Thyanta (Argosoma) testacea (Dallas)

Rider, David A. & Chapin, J. B., 1992, Revision of the genus Thyanta Stal, 1862 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) II. North America, Central America, and the West Indies., Journal N Y Ent Soc 100 (1), No. 1, pp. 42-98 : 91-93

Thyanta (Argosoma) testacea (Dallas)

Figs. 198-212, Map 7

Pentatoma testacea Dallas, 1851:250 ; Walker, 1867:289.

Thyanta testacea: Stal, 1872:35 ; Berg, 1878:23, Lethierry and Severin, 1893: 148; Kirkaldy, 1909:95.

Thyanta casta (of authors, not Stal): Uhler, 1893:705; Uhler, 1894b: 174.

Thyanta signoreti Ruckes, 1956:65-66 , fig. 7 (syn. by Rider and Chapin, 1991).

Thyanta (Argosoma) testacea: Rider and Chapin, 1991 .

Diagnosis. General color green to brown, rarely with rubiginous transhumeral markings.

Lateral jugal margins subparallel for middle third of distance from eyes to apex ( Fig. 199). Anterolateral pronotal margins straight to slightly concave; humeral angles angulate to rounded, usually produced beyond base of adjacent corium by about half width of eye ( Fig. 198). Pronotal cicatrices immaculate. Ostiolar canals acuminate apically. Posterolateral abdominal angles not marked with black or only minutely so; postspiracular black spots usually absent, sometimes evident in brown form.

Basal plates in caudoventral view with mesial margins convex, separated basally; posterior margins convex ( Fig. 210). Distal end of sclerotized rod slightly swollen subapically, narrowed apically ( Fig. 211); spermathecal duct greatly swollen below proximal flange, carrot-shaped ( Fig. 212). Posterior margin of pygophore broadly and shallowly U-shaped in caudal view ( Fig. 206); slightly concave in lateral view ( Fig. 209). Each paramere apically acute in both medial and ectal views ( Figs. 200, 201); concave surface oriented more dorsad than mediad; roughened spiculate area on lateral surface circular ( Fig. 202). Aedeagus with dorsomedial lobe apparently absent ( Fig. 204).

Types. Dallas (1851) described Pentotoma testacea from "S. America" without designating a holotype or paratypes, and it is not possible to determine how many syntypes he had. Rider and Chapin (1991) designated the only known 2 syntype as lectotype. The lectotype, which is conserved in the British Museum ofNatural History (London), was examined.

Distribution. Lesser Antilles and northern South America ( Map 7).

Specimens examined. 250 specimens collected during every month of the year, deposited in AMNH, ARH, BMNH, CAS, CU, DBT, EGER, ENGL, INHS, LACM, LHR, LSU, MSUE, SMEK, TAMU, USNM. BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: Tortola Island . U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS: St. Croix: Canaan ; Christiansted ; E Hill ; Experiment Station Grounds ; Hams Bluff . St. John: Estate Carolina , NW of Coral Bay ; Virgin Islands Natl Park . St. Thomas: Charlotte Amalie ; Estate Lilliendahl ; Frenchman's Bay . BRITISH WEST INDIES: Anguilla: N ofRoad Bay . Antigua: Coolidge ; Coolidge airport . Bequia . Dominica: Antrim ; Cabrit Swamp ; Clarke Hall ; Grande Savane ; Macoucheri ; Mero Beach ; Salybia ; Springfield Estate ; S Chiltern . Grenada: Caliveny Estate ; Grand Anse , St. Georges Parish ; Granville ; Mt Gay Estate ; St. Georges ; Santeurs . Montserrat: Galway's Estate ; Plymouth . St. Kitts: W Farm Gut . St. Lucia: 1.5 mi N Canaries . Tobago: Bucco Bay ; Grafton Estate . Trinidad: St. George Co ., Curepe C.I.B.C. Union. FRENCH WEST INDIES: Guadeloupe: Sur Cotonnier . Martinique: Diamant ; Sainte Anne . BARBADOS: Edge Hill ; Freshwater Bay ; Groves St. George . CURAÇAO .

Comments. Thyanta testacea is very closely related to the other species in the maculata group, and can be reliably identified only by examination of the male genitalia. The apically acute parameres curving gently dorsad will separate it from all congeners except T. patruelis, which it closely resembles. The chin-like protuberance on the posteroventral surface of the pygophore is somewhat less prominent in T. testacea than in T. patruelis. There does seem to be a geographical separation of the two forms with T. testacea restricted to northern South America and the Lesser Antilles, and T. patruelis occurring from northeastern Brazil and southern Peru southward.