Conquistator, Gapon, 2009

Gapon, D. A., 2009, Conquistator, a new genus for Podisus mucronatus Uhler, 1897 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae) with a re-descripton of type species, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 18 (2), pp. 264-270 : 265-266

Genus Conquistator gen. nov.

Type species: Podisus mucronatus Uhler, 1897 .

Diagnosis. Conquistator differs from Podisus in two main ways: first, the basal part of the parameral corpus is wide and, second, the presence of a long digitiform process arising from the corpus ( Figs 1, 3–6 , l. pr). In Podisus , the basal part of the corpus of the paramere is narrow and the digitiform process is absent ( Figs 7–9 ). A long digitiform process on the corpus of the paramere is also present in Apoecilus and Supputius , but absent in other examined genera of Asopinae . The digitiform process should not be confused with the inner branch of the hypophysis. The digitiform process is located more basally than the plane of the hypophysis and present along with the inner branch of the hypophysis. Conquistator , Apoecilus and Supputius form a distinct holophyletic group identified by the synapomorphy described above. The new genus differs from Apoecilus in having the following complex of characters: each lateral margin of pronotum with rim separated dorsally (vs. without rim); glandular patches on male abdominal venter absent (vs. present); dorsoapical margin of pygophore lower than its ventroapical margin (vs. higher); apex of paramere hypophysis directed laterad ( Figs 1, 5 , apx) (vs. directed towards dorsoapical margin of the pygophore); ventrolateral lobes of conjunctiva without sclerites on their apices (figs 13, 15, vl. l) (vs. with sclerites); triangulum located under contiguous gonocoxites 1 and not intervening between them ( Fig. 16 , tr, gx. 1) (vs. intervening between gonocoxites 1). Conquistator is closely related to the genus Supputius and differs from it in having a shorter rostral segment II, not exceeding the combined length of segments II and III (vs. exceeding); a wider rim on each pronotal lateral margins; the posterior angles of abdominal segments short and obtuse (vs. pointed and rather long). Additionaly, the new genus differs from the genera Podisus , Apoecilus and Supputius in having the following characters: unimucronate humeral angles, strongly curving anteriad (vs. directed laterad, unimucronate or oblong in anterior part and widely rounded in posterior part in Supputius ; directed laterad, unimucronate in Apoecilus ; directed laterad or posteriad, unimucronate or bimucronate, in Podisus , curved anteriad, bimucronate in P. gundlachii (Guerin-Meneville, 1857) according to Thomas, 1992); the presence of a pair of distinct callosal patches on pronotum behind cicatrices and on the anterolateral corners of the scutellum (vs. absence in Podisus , Apoecilus and Supputius ); a short poriferous strip on the posterior margin of each mesopleurite not extending to lateral margin (vs. extending to lateral margin in Podisus , Apoecilus and Supputius ); lateroapical angles of the pygophore short, rounded (vs. long, angulate in Podisus , Apoecilus and Supputius ).

Note. I propose the hypothesis that the digitiform process of the paramere corpus is a newly formed structure which developed basally from the hypophysis and not lying in the plane of the latter ( Fig. 6 ). However another possible hypothesis is that the digitiform process may represent a derivative of the inner branch of the hypophysis. Thus, Podisus affinis Distant, 1880 has a long, thin, inner branch of the hypophysis which lies in the same plane ( Figs 10–12 ). This inner branch could shift basally of the hypophysis and become "the digitiform process". Then a structure which I consider above as the apex of the hypophysis of Conquistator and Supputius would be considered as the outer branch of the hypophysis appearing for the first time, whereas a structure mentioned above as the inner branch of Conquistator and Supputius is the true apex of the hypophysis.

The second hypothesis thus proposes that a unique character shared by the genera Conquistator , Apoecilus and Supputius is the basal location of the thin, long inner branch of the hypophysis, and a unique character of the genera Conquistator and Supputius is the appearance of the outer branch of the hypophysis.

Et ymology. The name of the new genus descends from Latin conquisitator which comes from the verb conquisitare, a frequentative formation of conquirere. The gender is masculine.

Composition. The genus contains only the type species distributed in USA (Florida), Cuba and Puerto-Rico.

Figures

Figs 1–12. 1, 3–12 – parameres (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 lateral view, 4, 7, 10 apical view); 2 – pygophore, caudal view. 1, 2 – Conquistator mucronatus (Uhler, 1897); 3 – Supputius tṷpicus (Distant, 1889); 4 – S. cincticeps (Stål, 1858); 5 – Apoecilus inoarius (Walker, 1867); 7, 8 – Podisus breoispinus Phillips, 1982; 10, 11 – P. affinis Distant, 1880; 6, 9, 12 – generalized schemes of paramere structure (6 – Conquistator, Apoecilus and Supputius; 9 – majority of Podisus species; 12 – Podisus affinis and probably some other species of Podisus). Apx, apex of paramere hypophysis; d. prd, dorsal parandria; da. m, dorsoapical margin of pygophore; dg. pr, digitiform process of paramere; inn. br, inner branch of paramere hypophysis; s. pr, sensory process of paramere; oa. m, ventroapical margin of pygophore. Scale bar: 0.25 mm.

Figs 13–17. 13–15 – aedeagi without phallobase, ventral view; 16 – gynatrium, ventral view; 17 – spermatheca, dorsal view.13, 16, 17 – Conquistator mucronatus (Uhler, 1897); 14 – Supputius tṷpicus (Distant, 1889); 15 – Apoecilus inoarius (Walker, 1867). A. con, apex of conjunctive; a. pr, apical processes of medial penal plates; a. th, apical part of theca; ann. s, annular gynatrial sclerite; b. s, basal gynatrial sclerites; b. th, basal part of theca; cap, capsule of spermatheca; con. s, conoid gynatrial sclerite; dm.d, distomedial part of spermathecal duct; gx 1, gonocoxites 1; l. b, longitudinal bands of medial penal plates; pr. d, proximal part of spermathecal duct; prm. d, proximomedial part of spermathecal duct; r. s, ring gynatrial sclerites; tr, triangulum; ves – vesica; ol. l, ventrolateral lobes of conjunctiva; VI, VI abdominal sternite; VII, VII abdominal sternite. Scale bar: 0.25 mm.