Iphita rubricata, Stehlík & Jindra, 2006

Stehlík, Jaroslav L. & Jindra, Zdeněk, 2006, New species of Largidae and Pyrrhocoridae (Heteroptera) from the Oriental region, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 46, pp. 31-41 : 34-37

Iphita rubricata sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♀, ‘NE India, Meghalaya State, West Garo Hills, Bagmara , GPS 25°11.5′ N; 90°38.5′ E; alt. 100± 50 m, 19.-21.V.1996, E. Jendek, O. Šauša leg.’ ( PPUA).

Description. Female. Head, labium, narrow band on base of labial segment I, pronotal collar, lateral parts of callar lobe, narrow band on margins of mesoscutellum, narrow band on inner margin of clavus, claval commissure, distal margin of corium, coxae, trochanters, and bases and apices of legs red. Base of head dorsally and laterally below eyes somewhat darker. Legs except bases and apices red ventrally and blackish dorsally (interface blurred). Lateral margins of pronotum, lateral margins of pronotal lobe in rather wide band, particularly towards base, costal margins, hypocostal lamina, dorsal and ventral laterotergites, prosternal collar and pronotal epipleuron orange. Pleura, epicoxal lobes and posterior pleural flanges red, partially very dark. Callar and pronotal lobes, except margins, and corium reddish black. Callar lobe darker than pronotal lobe. Antennae black except more than half of antennomere IV which is whitish. Membrane black except light grey apical margin. Tibiae and tarsi dark but not black. Venter black; ventrites IV-VI lateromedially with large dark red spots with indistinct outlines, ventrite VII red except for black spot laterally close to ventral laterotergite. External female genitalia red.

Head rather short, antennae, labium and legs slender, legs rather short. Distal part of fore femur with three small denticles and another very small subapical denticle. Antennomere I very long. Labium reaching between metacoxae. Pronotum rather short, its anterior part not narrowing; lateral margin in middle only slightly sinuate; pronotal collar narrow, weakly separated from callar lobe, not depressed; callar lobe rather short, little elevated, from its apical half towards base medially with wider furrow, becoming wider towards pronotal lobe.

Pronotum with scarce, dispersed punctures laterally on callar lobe and on pronotal lobe, fading away towards base. Lateral margins with broad zone without punctures. Conspicuous punctures on clavus and in a regular row on both sides of cubitus, subcosta and radius. Remaining surface of wing with indistinct punctures. Indented mesoscutum with fine punctures. Body covered by fine, silvery pubescence.

Measurements (mm). Holotype female. Body length 19.33. Head: width (including eyes) 2.74, interocular width 1.57, length 2.40. Antenna: antennomere I 4.05, antennomere II 3.78, antennomere III 2.16, antennomere IV 3.78. Pronotum: collar length 0.54, callar lobe length 1.08, pronotal lobe length 1.94, total length 3.51, width 5.94. Scutellum: length 2.48, width 3.19. Corium: length 9.02, width 3.51.

Differential diagnosis. This new species is similar to I. limbata Stål, 1870 ( Fig. 2 ), but the latter has the head longer in front of the eyes, a thicker and much shorter antennomere I, longer and thicker legs, much larger denticles in the apical part of the fore femur, a more elongate pronotum, particularly its anterior part, a more sinuate lateral margin, and a longer pronotal collar which is also indented, has at least a trace of a medial keel and is more distinctly separated from the callar lobe; the latter is longer, more elevated, and has a medial keel reaching to the anterior part of pronotal lobe. In addition, the overall coloration of I. limbata is distinctly black rather than reddish black, including the head, labium, pleura, and all the ventral surface including the female genitalia, the margins of the pronotum and corium are pale yellow rather than light red. Lastly, the light coloration of antennomere IV does not reach its midlength.

For comparison we give also the measurements for I. limbata (in mm, as means followed by ranges in parentheses). Females. Body length: 20.36 (19.28-21.22). Head: width (including eyes) 2.74 (2.65-2.86), interocular width 1.66 (1.62-1.73), length 2.68 (2.59-2.70). Antenna: antennomere I 3.48 (3.35-3.56), antennomere II 3.84 (3.67-3.94), antennomere III 2.35 (2.21-2.48), antennomere IV 3.44 (3.24-3.62). Pronotum: collar length 0.80 (0.70-0.92), callar lobe length 1.23 (1.08-1.35), pronotal lobe length 2.12 (2.00-2.21), total length 4.15 (4.00-4.27), width (5.83-6.21). Scutellum: length 2.73 (2.65-2.81), width 3.31 (3.27-3.40). Corium: length 9.56 (9.29-9.77), width 3.59 (3.46-3.75).

Etymology. The specific epithet is the Latin adjective rubricatus (= reddish).

Distribution. North-East India (Meghalaya state).

Figures

Figs. 1-2. 1 – Iphita rubricata sp. nov., holotype female. 2 – I. limbata Stål, 1870. Female.