Peribalus, Mulsant et Rey, 1866

Belousova, E. N., 2007, Revision of the shield-bug genera Holcostethus Fieber and Peribalus Mulsant et Rey (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae) of the Palaearctic Region, Entomological Review 87 (6), pp. 701-739 : 704

Subgenus Peribalus s. str.

Diagnosis. Aedeagus with 1 pair of conjunctive processes sclerotized at apices. Theca without lateral processes. Paramere with smoothened sensory lobe. Uneven area of inner surface of paramere rounded at base. Pygofer with attenuate pointed apices and narrowly rounded median emargination. Spermathecal bulb elongate, with processes; sclerotized duct spherically widened at base. Laterotergite IX slightly widened at apex; sternite IX short and wide, with even lower margin and pointed apices.

Variation. Coloration and punctation of the body exhibit geographical variability. For example, coloration of P. strictus varies between mainly brownish in the individuals from the European part of the range ( P. vernalis ) and bright ochraceous in those from the Asian part ( P. capitatus ). In parallel, punctation varies from rarefied, rather coarse, and black to denser, fine, usually concolorous.

Composition. The subgenus includes P. strictus (Fabricius, 1803) with three subspecies, P. strictus strictus , P. strictus vernalis (Wolff, 1804) , and P. strictus capitatus Jakovlev, 1889 .

The subgenus also includes P. lodosi described from the northern areas of Iraq ( Figs. 4 , 21 , 72 ) and P. pishinensis from Pakistan ( Fig. 5 ) (Ahmad et al., 1986), the structure of the genitalia in these species is typical of the subgenus. In the descriptions, these species were not compared with P. strictus capitatus widely distributed in Middle Asia and known from Iran and Afghanistan. The differences indicated for the species fall within the range of variability of P. strictus capitatus , which casts doubt on their specific rank.

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Peribalus Mulsant et Rey, spermatheca: (1) P. strictus capitatus (Jak.), (2) P. strictus strictus (F.), (3) P. strictus vernalis (Wolff), (4) P. lodosi Ahmad et al., (5) P. pishinensis Ahmad.

Figs. 18–22. Peribalus Mulsant et Rey, aedeagus: (18) P. strictus strictus (F.), (19) P. strictus vernalis (Wolff), (20) P. strictus capitatus (Jak.), (21) P. lodosi Ahmad, (22) P. sinuatus Ahmad.

Figs. 63–73. (63–67) Pygofer [(63) Paraholcostethus breviceps (Horv.), (64) Holcostethus albipes (F.), (65) Holcostethus evae Ribes, (66) Peribalus classeyi Hob., (67) Holcostethus (Enigmocoris) fissiceps Horv.]; (68–73) parameres [(68) Paraholcostethus breviceps (Horv.), (69) Himalayacoris pilosus sp. n., (70) Peribalus classeyi Hob., (71) Peribalus imtiazi Abbasi, (72) Peribalus lodosi Ahmad, (73) Peribalus sinuatus Ahmad)].