Tytthus panamensis Carvalho & Southwood

Henry, Thomas J., 2012, Revision of the Plant Bug Genus Tytthus (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Miridae, Phylinae), ZooKeys 220, pp. 1-114 : 47-48

Tytthus panamensis Carvalho & Southwood Figs 30, 31

Tytthus panamensis Carvalho and Southwood 1955: 32 (orig. descrip.); Carvalho 1958: 158 (cat.); Carvalho and Afonso 1977: 9 (list); Carvalho and Froeschner 1987: 218 (list, type info.); Schuh 1995: 249 (cat.); Froeschner 1999: 133 (list, note).

Diagnosis.

Tytthus panamensis is a small species distinguished by the combination of the fuscous head, pronotum, and scutellum; the fuscous antennal segment I, with only the apex pale; the pale yellowish brown antennal segment II; and the uniformly pale legs. All known specimens are macropterous.

It is most similar to Tytthus pallidus , sp. n. in overall size and color, including the reduced or apparent lack of an interocular spot on the head and the uniformly pale legs. It differs in having a dark brown antennal segment I, with only the apex pale, and a pale brown antennal segment II, whereas Tytthus pallidus has a pale antennal segment I, with only a narrow dark ring at the base, and segment II is dark brown. Tytthus panamensis keys near Tytthus vagus based on the dark antennal segment I with only the apex pale, but can be distinguished by the uniformly pale yellowish brown antennal segment II and hind femur.

Description.

Male (n =1, plus holotype in parentheses) (Fig. 30): Length to apex of hemelytron 2.21 mm (2.37 mm), length to base of cuneus 1.57 mm (1.63 mm), width across hemelytra 2.21 mm (2.37 mm). Head: Length 0.26 mm (0.29 mm), width across eyes 0.48 mm (0.51 mm), interocular width 0.24 mm (0.26 mm). Labium: Length 0.85 mm (0.93 mm). Antenna: Segment I length 0.30 mm (0.35 mm), II 0.88 mm (0.99 mm), III missing (0.56 mm), IV missing (missing). Pronotum: Length 0.22 mm (0.22 mm), basal width 0.58 mm (0.66 mm).

Coloration: Head: Uniformly dark brown, pale interocular spot found in all other species (except Tytthus pallidus) apparently absent; eyes dark brown to fuscous. Labium: Uniformly pale yellow. Antenna: Segment I dark brown, narrowly pale at apex; segment II pale yellowish brown; segments III and IV brown. Pronotum: Uniformly dark brown. Mesoscutum: Uniformly dark brown. Scutellum: Uniformly dark brown. Hemelytron: Uniformly pale translucent brown. Ostiolar evaporative area: Reddish brown. Ventral surface: Thorax and abdomen uniformly dark reddish brown. Legs: Procoxae pale yellow; meso- and metacoxae pale yellow, with bases reddish brown; femora, tibiae, tarsi, and claws uniformly pale yellow.

Structure, texture, and vestiture: Head: Shiny, impunctate; buccula slender, tapering posteriorly, ending near level with middle of eye. Labium: Extending to apices of meso- or bases of metacoxae; segment I extending beyond base of head to anterior edge of xyphus before procoxae. Antenna: Segment I with relatively sparse, short, recumbent setae and two, long, subpical, bristlelike setae; segment II thickly set with short, recumbent setae, intermixed with a few more scattered, semierect setae. Pronotum: Shiny, impunctate; anterior angles weakly rounded; lateral margins straight, gradually widening to posterior angles; basal margin weakly sinuate; set with scattered recumbent and semierect setae. Mesoscutum: Shiny, impunctate, broadly exposed; set with a few short, semierect setae. Scutellum: Shiny, impunctate, equilateral; set with a few scattered, short, recumbent and semierect setae. Hemelytron: Macropterous, cuneus and membrane fully developed, extending posteriorly well beyond apex of abdomen; evenly set with relatively long, recumbent setae.

Male genitalia: Not examined. See note below.

Female (n = 1) (Fig. 31): Length to apex of hemelytron 2.91mm, length to base of cuneus 1.98 mm, width across hemelytra 0.80 mm. Head: Length 0.34 mm, width across eyes 0.59 mm, interocular width 0.29 mm. Labium: Length 1.20 mm. Antenna: Missing. Pronotum: Length 0.27 mm, basal width 0.74 mm.

Similar to male in overall appearance, differing primarily in the broader body form.

Host.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Described and known only from Panama.

Discussion.

The one male paratype previously had been dissected and the genitalia apparently were placed in a glass genitalia vial sealed with a cork stopper. Since that dissection, the cork has dried and crumbled and the genitalia are missing from the vial. I now have placed the glass vial inside a polyethylene vial, sealed it with a neoprene stopper, and reattached it to the specimen pin.

Type material examined.

Holotype ♂ (00162200) (USNM): PANAMA:Canal Zone: Corozal, 8.98844°N, 79.5719°W,14 Apr 1912, A. Busck, at light. Paratypes: Same data as for holotype, 1 ♂ (00161395) (USNM), 1 ♀ (00161394) (USNM).

Other specimens examined.

PANAMA:Canal Zone:. Fort Gulick, 9.31667°N, 79.86667°W, 21 Aug 1952, F. S. Blanton, 1 ♀ (00162201) (USNM). Darien: Garachine, 8.06472°N, 78.36277°W, 17 Feb 1953, F. S. Blanton, 1 ♀ (00161396) (USNM).