Physopelta (Neophysopelta) confusa Zamal & Chopra, 1990

Stehlík, Jaroslav L., 2013, Review and reclassification of the Old World genus Physopelta (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Largidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 53 (2), pp. 505-584 : 524-525

Physopelta (Neophysopelta) confusa Zamal & Chopra, 1990

Physopelta confusus [sic!] Zamal & Chopra, 1990: 7, 11–12 (description, figures, distribution).

HOLOTYPE: ♂, India, Jharkhand, Hundru, Ranchi (deposited either in Department of Entomology, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, or Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat).

Original description (adopted from ZAMAL & CHOPRA 1990): ‘General colouration fusco-testaceous; head, tylus, juga and antenniferous tubercle dull reddish-brown; bucculae dark-brown; eyes, antennae and labium fuscous. Pronotum dark reddish-brown; thoracic pleura fuscous with posterior margins blackish; area near bases of coxae lighter in colour; metathoracic scent gland lobes dull sanguineous; scutellum dark-brown; hemelytra fusco-testaceous with a small round spot near middle and a very small spot outer to it fuscous to black; membrane fuscous. Abdominal intersternal sutures dark with curved lateral fuscous depressions.

Body oblong; head pubescent and impunctate, head length: 1.50–1.60; tylus declivent; eyes comparatively large almost touching antero-lateral pronotal margins; width across eyes: 2.10–1.30 [sic!]; interocular distance: 1.10–1.30; antenniferous tubercle small; antenna medium sized, length antennal segments: I, 1.80–2.00; II, 1.50–2.10; III, 1.40–1.50; IV, 1.80–1.90; labium extending to hind coxae; labial segment I not reaching base of head; length labial segments: I, 1.30–1.40; II, 1.20–1.40; III, 1.20–1.30; IV, 1.20–1.40. Pronotum pubescent; anterior pronotal convexity prominent both in males and females, but more so in males; anterior pronotal lobe comparatively small and impunctate; posterior lobe punctate, lateral pronotal margins carinate, moderately sinuate at middle but out reflexed; length pronotum: 2.60–3.10; width: 4.20–4.40; scutellum triangular, pubescent and punctate; somewhat transverselly impressed anteriorly; scutellar length: 1.90–2.00; width: 2.20–2.30; fore coxae with a small blunt spine like protuberance; fore femora slightly incrassate with thick spines beneath throughouts in males but with only a few spines at apex in females; hemelytra extending to tip of abdomen. Abdominal length: 9.60–10.20.

Male pygophore with a small, hairy and distally rounded median lobe: median projection apically separate; clasper with a large lobe at middle having two long hairs; spermatheca with spherical bulb, short pump and duct; flange absent.

Total length: 14.10–14.50.

Physopelta confusa sp. nov. is apparently similar to Ph. gutta but can be easily distinguished by its colouration, presence of an additional spot on hemelytra and characteristic male genitalia and female spermatheca.’

Distribution. India (Jharkhand) ( ZAMAL & CHOPRA 1990).

Note. When describing Physopelta trimaculata ( STEHLÍK & JINDRA 2008a) I was not aware of the description of Ph. confusa . Comparing the types of Ph. trimaculata with the original description of Ph. confusa by ZAMAL & CHOPRA (1990), the two species are very similar, sharing the the presence of two black spots in the middle of the corium, a larger inner one and a smaller outer one. Physopelta confusa apparently differs in the absence of the black spot in the posterior angle of the corium, a feature not mentioned by ZAMAL & CHOPRA (1990), and the general body colouration (fusco-testaceous in Ph. confusa , reddish in Ph. trimaculata ). Body length of Ph. confusa is 14.1–14.5 mm ( ZAMAL & CHOPRA 1990) which is within the variation of Ph. trimaculata (13.2– 15.7 mm) ( STEHLÍK & JINDRA 2008a). Without examination of the type material of Ph. confusa it is not possible to decide whether the two species represent only colour varieties of a single species, or represent two distinct species.