Brachysandalus limbatus ( Reuter, 1881 )

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 : 62-67

Brachysandalus limbatus ( Reuter, 1881)

( Figs. 31–33 )

Pirates (Brachysandalus) limbatus Reuter, 1881: 314 . Type locality: Australia.

Pirates limbatus : Lethierry & Severin (1896: 126).

Brachysandalus limbatus : Maldonado Capriles (1990: 346).

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

Type specimen examined. Lectotype (present designation), brachypterous female, Typus , Australia, limbatus Typ. Reut., NHRS-GULI 000000126 ( NHRS).

Other specimens examined. [ M, macropterous; B, brachypterous]. QUEENSLAND. 2 M males, 1 M female, 24.07S 143.11E, Noonabah Homestead , iv.1991 – iii.1992, A. Emmott ( QM) ; 2 M males, Julia Creek , 14.xii.1954, I.G. Filmer ( QM) ; 1 M female, Longreach , Pastoral coll., 17.i.1972, at light, R.A.H. Davies ( ANIC) ; 1 M male, Isisford , 16.x.1933, M. Robertson ( QM) ; 1 M male, Braemer S.F. via Kogan , 15–19.x.1979, G.B. Monteith ( QM) ( Fig. 32 ) . NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 B female, Bogan R., J. Armstrong ( ANIC) ; 1 M male, Tibooburra , 16.xi.1949, E.F. Riek ( ANIC) ; 1 M male (dissected), Trangie , 20.x.1949, E.F. Riek ( ANIC) . SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 2 M females, Etadunna Station , x.1972, K&B Oldfield ( WAM) ; 1 M female, Stintons campsite on Etadunna Station via Marrie, M. & E. Archer ( WAM) ; 1 M female, Algebuckina 50 km SE Odnadatta, 8.ix.1988, G.B. Monteith ( QM) . WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 1 B female, Dumbleyung , 8.xii.1962, H. Udell leg. ( WAM) ; 1 M male, Geraldton , 3.ix.1958, LeSouef ( MV) ; 1 M male, Noonkandah, N.V. Austr. Mjoberg dec, NHRS-GULI 000072744 ( NHRS) .

Diagnosis.

Macropterous male and female and brachypterous female known, body medium sized. Orange-yellow and blackish brown, antenna, labium and most parts of legs orange-yellow, abdomen sternites dark orange ( Figs. 31 , 32 ); hemelytron of macropterous individuals with clavus yellow except most base dark brown, corium orange-yellow except area between veins Pcu+1A and Cu yellow, sometimes with a longitudinal brown stripe between veins R+M and Sc ( Fig. 32A ), hemelytron of brachypterous female yellow except extreme base and apical 1/3 brown ( Fig. 31A ). Fore femur armed below with two irregular rows of brownish tubercles, outer two or three tubercles large and spine-like, inner ones minute, rows separated by a faint median line, ventral surface of mid femur also armed with tubercles like fore femora ( Figs. 31B&C , 32B&C ); fore tibia with fossula spongiosa occupying slightly more than 1/3 tibial length, mid tibia with fossula spongiosa about 1/3 its length ( Figs. 31B&C , 32B&C ); in male, left side of sternite VII lacking extragenital process ( Fig. 32B ); male genitalia with median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp, venter strongly ridged with apex pointed in caudal view ( Fig. 33B ), and broadly spatulate, apex rounded, blade of process near base distinctly constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 33C ); inner margin of lateral phallothecal sclerite serrated ( Fig. 33I ).

Redescription.

Macropterous male and female ( Fig. 32 )

Colouration ( Fig. 32 ): Orange-yellow and blackish brown. Head and thorax blackish brown; antenna, labium and legs (except coxae dark brown, apices of tibiae brown) orange-yellow; connexivum orange-yellow, abdomen sternites dark orange, sometimes with brownish markings, sternites I–III dark brown; hemelytron with clavus yellow except most base dark brown, corium orange-yellow except area between veins Pcu+1A and Cu yellow, sometimes with a longitudinal brown stripe between veins R+M and Sc, membrane brown with a yellowish, thin, curved stripe near base of costal margin.

Structure ( Figs. 32 , 33 ): Body medium sized, densely covered with yellowish white to yellow pilosity; antenna also with brown, suberect, short setae; legs also with yellowish brown to blackish brown, suberect setae of varying lengths.

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 relatively distinct.Antennae with all segments covered with short golden to yellowish brown pilosity and sparse longer setae; scape thickest, pedicel thinner, then basi- and distiflagellum thinnest. Eye reniform, nearly reaching dorsal and ventral margins of head in lateral view; width of eye about half width of interocular space in dorsal view in male but slightly shorter than half width of interocular space in female. Ocelli slightly raised, separated from each other by slightly less than diameter of single ocellus, separated from eye by about diameter of single ocellus. Labium with ventral surface sparsely covered with longish setae.

Thorax: Anterior lobe of pronotum with distinct stripes, sulci indistinct, except median longitudinal sulcus on basal 2/3 of anterior pronotal lobe distinct. Posterior pronotal lobe short, arcuately quadrate, integument finely rugulose, humeri rounded, posterior margin of pronotum arcuate. Scutellum disc flat and finely rugulose, scutellar process long with apex 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 finely granulate, sparsely pilose. Metapleuron finely granulate and granules somewhat striate, metapleural sulcus distinctly bicarinate and arcuate, pilose with whitish dense hairs posteriorly.All sternites with tiny granules, moderately pilose. Mesosternum slightly carinated in middle, metasternum with disc tumid. Hemelytron well developed, distinctly exceeding tip of abdomen in male and 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, much thicker than other femora, armed below with two irregular rows of brownish tubercles, outer two or three tubercles large and spine-like, inner ones minute, rows separated by a faint median line; tibia gradually thickened to apex, more or less straight but apex slightly reflexed, fossula spongiosa occupying slightly more than 1/3 tibial length. Mid leg with coxa globular; femur only slightly thickened, ventral surface also armed with tubercles like fore femora; tibia with short yellowish brown pilosity for whole length, with fossula spongiosa about 1/3 its length. Hind coxae separated from each other by slightly 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 ( Fig. 32B ); left side of sternite VII lacking extragenital process ( Fig. 32B ). Connexivum with golden to yellowish brown pilosity as elsewhere on sternum, abdominal sterna and terga entire. Spiracles situated below connexival suture and each spiracle 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, all sterna appearing narrow medially except VII very enlarged, sternite VII with some transverse wrinkles.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 33 ): Median pygophore process straight, tapered with apex sharp and oblique to right side, venter strongly ridged with apex pointed in caudal view ( Fig. 33B ); broadly spatulate, apex rounded, blade of process near base distinctly constricted in lateral view ( Fig. 33C ). Parameres ( Fig. 33D&E ) more or less falcate with apices blunt, left paramere ( Fig. 33D ) longer, slenderer and more curved in middle than right paramere ( Fig. 33E ). Phallus ( Fig. 33F–I ) in resting condition with basal plate subequal to length of basal plate bridge ( Fig. 33F ), pedicel straight and slightly shorter than basal plate ( Fig. 33H&I ); length of struts distinctly longer than half length of phallosoma ( Fig. 33F ); apex of dorsal phallothecal sclerite rounded ( Fig. 33F ); lateral phallothecal sclerite subquadrangular, inner margin serrated ( Fig. 33I ); pair of slender sclerites near base of venter of phallosoma strongly sclerotized ( Fig. 33G ).

Brachypterous female ( Fig. 31 )

Differs from macropterous form in: hemelytron yellow except extreme base and apical 1/3 brown; abdomen with tergites I–III dark brown, tergites IV–VI and most of tergite VII blackish brown, posterior margin of tergite VII and genitalic part orange; abdominal sternites dark brown except sternite VII and genitalic part orange-yellow; eyes weakly developed, not reaching dorsal and ventral margins of head in lateral view, width of interocular space about 3.5 times as long as width of eye in dorsal view; ocelli reduced and less raised, separated from each other by about or more than twice diameter of single ocellus; anterior pronotal lobe nearly spherical, median longitudinal sulcus on basal half deep and surrounded with a shallow, oval depression, posterior lobe distinctly abbreviated, only slightly wider and much shorter than anterior lobe, posterior margin of pronotum nearly straight with median part slightly convex; metapleural sulcus more curved; hemelytron greatly reduced to a flap, subquadrangular with apex rounded, slightly surpassing anterior margin of abdominal tergite I; dorsum of abdomen with three small scent gland scars of subequal width on terga III–IV, IV–V and V–VI; venter of abdomen in some individuals with a median, straight ridge ( Fig. 31B ).

Measurements: [of one macropterous male, followed by one macropterous female and one brachypterous female]. Body length 13.72 (♂), 13.52 (M ♀), 12.15 (B ♀); maximum width of abdomen 4.21 (♂), 4.36 (M ♀), 3.90 (B ♀); length of head 2.05 (♂), 1.90 (M ♀), 1.93 (B ♀); length of anteocular region 0.76 (♂), 0.76 (M ♀), 0.79 (B ♀); length of postocular region 0.57 (♂), 0.68 (M ♀), 0.64(B ♀); width of head across eyes 1.52 (♂), 1.21 (M ♀), 1.14 (B ♀); width of interocular space 0.72 (♂), 0.68 (M ♀), 0.57 (B ♀); width of interocellar space 0.32 (♂), 0.27 (M ♀), 0.22 (B ♀); length of eye in dorsal view 0.57 (♂), 0.38 (M ♀), 0.40 (B ♀); width of eye in dorsal view 0.38 (♂), 0.30 (M ♀), 0.26 (B ♀); lengths of antennal segments I–IV 1.33 (♂), 1.14 (M ♀),? (B ♀) / 2.85 (♂), 2.09 (M ♀),? (B ♀) / 2.96 (♂), 2.47 (M ♀),? (B ♀) / 3.11 (♂),? (M ♀),? (B ♀); length of visible labial segments I–III 0.91 (♂), 0.83 (M ♀), 0.76 (B ♀) / 1.25 (♂), 1.14 (M ♀), 1.14 (B ♀) / 0.57 (♂), 0.49 (M ♀), 0.40 (B ♀); length of pronotum 3.45 (♂), 3.42 (M ♀), 2.43 (B ♀); length of anterior pronotal lobe 2.28 (♂), 2.09 (M ♀), 1.82 (B ♀); length of posterior pronotal lobe 1.25 (♂), 1.25 (M ♀), 0.60 (B ♀); width of anterior pronotal lobe 2.28 (♂), 2.09 (M ♀), 1.82 (B ♀); width of posterior pronotal lobe 3.61 (♂), 3.49 (M ♀), 2.00 (B ♀); length of scutellum 1.59 (♂), 1.33 (M ♀), 1.14 (B ♀); maximum width of scutellum 1.97 (♂), 1.53 (M ♀), 1.14 (B ♀); length of hemelytron 9.67 (♂), 6.56 (M ♀), 2.09 (B ♀); length of fore tibia 2.58 (♂), 2.28 (M ♀), 2.28 (B ♀); length of fossula spongiosa on fore tibia 0.83 (♂), 0.76 (M ♀), 0.90 (B ♀).

Distribution. Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia). Cassis & Gross (1995) recorded this species also from the Northern Territory, but these specimens were not located and examined in the present study.

Comparative notes. This species is similar to B. fulvipes sp. nov., especially in colour pattern of hemelytron, but differs from the later by most parts of legs and abdomen orange (vs. most parts of legs yellowish brown, abdomen dark brown in B. fulvipes sp. nov.) and abdominal sternite VII lacking extragenital process in male (vs. abdominal sternite VII with a small spine-like extragenital process on left side in male in B. fulvipes sp. nov.).

Figures

FIGURE 31. Brachysandalus limbatus (Reuter, 1881), lectotype, brachypterous female, habitus. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, lateral view. Red arrow indicates median carina on abdomen. Scale bar = 2.00 mm.

FIGURE 32. Brachysandalus limbatus (Reuter, 1881), macropterous male, habitus. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, lateral view. Red arrow indicates median carina on abdomen. Scale bar = 3.00 mm.

FIGURE 33. Brachysandalus limbatus (Reuter, 1881), 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 = 0.50 mm (for A–C); 0.40 mm (for D–I).