Renodaeus ficarius 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 : 86-87

Taxon classification Animalia Hemiptera Miridae

Renodaeus ficarius Distant Fig. 89

Renodaeus ficarius Distant, 1893: 462 (orig. descrip.); Knight 1926: 56 (note); Carvalho 1952: 83 (as type); Carvalho 1958: 150 (cat.); Carvalho and Becker 1959: 117 (note); Schuh 1974: 285 (lectotype designation); Carvalho and Dolling 1976: 797 (unnecessary lectotype desig.); Schuh 1995: 190 (cat.).

Diagnosis.

This species (Fig. 89), known only from females, is distinguished from Renodaeus gibbicollis Carvalho and Becker by the larger size, dense covering of golden scale-like setae (intermixed with silvery and black scales) over the entire hemelytra, except the cuneus, the granulate or rugose head, and pronotum that has distinct punctures only on the posterior half.

Description.

Female (n = 2; lectotype measurements in parentheses): Length 3.28 mm (3.24 mm), width ca. 1.04 mm [one hemelytron broken and glued to card] (1.02 mm). Head: Width 0.82 mm (0.78 mm), interocular width 0.44 mm (0.42 mm). Labium: Length ca. 1.20 mm (obscured under body on card). Antenna: [missing on paralectype; left segments II-IV missing on lectotype]: Segment I, length (0.30 mm); II, (1.00 mm); III and IV fused, teratoid, length (0.60 mm), fusiform. Pronotum: Length 0.82 mm (0.76 mm), basal width 0.90 mm (0.88 mm).

Coloration: Head: Dark reddish brown. Antenna: Segment I pale brown (without indication of a red mark); segment II reddish brown. Pronotum: Dark reddish brown to nearly fuscous. Hemelytron: Brown; cuneus dark reddish brown; membrane translucent, dark, smoky brown. Ventral surface: Reddish brown to fuscous; ostiolar area white. Legs: Coxae pale, fore coxa more brown; femora dark reddish brown, hind femora pale at apex; tibiae dark reddish brown to fuscous; tarsi and claws brown.

Structure, texture, and vestiture: Head: Granulate, more transversely rugose along inner margin of eyes and on frons just above clypeus. Labium: Extending to ca. middle coxae (obscured under card on paralectotype). Antenna: Segment I slender to clavate apex. Pronotum: Shiny to semishiny, subquadrate, convex, basal angles weakly flared, basal margin weakly rounded, collar narrow, anterior half across calli granulate, posterior half thickly punctate, posterior angles becoming almost rugose; setae short, recumbent. Scutellum: Equilateral, depressed on basal half, apical half weakly convex. Hemelytron: Shiny, but obscured by heavy setal covering, strongly constricted on basal half, gradually flared to widest point across cuneus, costal margin with a row of fine, black spicules, clavus and corium densely covered (surface not showing) with tight-fitting, flattened, golden, scale-like setae with smaller patches of silvery scale-like setae at base of clavus, middle of corium (one inside and one outside radial vein), along cuneal fracture and inner corner of cuneus (paracuneus), intermixed with long, erect, bristle-like setae on clavus and corium; at least basal third of clavus and corium deeply punctate (obscured by heavy scale-like covering); cuneus with a few tiny, widely scattered punctures.

Male: Unknown.

Host.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Known only from Guatemala.

Discussion.

The female types of this species have the scales on the outer edge of the corium (basal area outside radial vein) rubbed. This triangular area coincides with the position of the peculiar stridulatory spicules along the emboliar margin and may be the result of the hind tibiae rubbing against this surface. Because the male is unknown, I cannot be certain of the identity of this species. Study of males from or near the type locality in Guatemala should help determine if this species is distinct or the senior synonym of Renodaeus gibbicollis or Renodaeus mimeticus .

Type specimens examined.

Lectotype ♀: GUATEMALA: Label 1 (circular, with purple margin), “Lectotype”; 2, "Cerro Zunil, 4-5000 ft, Champion" "; 3, "Sp. Figured."; 4 (handwritten), "Renodaeus ficarius Dist."; 5 (red, handwritten), "Lectotype Renodaeus ficarius Distant det. R. T. Schuh" (00085459). Paralectotype: 1♀, S. Geronimo, 3000 ft, Champion (both specimens in BNHM).