Cyrtocapsus elutipes
Creators: name: Henry, Thomas J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Miridae
Cyrtocapsus
Cyrtocapsus elutipes

description: Cyrtocapsus elutipes (Bergroth), revised status
(Figs. 20–22. 67, 68)
Cyrtocapsus femoralis (of authors, in part): Carvalho 1954: 12 (in key), 1957: 96 (catalog); Ferreira & Rossi 1979: 133 (distribution, host); Henry & Carvalho 1987: 292 (key); Schuh 1995: 542 (catalog); Keller-Grein et al. 2000: 74 (host, damage); Schuh 2002 –2013 (online catalog); Ferreira et al. 2006: 9 (distribution); Ferreira & Henry 2011: 12 (distribution); Velez et al. 2020: 4 (distribution, hosts); Cazorla-Perfetti 2021: 13 (hosts, distribution).
Miccus elutipes Bergroth, 1910: 66 (original description; French Guiana). Synonymized in error by Carvalho, 1954: 12.
Cyrtocapsus nanus Carvalho 1954: 14 (original description; Panama), 1957: 96 (catalog); Carvalho & Rosas 1965: 210 (list, distribution); Henry & Carvalho 1987: 292 (key); Schuh 1995: 542 (catalog), 2002–2013 (online catalog). New synonymy.
Diagnosis. Cyrtocapsus elutipes (Figs. 20–22) is distinguished by the relatively small size, black dorsum, pale yellowish-white antenna, whitish legs, including the coxae (with the bases of the middle and hind coxae sometimes brown), and the male parameres, particularly the broadly rounded right paramere (Fig. 68).
It is most similar to C. mesoamericanus (Fig. 39) and C. rostratus (Figs. 49–51) in the overall dark color and pale yellowish-white antenna and legs. Cyrtocapsus mesoamericanus differs in the larger size, the stout, C-shaped left paramere (Fig. 85) and the basally broad right paramere (Fig. 86) that tapers to a point apically; C. rostratus differs in the larger size, the frequently paler posterior margin of the pronotum, triangular pale area at the apex of the corium, broader left paramere (Fig. 93), and apically truncate right paramere (Fig. 94).
Description. Male (Fig. 20) (n = 5, plus holotype ♂ measurements of C. nanus in parentheses): Length to apex of membrane 2.59–3.48 mm (2.84 mm), length to base of cuneus 1.76–2.40 mm (1.92 mm), widest width across hemelytra 1.42–1.55 mm (1.41 mm). Head: Width 0.69–0.82 mm (0.75 mm), interocular width 0.37–0.45 mm (0.45 mm). Labium: Length 0.64–0.80 mm (0.64 mm). Antenna: Segment I length 0.35–0.46 mm (0.35 mm); II (n = 4), 0.37–0.61 mm (0.38 mm); III, 0.30–0.56 mm (0.34 mm); IV, shriveled or missing. Pronotum: Median length 0.67–0.91 mm (0.74 mm), basal width 1.04–1.31 mm (1.17 mm).
Coloration: Head fuscous to black dorsally and ventrally, with sides and inner margins of eyes yellowish brown; eyes dark reddish brown. Labium pale yellow, sometimes strongly tinged with red. Antennal segments I and II pale yellow, segments III and IV darker brown. Pronotum uniformly black. Scutellum uniformly black. Hemelytron black, with apex of corium narrowly pale; cuneus black, narrowly pale at base; membrane translucent, veins and inside of areole fuscous to black. Ventral surface black. Coxae pale or whitish, with extreme bases of middle and hind coxae sometimes brown; remainder of legs whitish, with only tarsomere III and claws slightly darker brown.
Texture and vestiture: Shiny, rugose, frons weakly transversely striate, with silvery, sericeous setae along base, inner margin of eyes, midline, and across striations. Pronotum shiny, evenly punctate, punctures on calli and collar smaller; calli prominent, separated by a deep pit; with dense silvery, sericeous setae across collar and calli and more scatter, slender, silvery setae on disc. Scutellum finely punctate, with dense silvery, sericeous setae. Hemelytron weakly shiny, with scattered silvery, sericeous setae.
Male genitalia: Left paramere (Fig. 67) elongate, somewhat S-shaped, tapering on apical third with a sharp hook at apex. Right paramere (Fig. 68) L-shaped in lateral aspect, narrow at base, main body evenly elongate and rounded apically.
Female (Figs. 21, 22) (n = 5; plus lectotype ♀ measurements of C. elutipes in parentheses): Length to apex of membrane 2.66–3.60 mm (3.04 mm), length to base of cuneus 1.86–2.40 mm (2.14 mm), widest width across hemelytra 1.41–1.62 mm (1.38 mm). Head: Width 0.77–0.83 mm (0.75 mm), interocular width 0.40–0.45 mm (0.40 mm). Labium: Length 0.58–0.83 mm (0.62 mm). Antenna: Segment I length 0.38–0.45 mm (0.48 mm); II, 0.53–0.56 mm (0.45 mm); III, 0.43–0.54 mm (missing); IV, 0.72–0.74 mm (missing). Pronotum: Median length 0.83–0.90 mm (0.80 mm), basal width 1.15–1.33 mm (1.18 mm).
Host. Keller-Grein et al. (2000) documented injury to pastures of Centrosema pubescens Benth. [Fabaceae] by C. elutipes (as C. femoralis) in Colombia, and Cazorla-Perfetti (2021) summarized the known host associations, including Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. [Convolvulaceae], Centrosema pubescens and C. acutifolium Benth, and Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. [Fabaceae]; two other records from grasses (Vélez et al. 2020) undoubtedly are incidental. Six specimens in the material examined were taken on Centrosema brasilianum (L.) Benth. and three on C. acutifolium in Colombia and Panama. The relatively numerous specimen and literature records from beans, Centrosema spp., and V. unguiculata indicate these plants apparently are not accidental or incidental host occurrences, and that this species may be a legume specialist. More work is needed to determine the host specificity this species and others throughout the genus.
Distribution. Cyrtocapsus elutipes was described from French Guiana (Bergroth 1910) and later incorrectly reported from Venezuela based on the original description of C. femoralis (Carvalho 1957), and junior synonym C. nanus was described from Panama and Trinidad (Carvalho 1954). This species also has been recorded from Colombia (as C. femoralis) (Keller-Grein et al. (2000). Records of C. femoralis of authors from Brazil (e.g., Ferreira & Rossi 1979, Ferreira & Henry 2011, Vélez et al. 2020) should be referred to C. rostratus. New country records based on verified specimens below are Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Discussion. I have studied a specimen (Figs. 23, 24) in the Helsinki Museum labeled in Reuter’s hand as “ Cyrtocapus femoralis n. sp. ” with the labels “Spec. typ.” from San-Esteban, French Guiana (the type locality of C. femoralis) and have determined that all workers since Reuter’s (1892) original description have misidentified C. femoralis (see C. femoralis in this paper), which has apical third or more of all femora dark brown.
In addition, I have examined a female from “ Guiana gallica” clearly belonging the type series of Miccus elutipes, also deposited in the Helsinki Museum and labeled as Miccus elutipes Bergroth, which agrees in all respects with what authors since Reuter’s (1892) description have mistakenly called C. femoralis. Consequently, I am recognizing this specimen below as the lectotype of M. elutipes.
I also have studied the holotype and a series of paratypes of C. nanus Carvalho and other specimens from Mexico and Central America and parts of northern South America and have concluded that all specimens previously identified as C. femoralis from these areas, including those of C. nanus Carvalho, are conspecific with C. elutipes. Type specimens of C. nanus and other material identified as this species have been selected primarily because of their small size, particularly the holotype. Carvalho (1954) indicated C. nanus was characterized by the short rostrum, short second antennal segment, small body size, and structure of the male genitalia. The length of the labium, however, is not unique for this species and the lengths of the antennal segments vary but segment II is always longer than segment I, including for the holotype. All other characters, including the small size and male genitalia, are within range of variability observed in the lectotype (of Miccus elutipes) and other specimens I have recognized as C. elutipes.
As noted under the distribution above, specimens identified as C. femoralis from Brazil (e.g., Ferreira & Rossi 1979, Ferreira & Henry 2011, Vélez et al. 2020) should be referred to C. rostratus.
Type designation. To ensure nomenclatural stability, I am designating the following female syntype in the Helsinki Museum as the lectotype of Miccus elutipes Bergroth: Label 1 (handwritten), “ Guiana gallica”; 2 (handwritten), “ Miccus elutipes Bergr. ”; 3, “Mus. Zool. H:fors Spec. type. No. 9831 Miccus elutipes Bergr. ”; 4 (red printed label, here added), “ LECTOTYPE: ♀ Miccus elutipes Bergroth, desig. by T.J. Henry ” (FMNH).
Other type material examined. Holotype ♂ (of Cyrtocapsus nanus Carvalho): PANAMA: Ft. Clayton, C. Z., xii-1946, N.L.H. Krauss (USNM). Paratypes (of C. nanus): PANAMA: 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, Summit, Canal Zone, IX-1946, N.H.L. Krauss (USNM); 2 ♀♀, P[ort] of Spain, Trinidad, Oct. 1950, N.L.H. Krauss (USNM).
Other specimens examined. BRAZIL: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Pará, 14 km S Vijia, 19 June 1973, R.T. & J.C. Schuh (AMNH); 1 ♂, Ceara: Barbalha, May 1969, F.M. Alvarenga (AMNH). COLOMBIA: 1 ♂, Finca San Luis, Lake El Carmelo, 3–5 Mar. 1975, R. Wilkerson, light trap (TAMU); 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Meta Puerto Gaitan, Carimagua, 23 Nov. 1988, C.A. Garcia, ex Centrosema brasilianum (USNM); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, Meta Carimagua, La Pista, 22 Oct. 1990, P. Hernandez, ex Centrosema brasilianum (USNM); 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Meta Villavicencio la Libertad, 14 Feb. 1989, A.E. Acosta, ex Centrosema acutifolium (USNM); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Tolima Dept., Venadillo, 3 Sept. 1959, M. Revlo, ex malezas (USNM); 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀, Córdoba Montería, 10–11 Oct. 1971, R.T. & J.C. Schuh, sweeping roadside vegetation (AMNH). COSTA RICA: 7 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, Puntarenas Prov. Rincon de Osa, Osa Penisula, 14–26 Jul. 1969, Toby Schuh & Janet Crane (AMNH); 1 ♂, 3 mi. W Turrialba, 27 Aug. 1972, G.F. & S. Hevel (USNM). GUYANA: 1 ♂, Demerara, 1980 [no collector], on Ipomoea batatas (BMNH). HONDURAS: 2 ♀♀, La Celba, 25 Nov. 1978, Gary V. Manley (TAMU). JAMAICA: 1 ♀, St. Mary, 1 mi. S Oracabessa, 400’, 17 Mar. 1987, J.A. Shuey (TAMU). MEXICO: Chiapas: 1 ♂, Chiapas, Palenque, 10 Jul. 1974, W.F. Chamberlain (TAM). PANAMA: 1 ♂, Chir [iquí], Las Lagunas nr. El Hato del Volcan, 22 July 1976, W.E. Clark (USNM); 2 ♀♀, Darlen Prov., Garachine, 17–18 Feb. 1952, F.S. Blanton (USNM); 15 ♂♂, 24 ♀♀, Colón Pr., PNAR Lago Gatun, el 300 ft., 27 Jul. 1999, 09º20’08”N, 79º50’52”W, J.C. Schaffner (11 ♂♂, 20 ♀♀, TAMU; 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, USNM); 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Colón Prov., 2 km S Sabanitas, 9º19’19”N, 79º47’54”W, 23 June 1999, A.R. Gillogly (TAMU); 3 ♀♀, Panamá Prov., P.N. Soberaniá, Old Gamboa rd., el 40 m, 09º05’00”N, 79º40’22”W, 12 Aug. 1999, J. Schaffner (TAMU)); 3 ♀♀, Canal Zone, Gatun, 22 Aug. 1970, J. & M. Sedlacek (AMNH). SURINAME: 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Suriname Du Guiana, Rusten Werk, 15 May 1939, D.C. Geyskes, on Centrosema (USNM); 1 ♀, Paramaribo, 13–19 Apr. 1970, N. Nisser (USNM); 1 ♂, intercepted at Miami Intl. Airport from Suriname, 26 Feb. 2016, “in aircraft” (USNM). TRINIDAD: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Arma Valley, 800–1200 ft., 10–22 Feb. 1964, J.G. Rosen and P. Wygodzinsky (AMNH). VENEZUELA: 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Co. Mendoza, 1 April 1938, C.J. Ballou, on Ipomoea batatas (USNM); 1 ♀, El Valle, 26 Mar. 1938, C.H. Ballou, on Ipomoea batatas (USNM).
description: Published as part of Henry, Thomas J., 2022, Revision of the New World Plant Bug Genus Cyrtocapsus (Heteroptera: Miridae Bryocorinae: Eccritotarsini), with New and Revised Synonymies, Lectotype Designations, and Descriptions of 12 New Species, pp. 1-48 in Zootaxa 5154 (1) on pages 16-17, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5154.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6646359