Melaleucaphylus dubiosus, 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 : 32

Melaleucaphylus dubiosus , new species

Map 2 , plates 1, 9, table 1

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from congeners by pale yellow general coloration with diffuse pale brown centrally on scutellum, clavus, and endocorium, and striking dark infuscate hemelytral membrane. Male genitalia unique within genus by very large, pointed, tusklike spine projecting dorsad from ventral strap of endosoma and distinct prominence on posterodorsal surface of phallotheca.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Total length 3.34, pronotum width 1.13. COLORATION (pl. 1): Pale yellow to yellow with antennal segments 3 and 4, scutellum, clavus, and endocorium darker tan to brown; membrane infuscate, veins pale; tibia without dark spots at bases of spines. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (pl. 1): Shining; dorsum with moderately dense, curved, reclining, shining, tan or golden simple setae; tibia with tan spines. STRUC-

TURE: Labium reaching to middle of mesocoxa. Pretarsus: Claws small, gently curved, with slightly expanded bases; parempodia setiform, relatively long parallel, with apparently sharp apices; pulvilli minute, short, on proximal edge of claw base. GENITALIA (pl. 9): Pygophore: As in generic description. Endosoma: Distal one-third with torsion, twisted slightly to left side; well sclerotized from base to proximal portion of basal curve then bifurcate with sharp split, medially divergent with wide interstrap membrane; ventral strap bifurcate proximal of secondary gonopore with short anterior portion of strap terminating in broad flat surface at proximal margin of secondary gonopore and with long posterior portion of strap forming large tusklike spine 1.5× length of secondary gono- pore with pointed apex; dorsal strap undivided, narrow over entire length, portion distal to secondary gonopore slightly curving to right, apex pointed. Secondary gonopore: Well sclerotized, deep, with proximalmost margin thin and with well-sclerotized process, distal portion of proximal process short, not expanded caudally (as in other species); distal margin with small, membranous, constricted bag with microspiculate surface. Phallotheca: Narrow, with small tubercle on posterior surface, otherwise as in generic description. Parameres: Left paramere: Posterior margin and shoul- der region between posterior and anterior processes slightly raised; posterior process slightly bent ventrad, otherwise as in generic description. Right paramere: Somewhat narrowed apically, otherwise as in generic description.

FEMALE (pl. 1): Coloration as in male; differing from male as in generic description; total length 3.29, pronotum width 1.20. GENITALIA: Not examined.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Latin dubius, “doubtful” for the weak host association of the only plant record.

HOST: Recorded from Notelaea microcarpa (Oleaceae) . In light of the fact that nearly all other members of Melaleucaphylus are recorded from the family Myrtaceae and that only three specimens of this taxon are available, corroboration of the actual breeding host of this taxon will require additional fieldwork.

DISTRIBUTION (map 2): Known only from the type locality near Warrabah National Park, west of Retreat, New South Wales, in the southeastern phytogeographic subregion.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 37 km W of Retreat (20 km E of Manilla), 30.66667 ° S 150.8 ° E, 450 m, 24 Oct 1995, Schuh and Cassis, Notelaea microcarpa R. Br. (Oleaceae) , det. Field ID, 13 ( AMNH _PBI 00087293) ( AM).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 37 km W of Retreat (20 km E of Manilla), 30.66667 ° S 150.8 ° E, 450 m, 24 Oct 1995, Schuh and Cassis, Notelaea microcarpa R. Br. (Oleaceae) , det. Field ID, 1♀ (00087294) ( AM), 13 (00087494) ( AMNH).

Figures

MAP 2. Distribution of Melaleucaphylus beaufortiae–M. kaputar.