Diaphyta richardsi, McDonald, 2001

McDonald, FJD, 2001, Two new species of Diaphyta Bergroth with notes on the genus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), Australian Journal of Entomology 40 (1), pp. 17-22 : 19-20

Diaphyta richardsi sp. n. (Figs 1 6–22)

Types. Western Australia. Holotype male, Dedari , 13.ii.1974, K. T. Richards ( WAM) . Paratypes: 2 males, Gilgai , 16.ii.1974, K. T. Richards ; 5 females, Gilgai, 13.ii.1974, K. T. Richards ; 1 female, same data as holotype; all WADA .

Description. A bronzy-brown species; head reddish-brown, antennae and rostrum pale brown. Thorax. Prothorax reddish-brown with black punctations in lower half. Hemelytra red-brown with distinct black maculatious in corium and clavus. Pleura and sterna orange-brown. Legs pale brown, tarsi slightly darker. Abdomen. Laterally and centrally orange-brown, remainder pale brown. Male genitalia. Pygophore, ventral margin straight with a deep median V-shaped cleft. Dorsal margin broadly V-shaped with 2 small spines, 1 on each side, near apex; inner wall bearing 2 stout spines, 1 on each side. Proctiger small, oblong. Aedeagus. Theca small squat lightly sclerotised. One pair of small membranous conjunctival appendages. Median penial lobes axe-shaped, moderately sclerotised, ejaculatory duct small and enclosed by median penial lobes. Female genitalia. Similar to species of Avicenna ( Gross & McDonald 1994). Paratergites 8 apically acute; paratergites 9 bluntly rounded. Hind margins of first gonocoxae straight, second gonocoxae visible below margins of first. Spermatheca similar to Avicenna, spermathecal bulb with 3 long processes. Measurements. Male (n = 3): length 5.5 (range 5.2–5.9); width 2.6 (range 2.5–2.7). Female (n = 7): length 6.1 (range 5.7–6.5); width 2.9 (range 2.8–3.0).

Etymology. The species is named after Kevin Richards, formerly of the Western Australian Department of Agriculture, collector of most of the specimens.

Note. The colours described above are found in dried specimens; in nature the bugs are probably bright green.