E. Dixon Coll. Don. Jan. 1940 ( MV) , 1 male, same except 15.vi.1923 ( MV) , 1 female, same except no date ( MV) ; 1 male, Coburg, 8.vii.20, Pres. /8/23, J.E. Dixon ( MV) , 1 male, same except 5.viii.21, J.E. Dixon Coll. Don. Jan. 1940 ( MV) ; 2 females, Melbourne, F.E. Wilson , 25.ix.1927 ( MV) ; 1 male, Camberwell , 5.x.1968, I. Faithfull ( VAIC) ; 4 males, Dooen , 6.x.1990 ( VAIC) , 1 male, same except light trap, 27.xii.1990, I.G. Faithfull ( VAIC) ; 1 male, Bairnsdale , x.1993, under grass ( VAIC) ; 1 male, S. Gippsland, H.W. Davey, Pres. J.E. Dixon /8/23 ( MV) ; 2 females, Victoria, Pres by J.E. Dixon /5/1923 ( MV) , 2 females, same except Pres by J.E. Dixon, viii. 1923 ( MV) . SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1 male, 34 03S 14 43E, Calperum HS, 15 km NNW Renmark, 10–13.x.1995, at light, H. Sutrisno & K.R. Pullen ( ANIC) , 1 male, same except 14.xii.1995, K.R. Pullen ( ANIC) ; 1 male, Etadunna , ix.1971 – ix.1972, B. & C. Oldfield ( WAM) , 1 male, same except 3.x.1972, M. Archer & K. Oldfield ( WAM) ; 1 female, Stirtons Old Campsite, Etadunna Station via Marrie, M ..& E. Archer ( WAM) ; 1 female, Kangaroo Is. , 19.viii.1950, C. Oke ( MV) . NORTHERN TERRITORY. 2 males, 1 female, Oenpelli, D.P. Cahill 12.18 ( MV) ; 1 male, Wave Hill Stn, Victoria River , 7/ 15. i. 1962, J.R. Tonkinson ( WAM) ; 1 male, Kildork , 16. i.1969, D. Durack ( WAM) ; 1 male, Tennant Ck, National Museum ( MV) ; 1 male, 15 58S 136.21E, 12 km NNE of Borroloola , 1.xi.1975, M.S. Upton ( ANIC) . WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 1 male, 17 23S 124 44E, Lennard River Xing, Gibb River Road, Kimberley , at MV light, 1.iv.1988, T. Houston 879-4 ( WAM) .

Diagnosis.

Macropterous male and female known, body large sized. Blackish brown to black ( Fig. 26 ), hemelytron with a yellow, oval spot involving apical 1/2 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins Pcu+1A and Cu ( Fig. 26A ). Fore femur armed below with two irregular rows of tubercles, outer tubercles large and conical, inner ones minute, ventral surface of mid femur densely covered with short blackish brown bristly setae ( Fig. 26B&C ); fore tibia with fossula spongiosa occupying about 2/5 tibial length, mid tibia with fossula spongiosa slightly more than 1/3 its length ( Fig. 26B&C ); in male, left side of abdominal sternite VII with a long, upturned, spine-like extragenital process, apical part slightly curved ( Figs. 55D , 56D ); male genitalia with median pygophore process long, straight, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 27B ), and spatulate, apex less acutely pointed, blade of process near base slightly constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 27C ); inner margin of lateral phallothecal sclerite corrugated except a slightly protruding round process at lower angle ( Fig. 27I ).

Redescription.

Macropterous male and female ( Fig. 26 )

Colouration ( Fig. 26 ): Blackish brown to black. Dorsal surface of head, pronotum and scutellum black; apical three antennal segments dark brown; legs dark brown except tarsi paler; hemelytron brown, with a yellow, oval spot involving apical 1/2 of clavus and adjoining area of corium between veins Pcu+1A and Cu, membrane pale brown, with a yellowish white, thin, curved stripe near base of costal margin.

Structure ( Figs. 26 , 27 ): Body large sized. Antenna, head, pronotum, coxal cavities and thoracic sterna covered with yellowish white, short pubescence; legs covered with yellowish brown to dark brown, suberect setae of varying lengths, ventral surface of mid femur also with blackish brown, short bristles; abdominal sternites sparsely coved with yellow, procumbent, long hairs.

Head: Anteocular region elongate triangular, clypeus near its base slightly elevated and knobbed 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. Neck with lateral tubercles small. Antennae with all segments covered with short brown pilosity and sparse longer setae; scape thickest, pedicel thinner, then basi- and distiflagellum thinnest. Eyes large, reniform, reaching dorsal and ventral margins of head in lateral view in male and nearly reaching ventral view in female, width of eye subequal to width of interocular space in dorsal view in male but shorter than width of interocular space in female. Ocelli well developed, slightly raised, separated from each other by about diameter of single ocellus in male and by more than diameter of single ocellus in female, separated from eye by less than diameter of single ocellus in male and by about diameter of single ocellus in female.

Thorax: Anterior lobe of pronotum with distinct stripes, sulci indistinct, except median longitudinal sulcus on basal half of anterior pronotal lobe deep and surrounded with a shallow, oval depression. Posterior pronotal lobe short, arcuately quadrate, integument smooth, humeri rounded, posterior margin arcuate. Scutellum disc flat and rugulose, scutellar process knobbed, slightly directed obliquely in lateral view. Propleuron with integument finely faintly granulate, smoothly pilose, set off from dorsal surface by a faint carina. Mesopleuron integument minutely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron with integument more finely granulate and granules distinctly striate, metapleural sulcus distinctly bicarinate and arcuate, pilose with whitish dense hairs posteriorly. All sternites with tiny granules, moderately pilose. Mesosternum carinate in middle, metasternum with disc tumid. Hemelytron slightly exceeding tip of abdomen in male and reaching anterior margin of abdominal tergite VII to nearly reaching tip of abdomen in female.

Legs: Fore leg with coxa with yellowish brown pilosity; trochanter unarmed, sparsely hairy; femur strongly fusiform, greatly incrassate near base narrowing distally, armed below with two irregular rows of tubercles, outer tubercles large and conical, inner ones minute; tibia gradually thickened to apex, 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, ventral surface densely covered with short blackish brown bristly setae; tibia with short yellowish brown to brown pilosity for whole length, with fossula spongiosa slightly more than 1/3 its length. Hind coxae separated from each other by less than width of one coxa; femur cylindrical; tibia with brush of setae, denser at apex.

Abdomen: In male, venter of abdomen with a median ridge running from posterior portion of second abdominal sternite to posterior portion of seventh abdominal sternite, curved to right side of body, distinctly carinated and forming a knobbed preapical point on sternite VII; left side of sternite VII with a long, upturned, spine-like extragenital process, apical part slightly curved, located near posterior margin of sternite VII ( Figs. 55D , 56D ). Connexivum with golden to yellowish brown tiny pilosity as elsewhere on sternum. Spiracles situated below connexival suture, and each with two impressed shiny roundish areas, one postero-ventrally and one anteriorly near anterior margin of segment. In female, same as male, venter of abdomen flat, lacking median carina, all sterna appearing narrow medially except VII very enlarged, sternite VII with many transverse wrinkles ( Fig. 26C ).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 27 ): Median pygophore process long, straight and oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged in caudal view ( Fig. 27B ); spatulate, apex less acutely pointed, blade of process near base slightly constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 27C ). Parameres ( Fig. 27D&E ) with outer surfaces densely covered with yellowish brown hairs, left paramere ( Fig. 27D ) broadly falcate with apex truncate, right paramere ( Fig. 27E ) subtriangular. Phallus ( Fig. 27F–I ) in resting condition with basal plate subequal to basal plate bridge ( Fig. 27F ), pedicel slightly curved and slightly shorter than basal plate ( Fig. 27H&I ); length of struts distinctly longer than half length of phallosoma ( Fig. 27F ); apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite blunt ( Fig. 27F ); lateral phallothecal sclerite subquadrangular, inner margin corrugated except a slightly protruding round process at lower angle ( Fig. 27I ); pair of slender sclerites near base of venter of phallosoma moderately sclerotized ( Fig. 27G ).

Measurements: [of lectotype female, followed by one male and one female]. Body length 18.26, 20.59 (♂), 21.06 (♀); maximum width of abdomen 5.60, 5.92 (♂), 6.70 (♀); length of head 2.81, 2.28 (♂), 2.85 (♀); length of anteocular region 1.14, 0.95 (♂), 1.06 (♀); length of postocular region 0.64, 0.45 (♂), 0.68 (♀); width of head across eyes 1.97, 2.16 (♂), 2.24 (♀); width of interocular space 0.87, 0.72 (♂), 0.90 (♀); width of interocellar space 0.25, 0.26 (♂), 0.25 (♀); length of eye in dorsal view 0.91, 0.83 (♂), 0.98 (♀); width of eye in dorsal view 0.50, 0.72 (♂), 0.69 (♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 1.63, 1.90 (♂), 1.90 (♀) / 2.77, 3.23 (♂), 3.11 (♀) /?, 3.45 (♂), 3.23 (♀) /?,? (♂),? (♀); length of visible labial segments I–III 1.20, 1.14 (♂), 1.25 (♀) / 1.60, 1.76 (♂), 1.90 (♀) /0.76, 0.79 (♂), 0.75 (♀); length of pronotum 4.37, 4.56 (♂), 4.70 (♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe 2.77, 2.66 (♂), 3.04 (♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe 1.59, 1.90 (♂), 1.59 (♀); width of anterior pronotal lobe 3.50, 3.49 (♂), 3.80 (♀); width of posterior pronotal lobe 4.70, 5.77 (♂), 5.30 (♀); length of scutellum 1.97, 2.20 (♂), 1.97 (♀); maximum width of scutellum 2.10, 2.69 (♂), 2.13 (♀); length of hemelytron 11.20, 14.82 (♂), 11.85 (♀); length of fore tibia 3.42, 3.99 (♂), 3.42 (♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia 1.33, 1.55 (♂), 1.30 (♀).

Distribution. Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia).

Comparative notes. This species is related to B. sepulchralis ( Distant, 1902) but differs from the latter in abdominal sternites sparsely coved with yellow, procumbent, long hairs (vs. abdomen nearly glabrous with extremely sparse hairs on sternites in B. sepulchralis ) and extragenital process of male long, upturned, spine-like, apical part slightly curved (vs. extragenital process of male large, curved triangular, median part depressed in B. sepulchralis ).

Remarks. One macropterous male specimen from Caldwell (NSW), exhibits abnormalities of tarsus and tarsal claws of left mid leg ( Fig. 57D–F ), see further details under cases of leg teratology section below.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Brachysandalus helluo Stål, 1866, lectotype, macropterous female, habitus. A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. Scale bar = 5.00 mm.

FIGURE 27. Brachysandalus helluo Stål, 1866, 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.

FIGURE 57. Mating in peiratine species.A, mating specimens of Fusiusdistinctus Miller, 1957; B,mating specimens of Tydides imitator Lent, 1955; C. precopulatory behaviour of Peirates turpis Walker, 1873; D, mating position of Peirates turpis Walker, 1873.