Calliscyta STAL 1873
Creators: name: Gerry Cassis
name: Loren Vanags
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2006
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Scutelleridae
Calliscyta

description: Calliscyta STÅL 1873 (Figs 21d, 24a, 25, 26, 27) Revised Status
Calliscyta STÅL 1873: 9 (gen.n.); LETHIERRY & SEVERIN 1893: 31 (catalogue); SCHOUTEDEN 1904: 26 (description); KIRKALDY 1909: 301 (catalogue); MCDONALD & CASSIS 1984: 538 (junior synonym of CHoerocoris); CASSIS & GROSS 2002: 592 (junior synonym of CHoerocoris)
Diagnosis: Calliscyta is recognised by the following combination of characters: elongate-ovoid (Fig. 24a); head strongly deflexed (Fig. 24c); jugal margins rounded (Fig. 24c); anterolateral margins of pronotum strongly divergent, rectilinear (Figs 24a, 25a), carinate in profile (Figs 25c, d); anterolateral margins of scutellum foveate (Fig. 25a); peritreme broad, subtriangular (Fig. 25d); evaporative areas reduced (Fig. 24d); posterior margin of pygophore emarginate (Fig. 25e, f); ejaculatory apparatus prominent, convoluted ventral conducting canal present (Figs 26c, d); CAI absent (Fig. 26c); CAII symmetrically bifurcate (Figs 26c, d); CAIII fused medially (Figs 26c, d); and, vesica elongate (Figs 26c, d).
Type species: Calidea stalii VOLLENHOVEN 1863, monotypy
Description: Moderately sized; elongate-ovoid (Fig. 24a); dorsum mostly dark with orange to red markings (Fig. 24a); dorsally and ventrally strongly convex (Fig. 25c); body mostly punctulate (Fig. 24a); tip of wing visible beyond emarginate apex of Scutellum. Head: transverse; subtriangular (Fig. 25a), moderately deflexed; lateral margins of jugae rounded, punctulate (Fig. 25a); bucculae narrow. Antennae: AI, AII(a) and AII(b) short, AIV longest segment; AII(b)- AIV compressed. Labium: reaching base of metacoxae. Pronotum: broadly trapezoidal (Fig. 24a), strongly convex; anterolateral margins elongate, rectilinear, carinate; humeral angles rounded; posterolateral margins short, rounded; posterior margin rectilinear. Scutellum: elongate (Fig. 24a), strongly convex in profile, anterolateral angles depressed; apex truncate (Fig. 24a); forewings weakly exposed basally and caudally. Thoracic sterna: without prominent carination (Fig. 25b). Thoracic pleura: anterior margin of proepisternum lobate, moderately explanate (Fig. 25b). Thoracic Pleura: external efferent system of metathoracic glands moderately developed (Fig. 25d), os-tiole small; peritremal plate large, strongly convex (Fig 25b), without prominent medial sulcation; evaporative areas restricted to either side of anterior and posterior margins of the peritremal plate, not extending to mesepimeron (Fig. 25d). Male abdomen: strongly convex, broad; abdominal trichobothria in recessed area; urite VIII hidden. Male Genitalia: pygophore moderately sized, lozenge-shaped, ventral surface sinuate in profile, medially excavate, posterior margin with deep v-shaped notch (Figs 25e, f, 26a), with moderate distribution of setae (Fig. 25f); parameres basally columnar with shallow, hook-shaped apex, tip rounded (Fig. 26b); aedeagus with heavily-sclerotized box-shaped phallotheca, without processes (Figs 26c, d); two conjunctival appendages, CAII pair symmetrical membraneous, bifid, CAII(M) and CAII(L) with apical conical sclerites (Figs 26c, d); CAIII bifid, large, heavily-sclerotized, U-shaped, medially fused at base (Figs 26c,d); ductus seminis proximalis narrow; ejaculatory apparatus with heavily-sclerotized ventral convoluted conducting canals (Figs 26c, d); ejaculatory reservoir heavily-sclerotized, elongate-ovoid (Figs 26c, d): dorsal conducting canal broad, strongly sclerotized (Figs 26c, d); ductus seminis distalis strongly sclerotized (Figs 26c, d); vesica broad (Figs 26c, d). Female Terminalia: paratergites VIII broad, large, medially emarginate; paratergites IX small, subelliptoid; gonocoxae I subtriangular, with posterior margins concave; fecundation canal short; spermathecal reservoir circular, large, strongly thickened; fecundation canal short, narrow spermathecal bulb heavily sclerotized, with proximal and distal flanges.
Diversity and distribution: Calliscyta is a monotypic genus, restricted to tropical eastern Queensland.
Included species: C. stalii (VOLLENHOVEN 1863) Australia
Remarks: MCDONALD & CASSIS (1984) synonymized Calliscyta with CHoerocoris based on similarities of the male and female genitalia. Males of Calliscyta stalii differ significantly from CHoerocoris paganus and C. variegatus, by having the ductus seminis distalis tapered as opposed to greatly incrassate. In contrast, the conjunctival appendages of C. stalii and C. paganus are more alike, than the latter is with its congener C. variegatus. MCDONALD (1963a) reported on the significance of the bifid condition of the CAII and CAIII conjunctival appendages in these taxa. However, our observation reveal that these character states are broadly held in scutellerids. We consider the shape of the conjunctiva as of importance in separating species, but are doubtful indicators of phylogenetic significance. MCDONALD & CASSIS (1984) also indicated that the female genitalia of Calliscyta and CHoerocoris are closely aligned, but our observations indicate no special similarities in the external female genitalia and spermatheca. The conditions described in MCDONALD (1963b) are more descriptive of the Scutellerinae, rather than at any subordinate taxonomic level.
In contrast, Calliscyta stalii, differs from CHoerocoris, by the following characters: lateral margins of jugae rounded (cf. carinate), forewings extending beyond apex of scutellum (cf. covered), peritreme and evaporative areas of the metathoracic glands greatly reduced (cf. extensive), ventral margin of the male pygophore emarginate (cf. entire), and tapered ductus seminis distalis. These character differences are not only sufficient in recognising Calliscyta, but also provide significant differentiation from CHoerocoris, such that the closeness of the relationship of these two genera is in question.
description: Published as part of Gerry Cassis & Loren Vanags, 2006, Jewel Bugs of Australia (Insecta, Heteroptera, Scutelleridae), pp. 275-398 in Denisia 19 on pages 345-348, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12996779