Geocoris (Piocoris) petofii, Tang & Zhang & Guo & Luo & Jiang & Pan, 2023

Tang, Jin, Zhang, Gongaote, Guo, Junqi, Luo, Lingxuan, Jiang, Jiamei & Pan, Hongbo, 2023, Big-Eyed Bugs Of The Malagasy Region (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Geocoridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 69 (3), pp. 247-264 : 252-255

Geocoris (Piocoris) petofii sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/ 59CFB817-9878-4022-837E-CDD1280BA93F ( Figs 1–11 , 21)

Studied material – Holotype: female, MNHN: „Réserve nat. III / Ambatovositra / Andranomalaza / II-57 P Soga // INSTITUT SCIENTIFIQUE / MADAGASCAR ”.

Paratypes: 1 m, MMBC: „ MADAGASCAR, 2007, / Isalo Nat. Park , forest / Amboan- drika, / M. Trýzna leg., 19.i.”; 2 f, MNHN: „ Réserve nat. III / Ambatovositra / Andranomalaza / III-57 P Soga // INSTITUT SCIENTIFIQUE / MADAGASCAR ”; 3 f, MNHN: „ Réserve nat. III / Mananilaza / Andranomalaza / IX. 57 P. Soga // INSTITUT SCIENTIFIQUE / MADAGASCAR ”; 1 f, MNHN: „Madagascar ( Sud ) / Basin du Mandraré / Allaud 1900 44 // MUSEUM PARIS / MADAGASCAR / COLL. CH. ALLAUD 1904”; 1 f, PCPK: „Réserve nat. III / Ambatovositra / Andranomalaza / III-57 P Soga // INSTITUT SCIENTIFIQUE / MADAGASCAR ” ; 1 m, PCPK: „Réserve nat. III / Ambatovositra / Andranomalaza / II-57 P Soga // INSTITUT SCIENTIFIQUE / MADAGASCAR ” .

Description – Colouration. Body generally pale ochraceous with variably extended brown or fuscous decoration. Head with vertex uniformly ochraceous and with base sometimes slightly darker in hue. Eyes and ocelli reddish. Antennomere I ochraceous, antennomere II–IV fuscous or reddish with antennomere IV apically ochraceous. Labiomeres dark ochraceous. Thorax. Pronotum with punctuation dark brown; pronotal callosities brown. Two, irregular brown or blackish spots of various extent extending from posterior margin of callosities to posterior margin of pronotum and humeral angles. Scutellum mostly brown with apical third pale ochraceous. Hemelytron strongly infuscate at clavus, along Cu and apex of corium; hemelytral membrane hyaline. Thoracic pleurites and sternites mostly fuscous with dark brown punctuation; prosternal collar, supracoxal lobes, and peritreme ochraceous. Legs ochraceous, femora with slight, irregular infuscate annulation subapically. Abdomen. Tergites V–VI with oval ochraceous spot medially. Sternites with small, irregular spots at posterodorsal edges.

Structure. Habitus ovoid, profile conspicuously convex. Head lunulate, i.e., vertex widened; eyes slightly stylate, elongate reniform with posterior edges encompassing the anterior edges of pronotum. Head length to width: 1: 3.44. Vertex with slight transversal impressions anteriad to ocelli ( Fig. 4 ). Ocelli situated at base of vertex, interocellar distance in subequal to distance of ocelli to posterior edge of compound eyes; ratio: 1: 0.98. Clypeus with median longitudinal furrow and apex rounded, slightly surpassing mandibu- lar plates; margins of clypeus subparallel, slightly constricted basally; base appearing to be slightly bulging ( Fig. 4 ). Antenniferous tubercles reduced, almost indistinct. Antennomere I shortest, II and III subequal, IV longest; ratio of antennomeres: 1: 2.71: 2.42: 3.00. Buc- culae not produced, slightly distinct. Labial trough closed, oval with suture reaching the middle of venter of head ( Fig. 5 ). Labiomere I not reaching anterior margin of prothorax, labiomeres II–III and I–IV subequal in length, apex of labiomere IV reaching metacoxae; ratio of labiomeres: 1: 0.77: 0.80: 0.95. Thorax. Pronotum semicircular, i.e., conspicuously widened, anterior edges slightly obtuse and anterior margin slightly rounded; posterior margin convex; length to width: 1: 1.96. Integument with coarse, sparse, irregular punctuation except anterior margin, pronotal callosities, humeral angles, and a median triangular spot adjacent to posterior margin. Pronotal callosities not bulging, indicated by the impunctate spots only. Scutellum elongate triangular with apex conspicuously rounded; length to width: 1: 0.87. Integument with coarse punctuation except weakly developed trifurcate median carina. Hemelytron macropterous, membrane slightly surpassing the apex of abdomen. Margins of clavus converging towards apex, claval commissure reduced, indistinct. Scutellar margin with 2–4 punctures basally, corial margin evenly punctate at entire length. Corium moderately sclerotized, integument punctate along claval furrow, Cu and in a triangular spot near apex. R-M of corium well-defined, but reduced, not reaching half of length ( Fig. 6 ). Costal margin narrow, gradually widening towards apex. Membrane with 4 simple, but well-defined longitudinal veins ( Fig. 6 ). Hamus of metathoracic wing reduced to an almost indistinct stub, intervannals missing. Thoracic pleurites and sternites with dense, deep punctuation except on narrow prothoracic collar, supracoxal lobes and posterodorsal edge of pleurites. Integument of prothoracic collar and supracoxal lobes are rather corrugate. Prothoracic collar narrow, but well-defined, moderately bulging. Ostiolar plate oval, slightly bulging. Metepimeral pseudosuture indistinct, weakly defined. Ar- rangement of peritreme vesiculiform auricle with terminal lobe moderately protruding, dorsally slightly reclining lacking incision and indentations ( Fig. 7 ). Orifice small, oval. Vestibular scar weakly defined but reaching venter. Evaporatorium reduced to immediate surroundings of peritreme. Femora of prothoracic legs more incrassate than those of meso- and metathoracic legs. Fore femora bearing simple trichobothria arranged in a single line on the slightly keeled ventral side. Tibiae and tarsi with sparse decumbent pubescence; apex of tibiae and tarsomeres with a single, strong spine ventrally. Fore tibia with strong setosity ventrally. Length of tarsomere I subequal to sum of length of tarsomere II and III; tarsomere II shortest. Tarsal claws evenly curved with a minute, stout spur basally; unguitractor plates bearing small, leaf-like parempodia. Abdomen. Integument of sternites III–VI with dense, groove-like rugosity ( Fig. 8 ). Sutures 4/5 and 5/6 inclined medially with apices rounded; suture 4/5 more strongly inclined medially than suture 5/6 ( Fig. 8 ). Genital plate creased. Integument of abdominal sternites moderately creased subdorsally. Abdominal 10–11 = male paramere from various angles. Images are not to scale trichobothria on sternites III–IV situated submedially, consisting of three simple bothrium fused; trichobothria on sternites V–VII consisting of three weakly bulging, simple bothrium arranged in triangular form. Genitalia. Male pygophore with posterior opening rounded, lateral processes moderately pointed; parameres overlapping in situ. Parameres with trunk stout, bearing 4–5 setae apically; blade spatulate, evenly curved ( Figs 10–11 ). Female ovipositor spatulate, stout ( Fig. 9 ); bisecting only the sternite of genital segment. Spermatheca bulbous, spermathecal duct long with 3–4 coils and sometimes bent between coils.

Measurements (holotype, in mm). Total body length: 2.98, head length: 0.45, head width: 1.55, interocellar distance: 0.54; antennomeres I–IV: 0.14-0.38-0.34-0.42; labiomeres I–IV: 0.39-0.30-0.31-0.37; pronotum length: 0.86; pronotum width: 1.57; scutellum length: 0.93; scutellum width: 0.81.

Diagnosis. The species resembles African species Geocoris (Geocoris) amabilis Stål, 1855 , G. (G.) aethiops Distant, 1901 and the Malagasy species G. (G.) pallidipennis mauritii Stål, 1854 in general facies and colour pattern. However, there are remarkable morphological differences that allow ready distinction: in G. petofii length of labiomere II subequal to length of labiomere III (in G. aethiops , G. amabilis and G. pallidipennis labiomere II conspicuously shorter than labiomere III); pronotum of G. petofii impunctate in a triangular spot medially, posteriad to callosities (in G. aethiops , G. amabilis and G. pallidipennis pronotum posteriad to callosities uniformly punctate except posterior margin); in G. petofii basal angles of trifurcate carina of scutellum reduced, median part and apical angle distinct, slightly bulging (in G. aethiops an G. amabilis basal angles partly reduced, median part bulging; in G. pallidipennis trifurcate carina almost completely reduced, except median part); in G. petofii apex of scutellum rounded (in G. aethiops , G. amabilis and G. pallidipennis apex of scutellum sharply pointed). From amongst the representatives of subgenus Piocoris , G. junodi Montandon, 1907 was described from Mozambique, nearest to Madagascar. The study of Montandon’s type (KNHM, Figs 12–14 ) and three additional specimens from NMPC concluded that besides the conspicuous differences in colour pattern (compare Figs 1 and 12 ), the following character readily separate the two species: pronotum of G. petofii is impunctate in a triangular spot adjacent to posterior margin (pronotum of G. junodi only impunctate at margins); apex of scutellum in G. petofii is moderately rounded, not explanate (apex of scutellum in G. junodi strongly rounded, explanate).

Distribution. According to current knowledge the species is distributed throughout Madagascar. Localities where studied specimens were collected can be found in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests, Madagascar lowland forests, and Madagascar subhumid forests ecoregions.

Etymology. Patronym. The species is named in the honour of Sándor Petőfi (1823–

1849), Hungarian poet and revolutionist for the 200th anniversary of his birthday.

Notes. Geocoris (Piocoris) junodi was described on an unspecified number of specimens (MONTADON 1907). In the collection of KMNH only a single specimen bearing Montandon’s handwritten label was found. As the existence of additional syntypes cannot be excluded, therefore the specimen is considered a syntype and accordingly it is here designated as lectotype (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, 4th ed., recommendation 73F).

Figures

Figs 1–3. Geocoris (Piocoris) petofii sp. n. (holotype, female, MNHN): 1 = dorsal habitus, 2 = lateral view, 3 = labels. Scale bar = 0.5 mm for Figs 1 and 2, Fig. 3 not to scale

Figs 4–11. Selected morphological characteristics of Geocoris (Piocoris) petofii sp. n.: 4 = furrows of vertex and clypeus (red arrows indicate transversal furrow anteriad to ocelli and median longitudinal furrow); 5 = venter of head [red arrow indicates labial trough (lt)]; 6 = hemelytron [red arrows indicate apex of reduced R-M and venation of membrane (mv)]; 7 = exoskeletal structures of MTSEA [red arrow indicates peritreme (pe)]; 8 = abdominal dorsum (red arrow indicates inclined sutures of tergites IV/V–V/VI); 9 = female ovipositor;

Figs 12–14. Lectotype (present designation) of Geocoris (Piocoris) junodi Montandon, 1907: