Melaleucaphylus glomeratae, 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 : 34-36

Melaleucaphylus glomeratae , new species

Figures 4D , 5 , map 2, plates 1, 11, table 1

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished by generally yellow coloration, on vertex near eyes, calli, and mesoscutum without occasional orange blotches as seen in M. vimineae (see Discussion); pale dorsal setae and pale or pale brown tibial spines; parempodia uniformly but weakly thickened; endosoma with single long narrow apical spine of dorsal strap and distal surface of secondary gonopore with pair of strongly spiculate relatively tumid membranes. Endosoma of M. ngarkat also with apical spine of dorsal strap undivided and strongly spiculate distal portion of secondary gonopore, but body uniformly castaneous to dark brown, dorsal setae silvery, tibial spines black, and parempodia setiform.

DESCRIPTION: MALE: Mean total length 3.83, mean pronotum width 1.31. COLOR- ATION (pl. 1): Uniformly yellow; apex of cuneus with indistinct dark marking; hemelytral membrane weakly hyaline with barely perceptible, small, diffuse, black markings medial to anal vein; more strongly infuscate at apex of large cell, middle of small cell, and adjacent to apex of cuneus; tibia without dark spots at bases of spines. SURFACE AND VESTITURE (fig. 5B, pl. 1): Weakly shining; dorsum with moderately dense, curved, reclining, entirely pale, subshining, simple setae; tibial spines pale. STRUCTURE: Labium reaching apex of mesocoxa. Pretarsus: Claws moderately sized, abruptly bent; parempodia evenly thick, lamelliform; pulvilli short, situated from angle to base of claw (fig. 4D). GENITALIA (fig. 5D, pl. 11A–J): Pygophore: Conical in dorsal view, dorsal surface with small clump of bristles ventrad of left paramere insertion. Endosoma: Region just proximal to apex with torsion to left side; ventral strap entire, wide, terminating at base of secondary gonopore with smooth concave anterior edge, posterior edge without process, but with hollow margin; dorsal strap narrow, not bifurcate, strap narrowing over length to pointed apex, surpassing distal margin of secondary gonopore by length of secondary gonopore, moderately curved to left side of endosoma. Secondary gonopore: Large, well differentiated, and sclerotized; distal edge large, tumid, sinuate, with strong spicules on surface and rolled under apex; proximal edge of gonopore aperture strongly associated with relatively long, mostly sclerotized microspiculate lateral membrane, strongest spicules on entire edge nearest aperture; opposite surface of secondary gonopore wide, somewhat tumid, as a thickened microspiculate membrane; proximal portion of secondary gonopore with overlapped edge extending caudally as wellsclerotized expanded process; thin gonopore sclerite absent. Phallotheca: Large, attenuate apical region with weakly undulate anterior surface and weak crest along dorsal edge; ventroposterior surface with obvious outpocket; aperture on anteroventral surface with medium length and moderately open. Parameres: Left paramere: Triangular in dorsal view, posterior process relatively short; anterior process very short, weakly extending beyond base, apex poorly differentiated; posteromedial region of paramere body not raised dorsal to posterior and anterior lobes. Right paramere: Moderate size with smoothly rounded margins; gradually narrowed to small blunt apex.

FEMALE (pl. 1): Coloration as in male; differing from male as in generic description; mean total length 3.80, mean pronotum width 1.32. GENITALIA (pl. 11K–M): Subgenital plate: With elongate, relatively narrow projection. Vestibular sclerites: Moderately large, convoluted, situated medially, bent slightly to right side, predominately extending anteriad, anterior margin almost reaching to anterior and medial border of right sclerotized ring and occupying interring region in dorsal view. Dorsal labiate plate: Sclerotized rings large with narrow border, subovoid and separated by onehalf width of ring, lateral margin of ring rounded, reaching lateral margin of dorsal labiate plate; posteroventral margin folded, not tumid. Intersegmental process: Membrane strongly invaginated, forming relatively short, heavily microspiculate, apically bifurcate, medial prominence. Posterior wall: Mostly

membranous. Interramal sclerites: Well sclerotized, wedge shaped, widely separated, and placed on ventrolateral margins; midline of wall with large invagination abutting ovipositor bulb, projecting posteriad to form a pointed prominence. Interramal lobes: Posterodorsal portion of wall membranous, with pair of large, widely separated, tumid, microspiculate lobes projecting anteriorly into genital chamber.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for its occurrence on Melaleuca glomerata .

HOST: Recorded from Melaleuca glomerata ( Myrtaceae : Melaleuceae ) (pl. 39B).

DISTRIBUTION (map 2): Known from two collecting events from south central Northern Territory in the eastern desert phytogeographic subregion.

DISCUSSION: Collected concurrently and apparently on the same host plant with M. vimineae near Alice Springs and Finke Gorge National Park of Northern Territory. Both species with almost identical dorsal coloration, however, M. vimineae usually has orange blotches on the vertex, calli, and mesoscutum, dark dorsal setae on cuneus and posterior portion of clavus and corium, black tibial spines, wider parempodia, smaller endosoma with shorter distal portion of dorsal strap, and much less spiculate region distal to secondary gonopore.

HOLOTYPE: AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: 11 mi N of Alice Springs , 23.53956 ° S 133.8807 ° E, 625 m, 28 Oct 1962, Ross and Cavagnaro, 13 ( AMNH _ PBI 00418698 ) ( MAGNT).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: 11 mi N of Alice Springs, 23.53956 ° S 133.8807 ° E, 625 m, 28 Oct 1962, Ross and Cavagnaro, 63 (00418689, 00418692, 00418697, 00418703, 00418712, 00418725), 1♀ (00418732) ( AMNH), 223 (00418688, 00418690, 00418691, 00418693– 00418696, 00418699–00418702, 00418704– 00418711, 00418713, 00418714, 00418716), 6♀ (00418727, 00418728, 00418731, 00418733– 00418735) ( CAS), 83 (00418717–00418724), 3♀ (00418726, 00418729, 00418730) ( MAGNT). Finke Gorge National Park, Palm Valley, 24.03333 ° S 132.7101 ° E, 586 m, 04 Nov 2001, Cassis, Schuh , Schwartz, Silveira, Wall, Melaleuca glomerata F. Muell. (Myrtaceae) , det. NSW staff NSW 666320, 13 (00097887), 1♀ (00097904) ( AM), 153 (00097875–00097886, 00097889, 00414797, 00414796), 18♀ (00097890–00097892, 00097894– 00097901, 00097906, 00097908, 00414798– 00414801, 00414880) ( AMNH), 13 (00097888), 1♀ (00097905) ( ANIC), 7♀ (00097902, 00097903, 00097907, 00097909–00097912) ( MAGNT).

Figures

FIG. 4. Melaleucaphylus spp. Scanning electron micrographs of pretarsus. A, B. M. beaufortiae, AMNH_PBI 00087288. A. Frontoventral view. B. Detail of parempodia, ventral view. C. M. eremaeae, AMNH_PBI 00136216, frontoventral view. D. M. glomeratae, AMNH_PBI 00418691, frontoventral view. E. M. halmaturorum, AMNH_PBI 00371542, frontoventral view. F. M. kunzeae, AMNH_PBI 00128299, frontal view. Abbreviations: pe, parempodium; pul, pulvillus.

FIG. 5. Melaleucaphylus glomeratae, AMNH_PBI 00418691. Scanning electron micrographs. A. Head and pronotum, lateral view. B. Detail of pronotal setae, dorsal view. C. Thoracic pleuron, lateral view, showing metathoracic spiracle opening, metathoracic scent-gland auricle, and evaporatory area. D. Pygophore, left paramere, and phallotheca, lateral view. Abbreviations: ap, anterior process; lp, left paramere; mttsp, metathoracic spiracle; phl, phallotheca; pp, posterior process; sgaur, scent gland auricle; sgev, scent gland evaporatory area.