Polytes lineolatus (Dallas)

Eger, J. E., 1990, Revision of the Genus Polytes Stål (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae), Annals of the Entomological Society of America 83 (2), pp. 115-141 : 118-120

Polytes lineolatus (Dallas)

(Fig. 1-9)

Pachycoris lineolatus Dallas 1851: 33 ; Walker 1867: 49.

Polytes hebraicus Stal 1867: 492 (not Palisot de Beauvois, misidentification fide Stal 1870: 7)

Polytes lineolatus : Stal 1870: 7 (synonymy, distribution); Distant 1887: 57 (listed); Schouteden 1904b: 50 (listed, synonymy); Kirkaldy 1909: 287 (listed, synonymy); Lattin 1977: 188-190, fig. 3-4.

Polytes inca Distant 1899: 41-42 ; Schouteden 1904b: 50 (listed); Bergroth 1908: 142 (listed); Kirkaldy 1909: 287 (listed). (Synonymized by Lattin 1977: 188-190.)

Polytes insignis Schouteden 1904c: 298-299 ; Schouteden 1904b: 50, pi. 3, fig. 3 (listed); Bergroth 1908: 142 (listed); Kirkaldy 1909: 287 (list-ed). NEW SYNONYMY.

Description. Dorsum stramineous to brown with numerous short black fascia or irregular macules; punctation relatively dense, usually darker than surrounding surface, most with greenish sheen. Venter yellow to yellow brown; punctation concolorous to black, most dense on thorax, sparse on abdomen. Length 9.0-12.6.

Head moderately elongate ( Fig. 9 ), 2.7-3.3 long, 3.0-3.6 wide across eyes. Lateral margins of juga rounded; black vitta usually present along sulcus separating each jugum from tylus and continuing to base of head; black vitta extending from each ocellus to lateral margin of corresponding jugum also usually present. Punctation on venter of head mostly concolorous with surrounding surface, black macule present at base of antennae. First antennal segment yellow to light brown, dark brown apically, remaining segments dark brown to black; length of antennal segments 1-5: 0.6-0.8; 0.7-0.9; 0.8-1.0; 1.3-1.7; 1.2-1.6. Rostrum extending onto 3rd visible abdominal sternite, stramineous, brown to dark brown at apex.

Pronotum 2.7-4.2 long at meson, 5.7-7.9 wide across humeri. Maculation usually consisting of short, black fasciae arranged in distinct longitudinal and transverse rows. Anterolateral margins concave, distinctly carinate; humeral angles slightly produced, obtusely angular. Legs yellow to light brown with variable dark brown maculation; tibiae moderately setose.

Scutellum 5.3-7.3 long at meson, 4.9-6.5 broad at widest point; black maculation irregular and variable, forming open inverted "V " in highly colored individuals. Connexiva yellow to orange with black macule on posterior half of each segment; densely punctate. Abdominal sternites with black macule posterad of spiracles on each segment, lateral band of large, black punctures also usually present; last sternite densely setose mesially on posterior margin. Sternites convex. Spiracles pale.

Ventral surface of male genital cup moderately punctate, with distinct mesial elevation on posterior margin ( Fig. 5 ); posterior margin slightly convex (Fig. 6). Parameres hookshaped, head elongate, shank broad with large, subquadrate projection present on ental margin (Fig. 8). First conjunctival diverticula large, sclerotized apices relatively consistent in size, thin (Fig. 1-4). Second conjunctival diverticula variable in size, sclerotized apices small to large, acute apically. Third conjunctival diverticula variable, from small and completely membranous to large with sclerotized apex.

Type Material. Dallas indicated that he based Pachycoris lineolatus on two specimens. In the BMNH, there are three specimens that match Dallas' description, locality, etc. and were almost certainly in his possession when he described this species. The following are designated: LECTOTYPE: <5, labeled: (a) Type [red circle], (b) Columbia [upper side] and 47, 25 [lower side], (c) b. (d) 21. Pachycoris lineolatus . (e) BRIT. MUS. TYPE No. HEM. 528. PARALECTOTYPES: 2 66, one labeled: (a) [Hand written but illegible], (b) Columbia [upper side] and 46, 20 [lower side], (c) a. (d) lineolatus , identified by Dallas, (e) Polytes lin-eolatus Dallas. The second paralectotype is labeled as the first except as follows: (a) [also illegible but apparently different from the first], (e) Polytes lin-eolatus .

The type series of Polytes insignis Schouteden is located in the RISNB and contains four specimens. The following are designated: LECTOTYPE: 6, labeled: (a) Coll. I. R. Sc. N. B., Bolivie, Juncas de la Paz , 1,000 m, ex. Coll. Schouteden. (b) Polytes insignis Schout. T. (c) Syntype. PARALECTOTYPES: 3 $6, labeled as lectotype .

The holotype of Polytes inca Distant , a male in the BMNH, was examined.

Distribution. Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia.

Comment. Among species of Polytes , P. lineo-latus is the most variable in degree of sclerotization observed in the apices of the conjunctival diverticula. The 3rd conjunctival diverticula are entirely membranous (which is atypical for the genus) in specimens examined from Bolivia, the apices becoming increasingly sclerotized in specimens from more northern collection localities (Fig. 1-4). Po-lytes lineolatus is the only species of the genus in which the 1 st conjunctival diverticula are sclerotized apically. Based on male genitalia, this species is not closely related to any other species of Polytes .

Figures

Fig. 9-17. (9) Polytes lineolatus, head. (10) Polytes tigrinus, head. Fig. 11-17. Polytes propinquus. (11) Genital cup, dorsal aspect. (12) Genital cup, ventral aspect. (13) Genital cup, caudal aspect. (14) Female genital plates, ventral aspect. (15) Sclerotized apex of 2nd conjunctival diverticulum. (16) Sclerotized apex of 3rd conjunctival diverticulum. (17) Right paramere, ectal aspect. PT9, 9th paratergites; GX1, 1st gonocoxae.

Fig. 51-59. Polytes granulatus. (51) Aedeagus, lateral aspect. (52) Aedeagus, dorsal aspect. (53-54) Variation in right parameres, ectal aspect. (55) Sclerotized apex of 3rd conjunctival diverticula. (56) Sclerotized apex of 2nd conjunctival diverticula. (57) Genital cup, dorsal aspect. (58) Genital cup, ventral aspect. (59) Genital cup, caudal aspect.