Massocephalus maculatus Dallas, 1851

Rider, David A., 2008, Massocephalus stysi, a new species of Pentatomidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Philippines, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 48 (2), pp. 583-590 : 585-587

Massocephalus maculatus Dallas, 1851

( Figs. 1 , 3-7)

Massocephalus maculatus Dallas, 1851: 231 , pl. 9: fig. 1.

Massocephalus maculatus: LETHIERRY & SEVERIN (1893) : 118 (catalog); MATSUMURA (1905): 22 (record); KIRKALDY (1909): 51 (catalog); TANG (1935): 315 (catalog); TAKARA (1957): 34 (record); RIDER (2006): 283 (catalog).

Type material. Originally described from the Philippines. It is impossible to tell from the original description how many specimens DALLAS (1851) had when he described this species, but he had at least one J specimen from the Philippines; it should be considered a syntype. I have not examined the type material, but my colleague, Fred McDonald, examined a type specimen during a recent visit to the BMNH. He provided me with a short description which matches exactly the original description and the specimen that I have described below.

Material examined. PHILIPPINES: MINDANAO: Zamboanga, 1 ♀ ( AMNH).

Redescription. Dorsal surface of head fuscous to dark brown, slightly paler near apices of juga, coarsely punctate except large impunctate areas near compound eyes. Apex of head broadly rounded, lateral margins of juga sinuous, subparallel for middle third, apices projecting slightly beyond apex of tylus, but not contiguous anteriorly; antenniferous tubercles easily visible from above ( Fig. 3). Ocelli relatively small, each located 3-4 times its own diameter from adjacent eye. Antennae pale brown, antennal segment I relatively short, not quite reaching apex of head, segment II slightly shorter than segment III.

Pronotum dark brown, posterior disk slightly paler than anterior disk, with a large quadrate pale spot between cicatrices, anterior three-fourths of anterolateral margins narrowly pale, and humeral angles narrowly pale ( Figs. 1 , 4). Pronotal punctation sparse, fine, becoming somewhat coarser and deeper near humeral angles, cicatrices obscure, impunctate, area anterior to cicatrices uniformly punctate, anterior pronotal margin not reflexed or delineated by submarginal sulcus or row of punctures. Anterior pronotal teeth relatively small, oriented laterally. Anterolateral pronotal margins straight, slightly reflexed. Scutellum subtriangular, with relatively large, well-defined, transverse, oval white spots, one in each basal angle, apex of scutellum also with large white spot ( Figs. 1 , 4). Hemelytra dark brown with lateral margins narrowly pale ( Figs. 1 , 4); punctures fairly uniform, except shallower and more sparse just mesad of R + M vein, and small, dense area near apex of each corium. Hemelytral membrane fumose, veins obscure, subparallel. Connexivum nearly concealed by hemelytra, pale except posterolateral and anterolateral margins black.

Ventral surface of head nearly black except posterior third of bucculae narrowly pale margined, punctures relatively strong, becoming more sparse anteriorly; each buccula with a small tooth anteriorly. Propleura dark brown, infused with red along posterior margin, gradually becoming pale mesially (approximately half of prothoracic acetabula are pale), each lateral margin with pale band along anterior half, and apex of humeral angles pale. Meso- and metapleura dark brown with acetabula, mesial portion of evaporative area, and ostiolar rugae pale; ostiolar rugae relatively elongate, each clearly reaching beyond middle of metapleuron ( Fig. 5). Legs pale yellowish, lacking brown spots; tarsi, especially basal segment, and apices of tibiae reddish. Venter dark brown with narrow, longitudinally rectangular pale spots along lateral margins, one in middle of each segment ( Fig. 6); nearly impunctate, the few punctures present are sparse and very shallow.

Basal plates of female, when taken together, with large, U-shaped medial emargination, mesial margins relatively short, contiguous for most of length, lateral half of basal plates lobately extending posteriorly well onto 9 th paratergites ( Fig. 7). Remaining genital plates typical of most pentatomoids. Male not known to me.

Measurements (mm). Total length 11.30; total width across humeri 6.01, across abdomen 6.42; medial length of pronotum 2.43. Medial length of scutellum 4.49, basal width 3.72, width at distal end of frena 1.43. Head length 2.44, width 3.05, width between ocelli 1.22, width between eyes 2.17, distance from ocellus to adjacent eye 0.52, diameter of ocellus 0.15. Length of antennal segments I-III 0.75, 1.27, and 1.66, respectively (segments IV and V missing). Length of rostral segments I-IV 1.03, 1.47, 1.75, and 1.31 respectively.

Differential diagnosis. This species is easily recognized by the longer ostiolar rugae, and the pale markings. The well-defined oblong spots in each basal angle of the scutellum, and the narrow pale band along the lateral margin of each corium are diagnostic.

Distribution. Originally described from the Philippines without exact locality ( DALLAS 1851). I have examined one ♀ specimen from Mindanao Island. It has also been reported from Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands ( MATSUMURA 1905).

Figures

Figs. 1-2. Habitus. 1 – Massocephalus maculatus Dallas, 1851; 2 – M. stysi sp. nov.