Melaleucaphylus ngarkat, Schwartz & Weirauch & Schuh, 2018

Schwartz, Michael D., Weirauch, Christiane & Schuh, Randall T., 2018, New Genera And Species Of Myrtaceae-Feeding Phylinae From Australia, And The Description Of A New Species Of Restiophylus (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae) Michael D. Schwartz Christiane Weirauch, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2018 (424), pp. 1-161 : 44-45

Melaleucaphylus ngarkat , new species

Map 3 , plates 2, 16, table 1

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from M. nodosae , another predominately dark-colored species, by dark posterior margin of head and castaneous dorsum with silvery sericeous setae and unequivocally from all congeners by endosoma with short apical spine of undivided dorsal strap, bifurcate ventral strap with large apical spines, anterior spine flat, angulate, posterior spine longer apically curved and marginally serrate, and secondary gonopore with large strongly sclerotized and serrate distal process and absence of proximal process.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 2.99, mean pronotum width 1.09. COLORATION (pl. 2): Castaneous to dark reddish brown; frons with paler dusky yellowish brown narrowly in middle and near eyes; apex of scutellum, base of cuneus, basalar plate, posterior edge of metepisternal scent gland evaporative area, and tibiae also dusky yellow; membrane weakly infuscate, veins pale; tibia without dark spots at bases of spines. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (pl. 2): Shining; dorsum with moderately dense curved shining, silver, sericeous setae; similar setae on thoracic venter, erect on coxae; tibial spines black. STRUCTURE: Labium reaching apex of metacoxa. Pretarsus: Claws small, gently curved with somewhat expanded bases; parempodia setiform, parallel; pulvilli minute, situated within angle of claw. GENITALIA (pl. 16): Pygophore: Broadly conical in dorsal view, dorsal surface with broad patch of bristles ventrad of left paramere insertion; caudal surface extending perpendicular to aperture in lateral view, otherwise as in generic description. Endosoma: Distal one-third with torsion, twisted to left side, practically reflected over body of endosoma. Ventral strap: Wide, strongly bifurcate just proximal to base of secondary gonopore, marked by obvious dislocation in strap; anterior surface terminating at level of distal end of secondary gonopore aperture with prominent triangular pointed apex; posterior surface forming a broad, flat band, longer than apex of anterior surface, terminating just distal to apex of secondary gonopore as rounded truncate plate with serrate margin. Dorsal strap: Narrow, forming thin apex, apex just reaching distal edge of spiculate lobe of secondary gonopore, ventral surface of apical spine with subapical flange supported at apex of secondary gonopore. Secondary gonopore: Large, well-differentiated and sclerotized, distal edge tumid and rounded, with strong spicules on surface; basolateral edges of gonopore aperture without spiculate membrane, proximal portion of secondary gonopore with small elongate sclerotized overlapped edge; thin gonopore sclerite absent. Phallotheca: Relatively large, attenuate apical region with weakly undulate posterior surface; aperture on anteroventral surface short, moderately open; anteroventral surface ventral to distal end of aperture with flat flange. Parameres: Left paramere: Broadly triangular in dorsal view, posterior process relatively short, narrow; anterior process very short, weakly extending beyond base, apex poorly differentiated; posterior region between posterior and anterior processes broadly produced posteriorly, vaguely conical, not projecting dorsad of processes. Right paramere: Relatively large, gradually narrowed distally, margins smoothly rounded, apex short pointed.

FEMALE: Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for its occurrence in the Ngarkat Nature Reserve, South Australia.

HOST: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION (map 3): Known only from the type locality southeast of Adelaide in South Australia in the Adelaide phytogeographic subregion.

DISCUSSION: As in M. glomeratae and M. vimineae , M. ngarkat has the distal edge of the secondary gonopore with obvious microspiculate lobes but does not have the proximal process of the secondary gonopore as in these two and all other congeners.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 18 km S of Bews, Ngarkat Cons. Park , 35.55197 ° S 140.4332 ° E, 60 m, 09 Nov 1998, Schuh , Cassis, Silveira, 13 ( AMNH _ PBI 00130207 ) ( SAMA).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 18 km S of Bews, Ngarkat Cons. Park, 35.55197 ° S 140.4332 ° E, 60 m, 09 Nov 1998, Schuh , Cassis, Silveira, 13 ( AMNH _PBI 00130208) ( AMNH).

Figures

MAP 3. Distribution of Melaleucaphylus kunzeae–M. pauperiflorae.