Polytes Stal
Creators: name: Eger, J. E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 1990
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Scutelleridae
Polytes

description: Genus Polytes Stal
Polytes Stal 1867: 492 (keyed); Stal 1870: 7; Schouteden 1904b: 49-50 (described, keyed); Kirkaldy 1909: 286 (listed); Distant 1911: 242; Lattin 1977: 187-190.
Polytodes Horvath 1892: 254-255; Schouteden 1904a: 60-61 (described, keyed); Schouteden 1904b: 50-51; Kirkaldy 1909: 287 (listed). (Synonymized by Lattin 1977: 188.)
Trichothyreus Stal 1867: 493-494; Stal 1870: 12 (listed); Schouteden 1904b: 54 (keyed, described); Kirkaldy 1909: 288 (listed). NEW SYNONYMY.
Description. Small to medium in size (7.2-13.5 long). Body moderately to strongly convex, oval to elongate oval. Dorsum glabrous (provided with short, dense setae in P. granulatus). Ventral punctation dense, sparse mesially on abdomen. Head moderately to strongly convex, porrect to slightly declivent, moderately narrowed anterad of eyes. Tylus surpassing juga by less than its width. Apical 2-3 antennal segments slightly flattened or subsulcate. Rostrum attaining 2nd or 3rd abdominal sternites; 1st rostral segment slightly shorter than or subequal to 2nd, 2nd segment subequal to 3rd and 4th segments combined (shorter than latter 2 in P. velutinus), 3rd and 4th segments subequal. Pronotum convex, about twice as wide as long (less than twice as wide as long in P. velutinus). Osteolar rugae simple, cupuliform, no longer than width of osteole (slightly longer in P. velutinus). Thoracic sterna shallowly sulcate. Distance from osteoles to anterolateral corners of metapleura roughly equal to distance from osteoles to metacoxae. Lateral margins of abdominal sternites entire.
Male genital cup exposed. Proctiger simple, lightly sclerotized. Aedeagus with 3 pairs of conjunctival diverticula, 1st pair entirely membranous (apices sclerotized in P. lineolatus), 2nd and 3rd pairs variously sclerotized at apices (3rd may be membranous in P. lineolatus). Head of parameres uncinate (bilobed in P. confusus), ectal surface striated; shank thin and cylindrical to broadly truncate near head.
Female genital plates simple, mesial margins of 1st gonocoxae and 9th paratergites submarginally impressed.
Type Species. Polytes hebraicus Stal, a junior synonym of P. lineolatus (Dallas).
Distribution. Species of Polytes range from Venezuela to Colombia west and south to Bolivia and Argentina, primarily in the Andes Mountains and adjacent lowlands. Many species of this genus have been collected only in Peru, and all species except P. propinquus and P. rubromaculatus have been found in Peru.
Comment. The first and second pairs of conjunctival diverticula are fused basally in all species of Polytes and may be lobes of a single pair of diverticula. Nevertheless, their presence is helpful in separating Polytes from related genera.
Trichothyreus vitticeps Stal is a junior synonym of P. granulatus (Walker). Thus the monotypic genus Trichothyreus Stal becomes a junior synonym of Polytes.
Polytes is unusual among Neotropical scutellerid genera in that almost all specimens examined were males. Females were seen for only six of the 18 species and usually only one or two specimens were available for study. As a result, characters given to separate species were based almost entirely on males. The few females studied were similar in appearance to conspecific males.
Nothing is known about the biology of species of Polytes.
Species Croups
The species of Polytes can be grouped into two species groups for convenience. Although members of the P. fenestra group appear to be closely related phylogenetically, the P. tigrinus group contains several species (P. lineolatus, P. velutinus, and, to a lesser degree, P. granulatus) that are not closely related to the other species of this group. Thus, these species groups do not infer phylogenetic relationships. The two groups are as follows:
Polytes tigrinus group
Diagnosis. Body moderately to strongly convex, 7.5-13.5 long. Dorsal coloration variable, usually stramineous to light brown with dark punctation or maculation or both. Venter stramineous to brown; punctation usually distinctly darker than surrounding surface. Lateral margins of juga finely carinate to rounded. First antennal segment usually pale, at least basally, remaining segments dark brown to black. At least anterior portion of connexival segments pale. Abdominal sterna convex (2nd and 3rd visible sternites shallowly sulcate in P. velutinus). Superior ridge of genital cup evenly concave to strongly sinuate. Second conjunctival diverticula simple.
Comment. Species of the P. tigrinus group (P. tigrinus, P. lineolatus, P. propinquus, P. velutinus, P. nigrovittatus, P. obscurus, P. granulatus, and P. bimaculatus) can be recognized by the pale venter, usually with dark maculation or punctation, and the pale or bicolored connexiva. They are not as closely related to one another as are species of the P. fenestra group and are thus more easily separated. Coloration, head shape, and body size are diagnostic in this group. In addition, the shape of the genital cup, parameres (except for P. obscu-rus), and apices of the conjunctival diverticula (except for P. lineolatus) were relatively consistent within species.
Polytes fenestra group
Diagnosis. Body moderately convex, broadly oval, 7.2-10.8 long. Dorsum brown to black, variously patterned with yellow, orange, or red. Venter brown to black; punctation concolorous with or slightly darker than surrounding surface. Lateral margins of juga finely carinate. Apex of tylus pale stramineous (usually concolorous with disk of head in P. ruth and P. lattini). Antennae dark brown to black. Connexiva uniformly dark brown to black, densely punctured, most densely so laterally. Abdominal sterna convex mesially. Superior ridge of genital cup evenly concave. Second conjunctival diverticula with or without additional lobe.
Comment. Species of the P. fenestra group (P. fenestra, P. confusus, P. similis, P. bullocki, P. bicolor, P. lattini, P. leopardinus, P. rubromacu-latus, P. quechuus, and P. ruth) are typically dark brown to black with various dorsal yellow to red markings. In this respect, they resemble species of Pachycoris. These markings are usually quite distinct but are vague in light-colored individuals. There are few reliable external characters that can be used to separate members of this species group. Color patterns that appear to be consistent are used in the key; examination of additional material may indicate that these color patterns are unreliable. The parameres are distinctive and relatively consistent within species. The sclerotized apices of the 2nd and 3rd conjunctival diverticula also are diagnostic although somewhat variable within species. For definitive determination of species, the male parameres and aedeagus should be examined.
Key to Species of Polytes
1. Venter stramineous, with black median vitta of irregular width; abdominal sternites lacking distinct punctation P. nigrovittatus Eger, n. sp.
Venter variously colored, lacking distinct black vitta; abdominal sternites usually distinctly punctate 2
2(1). Dorsal surface uniformly dark reddish brown except yellow to orange borders, with small, dense, uniform green punctures; 2nd and 3rd visible abdominal sternites shallowly sulcate mesially P. velutinus (Dallas)
Dorsal surface not as above, mottled yellow and brown to black, light brown with dark punctures, or black with distinct red or yellow pattern; abdominal sterna convex 3
3(2). Ventral surface predominately stramineous to light brown, punctation usually distinctly darker than surrounding surface 4
Ventral surface predominately piceus to black, punctation concolorous with or slightly darker than surrounding surface 9
4(8)- Lateral jugal margins rounded; head narrowly rounded anteriorly (Fig. 9) 5
Lateral jugal margins sharply angled or carinate; head more broadly rounded anteriorly (Fig. 10) 6
5(4). Sternites usually with dark brown to black macule posterior to spiracles; 1st conjunctival diverticula sclerotized at apices (Fig. 1-4); length 9.0 or greater P. lineolatus (Dallas)
Sternites with red to dark brown punctation but lacking macules, 1st conjunctival diverticula entirely membranous (Fig. 51); length 8.8 or less .... P. propinquus (Walker)
6(4). Scutellum with 2 large distinct pale lateral macules P. bimaculatus Eger, n. sp.
Scutellum lacking distinct pale macules 7
7(6). Dorsal surface densely setose; body shape elongate oval, scutellum at least 1.0 mm longer than wide P. granulatus (Walker)
Dorsal surface glabrous, setae sparse or lacking; body shape oval, scutellum usually much less than 1.0 mm longer than wide 8
8(7). Scutellum distinctly mottled, usually with pale markings laterally and posteriorly; striated areas of abdomen concolorous with disk; larger, 9.1-11.8 long P. tigrinus (Vollenhoven)
Scutellum relatively uniform in color; striated areas on venter of abdomen usually darker than disk, at least in part; smaller, 7.7-9.4 long P. obscurus (Dallas)
9(3). Pronotum with large, impunctate yellow to orange macule near each lateral margin P. quechuus Eger, n. sp.
Macules on pronotum, if present, distinctly punctate 10
10(9). Scutellum dark brown to black with 5 distinct yellow to red vittae P. leopardinus Distant
Scutellum not colored as above 11
11 (10). Yellow to orange mesial macule(s) on posterior margin of last abdominal sternite relatively large, diameter greater than least diameter of tibiae. 15
Yellow to orange mesial macule on posterior margin of last abdominal ster-nite lacking or restricted to marginal band, thinner than least diameter of tibiae 12
12(11). Head broadly rounded anteriorly (Fig. 95); pronotum with 2 large yellow to red macules, each with distinct brown to black lanceolate intrusion from posterior margin; larger, 9.5-10.9 long P. ruth (Breddin)
Head narrowly rounded anteriorly (Fig. 99); pronotal macules lacking distinct lanceolate projection; smaller, 7.7-9.9 long 13
13(12). Parameres bilobed (Fig. 70) P. confusus Eger, n. sp.
Parameres hookshaped (Fig. 77, 82)... 14
14(13). Head of parameres short, broad (Fig. 77) P. fenestra Breddin
Head of parameres long, thin (Fig. 82) P. similis Eger, n. sp.
15(11). Head narrowly rounded apically (Fig. 99); anterolateral pronotal margins slightly convex, almost straight; head of parameres broad (Fig. 101) P. rubromaculatus Distant
Head broadly rounded apically (Fig. 95); anterolateral pronotal margins distinctly convex; head of parameres relatively thin (Fig. 87, 91, 94) 16
16(15). Pronotum with 4 macules; head of parameres short (Fig. 94) P. lattini Eger, n. sp.
Pronotum unicolorous or with 2 macules; head of parameres elongate (Fig. 87,91) 17
17(16). Pronotum unicolorous; parameres as in Fig. 91 P. bicolor Distant
Pronotum with 2 red macules; parameres as in Fig. 87 P. bullocki Eger, n. sp.
description: Published as part of Eger, J. E., 1990, Revision of the Genus Polytes Stål (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae), pp. 115-141 in Annals of the Entomological Society of America 83 (2) on pages 116-118, DOI: 10.1093/aesa/83.2.115, http://zenodo.org/record/12785063