Dioclerus Distant, 1910

Yeshwanth, H. M. & Konstantinov, Fedor V., 2021, Review of the plant bug tribe Eccritotarsini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) of India and Sri Lanka with description of two new genera and six new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 745, pp. 1-69 : 4

Dioclerus Distant, 1910

Figs 1 , 5A–G , 11

Dioclerus Distant, 1910: 12 (original discription).

Serrofurius Poppius, 1912: 23–24 (syn. by Carvalho 1952: 55).

Dioclerus – Distant 1911b: 278–279, fig. 151 (description). — Stonedahl 1988: 7–16 (revision).

Type species

Dioclerus praefectus Distant, 1910 (by monotypy; Distant 1910).

Diagnosis

Easily recognized among other eccritotarsines by the distinctly punctate dorsum, posteriorly carinate vertex, well-delimited pronotal collar, basally serrate costal margin of hemelytron, broadly triangular scent-efferent system, twin-celled membrane, and relatively simple male genitalia with the right paramere being smaller than the left.

Host

Unknown. All specimens with known collection method were attracted at light.

Distribution

Sri Lanka, northeastern India, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Remarks

The genus belongs to a group of eleven genera, viz. Campyloneura Fieber, 1861 , Bunsua Carvalho, 1951 , Bryocorellisca Carvalho, 1981 , Carinimiris Carvalho, 1981 , Crassiembolius Carvalho, 1981 , Diocleroides Stonedahl & Hernandez, 1996 , Dioclerus , Gunadhya Distant, 1920 , Michailocoris Štys, 1985 , Paramichailocoris Yasunaga & Duwal, 2007 , and Sinevia Kerzhner, 1988 that apparently form a sister clade to all remaining eccritotarsines ( Konstantinov et al. 2018). In addition to the characters given in the diagnosis, these taxa have inflated and medially confluent calli, symmetrical parempodia and pulvilli devoid of pulvillar combs ( Konstantinov & Zinovjeva 2016). The characteristic serration of costal margin at base of hemelytron is a unique feature of the genus. Dioclerus contains seven described species ( Stonedahl 1988; Yasunaga & Ishikawa 2016) and three of them occur in India and Sri Lanka.

Key to species of the genus Dioclerus of India and Sri Lanka

1. Pronotum and clavus dark brown, corium dirty yellow with a large brown spot on medioapical area ( Figs 1C , 5D ) ............................................................................................ D. lutheri ( Poppius, 1912)

– Pronotum and clavus pale brown to golden yellow, corium uniformly yellow or with a small dark spot near claval apex ( Figs 1A, D , 5A–B ) ........................................................................................ 2

2. Antennal segment II subequal to posterior width of pronotum. India (West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands) ................................................................................. D. bengalicus Stonedahl, 1988

– Antennal segment II distinctly longer than posterior width of pronotum. Sri Lanka......................... ................................................................................................................. D. praefectus Distant, 1910

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of Dioclerus spp. A–B. Dioclerus bengalicus Stonedahl, 1988, ♀, UASB. A. Dorsal view. B. Abdomen in ventral view. C. Dioclerus lutheri Stonedahl, 1988, ♂, UASB, dorsal view. D–F. Dioclerus malayensis Stonedahl, 1988, ♀, paratype, AMNH_PBI 00340383, NHM. D. Dorsal view. E. Head and pronotum. F. Lateral view.

Fig. 5. Dorsal view and label data of type specimens. A–C. Dioclerus bengalicus Stonedahl, 1988, ♀, holotype, BPBM.D–E. Dioclerus lutheri Stonedahl, 1988, ♂, holotype, AMNH_PBI 00338430, FMNH. F–G. Dioclerus praefectus Distant,1910, lectotype, AMNH_PBI 00340384, NHM. H–I. Ernestinus mimicus Distant,1911, ♂, syntype, AMNH_PBI 00085668, BMNH(E) 1633157, NHM. J–K. Harpedona marginata Distant, 1904, ♂, holotype, NHM. L–M. Harpedona sanguinipes Distant, 1909, ♂, lectotype, NHM.

Fig. 11. Male genitalia of Dioclerus spp. A–E. Dioclerus lutheri Stonedahl, 1988, UASB. A–B. Right paramere in dorsal and lateral views C. Left paramere in dorsal view. D. Aedeagus of specimen from Tamil Nadu in lateral view. E. Aedeagus of the holotype in lateral view. F–I. Dioclerus malayensis, Stonedahl, 1988, holotype, AMNH_PBI 00340385, NHM. F. Right paramere in dorsal view. G. Left paramere in lateral view. H. Genital capsule in dorsal view. I. Aedeagus with basal part of phallotheca detached from the phalobase and expanded endosomal sac.