Table Of ContentPROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
101(1). 1999, pp. 138-142
ASHLOCKOBIUS, A NEW GENUS OF MYODOCHINI FROM VENEZUELA
(HEMIPTERA: LYGAEOIDEA: RHYPAROCHROMIDAE: MYODOCHINI)
James A. Slater and Alex Slater
(JAS) Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut,
Storrs, CT 06269, U.S.A.; (AS) 901 Alabama Street, Lawrence, KS 66044, U.S.A.
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Abstract. Ashlockobius cursorius, new genus and species of myodochine lygaeoid
is described from Venezuela. The genus is related cladistically to Orthaea Dallas, Catenes
Distant, Heraeiis Stal and Myodocha Latreille. It is believed to be an ant mimic. Figures
A
are given of the details of the inflated phallus and of the claspers. color figure of the
habitus is included.
Key Words: Hemiptera, Lygaeoidea, Rhyparochromidae, Myodochini. Venezuela, Ash-
lockobius cursorius, mimicry
The Myodochini constitute one of the occur in several tribes and is one of the di-
dominant elements in the lygaeoid fauna of agnostic features of the Myodochini.
the Neotropics. It is abundant and diverse All measurements are in millimeters.
not only in the number and variety of taxa
present but in the abundance of many in- Ashlockobius Slater and Slater,
dividuals of some species. Ant mimicry oc- new genus
curs frequently. The new genus described —
Description. Body elongate, slender,
below is apparently an ant mimic although
nearly parallel sided. Dorsal surface of
its biology is unknown. body subshining. Legs and antennae both
Henry (1997) has elevated the former extremely elongate. Head moderately decli-
subfamily Rhyparochrominae of the family
vent anteriorly; eyes set a short distance
Lygaeidae to family status with two sub- away from anterior pronotal angles. Anten-
families, the Plinthisinae and the Rhyparo- niferous tubercules divergent. Head below
chrominae with the former tribes of the lat- broadly transversely striate from level of
ter retained as tribes. We have adopted Hen- distal ends of antenniferous tubercles to
ry's conclusions here, but suggest that the level ofposterior margins ofeyes. Bucculae
tribes within his new definition of the sub- V-shaped. Vertex convex between eyes with
family may ultimately prove to merit family patches of pruinosity present.
status cladistically. Henry's statement that Anterior pronotal lobe extremely elon-
the subfamily Rhyparochrominae as rede- gate and elliptically convex, with a pruinose
fined consists of taxa with an incomplete median stripe on anterior pronotal lobe and
suture between abdominal sterna four and large irregular pruinose patches laterally on
five and with carinate pronotal margins is posterior half of anterior lobe. Posterior
an oversimplification. Genera that occur in pronotal lobe dull with a patch of white
at least five tribes within the Rhyparo- pruinosity near transverse impression on ei-
chrominae have the abdominal sternal su- ther side of midline. Pronotum with only
ture complete. Rounded, ecarinate pronota scattered, relatively inconspicuous, punc-
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101. 1 139
tures present; anterior collar complete, 4) without sclerotized conjunctival or vesi-
coarsely punctate, delimited posteriorly by cal spines; conjunctiva short, beaiing low
a sharp deeply impressed line, not produced lateral subapical lobes; vesica short; heli-
posteriorly at meson; transverse pronotal coid process present; a large lobe bearing
impression deep and complete; posterior many projections on each side of ejacula-
pronotal lobe with prominent punctures. tory reservoir. Ejaculatory reservoir with
Scutellum with a conspicuous Y-shaped, well developed wings (Fig. 2), holding
elevated carina; pruinose, bicolored with a sclerites short, narrowing distally.
large triangular basal grayish-white patch Type species. Ashlockobius cursorius,
and a spot on each side near divergence of new species. Monotypic.
elevated Y-carina, remainder of scutellum Discussion.- Ashlockobius keys without
reddish brown. Clavus, corium and mem- difficulty to couplet 51 in Harrington's
brane contrastingly strongly shining former (1980) key to myodochine genera. It differs
with 3 complete rows of punctures and a from Togo Bergroth (from Japan) in having
partial fourth row on distal halfbetween in- a relatively much longer anterior pronotal
ner and median rows. Corium moderately lobe, more than one and one-half times the
expanded posteriorly; outer margin irregu- length of the posterior lobe in Ashlocko-
lar and beaded, lacking a stridulitrum. Api- bius; in Togo the anterior lobe is at most
cal corial margin adjacent to membrane only slightly longer than the posterior lobe.
lacking a series of punctures. Mesepimeron Ashlockobius also does not have strongly
not emergent. Metathoracic scent gland au- curved anterior tibiae. Most specimens of
ricle short, straight, tapering distally; evap- Togo are brachypterous, the male fore tibiae
orative area large, covering inner two thirds are prominently curved, and the members
to three fourths of metapleuron, and ex- of the genus are relatively stout and robust.
tending narrowly along posterior margin of Ashlockobius differs from those genera
mesopleuron. reached through couplet 52 of Harrington
Fore coxa with a prominent spine and a by having the combination of armed male
smaller secondary spine present. Fore fe- fore tibiae, as described above, and an an-
mur elongate and slender, almost entire terior pronotal lobe at least 1.5 times as
ventral surface of each femur heavily spi- long as the posterior lobe.
nous, with rows of large spines along inner The absence of vesical or conjunctival
and outer edges and numerous small spines spines and the robustly winged ejaculatory
between. Each fore tibia with a widely reservoir with short holding sclerites places
spaced series of 4 short sharp spines on in- Ashlockobius in the group of genera with
ner face. Shaft of tibia not strongly curved. Harrington's Type IV phallus. This place-
Lateral and ventral surfaces completely ment is supported by the broadly rounded
dull and chiefly pruinose except for a large posterior margin of the pygophore (Fig. 5).
quadrate shining patch mesally on meso- Within this group the presence of pruinose
sternum, this latter with a narrow median areas on the dorsum and the somewhat
groove. Antenna very elongate, slender, te- elongate head and rounded vertex place the
rete with fourth segment fusiform. Posterior genus with a group on Harrington's clado-
margin of abdominal sternum 2 not finely gram consisting of Orthaea Dallas, Catenes
scalloped. Distant, Heraeus Stal, and Myodocha La-
Posterior margin of pygophore broadly treille. Analysis of other phallic characters
rounded, without a median impression. must await study of the inflated phallus of
Clasper (Fig. 3) with a distinct thumb-like more species. The illustration ofan inflated
exterior projection, interior margin with a Myodocha phallus provided by Ashlock
pronounced flange narrowing distally but (1957), which exhibits an elongate conjunc-
extending almost to apex. Phallus (Figs. 2, tiva with several lobes and an apparently
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
140
Fig. \. Ashlockohius ciirsorius. Dorsal view.
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VOLUME NUMBER
101. 141
Figs. 2-5. Ashlockobius ciirsorius. 2. Ejaculatory reservoir, dorsal view. 3, Claspers. outer and inner views.
4, Aedeagus, lateral view. 5, Genital capsule, dorsal view.
asymmetric set of vesical lobes, indicates Ashlockobius cursorius Slater and
that such studi—es will prove to be fruitful. Slater, new species
Etymology. It gives us great pleasure to (Figs. 1-5)
be able to dedicate this striking new genus Description. Male: Body very elon-
to the memory of Dr. Peter D. Ashlock for gate, slender, attenuated, with extremely
his many contributions to the systematics of elongate appendages. Color bright reddish
the Lygaeoidea. brown almost throughout, including ap-
142 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
pendages. Antenna with distal ends of seg- Holotype.—(?. VENEZUELA: Aragua,
ments II and III infuscated with chocolate 16 km S. Telerias, May 10, 1978 (C.W. &
brown. Corium marked with chocolate L.B. O'Brien and Marshall). In American
brown as follows: a small spot along lateral Museum of Na—tural History, New York.
corial margin at level of distal third of api- Etymology. The name is from the Latin
cal corial margin, a small apical spot, an word for a run—ner.
elongate dash along radial vein running Discussion. The male specimen upon
from level of distal fifth of claval commis- which the preceding description is based
sure nearly to anterior end of apical corial was collected in Venezuela twenty years
margin, a stripe at inner angle of corium ago. It is a striking, elongate, long-legged
that extends from inner margin at apical myodochine, which we have held for many
third of claval commissure to adjacent row years in the hope that additional specimens
of punctures then narrowly along apical would become available. Unfortunately this
corial margin to a level slightly posterior to has not happened.
lateral corial spot. Anterior collai" and pos- AcKNOWLEDGMENTS
terior pronotal lobe yellow, contrasting with
red-brown anterior lobe. Corium light yel- We thank Drs. Charles and Lois O'Brien
low brown except as noted above. (Florida State University, Tallahasee) for
Eyes large, protrudant but not stalked, the gift ofthe holotype and Mrs. Mary Jane
Spring (University of Connecticut) for ex-
head strongly narrowing behind eyes but
without a distinct stalked neck. Length head ecution of the dorsal view illustration.
1.34, width 1.20, interocular space 0.62. Literature Cited
Length pronotum 2.60, length anterior
Ashlock. P. D. 1957. An Investigation oftheTaxonom-
pronotal lobe (less anterior collar) 1.60, ic value of the Phallus in the Lygaeidae (Hemip-
width 1.84. Length scutellum 1.24, width tera-Heteroptera). Annals of the Entomological
0.96. Length claval commissure 0.84. Mid- Society of America 50; 407-426.
line distance apex clavus-apex corium 1.76. Haninclgatdoinst,icB.anaJ.lys1i9s80o.fAthegeMnyeordiocchleivneil orfevtihseioWnoralndd
Midline distance apex corium-apex abdo-
(Hemiptera, Lygaeidae, Rhyparochrominae). Bul-
men 1.72. Length labial segments I 0.76, II letin ofthe American Museum ofNatural History
0.84, III 0.52, IV 0.44. Labium reaching 167: 49-116.
posterior third of prosternum but remote Henry. T J. 1997. Phylogenetic Analysis of Family
Groups within the Infraorder Pentatomomorpha
from fore coxae. Length antennal segments
(Hemiptera: Heteroptera). with Emphasis on the
I 1.88, II 3.48, III 2.80, IV 1.72. Total body Lygaeoidea. Annals ofthe Entomological Society
length 9.80. of America 90: 275-301.
