Schoenocoris, COSTA, 1842

Tatarnic, Nikolai J. & Cassis, Gerasimos, 2012, The Halticini of the world (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae): generic reclassification, phylogeny, and host plant associations, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 164 (3), pp. 558-658 : 633-635

SCHOENOCORIS COSTA ( FIGS 4 , 52–53 )

Schoenocoris Reuter, 1890: 253 (gen. nov.; type species: Phytocoris flavomarginatus Costa, 1842 by monotypy); Reuter, 1891: 64, 159 (descr., key); Hueber, 1906: 4, 9 (key, descr.); Kirkaldy, 1906: 131 (cat.); Oshanin, 1910: 789 (cat.); Reuter, 1910: 148 (cat.); Stichel, 1933: 235 (key); Hedicke, 1935: 59 (key); Wagner, 1952: 96, 106 (key, descr.); Carvalho, 1952: 74 (cat.); Carvalho, 1955: 67 (key); Carvalho, 1958: 31 (cat.); Wagner & Weber, 1964: 275 (descr.); Wagner, 1973: 54 (descr.).

Diagnosis: Recognized by the following combination of characters: head transverse, broader than posterior of pronotum; pronotum short, trapezoidal, lateral margins subparallel; hemelytra with yellow costal margins.

Redescription: Small, males macropterous, females brachypterous and oblong-oval. Coloration ( Fig. 4 ): mostly dark brown with lighter yellow and yellowbrown markings. Hemelytra with yellow costal margins. Surface and vestiture ( Figs 4 , 52A–H ): head smooth, pronotum weakly rugulose. Body with semi-erect simple setae, erect and semi-erect spinelike setae, and adpressed scale-like setae. Head with long spine-like setae and decumbent scale-like setae. Antennae with semi-reclining spine-like setae, AI with several long spines. Pronotum and scutellum with semi-erect simple setae. Setae on thoracic pleura flat and scale-like. Hemelytra and abdomen with caudally directed simple and scale-like setae. Legs with both simple and spine-like setae, spines at apex of femora and on tibiae long and thick. Structure: head ( Figs 4 , 52A–D ): transverse, wider than pronotum; vertex flat, posterior margin rounded, level with pronotum; frons broadly rounded; genae height approximately twice eye height; eyes large, round, bulging, substylate; buccula thin. Labium ( Fig. 52D ): extends to metacoxae; LI enlarged. Antennae ( Figs 4 , 52A–D, F ): insertion below lower margin of eye; shorter than body; AI nearly twice length of eye height; AII weakly apically clavate; AIII and AIV thin. Thorax ( Figs 4 , 52A, B, D, E ): pronotum trapezoidal, level, very short, collar faintly visible in males, callosite region bilaterally tumescent, lateral margins rounded, posterior of humeral angles rounded, posterior margin concave; mesoscutum visible in males; scutellum small; metathoracic spiracle prominent and tear-shaped, with evaporative bodies along anterior margin extending dorsally to hemelytra; MTG external efferent system rounded, extends dorsally to metathoracic spiracle, ostiole directed ventrally, peritreme above ostiole, rounded, surrounded by evaporative bodies. Hemelytra ( Figs 4 , 52A ): macropterous male – parallelsided; cuneus elongate, narrow; membrane with two cells, extends beyond apex of abdomen. Brachypterous female – undivided; posterior margin concave, shortest at claval commissure; approximately half of abdomen exposed. Abdomen: narrow, parallel-sided in males, pear-shaped in females. Legs ( Fig. 4 ): slightly longer in males; metafemora somewhat swollen. Male genitalia ( Figs 52F–H , 53A–C ): pygophore conical, posteroventral margin sulcate below left paramere; both parameres of similar size, with long, thin base; left paramere L-shaped, sensory lobe broad, apophysis tapering to blunt apex; right paramere extending slightly out of pygophore, apically spoon-shaped, apical margin slightly recurved and weakly, medially cleft; phallotheca elongate-oval, tapering to blunt apex, opening weakly sclerotized on dorsal margin; ductus seminis relatively short with flexible ribbing; secondary gonopore horseshoeshaped, strongly sclerotized basally, apically becoming indistinct with faint, scale-like texturing; endosoma with two elongate, irregularly dentate, flat spicules, basally joined with small, weakly sclerotized strip. Female genitalia ( Fig. 52D, E ): sclerotized rings small, elongate-oval, transverse, widely separated, lateral margins weakly upturned, adjacent portion of DLP sclerotized and upturned; DLP finely textured with minute spines, anteromedially cleft; VLP strongly sclerotized, forming two rectangular lobes abutting anteromedially; rami with small weakly sclerotized, medially directed lobes caudal to sclerotized rings; posterior wall of bursa copulatrix simple with weak anterolateral sclerotization, medially with bilaterally symmetrical, posteriorly tapered and diverging strips; opening to vestibulum symmetrical, with small sclerotized strips at anterior margins.

Diversity and distribution: Represented by a single species, Schoenocoris is found only in southern Europe.

Included species: Schoenocoris flavomarginatus (Costa, A., 1842) * southern Europe

Biology and host plant associations: Schoenocoris lives on Juncaceae , with adults present in July and August ( Wagner, 1973).

Remarks: Schoenocoris is most similar to Dimorphocoris and Compositocoris in general body structure. The male genitalia are also similar: in all three genera the endosoma bears paired sclerites that are possibly medially joined and situated immediately in front of the secondary gonopore. Despite these similarities, our phylogeny does not place Schoenocoris with these genera. Additional data will likely be needed to assess accurately the phylogenetic placement of this genus.

Figures

Figure 4. Photographs of Halticini genera: Labops–Strongylocoris. Abbreviations: F, female; M, male.

Figure 52. Scanning electron micrograph images of Schoenocoris flavomarginatus (male). A, dorsum; B, head and pronotum, dorsal view; C, head, anterior view; D, head and thorax, lateral view; E, meso- and metathorax, lateral view; F, venter; G, pygophore, posterior view; H, pygophore, lateral view.

Figure 53. Male and female genitalia Schoenocoris flavomarginatus. A, aedeagus; B, left paramere; C, right paramere; D, posterior wall; E, bursa copulatrix, ventral view; F, first gonapophyses, ventral view.