Melacoryphus lagunensis, Peredo, Luis Cervantes & Brailovsky, Harry, 2014

Peredo, Luis Cervantes & Brailovsky, Harry, 2014, Two new endemic species of Lygaeinae from Baja California, Mexico (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), Zootaxa 3861 (6), pp. 591-597 : 592-596

Melacoryphus lagunensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–4 )

Diagnosis. This species is similar to M. admirabilis , but they can be differentiated easily, because M. admirabilis always has the apical third of corium and half of clavus near scutellum red, while in M. lagunensis just a few individuals have less than the apical fourth of corium red. The anterior margin of pronotum, and the lateral margins of the posterior lobe of the pronotum in M. admirabilis are bright red, while in M. lagunensis the red areas are smaller and less bright. The paramere in M. admirabilis has the blade strongly curved while in M. lagunensis is more or less straight.

Description. Color: Head, eyes, antenna, and rostrum black; ocellus reddish. Pronotum mainly black, with frontal and posterior margins reddish; lateral margin of posterior pronotal lobe also red, and a red triangular area situated mesally on posterior half of posterior pronotal lobe, which joins the reddish posterior margin. Callus with black, shiny, transverse fascia; areas anterior and posterior to calli grayish. Scutellum black. Hemelytron dark brown to black, except margin of clavus next to scutellum and claval commissure which are red. Lateral margin of corium reddish. Membrane dark brown to black, with a thin white lateral margin and with at least two thirds of basal margin also thinly white. Thorax with pleura dull blackish, except acetabular margins and posterior pleural margins that are slightly ochraceous. Ostiolar peritreme and legs shiny black, except tibiae of all legs that are slightly ochraceous. Abdominal sterna dull blackish, sometimes lateral margins slightly ochre.

Head and thorax finely granulate. Body covered with abundant silvery, short hairs. Head convex. Eyes thouching anterior margin of pronotum. Antennal segment I surpassing tylus by about 1/3 its length. Rostral segment I just reaching anterior prosternal margin; rostrum slightly passing metacoxae. Pronotum with anterior margin just slightly convex; posterior margin almost straight; callus slightly swollen; callar impression shiny and sinuate. Scutellum with median carina elevated, lateral margins just slightly raised; lateral depression slightly rugose. Hemelytron with veins elevated; costal margins slightly convex; membrane surpassing apex of abdomen. All pleura coarsely punctate posteriorly; propleuron also with punctures anteriorly.

Male genitalia. Pygophore opening with basal margin slightly sinuated ( Fig. 3 ). Paramere with blade almost at a right angle to shank, slightly curved, posterior projection thumblike ( Fig. 4 ).

Variation. Scutellum sometimes with apex of median carina reddish brown. Lateral margin of corium sometimes with the red areas confined to the basal half and sometimes they cover the whole length of corium.

Male Measurements (n=10). Body length 5.34±0.3; head length 0.6±0; width across eyes 1.02±0.04; interocular distance 0.63±0.05; interocellar distance 0.5±0; postocular distance 0; antennal segments: I 0.4±0, II 0.82±0.05, III 0.57±0.05, IV 0.7±0.05; rostral segments: I 0.64±0.03, II 0.7±0.02, III 0.7±0, IV 0.41±0.02; pronotum: length 0.97±0.05, width across anterior margin 0.98±0.06, width across humeral angles 1.6±0.1; scutellum: length 0.62±0.04, width 0.83±0.07; length hind femora 1.31±0.09; length hind tibia 1.42±0.17; length hind tarsi: I 0.33±0.04, II 0.1±0, III 0.18±0.02

Female Measurements (n=10). Body length 5.81±0.26; head length 0.66±0.04; width across eyes 1.12±0.04; interocular distance 0.72±0.03; interocellar distance 0.58±0.04; postocular distance 0; antennal segments: I 0.39±0.02, II 0.88±0.06, III 0.64±0.03, IV 0.76±0.04; rostral segments: I 0.7±0.02, II 0.71±0.04, III 0.71±0.05, IV 0.39±0.01; pronotum: length 1.05±0.05, width across anterior margin 1.05±0.06, width across humeral angles 1.78±0.08; scutellum: length 0.76±0.03, width 0.97±0.06; length hind femora 1.54±0.06; length hind tibia 1.66±0.11; length hind tarsi: I 0.36±0.05, II 0.13±0, III 0.2±0.02

Type Specimens. Holotype. Male. MEXICO. Baja California Sur, La Paz, Todos Santos, Sierra La Laguna, El Picacho, 4-X-2010, 23°33’49’’N, 110°00’49’’W, 1984m, C. Mayorga, L. Cervantes, (IEXA). Paratypes, Same data as Holotype, but 21 ♀, 29 ♂. Baja California Sur, La Paz, Todos Santos, Sierra La Laguna, Camino a El Picacho, 4- X-2010, 23°33’41’’N, 110°00’40’’W, 1900m, C. Mayorga, L. Cervantes, 15 ♀, 9 ♂. Baja California Sur, La Paz, Todos Santos, Sierra La Laguna, km 13 La Burrera-Cieneguilla, 3-X-2010, 23°32’54’’N, 109°59’51’’W, 1880m, C. Mayorga, L. Cervantes, 6 ♀, 1 ♂. Baja California Sur, La Paz, Todos Santos, Sierra La Laguna, Segundo Valle, 2- X-2010, 23°33’02’’N, 109°58’58’’W, 1754m, C. Mayorga, L. Cervantes, 33 ♀, 24 ♂., (CNIN; IEXA; USNM; CAS)

Etymology. Referring to the area of Sierra La Laguna, where it was collected.

Distribution. Mexico, Baja California Sur, endemic to the reserve area of Sierra La Laguna.

Discussion. This species is closely related to M. admirabilis , but it can be easily distinguished because M. admirabilis has the basal and external margin of the membrane very strongly surrounded by a white line, while in M. lagunensis this white line is not strongly marked. Also the apical third of the corium in M. admirabilis is red, while in M. lagunensis is usually dark brown with just the margin with some red coloration. The front margin of the pronotum is red in M admirabilis and brownish red in M. lagunensis . The pygophore has ventral margin slightly sinuated in M. lagunensis ( Fig. 3 ), while in M. admirabilis is rounded ( Fig 5 ). The paramere with blade almost at a right angle to shank, and just slightly curved in M. lagunensis ( Fig. 4 ), while in M. admirabilis the blade is strongly curved ( Fig. 6 ).

In the key to species of A. Slater (1992), M. lagunensis runs to couplet 4, as M. admirabilis , and although it has the basal margin of the membrane white, and the membrane brown to black with white margins, most of the corium and clavus are brown to black, having only less than a quarter of the apical part of the corium reddish.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Melacoryphus lagunensis new species. Holotype male dorsal habitus.

FIGURES 3 – - 6. 3 – 4. Melacoryphus lagunensis new species. 3, Pygophore. 4, Paramere. 5 – 6. Melacoryphus admirabilis (Uhler). 5, Pygophore. 6, Paramere.