Renodaeus Distant

Henry, Thomas J., 2015, Revision of the Ceratocapsine Renodaeus group: Marinonicoris, Pilophoropsis, Renodaeus, and Zanchisme, with descriptions of four new genera (Heteroptera, Miridae, Orthotylinae), ZooKeys 490, pp. 1-156 : 84-85

Taxon classification Animalia Hemiptera Miridae

Renodaeus Distant

Renodaeus Distant, 1893: 461 (orig. descrip.); Knight 1926: 57 (notes, diag., n. tribe); Carvalho 1952: 83 (list); 1955: 80 (key); 1958: 150 (cat.); Schuh 1974: 285 (note, moved to Orthotylini ); Henry and Wheeler 1988: 445 (cat.); Schuh 1995: 190 (cat.). Type species: Renodaeus ficarius Distant. Monotypic.

Diagnosis.

This genus is recognized by the constricted, punctate hemelytron with patches of golden scale-like setae and bands of silvery scale-like setae on the clavus and corium, the punctate pronotum (at least on posterior half), the heavily punctate clavus and basal half of corium, the finely punctate cuneus, and the row of file-like, tiny black spicules (stridulitrum) along the edge of the costal margin in males and females.

Description.

Length 2.60-3.30 mm. Myrmecomorphic. Males and females macropterous. Head declivent, subtriangular in dorsal aspect, ventrally flattened in lateral aspect, basal margin truncate, vertex with a distinct smooth carina, basal margin of eyes level with base of vertex, frons granulate or punctate, clypeus not or hardly visible in dorsal aspect; eyes moderately large, combined widths occupying about half dorsal width of head in males, about two thirds in females, oblong oval in lateral aspect; segment I of labium extending beyond gular sulcus by about half its length, visible below buccula in lateral aspect, extending to middle coxae or beyond. Antenna generally slender, segment I shortest, II longest, slender basally, gradually enlarging to apex which is sometimes clavate, apex subequal to diameter of segments III and IV; III and IV fusiform. Pronotum strongly convex, with a narrow but distinct collar, middle of disc higher than level of head in lateral aspect; in males trapeziform, lateral margins sulcate, humeral angles flared and depressed adjacent to posterior angles, basal margin rounded; in females subquadrate, lateral margins nearly straight, humeral angles weakly flared; scutellum equilateral, base covered by posterior margin of pronotum. Hemelytron: polished, constricted at middle of corium, widest across level of cuneus; corium and clavus with predominately golden, scale-like setae, sometimes with silvery and black scale-like setae, intermixed with long, erect, pale or black, bristle-like setae on clavus, corium, and along inner margin of cuneus; deeply punctured on clavus and middle area of corium, with very fine, scattered punctures on cuneus; costal edge in both sexes with a row of tiny black spicules, possibly serving as a stridulatory file (stridulitrum); membrane entire. Ventral surface shiny; ostiolar area pale to whitish, with a raised knob at end of scent channel; glue obscuring base of abdomen (i.e., cannot determine presence of dull or glaucous patch). Legs unmodified, except hind femur in female sometimes thickened on apical half and narrowed at apex; hind tibiae roughened and armed with two rows of tiny spicules, possibly serving as the plectrum during stridulation. Male aperture large, unarmed, genitalia as illustrated (Figs 286-291).

Discussion.

As previously noted by Knight (1926), this genus was originally described by Distant (1893) as an aberrant pyrrhocorid. Knight’s (1926) description of Renodaeus as having Ceratocapsus -like antennae and a head and pronotum like those of Pilophorus , convinced him that it did not belong in either Ceratocapsini or Pilophorini ; thus, he established the new tribe Renodaeini . Carvalho (1952, 1955, 1958), however, treated Knight’s tribe as a synonym of Pilophorini and Schuh (1995) listed it in synonymy under Orthotylini , along with Ceratocapsini . It is now clear that Renodaeus belongs in Ceratocapsini based on the male genitalia.

Renodaeus is similar to Marinonicoris in overall appearance, including the golden patches and silvery bands of scale-like setae on the hemelytra. It differs, however, in having erect, bristle-like setae on the hemelytra, a row of file-like spicules on the costal margin, and considerably different male genitalia. The left paramere (Figs 286, 289) in species of Renodaeus is C-shaped, sometimes with a process arising from the middle, the right paramere (Figs 288, 291) is broad with two diverging lobes, and the phallotheca (Figs 287, 290) is relatively simple with the apex blunt or moderately pointed, whereas in Marinonicoris myrmecoides , the left paramere (Fig. 280) is slender with an apical beak-like apex and a slender, apically rounded process at the middle, the right paramere (Fig. 282) is stout and elongate, with a slender, apically bifid arm basally, and the phallotheca (Fig. 281) is broad with three, apical, comb-like processes.

The lack of males precludes positive identification of Renodaeus ficarius . Based on the examination of the lectototype and paralectotype females, Renodaeus ficarius has a more extensive covering of scale-like setae on the hemelytra, as noted in the key.

Key to the species of Renodaeus