Hellica johni, Froeschner, 1999

Froeschner, Richard C., 1999, Revision Of The South American Genus Hellica Stãl (Heteroptera: Acanthosomatidae), J. New York Entomol. Soc. 107, No. 3, pp. 164-170 : 166-168

Hellica johni , new species

Figs. 2, 3

Diagnosis. Abdominalventer yellow, with a tapering, longitudinal fuscous area of varying widthon each side; the other two members of the genus have the abdomen black except for the abruptly delimited yellow lateral margins.

Description,(basedon holotype male). Oval; length 5.2; width 2.9. General color yellow to brownish yellow, with calloused yellow areas and numerous mostly irregularly distributed brown punctures. Hemelytral membrane hyaline with some veins brownish. Venter yellowish,exceptforlarge brown areas each side of pale midline on visible segments II-IV, with numerous brown punctures except on calloused areas. Legs unicolorous brownish yellow;middleand posterior femora with a vague, brownish blotch near apical fourth of anterior face.

Head across eyes slightly wider than long, 1.2: 1.0; preocular margin weakly elevated, abruptly concave a very short distance anterior to eye. T ylus flat, slightly depressed subapically, very slightly surpassing apex of juga, sides subparallel on apical half. Juga vaguely impressed apically. Antennal segments I-V in the ratio 0.26:0.43:0.30:0.46:0.54;firstsegmentshort,not reaching apex of head. Bucculae distinct, as long as labial segment I, abruptly terminated at narrowly conjoined posterior ends. Labium reaching anterior margins of middle coxae, apical segment black; segments I-IV in the ratio0.43:0.55:0.27:0.27.

Pronotum more than twice as wide as midlength,2.91:1.18; anterior margin deeply concave; lateral margins, except anterior fourth, nearly straight, humeri obtusely rounded, not prominent; disc with narrow, irregular, transverse calloused areas anterior and posterior to calli, some broadly joined between calli. Anterior half of posterior pronotal lobe with a broad, transverse calloused area; spaces between callouses with numerous brown punctures.

Scutellum shorter than basal width 1.36:1.67, yellow, with a vague, triangular brown spot basally on each side of midline and vaguely brownish each side near apex; surface with numerous irregularly scattered brown punctures, those along lateral margin forming a close-set row; apex narrowly rounded.

Hemelytron with costal outline gently convex. Corium nearly wholly yellow, subhyaline, with numerous slightly brownish punctures, latter slightly more dense on exocorium; apical margin of corium virtually straight. Membrane slightly surpassing apex of abdomen, hyaline, veins faintly darker; with a faint, brown, narrow line from midpoint of corium to apex of membrane.

Prosternum convex, neither grooved nor elevated. Ventral midline of thorax without elevated carinae. Metapleuron with ostiolar pore virtually on a line connecting basal limits of the middle and posterior acetabulae; peritreme very short, about as long as wide. Evaporative area restricted to a narrow halo around the peritreme, not approaching posterior flange of metapleuron.

Genital capsule and parameres in dorsal view as in Fig. 2, setae along posterior margin grouped in loose patches.

Legs concolorous brownish yellow, each femur with a vague, brownish blotch near apical fourth of anterior face.

Female. Similar to the male. Last pregenital segment ( Fig. 3) with posterior margin broadly concave, virtuallytransverseinmiddlethird.Lateralendof second plate not covered by third genital plate.

T ypes. Holotype male. ARGENTINA, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Juan B. Daguerre, 1968; collection J. Daguerre (National Museum of Natural History) . Paratypes: ARGENTINA: 1 female, Formosa, Clorinda , XI.950, Daguerre ; 1 male, 4 females [carded on 1 pin]; Bs. As, San Fernando , 11.954, Daguerre ; 1 male, 4 females (carded on one pin) samedata as holotype . URUGUAY, 1 male, 1female, Montevideo, Uruguay, Parker, 837-38, 45-14929(all in National Museum of Natural History) .

Discussion. Lengths of males vary from 5. 0-5. 3; of females from 4. 7-5.6. ̊he labium of one of the paratypes is slightly longer than that of the holotype and actually extends between middle coxae. ̊he preapical flatteningof the last pregenital segment of the paratype is a little stronger than that on the holotype.

Etymology. T his new species name is derived from the given name of Dr. John T. Polhemus.