Hellica nitida Haglund, 1868

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 : 144-148

Hellica nitida Haglund, 1868

( Figs. 1 , 3, 8 )

Hellica nitida Haglund 1868: 161 ; Stål 1872: 62; Lethierry & Severin 1893: 258; Kirkaldy 1909: 179; Kumar 1974: 28; Thomas & Yonke 1990: 657; Froeschner 1999: 169; Bachmann 1999: 210; Coscarón & Grazia 2000: 25; Fisher 2006: 1045; Mendonça et al. 2009: 123; Grazia & Schwertner 2011: 713; Carpintero & De Biase 2011: 37; 2012 Weiler et al.: 188; Carpintero et. al. 2014: 77; Carpintero et al. 2015: 277; Grazia & Schwertner 2015: 402; Di Iorio & Turienzo 2015: 35; Coscarón et al. 2015: 89; Dellapé et al. 2015: 9; Dellapé 2016: 85; Melo et al. 2017: 496; Coscarón 2017: 11. Banasa pulchella Berg 1884: 101 ; Lethierry & Severin 1893: 168; Pennington 1920: 9; Bosq 1937: 122; Pirán 1948: 10; Ruffinelli & Pirán 1959: 45; Quintanilla et al. 1976: 124; Viana & Williner 1978: 71. Banasa (Atomosira) pulchella Kirkaldy 1909: 123 . Nezara (Atomosira) pulchella Pennington 1919: 530 . Bonasa [sic] pulchella Viana & Williner 1972: 26 . Atomosira pulchella Grazia-Vieira & Casini 1973: 58 .

Studied material. TYPUS. Banasa pulchella Berg , URUGUAY: B(anda) O(riental), 1 male ( MACN) . ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires (city), 4 males, 3 females y 5 nymphs ( V), 273 ( MACN) ; 1 F, 15-I-1912, J. B. ( MACN) ; 1 male, RECS (Reserva Costanera Sur), Vivero, 29-II-2008, Carpintero ( MACN) ; 3 males, 2 females, idem, Canal Viamonte, 27-II-2008, Carpintero ( MACN) ; 1 female, idem, al costado Vivero, 14- III-2010, Damer ( MACN) ; 1 female, idem, canal cerca Vivero, 14-XI-2008, Carpintero ( MACN) ; Buenos Aires (proƲince), 1 female, Delta, 22-III-1947, 3899, Leg. Bachmann ( MACN) ; 1 male, idem, 3-XII-1945, 1212, Leg. Bachmann ( MACN) ; 2 males, 2 females, idem, Paraná Guazú, II-1919 ( MACN) ; 4 males, 1 female, 1 nymph, Res. Laguna de los Padres, 14-I-2019, on Cyperus eragrostis eragrostis ( Cyperaceae ), Carpintero ( MACN) ; I. M. García, 15-II-1933, Daguerre – P. Moreau ( MACN) ; 3 females, I. Talavera (Campana), 30- X-2004, Carpintero ( MACN) ; 4 males, 4 females, idem, XII-2004, Carpintero ( MACN) ; 1 male, Res. Paititi (Gral. Pueyrredon), 29-X-2003, Cicchino ( MACN) ; 1 male, San Isidro, 26949, Gemignani – Daguerre ( MACN) ; 1 male, 1 female, Tigre, Daguerre J. ( MACN) ; 1 female, idem, II-1938, De Carlo – Viana ( MACN) ; 1 male, idem, 36806 ( MACN) ; 2 males, 1 female, 1 male, Veronica (Punta Indio), IX- 2001, Carpintero ( MACN) ; Chaco, 1 male, Fontana, 2-XI-1935, Daguerre ( MACN) ; 1 male, II-1936, Viana ( MACN) ; Corrientes, 2 males, 2 females, Nueva Valencia, X-1947, Viana ( MACN) ; Entre Ríos, 3 females, Brazo Largo, La Selva, 15-II-1948 ( MACN) ; 1 male, 1 female, Colón, 27218, Daguerre ( MACN) ; 1 male, 1 female, Gualeguaychú excursión, 19- IV-1924, 12833, Prof. M. D. Jurado ( MACN) ; 6 males, 6 females, Paranacito, 29976, X-1931, Daguerre ( MACN) ; Misiones, 1 male, Sta. María (Dto. Concepción), IV/ V-1960, Viana ( MACN) ; Santa Fe, 1 male, C. I., 17-XI-1927, Reboredo ( MACN) ; 1 male, Piquete, 11-XII-1928, Bridaroli S. J. ( MACN) ; Santiago del Estero, 1 male, S. D. E. City, + 1 male of Microporus nigropunctatus (Berg) ( Cydnidae ) ( MACN) . BRAZIL: Paraná, 2 males, Bituruna, Staviaski col. ( MACN) ; Rio de Janeiro, 3 males, 2 females, Petrópolis, I e II-1958, D’Albuquerque ( MACN) . URUGUAY: Canelones, 1 male, Bañados de Carrasco, 25-XII-1960, Monné ( MACN) ; Cerro Largo, 1 male, Sta. Clara de Olimar, 12-V-1960, Zalessi ( MACN) ; Colonia, 1 male, San Juan, II-1884, Speg(azzini) ( MACN) ; 1 male, II-1989, Carpintero D. J. ( MACN) ; Maldonado, 2 males, 2 females, Punta del Este, I-1963 ( MACN) ; RiƲera, 1 female, Arroyo de las Ánimas, I-1971, L. E. F. A. ( MACN) .

We have also examined an image of the lectotype (designated by Kumar, 1974) conserved in the Swedish Museum of Natural History (see: http:// www2.nrm.se/en/het_nrm/n/hellica_nitida.html)

Description. Male ( Fig. 8 A ). Measurements (n=5). Total length: 4.71 (4.87) 5.11; width: 2.83 (2.94) 3.05; head length: 1.02 (1.12) 1.17; width: 1.40 (1.44) 1.51; interocular space: 0.93 (1.00) 1.05; antennal segment lengths, I: 0.28 (0.29) 0.31; II: 0.30 (0.36) 0.41; III: 0.35 (0.39) 0.44; IV: 0.64 (0.66) 0.68; V: 0.71 (0.74) 0.77; pronotum length: 1.19 (1.31) 1.50; width at base: 2,85 (2,96) 3,06; scutellum length: 1.35 (1.50) 1.94; width: 1.67 (1.83) 2.26.

General coloration green dorsally, with calli, base of scutellum and endocoria light brown (in living specimens), basal angles and apex of scutellum whitish, with dark brown punctures; ventral surfaces green with legs light brown.

Head. ( Fig. 5 C ). Wider than long (0.3 times), covered by strong, disperse dark-brown punctures, with two oblique rows of punctures on frons, additional rows along margins of paraclypei, another around eyes and another at base of head; a few scattered punctures on base of anteclypeus. Labium elongate, reaching metacoxae.

Thorax. Pronotum 2.5 times wider than long, laterally without carinae; dorsal surface covered by sparse, strong, brown punctures, posterior lobe homogenously punctured, anterior lobe only with punctures along its margins and around calli. Scutellum relatively broad apically, with a tight row of punctures along its margins, some scattered punctures in the centre; hemelytral membranes hyaline.

Abdomen. Connexival segments in dorsal view concolorous with body, mesially with a row of punctures. Genitalia: Pygophore with sparse punctures; parameres broad and elongate, with entire basal portion black, extremely rounded; apical portion of parameres angulate, pointed ( Fig. 8 E ). Female ( Fig. 8 B ): Measurements: (n=5) Total length: 5.01 (5.14) 5.19; width: 3.11 (3.18) 3.31; head length: 1.08 (1.15) 1.25; width: 1.47 (1.50) 1.56; interocular space: 0.95 (1.02) 1.10; antennal segment lengths, I: 0.27 (0.31) 0.34; II: 0.38 (0.39) 0.40; III: 0.35 (0.40) 0.44; IV: 0.64 (0.67) 0.73; V: 0.72 (0.72) 0.73; pronotum length: 1.24 (1.27) 1.29; width at base: 3.08 (3.19) 3.34; scutellum length: 1.45 (1.53) 1.61; width: 1.80 (1.87) 1.96.

Similar to male in coloration; Pendergrast’s organs present on seventh sternite and well-developed.

Distribution. ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires ( Pennington, 1920); Santa Fe ( Bosq, 1937); Córdoba, Misiones, Tucumán ( Pirán, 1948); Corrientes ( Quintanilla et al., 1976); Formosa ( Froeschner, 1999); Martín García Island ( Carpintero & De Biase, 2011). BRAZIL: Amazonas (?), Santa Catarina ( Haglund, 1868); Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná ( Mendonça et al., 2009). URUGUAY: Colonia ( Berg, 1884).

Neae records. ARGENTINA: Chaco, Entre Ríos, Santiago del Estero ( Fig. 10 ). BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro. URUGUAY: Canelones, Cerro Largo, Maldonado, Rivera.

Host plant. Cyperus eragrostis eragrostis ( Cyperaceae ). We question the validity of the host plant records reported in the literature: Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. ( Cucurbitaceae ) ( Bosq, 1937 as Banasa pulchella Berg ). Solanum sp. ( Solanaceae ) ( Di Iorio & Turienzo, 2015).

Discussion. This species differs from H. johnpolhemi by its smaller size, by the coloration of the scutellum, and by the fact that the two species seem to prefer different habitats. That is, H. johnpolhemi has always been found above 1500 m asl, while H. nitida appears to be only found at lower elevations in the plain. From H. kolla sp. nov., it differs by its general coloration, by having broader parameres, and it is also usually found at higher altitudes, similar to H. johnpolhemi .

Nymphs. Fifth instar. ( Fig. 12 A, B ) (n= 5) Total length 3.16 (3.47) 3.79; width 2.84 (2.94) 3.04; length of head 0.74 (0.78) 0.84, width 1.32 (1.39) 1.42, interocular space 1.00 (1.02) 1.06; antennal segment lengths, I: 0.24 (0.27) 0.32; II: 0.47 (0.51) 0.55; III: 0.50 (0.54) 0.58; IV: 0.58 (0.61) 0.64; pronotal length 0.89 (0.92) 0.95, width 2.47 (2.59) 2.71.

Description: Rounded oval.

Head. Light brown; subglabrous, homogenously punctured; anteclypeus red; paraclypei as in adults, markedly shorter than anteclypeus. Eyes small prominent, rounded, greyish with anterior half of each red; primordia of ocelli red. Labium pale brown, reaching metasternum. Antennae pale brown, fourth segment darker; erect setae sparse on segments I to III, more abundant and mixed with very short, dense hairs on segment IV; ratio of antennal segment lengths 1: 1.8: 1.7: 2.1.

Thorax. Pronotum yellowish-brown with two pale spots at the level of calli, each surrounded by reddish-brown semicircle; punctured as in adults, subglabrous. Meso- and metatergites subglabrous, with two smooth, pale sublateral bands and a medial, brown band which is darker laterally than medially, with scattered punctures. Wing pads yellowish-brown, darker along mesial margins, with scattered punctures. Legs pale brown, a few long setae on ventral surfaces of femora and on basal halves of tibiae, becoming more abundant on apical halves of tibiae and tarsi.

Abdomen. greenish (yellowish-brown in dried specimens) with lateral halves greenish, area surrounding scent glands yellowish-brown, scent glands, themselves, reddish brown; ventrally densely punctured towards the lateral margins, area surrounding scent glands smooth ( Fig. 12 C ), each scent glands surrounded by a row of punctures, with more punctures between them; those between segments III-IV, IV-V, V-VI and VI-VII: the first divided into two parts and more separated from the following; second not divided, entire, somewhat wider than third, and last very small, non-functional. Ventrally greenish brown. Abdominal venter only punctured along lateral margins; spiracles 2 to 8 sublateral; no visible setae.

Figures

Fig. 1. Hellica nitida Haglund. The first author received this photograph for determination; the photographer’s name was not provided. It comes from the “Reserva Natural Municipal del Pilar” (Buenos Aires). The authors thank the photographer who sent this beautiful photograph, regrettably for the moment remaining anonymous.

Fig. 8. Hellica nitida Haglund. A. Male, dorsal view. B. Female, dorsal view. C. Female, lateral view. D. Female, genitalia ventral view. E. Male, pygophore dorsal view. F. Metapleura .

Fig. 5. Heads in dorsal view. A. E. farinai sp. nov. B. A. faundezi sp. nov. C. H. nitida Haglund. D. H. johni (Froeschner).

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

Fig. 12. Nymphs V. A. H. nitida. A fresh specimen. B. H. nitida. From the old museum collection (Berg). C. Detail of dorso-abdominal scent glands. D. H. johni.