Chelyolygus virgulatellus, 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 : 382-384

Chelyolygus virgulatellus , new species

( Figs. 6 , 22J–O )

Type material. Holotype: male, SINGAPORE: Windsor Nature Park , Trail along Island Club Road, sweeping flowers of a broadleaf tree, 1°21′25.5″N 103°49′06.0″E, T. Yasunaga, 16 August 2023 ( ZRC) ( AMNH _ PBI 00378779 ) . Paratype: SINGAPORE: 1 male, same data as for holotype ( TYCN) ; 1 female, same locality, on Nephelium lappaceum (rambutan) tree, 1°21′32.3″N 103°49′35.6″E, 18 March 2024, E. H. Yep ( ZRC _ BDP0372659 ) .

Diagnosis. This new species is recognised by the following characters: Widely pale olive-green general colouration ( Fig. 7A, C, F ); small size; pale base of antennomeres I and II; brown, narrow, continuous stripes along veins on hemelytron; small, sharply pointed hypophysis of right paramere; and presence of two additional lobal-sclerites on vesica, in addition to the characters mentioned in the key.

Description. Body generally pale olive green (fading to yellowish in dry-preserved specimen as in Fig. 6F, G ), small, stout, tortoise-shaped ( Fig. 6A, F ); dorsal surface shining, shallowly and minutely punctate, with uniformly distributed, pale, short, semi-erect setae. Head shiny pale green ( Fig. 6D ); vertex about as wide as an eye in dorsal view, with narrow, continuous basal transverse carina; apical ¼ of clypeus infuscate ( Fig. 6E ). Antenna dark brown; antennomere I pale brown, with fuscous apex and slightly darkened basal ⅓; antennomere II with pale base, about as long as labium, slightly shorter than basal width of pronotum. Labium pale reddish brown, slightly exceeding apex of mesocoxa; apical half of segment IV infuscate ( Fig. 6C, F ). Pronotum shiny pale olive; calli pale green; thoracic pleura and scutellum creamy yellow, partly tinged with green; metathoracic scent efferent system as in Fig. 22L . Hemelytra pale olive-brown, with dark, narrow, continuous stripes along veins and sutures, on clavus, corium and exocorium (embolium); apical inner corner of corium (or paracuneus) with brown, U-shaped macula; apex of cuneus narrowly darkened; membrane smoky brown, with pale veins. All coxae and legs pale creamy brown; metafemur with two brown apical rings that are interrupted posteriad; tibial spines reddish brown, each with a brown small spot; apical half of each tarsomere III dark brown; pretarsal structure as in Fig. 22O ; parempodia relatively long and wide. Ventral surface of abdomen uniformly pale olive green. Male genitalia ( Figs. 6H–J , 22M ): Pygophore with triangular projection at base of left paramere ( Fig. 22M ); right paramere with short, pointed hypophysis ( Fig. 4H ); left paramere C-shaped, with rather elongate process on apex of hypophysis ( Fig. 4I ). Vesica with two stout lobal sclerites in addition to two slender, weakly curved spicules ( Fig. 4J ). Female genitalia: Not examined.

Measurements. See Table 1.

Etymology. From Latin ‘virgulatus’ (= striped) with diminutive suffix, referring to stripes on hemelytra of this new species; an adjective.

Distribution. Singapore (tropical rainforest zone).

Biology. Two male (one teneral) adult individuals were collected by sweeping inflorescences of a broadleaf tree, most probably identical to Claoxylon indicum (Reinw. ex Blume) Hassk. ( Euphorbiaceae ) (Yap EH, pers. comm.). The female specimen was found from a rambutan tree, Nephelium lappaceum L. ( Sapindaceae ). No other information is currently available. The collection records suggest C. virgulatellus , new species, has two or more generations per year.

Figures

Fig. 6. Habitus images of Chelyolygus virgulatellus, new species, living (A, B, D) or fresh (C–E) and dry-preserved specimens (F, G), and male genitalia (H–J) of holotype male (A–C, I, J) and paratype female (F, G). H, Right paramere; I, left paramere; J, vesica. Images (F, G) courtesy of Mr. E. H. Yap.

Fig. 22. Scanning electron micrographs of Chelyolygus fuhoshoensis (A–D), C. parsanus, new species (F–I), C. virgulatellus, new species (J–O) and Apolygopsis furvocarinatus (E). A, F, Left paramere; B, G, vesica; C–E, H, I, posterior wall; J, anterior body, dorsal view; K, left lateral habitus; L, M, apex of pygophore, left lateral view; N, metatarsus; O, pretarsal structure of metaleg. Abbreviations: DOS = dorsal structure, IRL = interramal lobe, IRS = interramal sclerite, LLB = lateral lobe.

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. 4. Habitus images (A–C, F–H) and female genitalia (D, E, I, J) of Chelyolygus fuhoshoensis (A–E) and C. parsanus, new species (F–J). A, B, F, G, Male; C, H, female; D, I, ovipositor (gonapophysis I); E, J, genital chamber with sclerotised rings and adjacent structures.