Sabactiopus schuhi, Yasunaga, 2024

Yasunaga, Tomohide, 2024, New genera and species of the ‘ Lygus-complex’ ranging from the Himalaya-Oriental to the Wallacea region (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 72, pp. 371-423 : 416-422

Sabactiopus schuhi , new species

( Figs. 7 G−J, 18A–G, 34J–L, 35A−I)

Type material. Holotype: male, NEPAL: Kathmandu Valley : Lalitpur , Godawari, Mt. Pulchoki (1,500–1,800 m), 27°34′45″N, 85°22′44″E, on Urtica dioica, T. Yasunaga , 2 August 2006 ( NMTU) ( AMNH _ PBI 378790 ) . Paratypes: NEPAL: 1 female, same data as for holotype ( TYCN); Kaski: Pokhara, Begnas Lakeside, 28°10′N 84°06′E, T . Yasunaga, 6 November 2005 ( NMTU). THAILAND: 1 male, Doi Suthep, Chiang Khian, 850 m alt., 18°50′N 98°54′E, S. Nagashima, 15 August 2001 ( DOAT) .

Diagnosis. Being closely related to S. sauteri (Poppius) , S. schuhi , new species can be distinguished by smaller size; narrower vertex; wider yellowish subbasal annulation on antennal antennomere II; antennomere III longer than IV; roundly inflated sensory lobe of left paramere; T-shaped apex of right paramere; anchor-shaped apex and roundly inflated sensory lobe of left paramere; narrowed sclerotised rings; and mesally separated interramal lobes, in addition to being associated with a herb from the Urticaceae , Urtica dioica .

Description. Body ovoid, stout, rather box-like, small-sized; in female body larger and paler in colour ( Fig. 7G–I ); basic colouration shiny dark reddish brown; dorsum polished, finely and sparsely punctate, with uniformly distributed, pale, simple, reclining or semi-erect setae on mesoscutum, scutellum and hemelytra. Head shiny pale brown, partly tinged with red, almost glabrous; eyes small; basal transverse carina on vertex with several upright setae, about as thick as pronotal collar ( Fig. 34K ). Antenna dark brown; antennomere I with darkened apex, base and middle; antennomere II with pale ring at basal ⅓, as long as or slightly shorter than basal width of pronotum; base of antennomere III whitish, longer than IV. Labium pale brown, reaching but not exceeding apex of metacoxa; segment IV reddish brown. Pronotum shiny pale or reddish brown, shallowly punctate or rugose, almost glabrous ( Fig. 29K ); calli sometimes with a pair of dark spots, flat; pleura pale brown; metathoracic scent efferent system greyish brown, with rather flat peritreme ( Fig. 35A ); scutellum shiny fuscous, with creamy V-shaped margin. Hemelytron shining, pale brown or reddish brown, widely darkened posteriorly, declivous at cuneal fracture; cuneus yellowish brown apically, with dark apex; membrane pale smoky brown. Coxae and legs pale brown, partly tinged with red; meso- and metacoxa, and base of each femur more or less darkened; tibiae with dark spots or annulations at bases of pale brown spines; tarsomere III darkened; meta-tarsomere II as long as III; pretarsal structures as in Fig. 30C . Abdomen fuscous; female sterna VII–IX pale brown. Male genitalia ( Figs. 18A–D , 35 D−F): Left paramere with roundly inflated sensory lobe ( Figs. 30D ); right paramere with elongate hypophysis and T-shaped, flat apex ( Figs. 18C , 35E ). Vesica widely membranous, with two lobal-sclerites, one of which is deeply notched; secondary gonopore thick-rimmed ( Figs. 18D , 35F ). Female genitalia ( Figs. 18E–G , 35 G−I): Genital chamber with small, narrow sclerotised rings that are separated to each other ( Fig. 35G ); posterior wall lacking dorsal structure or lateral lobe; interramal lobe comparatively narrow, densely covered with spinules ( Fig. 35I ), each lobe separated mesally ( Fig. 35H ).

Measurements. See Table 1.

Etymology. Named in honour of Dr. Randall T. Schuh (Curator Emeritus, AMNH), one of the world’s most prominent heteropterists and my long-time mentor; an adjective.

Distribution. Nepal (Kathmandu Valley, Kasuki), Thailand (Chiang Mai).

Biology. In Kathmandu Valley, several adults of this new species were found to inhabit Urtica dioica L. ( Urticaceae ) and to coexist on the herb with Himalisundacoris duwalae under deciduous/evergreen mixed broadleaf forest ( Fig. 7J ). On the other hand, the Taiwanese congener, S. sauteri (Poppius) , has been collected from the inflorescences and flower-buds of broadleaf trees, such as Styrax formosanus Matsum. ( Styracaceae ) ( Fig. 7L ). Chérot et al. (2017) reported that a Papua New Guinean congener, S. zhengi Chérot, Gorczyca, Schwartz & Demol, 2017 , was collected by canopy-fogging.

Figures

Fig. 7. Habitus images and habitats (J, L) of Chelyolygus wolskiorum, new species (A–C), C. parsanus, new species (D), Himalisundacoris duwalae, new species (E, F), Sabactiopus schuhi, new species (G, H) and S. sauteri (K). A, E, G, K, Adult male; B, D, F, H, I, adult female; C, final (5th) instar immature form; J, deciduous-broadleaf mixed forest with Urtica dioica, on which Himalisundacoris duwalae, new species, and Sabactiopus schuhi, new species, coexist (Lalitpur, Nepal); L, Styrax formosanus inflorescences, one of the breeding hosts of Sabactiopus sauteri (Nantou, Taiwan).

Fig. 34. Scanning electron micrographs of Paralygocoris vittulatus (A–I), Sabactiopus schuhi, new species (J–L) and S. sauteri (M–O). A, head and pronotum, left lateral view; B, scutellum and hemelytron, left lateral view; C, metathoracic scent efferent system; D, metatarsus; E, pygophore, dorsal view; F, vesica; G, sclerotised ring; H, I, posterior wall; J, left lateral habitus; K, anterior body, dorsal view; L, O, thoracic pleura, left lateral view; M, anterior body, left lateral view; N, head, dorsal view.

Fig. 29. Scanning electron micrographs of Himalisundacoris schwartzi, new species. A, B, head and pronotum, dorsal-left lateral views; C, pronotum, scutellum and anterior hemelytron, left lateral view; D, metathoracic scent efferent system; E, metatarsus; F, pretarsal structure of metaleg; G, H, left paramere; I, right paramere; J, K, vesica; L, sclerotised ring; M–O, posterior wall.

Fig. 35. Scanning electron micrographs of Sabactiopus schuhi, new species (A–I) and S. sauteri (J–O). A, J, metathoracic scent efferent system; B, M, metatarsus; C, pretarsal structure of metaleg; D, left paramere; E, right paramere; F, L, vesica; G, sclerotised ring; H, I, N, O, pygophore with parameres, dorsal view.

Fig. 30. Scanning electron micrographs of Himalisundacoris theoi, new species. A, head and pronotum, anterior-left lateral view; B, thoracic pleura, left lateral view; C, scutellum and anterior hemelytron, dorsal view; D, metathoracic scent efferent system; E, metatarsus; F, pretarsal structure of metaleg; G, pygophore, caudal view; H, ditto, dorsal view; I, left paramere; J, K, vesica; L, secondary gonopore; M, sclerotised ring; N, O, posterior wall.

Fig. 18. Male (A–D, H) and female (E–G, I, J) genitalia of Sabactiopus schuhi, new species (A–G) and S. sauteri (H–J). A, Apex of pygophore with parameres, dorsal view; B, apex of left paramere; C, apical part of right paramere; D, H, vesica; E, genital chamber; F, I, posterior wall; G, J, apex of ovipositor (gonapophysis I). Scale bars 0.2 mm.