Metajalysus clavatus Henry & Dellapé, 2021

Henry, Thomas J. & Dellapé, Pablo M., 2021, Revision of the Neotropical Stilt Bug Genus Metajalysus Štusák (Hemiptera Heteroptera: Berytidae), with Descriptions of Three New Species, Zootaxa 4958 (1), pp. 690-701 : 692-693

Metajalysus clavatus Henry & Dellapé , new species

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A981C47D-1567-417E-AF75-0B2CAC9CCCBF

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Lygaeoidea .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:509265

( Figs. 1–3 , 13 , 17–20 )

Holotype. Male. ARGENTINA: Jujuy Prov., Prov. Rd. 20, 2 km NE of Prov. Rd. 56, NW of Palpalpa, 1250 m, 24º11.717’S, 65º14.278’W, 15 Feb. 2016, T. J. Henry & P. M. Dellapé ( MLP) . Paratypes: 52 ♂♂, 32 ♀♀, same data as for holotype (25 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀ MLP; 27 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀ USNM) .

Etymology. The specific epithet “ clavatus ” is used to denote the clavate or swollen apices of the femora.

Diagnosis. Metajalysus clavatus ( Figs. 1–3 ) is distinguished by the general brown color, the high middle tubercle and short, round lateral tubercles on the pronotum ( Fig. 13 ), the long dense setae on the pronotal disc, the relatively short antennae and legs, with a shorter scape and femora, the clavate femora with distinct setigerous tubercles giving a bumpy appearance, and the inverted V-shaped ventral margin of the male genital aperture ( Figs. 17–19 ).

This species is most similar to M. graziae , n. sp. ( Figs. 4–6 ) in the overall brown color and the setigerous tubercles on the femora. It differs from M. graziae by the more dense setae on the pronotal disc (ca. 12–15 or more setae on each side of median line versus ca. 5 or 6); the shorter, more rounded, lateral pronotal tubercles; the shorter scape and femora, the latter distinctly clavate with prominent setigerous tubercles (versus a longer scape and femora, less distinctly swollen and less prominent tubercles); the inverted V-shaped ventral margin of the genital aperture (versus nearly flat), and the more erect hind arm of the parameres ( Fig. 20 ).

Description. Male (n = 5; holotype measurements in parentheses): Length 3.26–3.62 mm (3.30 mm), width 0.82–0.83 mm (0.80 mm). Head: Length 0.43–0.46 mm (0.45 mm), width across eyes 0.38–0.43 mm (0.40 mm), interocular width 0.24–0.27 mm (0.25 mm). Labium: Length 1.06–1.17 mm (1.07 mm). Antenna: Scape length 1.31–1.54 mm (1.34 mm); pedicel, 0.45–0.54 mm (0.45 mm); basiflagellomere, 0.80–0.96 mm (0.80 mm); distiflagellomere, 0.51–0.58 mm (0.54 mm). Pronotum: Median length 0.75–0.80 mm (0.74 mm), posterior width 0.70–0.80 mm (0.74 mm). Femoral lengths: Pro- 0.93–1.09 mm (0.99 mm), meso- 1.09–1.15 mm (1.06 mm), meta- 1.57–1.82 mm (1.57 mm). Tibial lengths: Pro- 1.06–1.25 mm (1.12 mm), meso- 1.31–1.50 mm (1.38 mm), meta- 2.14–2.50 mm (2.27 mm).

General color yellowish brown. Head: Yellowish brown to dark brown; lateral and median carinae on vertex and frons yellow; lateral carina with a single erect seta, median carina with a row of 3 to 5 erect setae; eyes and ocelli reddish brown. Labium: Yellowish brown, base of segment I and all of segment IV darker brown; extending to middle of mesosternum. Antenna: Yellowish brown, swollen apices of scape and pedicel darker brown, distiflagellomere spindle-shaped, black, with apex slightly paler; scape with scattered setae subequal to or slightly longer than diameter of segment, pedicel and basiflagellomere with setae two or more times diameter of segments. Pronotum ( Fig. 13 ): Yellowish brown, calli often darker brown, median and incomplete lateral carinae yellow to yellowish brown; each side of disc with ca. 12–15 or more long, erect setae; apices of posterior tubercles rounded, middle tubercle highest, apex of each tubercle with 4 or 5 long, erect setae. Scutellum: Yellowish brown, tubercle yellow. Hemelytron: Translucent, veins pale yellowish brown to darker brown at apex of corium, with a dark quadrate spot on either side of middle; membrane translucent, with brown blotches between veins. Ventral surface: Propleura and acetabula yellowish brown, thoracic sterna dark brown; abdominal sterna yellowish brown, dark brown on basal third, with evenly placed rows of recumbent setae. Legs: Coxae brown, apices slightly paler yellowish brown; femora yellowish brown, apices with a broad subapical dark brown band and scattered erect setae subequal to diameter of segments; tibiae yellowish brown, bases and apices dark brown, length of setae on pro- and mesotibiae subequal to diameter of segments, setae on metatibia two or more times diameter of segment; tarsomere I yellowish brown, remaining tarsomeres and claws dark brown.

Male genitalia: Genital capsule ( Figs. 17–19 ) with ventral margin of aperture with a distinct inverted V-shaped process at middle. Parameres ( Fig. 20 ), with smaller hind arm short, stout, and weakly erect.

Female (n = 5): Length 3.46–3.62 mm, width 0.86–0.93 mm. Head: Length 0.46–0.50 mm, width across eyes 0.40–0.42 mm, interocular width 0.26–0.27 mm. Labium: Length 1.10–1.14 mm. Antenna: Scape length 1.18–1.38 mm; pedicel, 0.45–0.48 mm; basiflagellomere, 0.77–0.86 mm; distiflagellomere, 0.51–0.54 mm. Pronotum: Median length 0.77–0.78 mm, posterior width 0.75–0.77 mm. Femoral lengths: Pro- 0.92 –1.02 mm, meso- 1.06–1.15 mm, meta- 1.57–1.76 mm. Tibial lengths: Pro- 1.06–1.15 mm, meso- 1.31–1.41 mm, meta- 2.24–2.43 mm.

Similar to male in general color, texture, and vestiture.

Host. Unknown. Field notes indicate specimens were taken on a short herb with purple flowers on long bracts.

Distribution. Known only from Jujuy Province, Argentina.

Discussion. We have three females from Belen, Tarapacá, Chile (12 Nov. 1983, L. E. Pena) in the USNM collection with prominent pronotal tubercles, clavate femora, and long setae on the appendages closely resembling specimens of M. clavatus , but without males we cannot be certain these specimens are conspecific.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Metajalysus spp. 1, M. clavatus, n. sp., male, dorsal aspect. 2, M. clavatus, male, lateral aspect. 3, M. clavatus, female, dorsal aspect. 4, M. graziae, n. sp., male, dorsal aspect. 5, M. graziae, male, lateral aspect. 6, M. graziae, female, dorsal aspect. Scale bar for plate = 1 mm.

FIGURES 13–16. Metajalysus spp. pronota, frontal views. 13, M. clavatus, n. sp. 14, M. graziae n. sp. 15, M. horvathi. 16, M. pilosus, n. sp.

FIGURES 17–31. Male genitalia of Metajalysus spp. M. clavatus, n. sp.: 17–20. 17, genital capsule, caudal aspect, in situ. 18, genital capsule, caudal aspect, cleared. 19, genital capsule, dorsal aspect, cleared. 20, left and right parameres. M. graziae, n. sp.: 21–23. 21, genital capsule, caudal aspect, in situ. 22, genital capsule, caudal aspect, cleared. 23, left and right parameres. M. horvathi: 24–27. 24, genital capsule, caudal aspect, in situ. 25, genital capsule, caudal aspect, cleared. 26, genital capsule, dorsal aspect, cleared. 27, left and right parameres. M. pilosus, n. sp.: 28–31. 28, genital capsule, caudal aspect, in situ. 29, genital capsule, caudal aspect, cleared. 30, genital capsule, dorsal aspect, cleared. 31, left and right parameres.