Prodromus Distant, 1904

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 : 28

Prodromus Distant, 1904

Figs 9A–F , 27C

Prodromus Distant, 1904b: 436 .

Prodromus – Stonedahl 1988: 53–89 (revision).

Type species

Prodromus subflavus Distant, 1904 (original designation).

Diagnosis

Recognized by the following combination of characters: body elongate, gracile, with long appendages ( Figs 9A, C, E , 27C ); head vertical, strongly protruded ventrally; eyes more or less pedunculate, distinctly separated from anterior margin of pronotum; vertex with shallow longitudinal sulcus along midline; antennal segment I bottle-shaped, with narrowed basal one-fourth; pronotum punctate, campaniform, with narrow anteriorly and distinctly expanded behind calli; pronotal collar wide, flat, posteriorly not delimited by impressed line; hemelytron translucent, long, with slightly or strongly convex costal margin, apex of abdomen reaching or barely surpassing only apex of clavus; cuneus elongate, falciform, 3–4× as long as broad at base; left paramere falciform, with elongate, gradually tapering apical process; aedeagus tubular, C-shaped, sclerotized throughout except membranous lobe at apex.

Host

Two widely distributed Oriental species of the genus, Podromus clypeatus Distant, 1904 and P. oculatus ( Poppius, 1912) , are known to feed on young leaves of banana ( Musa sapientum L., Musa sp., Musaceae ) ( Odhiambo 1962; Stonedahl 1988; Anitha & Rajamony 1991; Yasunaga & Ishikawa 2016). Two African species known from Ghana were collected on Marantaceae , viz. Prodromus thaliae China, 1944 on Marantochloa purpurea (Ridl.) Milne-Redh. and Thalia geniculata L., and P. melanonotus Carvalho, 1951 on unspecified Marantaceae ( Odhiambo 1962; Stonedahl 1988). Host associations for other Prodromus species remain unknown.

Distribution

Widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific Region, spanning from tropical western Africa to the Philippines, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands ( Stonedahl 1988).

Remarks

Prodromus is widely distributed in the Old World tropics and after the revision of Stonedahl (1988) includes 26 species. Of these, P. clypeatus and P. subflavus are known from Sri Lanka and the former species was also recorded from South India ( Anitha & Rajamony 1991) . The elongate body form, coloration, and vertical head with pedunculate eyes allow for easy discrimination of this genus from other Oriental eccritotarsines. Prodromus is most closely related to the exclusively African genus Duducoris Odhiambo, 1962 but differs from that genus in the shape of head and male genitalia structure (see Stonedahl 1988).

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

1. Cell of membrane not surpassing apex of cuneus, with vein weakly curved distally. Sclerotized part of aedeagus with a long row of spinules apically ( Stonedahl 1988: fig. 74f); membranous part without spinules ......................................................................................... P. clypeatus Distant, 1904

— Cell of membrane apically broadly rectangular, slightly surpassing or at least reaching apex of cuneus; membranal vein strongly curved distally. Sclerotized part of aedeagus without a row of spinules but basal third of membranous part densely covered with numerous spinules ( Stonedahl 1988: fig. 87c) ........................................................................................... P. subflavus Distant, 1904

Figures

Fig. 9. Dorsal view and label data of type specimens. A–B. Prodromus clypeatus Distant, 1904, ♀, lectotype,AMNH_PBI00340350, NHM.C–D. Prodromussubflavus Distant,1904,♂,lectotype,AMNH_ PBI 00340343, NHM. E–F. Prodromus subviridis Distant, 1904, ♂, lectotype, AMNH_PBI 00340344, NHM. G–H. Thaumastomiris cotabato Stonedahl, 1988, ♂, holotype, USNM. I–J. Thaumastomiris dissimilis Hsiao 1944, ♂, holotype, USNM.

Fig. 27. Habitats and living specimens. A–B. Harpedona sanguinipes Distant, 1909 on Colocasia esculenta. A. Nymphs.B. Mating adults.C. Prodromus clypeatusDistant, 1904 on banana.D. Stonedahlia mishmiensis gen. et sp. nov. on Colocasia sp. E. Lopidolon dandeliensis sp. nov. on Diplocentrum recurvum. All specimens at UASB.