Table Of Content—
PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
101(3), 1999, pp. 490-495
PLATYSCYTISCA BERGMANNAE, A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF
NEOTROPICAL PLANT BUG RESEMBLING SPECIES OF PLATYSCYTUS
REUTER (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE: PHYLINAE)
Luiz A. A. Costa and Thomas J. Henry
(LAAC) Departamento de Entomologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio
de Janeiro, Quinta Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 20942; (TJH) Systematic Ento-
mology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
% National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560-0168 U.S.A. (e-mail:
@
thenry sel.barc.usda.gov)
—
Abstract. The new genus Platyscytisca is described to accommodate the new species
P. bergmannae, collected in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Ficiis sp. A dorsal and ventral habitus,
male genitalia, male genital capsule, and male and female antennae are illustrated to help
with recognition. Amazonophilus Carvalho and Costa is resurrected from synonymy under
Platyscytus Reuter, and its relationship to Platyscytisca is discussed.
Key Words: Insecta, Heteroptera, Miridae, Phylinae, Platyscytisca, new genus, berg-
mannae, new species, Brazil
—
During cooperative work on New World Diagnosis. This new genus is distin-
Miridae, we discovered a peculiar new phy- guished from other phyline mirids by the
iine that was taken on Ficiis sp. in Sao Pau- combination of the overall pale coloration,
lo, Brazil. Externally, this new species re- banded second antennal segment, broad
sembles some taxa now included in the head with the concave vertex, pale hemel-
Neotropical genus Platyscytus Reuter (Car- ytra with a small, round, dark spot on the
valho 1958, Carvalho and Costa 1994, cuneus and another on the membrane just
Schuh 1995) or Amazonophilus (Carvalho distal to the large areole, cluster of four
and Costa 1993), a genus recently synony- spines on the male genital capsule, and by
mized by Kerzhner and Schuh (1995). the long, slender vesica, with a very slen-
Herein, we describe the new genus Pla- der, sharply bent, apical process.
—
tyscytisca to accommodate the new species Description. Small, delicate phyline,
Platyscytisca bergmannae and provide a overall coloration pale or whitish. Head im-
dorsal and ventral habitus and illustrations punctate, much broader than long, convex
ofthe pretarsus, male genitalia, malegenital
anteriorly in dorsal aspect, strongly pro-
capsule, and male and female antennae.
duced ventrally below eyes a distance
Amazonophilus is resurrected from synon- slightly greater than the lateral height of an
ymy under Platyscytus, and the relationship
eye, vertex wide, concave, wider than com-
to Platyscytisca is discussed. bined dorsal widths of eyes. Rostrum slen-
Platyscytisca Costa and Henry, der, extending to metacoxae or beyond. An-
new genus tenna relatively slender; segments I and II
Type species. Platyscytisca bergman- subequal in diameter; segments III and IV
nae, new species. more slender; segment II longest, with two
VOLUME 101. NUMBER 3 491
Figs. 1-3. Playrscytisca hergmannae. 1. Dorsal adult habitus. 2, Antenna (a. male: b. female). 3. Pretarsal
claw.
dark bands. Pronotum impunctate, much spot on basal half; membrane translucent,
wider than long, posterior width wider than with two areoles and a small dark spot just
anterior width, lateral margins rounded, beyond large areole and a slender fuscous
basal margin distinctly emarginate; calli streak near apex of cuneus. Ventral surface
weakly delimited laterally and posteriorly pallid. Legs slender, unmarked; tibial spines
by a shallow impressed line. Mesoscutum slender, pale; claws typically phyline, arolia
distinctly swollen transversely and raised large, fleshy, extending nearly to apex of
well above surface of pronotum; scutellum each claw. Genital capsule typically round-
subequilateral, slightly wider than long, ed, with a cluster or field of four spines
middle of base raised to level of mesoscu- (Figs. 4-6) ventrolaterally on left side, two
tum, then gradually sloping to level ofhem- lateral spines shorter and two, sometimes
elytra. Hemelytron impunctate, translucent; branched, inner ones longer. Vesica (Fig.
cuneus longer than wide with a small dark 7a) long and slender, apical third more slen-
—
492 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHING'l'ON
Figs. 4-6. Platyscytisca hergmannue. 4, Ventral adult habitus. 5, Male genital capsule showing pt)siti()n of
spine cluster. 6, Cluster ofspines on male genital capsule enlarged.
der, sharply bent, apex with an even more cess having ventral arm of crescent bifid;
slender, sharply bent, weakly serrated pro- right paramere simple, rounded (Fig. 9);
cess (Fig. 7b); left paramere (Figs. 8a, b) phallotheca (Fig. 10).
with a distinct crescent-shaped lateral pro- Etymology. Platyscytisca is a noun de-
— ——
VOLUME NUMBER
101. 3 493
rived from the generic name Platyscytus much more work on these seemingly simi-
and the suffix "isca," taken from the Anglo lar taxa is needed.
Saxon "isc," denoting "origin or pertaining
Platyscytisca bergmannae Costa and
to," to draw attention to the overall simi-
larity of it to Platyscytus. The gender is Henry, new species
(Figs. 1-10)
feminine.
Remarks. Platyscytisca appears similar Diagnosis. Platyscytisca bergmannaeis
to Amazonophilus Carvalho and Costa and best distinguished by the generic characters,
some species of Platyscytus Reuter based particularly by the cluster of four spines on
on the structure of the head, overall pale the male genital capsule and the structure
coloration, banded antennae, and dark spots of the left paramere and vesica. The com-
on the cuneus and membrane, but very dif- bination of a dark first antennal segment,
ferent genitalia suggest that this resem- two bands on the second antennal segment,
blance simply reflects convergence. The pe- and the small round dark spot on each cu-
culiar vesica having a slender, abruptly nar- neus and one on the membrane just beyond
rowed apical process, the cluster of four the large areole (and a narrow fuscous
distinct, apically acute spines on the left la- streakjust beyond apex ofcuneus) will dis-
teroventral area ofthe male genital capsule, tinguish this species from similar appearing
and the crescent-shaped lateral process on species of Platyscytus.
the left paramere appear quite unique in the Description. Male (n = 5): Length
Neotropical mirid fauna. 2.80-3.04 mm, width 0.98-1.16 mm.
We note that Kerzhner and Schuh (1995) Head: Dorsal length 0.30-0.32 mm, width
synonymized Amazonophilus under Playts- 0.62-0.66 mm, vertex 0.32-0.34 mm; uni-
cytus by stating "Judging from the habitus formly pale or whitish. Rostrum: Length
figure and illustrations ofmale genitalia, hi- 0.80-0.84 mm, extending to about meta-
punctatus is a species of Playtscytus, and coxae. Antenna (Figs. 2a, b): Segment I,
we are so treating it." Although we have length 0.24 mm, dark brown to fuscous,
not studied the genitalia of the type of the paler at apex; H, 0.88-1.00 mm, pale or
genus, P. hinotatus Reuter (nor have the whitish, with basal Va and a broad band on
genitalia been illustrated in the literature), apical Vi fuscous; IK, 0.30-0.34 mm, pale
we have examined the similar P. hlantoni or white, with basal Vi fuscous; IV, 0.30-
Carvalho (1955), and find that the extreme- 0.32 mm, pale or white, with basal V3 fus-
ly long, nearly filamentous vesica of Ama- cous. Pronotum: Length 0.34-0.36 mm;
zonophilus hipunctatus Carvalho and Costa, basal width 0.86-0.92 mm; uniformly pale
having multiple coils, is quite unlike the or whitish. Hemelytron: Uniformly pale or
relatively short, stout vesica of P. blantoni, whitish, large portion of clavus, corium,
having only a single coil. In addition, Car- and membrane translucent; a small fuscous
valho (1955) considered the short, singly spot on basal V2 of cuneus, and on mem-
coiled vesica of P. tucumanus (Carvalho brane a round fuscous spot just distal to
1953) of the same generic type as P. hi- large areole and a fuscous streak just be-
notatus. Our observations also indicate that yond apex ofcuneus. Ventral surface: Uni-
Platyscytus is likely not monophyletic and formly pale or whiti.sh. Legs: Uniformly
seems to be made up of at least three spe- pale or whitish; tibial spines small, pale;
cies groups, each of which probably repre- claws with large fleshy arolia (Fig. 3). Male
sents a separate genus. Based on this infor- genitalia: Genital capsule evenly rounded,
mation, we feel it is premature to consider with field offour prominent spines (Figs. 5,
Amazonophilus a junior synonym of Pla- 6); vesica (Figs. 7a, b); left paramere (Figs.
tyscytus and, therefore, resurrect Amazono- 8a, b); right paramere (Fig. 9); phallotheca
philus, revised status, recognizing that (Fig.10).
494 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Figs. 7-10. Platyscytisca hergmcinnae. 7, Vesica (a. entire structure, including phallobase; b. Apex showing
slender apical process). 8, Left paramere (a, lateral aspect; b, lateral aspect, rotated 180° from Fig. 8a). 9, Right
paraniere. 10. Phallotheca.
Female (n = 7): Length 2.72-0.288 mm, mm; II, 0.78-0.84 mm; III, 0.34-0.36 mm;
width 1.12-1.14 mm. Head: Length 0.32- IV, 0.26-0.30 mm. Pronotum: Length
0.34 mm, width 0.64-0.66 mm, vertex 0.34-0.36 mm, basal width 0.84-0.92 mm.
—
0.32-0.34 mm. Rostrum: Length 0.82-0.86 Etymology. This species is named in
mm. Antenna: Segment I, length 0.22-0.24 honor of its collector. Dr. Eliana Cherubini
VOLUME NUMBER
101, 3 495
Bergmann (Institute Biologico, Sao Paulo, NMNH, Washington, DC) for kindly re-
Brazil). — viewing the manuscript.
Type specimens. Holotype 6, Brasil, S. Literature Cited
P., Sao Paulo, Institute Biologico, May
1997, E. C. Bergmann coll., taken on Ficus CarvaLlVhIoI,I:J.AC.newM.ge1n9u5s3.anNdeotsrpoepciiceasl f"rMoimriSdoaeu,t"h
sp. (Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Bra- America (Hemiptera). Revista Brasileira Biologia
sil). Paratypes: 16 S, 32 ?, May 1997 & 13(1): 33-40.
19 March 1998, same locality and collector Carvalho.J. C. M. 1955. NeotropicalMiridae,LXXVI:
as for holotype (Museu Nacional; National Genus ""Platyscytus"" Reuter, with key and de-
scription of new species (Hemiptera). Revista
Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Brasileira Biologia 15(2): 137-140.
Institution, W—ashington, DC, USA). Carvalho, J. C. M. 1958. Catalogue ofthe Miridae of
Remarks. All specimens have been in the world. Part III. Orthotylinae. Arquivos Museu
alcohol, so the quality of many is poor. Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. 47(3): 1-161.
Carvalho, J. C. M. and L. A. A. Costa. 1993. Mirideos
neotropicais, CCCLXXVII: Dois generos e espe-
Acknowledgments cies de Phylinae (Hemiptera). Anais Academia
We are grateful to Eliana Cherubini CarvaBlrhasoi,leJ.irCa.CMie.ncainadsL6.5(A2.):A.20C3o-s2t0a7.1994. Mirideos
Bergmann (Instituto Biologico, Sao Paulo, neotropicais, CCCLXXIV: Generos e especies no-
Brazil) for sending the specimens used to vos de Rondonia, Brasil (Hemipera). Revista
describe P. bergmannae. We also thank R. Brasileira Biologia 54(2): 229-245.
Kerzhner. I. M. and R. T. Schuh. 1995. Homonymy,
C. Froeschner (Department of Entomology, Synonymy, and New Combinations in the Miridae
National Museum of Natural History (Heteroptera). American Museum Novitates,
[NMNH], Smithsonian Institution, Wash- Number 3137. 11 pp.
ington, DC), D. R. Miller (Systematic En- Schuh, R. T. 1995. Plant Bugs of the World (Insecta:
tomology Laboratory, ARS, USDA [SEL], bHuettieornosp,teHrao:stMiLriisdta,e)a.ndSyBsitbelmiaotgircapChayt.alNoge,wDiYstorrik-
Beltsville, MD), and D. R. Smith (SEL, % Entomological Society, New York, 1329 pp.
