Pilophoropsita Henry

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 : 81-82

Taxon classification Animalia Hemiptera Miridae

Pilophoropsita Henry gen. n.

Type species:

Pilophoropsita schaffneri Henry, sp. n.

Diagnosis.

This new genus is distinguished by the large eyes occupying nearly 80% of the dorsal head width in males (and more than 50% in females), the short labial segment I extending only slightly beyond the base of the head, the modified pronotum having a shiny swollen disc and a short neck-like anterior lobe, and the mostly dull hemelytron having only the embolium and cuneus polished and evenly distributed, scale-like setae intermixed with long, erect, simple setae. Females, unlike those of Pilophoropsis and Pilophoropsidea , are fully macropterous.

Description.

Male and females macropterous. Length of males 2.66-2.99 mm; length of females 2.56-2.88 mm. Head broader than long; posterior margin truncate, distinctly carinate, basal margin of vertex weakly indented medially; eyes large, grainy, more so in males, occupying more than 80♂ of dorsal width in males, more than 50♂ in females, laterally occupying 100♂ of height in males, nearly 100♂ in females with only vertex narrowly visible; frontal area relatively narrow and weakly rounded, clypeus moderately acute, short, partially visible in dorsal aspect; buccula narrow, labial segment I readily visible, extending very slightly beyond base of head, labium extending to posterior margin of sternum or bases of middle coxae. Antennal segment I shortest and thinnest, II longest, III and IV subequal, segment II–IV subequally thick. Pronotum narrowed anteriorly across area of calli into a slender, unarmed, neck-like area, calli smooth; posterior lobe trapeziform, shiny, impunctate or very finely and sparsely punctate to alutaceous, swollen above level of head and hemelytra, lateral margins and base weakly convex; mesoscutum hidden by base of pronotum; scutel lum flat, equilateral, base narrowly covered by base of pronotum, with a thick band of silvery, scale-like setae across basal half, intermixed with long, erect, simple setae. Hemelytron generally dull or satiny, with the embolium and cuneus shiny or polished, lateral margins parallel, evenly clothed with silvery, scale-like setae, intermixed on clavus and corium with scattered, long, erect simple setae; membrane entire, with two closed cells. Ventral surface shiny; ostiolar auricle mostly red tinged, bordered by white, without raised knob on channel; second visible abdominal segment with a dull or glaucous patch ventrally. Legs unmodified; parempodia fleshy, convergent apically. Male genital aperture moderately large, round, unarmed around margins. Parameres complex as most members of Renodaeus group; left paramere with an elongate, beak-like apical process and a short, grooved process at middle; right paramere with a long, stout, lateral arm curved upward at apex; phallotheca elongate, with a long, slender, recurved, apical process; endosoma unmodified.

Etymology.

The name of this new genus is formed from the combination of the generic name Pilophoropsis and the suffix “ita”, meaning little or small one in Spanish, and is used to imply a close relationship of this new genus to members of the Pilophoropsis - Renodaeus group. The gender is feminine.

Discussion.

This new genus superficially resembles members of the genus Zanchisme in having a narrow anterior neck-like area on the pronotum. In Pilophoropsita , the neck-like area is short, smooth, and unarmed, whereas in Zanchisme it is more extensively raised, especially on the anterior margin and is armed with a pair of tubercles (though sometimes only weakly developed) or spines. Also, in Pilophoropsita , the head is broader than long, with proportionately large eyes, and the hemelytra have evenly scattered scale-like setae; in Zanchisme the head is elongate and rounded and the hemelytra have distinct transverse bands of scale-like setae. Pilophoropsita is most similar to Ceratocapsidea , Pilophoropsidea , and Renodaeus in having scattered scale-like setae on the hemelytra.