Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada, 2010

Yamada, Kazutaka, Ballal, Chandish R., Gupta, Tripti & Poorani, Janakiraman, 2010, Description of a new species of Anthocoris (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) from southern India, associated with striped mealybug on purple orchid tree, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 50 (2), pp. 415-424 : 416-422

Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–20 )

Type locality. India, Karnataka, Bangalore.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♁ (TKPM-IN-13227, with glass slide for genitalia; Figs. 7 , 12–13 ), progeny of the specimens originally collected at ‘INDIA: Karnataka / Bangalore, ix. 2008 / N13°01 ′ 62.2 ″ / E77°35 ′ 05.3 ″ / 932 m above MSL / C. R. Ballal leg.’ [white square] // ‘Host Insect: / Ferrisia virgata / Host Plant: / Bauhinia purpurea / [Lab. reared culture]’ [white square] ( TKPM). PARATYPES: INDIA: 32 ♁♁ (one shown in Figs. 1–2 , 14 ; other in Figs. 5–6 , 8–10 ) and 33 ♀♀ (one shown in Figs. 3 , 15 ; other in Fig. 16 ; other in Figs. 4 , 11 ), same data as for holotype (all in TKPM except for 2 ♁♁ 2 ♀♀ in NBAII, 1 ♁ 1 ♀ in MNHN, 1 ♁ 1 ♀ in USNM); 16 ♁♁ 11 ♀♀, same locality as for holotype, ii.2009 ( TKPM); 5 ♁♁ 5 ♀♀, same locality as for holotype, vi.2010, Laboratory reared on Phenacoccus solenopsis and Ferrisia virgata, C. R. Ballal (NPCI) .

Description. Measurements. [♁♁ (n = 10) / ♀♀ (n = 10), holotype in parentheses]. Body length 2.95–3.63 (3.23) / 3.20–3.45; head length (excl. neck) 0.44–0.48 (0.45) / 0.45–0.48; head width across eyes 0.46–0.50 (0.48) / 0.47–0.48; vertex width 0.25–0.27 (0.27) / 0.27–0.30; width between ocelli 0.18–0.22 (0.20) / 0.19–0.22; length of antennal segments I – 0.15–0.19 (0.16) / 0.15–0.18, II – 0.41–0.49 (0.45) / 0.41–0.45, III – 0.28–0.30 (0.29) / 0.26–0.30, and IV – 0.30–0.33 (0.32) / 0.31–0.35; length of labial segments II – 0.14–0.17 (0.15) / 0.15–0.18, III – 0.50–0.59 (0.52) / 0.55–0.60, and IV – 0.26–0.32 (0.31) / 0.29–0.32; anterior pronotal width 0.37–0.42 (0.40) / 0.39–0.44; mesal pronotal length 0.46–0.54 (0.52) / 0.51–0.56; basal pronotal width 0.88–0.99 (0.96) / 0.96–1.05; length of embolial margin 0.84–1.08 (0.96) / 0.99–1.08; length of cuneal margin 0.50–0.59 (0.52) / 0.53–0.58; maximum width across hemelytra 0.92–1.03 (0.98) / 1.00–1.05.

Coloration. Body ( Figs. 12–13 ) generally black to blackish brown. Head and pronotum ( Figs. 12, 14–15 ) blackish brown, sometimes vertex and callus tinged with reddish brown; eyes reddish black; margin of ocellus red to reddish brown. Antenna ( Figs. 12, 14–15 ) blackish brown, sometimes base of segment III tinged with reddish brown. Labium ( Fig. 13 ) uniformly black to blackish brown. Scutellum ( Fig. 12 ) overall black to blackish brown. Clavus ( Figs. 4 , 12 ) with basal portion, inner margin and apex blackish brown; endocorium ( Figs. 4 , 12 ) with basal portion, inner margin and apical portion mostly blackish brown; embolium with apical portion and along inner margin narrowly blackish brown; cuneus ( Figs. 4 , 12 ) wholly blackish brown; outer part of median portion in clavus and endocorium and remaining area of embolium whitish and subhyaline; area around cuneal fracture sometimes subhyaline; membrane ( Figs. 4 , 12 ) smoky dark brown, with basal and innermost portion and area behind apex of cuneus greyish white. Legs black to blackish brown; trochanter pale yellow; apical half or apical two-thirds of fore tibia and apical one-third of mid tibia pale yellow to brown; tarsus pale yellow, tinged with fuscous apex. Venter of thorax ( Fig. 13 ) uniformly blackish brown. Abdomen black to blackish brown. Pygophore blackish brown with pale yellow paramere.

Structure. Body ( Fig. 12 ) elongate, shiny on dorsal and ventral surfaces. Head ( Figs. 1 , 12, 14–15 ) cylindrical, impunctate, slightly shorter than width across eyes, sparsely covered with short, suberect setae; pairs of long, erect seta on each side of tylus and anteriorly between eyes; anteocular region as long as or slightly longer than length of eye in dorsal view; vertex 2.6–2.8 times as wide as eye in dorsal view; postocular region constricted, demarcated by transverse shallow furrow; neck long, smooth, highly polished; eye oblong, not exceeding level of dorsal and ventral surface of head in lateral view. Antenna ( Figs. 2–3 , 12, 14–15 ) densely covered with short reclining setae interspersed with long, erect setae, of which the longest are as long as or slightly shorter than width of corresponding segment; segment I ( Figs. 14–15 ) just reaching apex of head, sparsely with short setae; segment II ( Figs. 2–3 , 14–15 ) gradually thickened toward apex, male thicker than female, about 0.9 times as long as head width across eyes; segment III about 0.65 times as long as segment II; segment IV somewhat flattened, slightly longer than segment III. Labium ( Fig. 13 ) slightly exceeding fore coxae, sparsely covered with short, suberect setae; segment III about 3.5 times as long as segment II; segment IV about 0.5 times as long as segment III.

Pronotum ( Fig. 1 ) sparsely covered with short, erect, silky setae, and with pairs of long, erect setae on midline of collar and on posterolateral corner; anterior margin concave, about 0.8 times as long as mesal length; lateral margin nearly straight; lateral carina expanded anteriorly, more obscure posteriad; posterior margin concave inwardly, about 2.4 times as wide as anterior margin; collar about 0.3 times as long as mesal pronotal length, transversely rugose, with scattered short setae; callus extremely swollen, polished, impunctate, sides strongly bulging, demarcated posteriorly by deep impression; deep impression with short parallel carinae and coarse punctures; posterior lobe behind callus densely covered with minute punctures. Scutellum ( Fig. 12 ) smooth, slightly wider than long, anteriorly swollen and gradually more depressed posteriad. Hemelytra ( Fig. 4 ) sparsely covered with short, erect, silky setae, and with minute punctures on corium and along inner margin of clavus; costal margin slightly sinuate; endocorium about 1.7 times as wide at maximum as embolium; cuneal margin about 0.5 times as long as embolial margin; membrane with three veins, outermost vein distinct and slightly curved, inner two veins obscure and nearly straight. Ostiolar peritreme ( Figs. 5 , 16 ) broad, nearly straight, gradually curved anteriorly and acute toward apex, continued to a fine carina which reaches anterior margin of metapleura; outer margin of ostiolar peritreme weakly raised above level of surrounding evaporatorium. Legs densely covered with short, suberect setae; male fore tibiae without teeth on ventral side; fossula spongiosa present on apex of all tibiae, enlarged on fore tibia and small on mid and hind tibiae. Abdomen ventrally covered with short, reclining, silky setae; sternum III with a pair of kidney-shaped membranous areas near anterior margin, membranous area a little bent internally near apex ( Fig. 6 ); scissure on abdominal tergite reaching posterior margin of third segment.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 7–10 ): Pygophore ( Fig. 7 ) rather pointed apically, covered with 6–8 long, stout setae intermixed with short, suberect setae along outer margin and on posteroventral surface, of which the longest are about as long as length of pygophore; midventral surface very hirsute with short, suberect setae; paramere ( Figs. 8–10 ) lamellate, approximately 2.5 times as long as maximum width, with several minute punctures and very short, erect setae on subapical portion, outer margin extremely expanded and slightly rounded on median portion, inner margin nearly straight and weakly convex on subapical portion, a little bent inwardly at apex.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 11 ): Genital segments (segments VII to IX) laterally covered with long, stout setae; copulatory tube ( Fig. 11 ) fused on middle of intersegmental membrane between sterna VII and VIII; duct length about 0.6 mm, attached to middle of lower surface of intersegmental membrane, apical two-thirds smooth, basal one-third with weak rugosities.

Differential diagnosis. Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada , sp. nov. is similar in general appearance to A. dividens Bu & Zheng, 2001 and A. miyamotoi Hiura, 1959 , from which it can be distinguished by the following characters: apical portion of endocorium and whole of cuneus blackish brown ( Figs. 4 , 12 ) (in A. dividens and A. miyamotoi , areas before and behind cuneal suture and area around inner apex of the latter pale in color and subhyaline); embolium with apical portion and along inner margin narrowly blackish brown ( Figs. 4 , 12 ) (in A. dividens and A. miyamotoi , basal and apical portions mostly blackish brown); fore tibia blackish brown except apical half or apical two-thirds pale yellow to brown (in A. dividens , uniformly purplish brown, sometimes inner sides of tibiae apically yellowish brown; in A. miyamotoi , light brown or black). The paramere of this new species somewhat resembles that of A. dividens . However, it differs from the latter by the inner margin of paramere nearly straight and weakly convex on subapical portion ( Figs. 8, 10 ) (in A. dividens , inner margin rounded) and apex of paramere a little bent inward ( Figs. 8, 10 ) (in A. dividens , not bent, gradually acute toward apex).

Etymology. Dedicated to Dr. Narayanannair Muraleedharan who has worked extensively on taxonomy and biology of Indian Anthocoridae .

Distribution. Southern India (Karnataka State).

Remarks. KE & BU (2007) proposed thirteen species groups in the genus Anthocoris based on the body form, color pattern of fore wing, morphology of sternum II and III, and male and female genitalia. Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada , sp. nov. is undoubtedly assigned to miyamotoi group, consisting of A. dividens and A. miyamotoi , by sharing of the following characters: body narrowly elongate; collar area relatively extensive and strongly swollen; hemelytron blackish brown, but outer part of median portion in clavus and endocorium, median portion of embolium light in color and transparent; sternum III of abdomen with a pair of kidney-shaped membranous areas; paramere lamellate or sinuate, without longitudinal groove; duct in copulatory tube attached to middle of intersegmental membrane between sterna VII and VIII, apical part of duct or the whole duct except basal part extremely thin. However, A. muraleedharani Yamada , sp. nov. has blackish brown areas around cuneal suture in fore wing and the basal one-third of duct in copulatory tube with weak rugosities, which are differentiated from other members of miyamotoi group.

Figures

Figs. 1–6. Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada, sp. nov., paratypes, male (1–2, 5–6) and female (3–4). 1 – head and pronotum, dorsal view; 2–3 – antennae; 4 – left fore wing, dorsal view; 5 – ostiolar peritreme and evaporatorium, left lateroventral view; 6 – abdominal sterna II–III, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm for 1–4, 6; 0.1 mm for 5.

Figs.7–11. Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada, sp. nov., male (7–10) and female (11) genitalia. 7 – pygophore with paramere, dorsal view; 8–10 – paramere, three different orientations; 11 – copuratory tube, dorsal view.7 – holotype; 8–11 – paratypes. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figs. 12–16. Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada, sp. nov. 12–13 – habitus of holotype, dorsal and lateral views; 14–15 – head and pronotum, male (14) and female (15), dorsal view; 16 – ostiolar peritreme and evaporatorium, female, left lateroventral view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm for 12–13; 0.5 mm for 14–15: 0.1 mm for 16.

Figs. 17–20. Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada, sp. nov. 17 – adult habitus; 18 – mature nymph feeding on solenopsis mealybug; 19 – young nymph feeding on solenopsis mealybug; 20 – eggs inserted into plant tissue (arrows show exposed operculum of egg).