Pilophorus nakatanii Yasunaga & Duwal

Yasunaga, Tomohide & Duwal, Ram Keshari, 2016, Three new species of the ant-mimetic plant bug genus Pilophorus from Japan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Pilophorini), Zootaxa 4117 (2), pp. 172-182 : 175-179

Pilophorus nakatanii Yasunaga & Duwal , n. sp.

( Figs. 1 A–B, 2, 3)

Pilophorus formosanus: Miyamoto & Yasunaga, 1989: 163 (list); Yasunaga, 2001: 250, pl. 91 (diag.) [nec Poppius, 1914: 238].

Diagnosis. Recognized by its moderate size; fuscous brown basic coloration; less shining pronotum; very sparse scalelike setae on scutellum; chestnut brown, matt anterior 2/3 of hemelytron; two streaks of scalelike setae on corium (a band on anterior corium not continuing to clavus and the other posterior band confluent); and distinctive shape of endosoma. Most similar to P. niger Poppius , based on dorsal color (surface) and vestiture patterns; easily distinguished by apparently smaller size, chestnut anterior corium and clavus, and different form of endosoma.

Description. Body generally dark brown, rather small, weakly to moderately constricted (HCR = 0.82–0.88); dorsal surface weakly shining (except for polished posterior 1/3 of hemelytron), with sparsely distributed, simple, brown setae. Head shiny fuscous, triangular. Antenna dark brown, except for wholly creamy white segment III; segment II weakly clavate. Labium shiny reddish brown, reaching apex of metacoxa. Pronotum fuscous, weakly shining, narrow; mesoscutum shiny fuscous; scutellum fuscous, weakly shining, with very sparsely distributed scalelike setae; ostiolar peritreme grayish brown. Hemelytron nearly two-tone colored, with chestnut brown, matte anterior 2/3 and shiny fuscous, posterior 1/3, each demarcated by a confluent band of scalelike setae ( Fig. 1 A); anterior 1/3 of corium with the other band of scalelike setae that is not continuous to clavus; cuneus with sparsely distributed, scalelike setae along anterior margin; membrane dark grayish brown. Coxa and leg dark brown; median part of procoxa, and apices of shagreened meso- and metacoxa brown; metafemur weakly curved; each tarsus yellowish brown, with darkened apex. Abdomen shiny fuscous; proximal 1/3 of ventral surface with a band of scalelike setae laterally. Male genitalia ( Figs. 2 , 3 ): Genital segment (pygophore) rather broad; phallotheca with sharpened apex. Left paramere with a moderate-sized dorsal protuberance. Endosoma C-shaped, medially with a long, straight, saber-like, basally bifurcate process.

Measurements. ♂/♀: Total body length 3.2−3.3/ 3.6; length from apex of clypeus to cuneal fracture 2.47−2.66/ 2.77; width of head across eyes 0.92−0.95/ 0.95; head height 0.75−0.76/ 0.80; width of vertex 0.42−0.44/ 0.48; lengths of antennal segments I −IV 0.32−0.35, 1.20−1.27, 0.39−0.40, 0.48−0.53/ 0.34, 1.33,?,?; basal width of pronotum 0.31; minimum width across hemelytron 1.14; maximum width across hemelytron 1.33;; and length of metafemur, tibia and tarsus 1.23−1.27, 1.89−1.91, 0.39−0.43/ 1.33, 2.09,? (antennal segments III and IV, and metatarsus missing in available female specimen).

Etymology. Named to honor Dr. Yukinobu Nakatani (National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan), who is enthusiastically working on the Asian deraeocorine and pilophorine faunas.

Biology. Although two individuals of this new species were found on Okinawa-pine, Pinus luchuensis Mayr (Pinaceae) , its breeding host is yet to be confirmed. Collection records suggest P. nakatanii has a bivoltine life cycle.

Holotype: ♂, JAPAN: Ryukyus: Iriomote Island, Uehara, light trap, 6 Jun 2013, T. Yasunaga, M. Takai & T. Ishikawa ( AMNH _PBI 00380410) ( AMNH).

Paratypes. Ryukyus: Okinawa Island, Kunigami Village, Yona, on Pinus luchuensis Mayr , 20−24 May 1993, T. Yasunaga, 1♂ ( TYCN); Ishigaki Island, Mt. Bansei (Maese), P. luchuensis , 30 Sep 2002, T. Yasunaga, 1♀ ( TYCN).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus images of new Japanese Pilophorus spp. A. P. nakatanii, holotype male (AMNH _ PBI 00380410). B. Same, dry-preserved condition, right lateral view. C. P. tagoi, male. D. Same, female. E. P. maeharai, holotype male (00380411). F. Same, ventral view. G. Same, female.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia (genital segment and parameres) of new Japanese Pilophorus spp. named on the figure.

FIGURE 3. Male genitalia (endosoma) of new Japanese Pilophorus spp. named on the figure.