Hellica johnpolhemi Froeschner, 2000

Carpintero, Diego & De Biase, Sebastián, 2019, Revision of genus Hellica Stål, 1867 and description of three new genera of South American Lanopini (Hemiptera: Acanthosomatidae: Blaudusinae), Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 21 (2), pp. 133-158 : 148

Hellica johnpolhemi Froeschner, 2000 ( Fig. 9 )

Hellica johnpolhemi Froeschner 2000: 168 ; Grazia & Schwertner 2015: 402; Dellapé 2016: 84; Coscarón 2017: 11.

Studied material. ARGENTINA: Jujuy, 1 female, Palpalá, II-1981, Carpintero ( MACN) ; Salta, 2 females, 20-I-1897, 5653, S. Venturi ( MACN) ; Tucumán, 1 female, Trancas, J. M. Arnau, II-1951, col. A. C. Pirán (as Banasa alboapicata Stål ) ( MACN) ; 1 female, Tucumán ( MACN) ; 1 female, idem, 5656 ( MACN) .

Description. Female ( Fig. 9 A ). Measurements (n=5). Total length: 6.00 (6.63) 7.20; width: 3.50 (3.86) 4.12; head length: 1.24 (1.35) 1.40; width: 1.67 (1.81) 1.87; interocular space: 1.08 (1.15) 1.21; antennal segments length, I: 0.31 (0.36) 0.43; II: 0.50 (0.54) 0.57; III: 0.44 (0.47) 0.52; IV: 0.73 (0.77) 0.84; V: 0.87 (0.90) 0.93; pronotum length: 1.36 (1.51) 1.63; width at base: 3.45 (3.80) 3.97; scutellum length: 1.90 (2.12) 2.30; width: 2.01 (2.30) 2.47.

Larger species, between 6 and 7.2 mm long. Dorsally pale brown with a narrow yellowish band on each exocorium. Head yellowish with a brown central stripe and a fuscous band in centre near basal margin. Scutellum yellowish and as stated by Froeschner (2000): “ this species can be readily recognized by the presence of taeo (usually joined) black blotches at base of scutellum ”. Pronotum yellowish, basal lobe, excepting lateral margins, darker. Calli pale brown with a dark spot on each of them.

Head. Thirty percent wider than long, entirely covered with dark-brown punctures, which are uniformly sparsely distributed throughout except around eyes and two short, smooth, longitudinal stripes between ocelli.

Thorax. Pronotum more than two times wider than long, laterally without carinae ( Fig. 9 B ); dorsal surface covered by strong, brown punctures; calli and anterior and posterior margins of pronotal collar, smooth. Scutellum wider than long, apically narrow, with uniform, disperse, brown punctures, except on basal half of sublateral margins. Hemelytra slightly convex; coria sparsely punctured. Thoracic sterna covered with dense, brown punctures interspersed with some smooth patches. Legs pale yellowish, second tarsal segment longer than first.

Abdomen. Connexival segments in dorsal and ventral views pale yellowish. Genitalia: According to Froeschner (2000): “ the posterolateral margin of the third genital plate is conƲexly rounded, coƲering the lateral end of the second genital plate and slightly oƲerlapping the posterior lateral angle of the basal genital plate ” ( Fig. 9 C ).

Male: Descriptive characters apply to both sexes (according to Froeschner, 2000). Genitalia: “ the apical margin of the genital capsule is broadly and shalloaely bilobed in the middle third; the posterolateral margin of the third genital plate is conƲexly rounded, coƲering the lateral end of the second genital plate and slightly oƲerlapping the posterior lateral angle of the basal genital plate ” (Froeschner, 2000).

Distribution. BOLIVIA: Quime (3048 msnm); ARGENTINA: Formosa (Froeschner, 2000) (see under Discussion); Tucumán, Jujuy ( Dellapé, 2016).

Neae record. ARGENTINA: Salta ( Fig. 10 ).

Host plant. Unknown.

Discussion. In the six specimens we have examined, the scutellum has a long, basal, black blotch. This character, its large size, and the characters of the genitalia, together with the fact that this species is found only at altitudes greater than 1500 m asl, differentiates this species from the other species of the genus. We have noted the presence of two blotches in all other species of the genus. Froeschner (2000) stated:” Because there aeere no males and females bearing the same locality data, there is a possibility they are improperly associated here …” Based on this, and considering that the Formosa specimen is geographically distant from the rest of the known material of this species (see Dellapé, 2016 and the current work), we consider that this specimen, which we have not examined, probably belong to H. nitida . Froeschner’s reference (2000: 169) to “Brazil: Tafe del Valle, Quebradada la Angostura” refers to Tafí del Valle, Quebrada la Angostura, Tucumán, Argentina (see also Dellapé, 2016).

Figures

Fig. 9. Hellica johnpolhemi Froeschner. A. Female, dorsal view. B. Female, lateral view. C. Female, genitalia ventral view. D. Metapleura.

Fig. 10. Map of the distribution of genus Hellica species.