Agaveocoris schaffneri Henry and Menard 2020, new species
Creators: name: Henry, Thomas J.
name: Menard, Katrina L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Miridae
Agaveocoris
Agaveocoris schaffneri

description: Agaveocoris schaffneri Henry and Menard, new species
(Figs. 38–40, 94–96, 127)
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F3F8B18D-2461-45A5-8ED3-AB11A2989876
DIAGNOSIS. Agaveocoris schaffneri (Figs. 38–40) is recognized by the combination of large size, reddish-orange head, pronotum, mesoscutum, and scutellum, dark bluish-black hemelytron, and yellowish-brown to black legs (in darkest specimens).
It is most similar to A. barberi and A. scutellatus in having a reddish-orange pronotum (at least on the calli) and distinct bluish sheen on the hemelytra. It differs from both in having a uniformly reddish-orange pronotum rather than primarily on the calli and the hemelytra have a much deeper blue sheen. It also differs from A. barberi in having a short, stout genital tubercle (Fig. 127) rather than slender and apically acute tubercle (Fig. 120), and from A. scutellatus by the larger size (4.75–5.35 mm versus 4.30–4.60 mm).
DESCRIPTION. Male: (n = 5; holotype measurements in parentheses): Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 3.65–4.15 mm (3.80 mm); length from apex of head to apex of membrane 4.75–5.35 mm (4.85 mm); widest point across hemelytra 2.24–2.46 mm (2.27 mm). Head: Width across eyes 1.25–1.36 mm (1.26 mm); interocular width 0.74–0.82 mm (0.77 mm). Labium: Length 1.81–1.87 mm (1.81 mm). Antenna: Segment I length 0.59–0.64 mm (0.64 mm); II, 1.09–1.18 mm (1.14 mm); III, 0.69–0.74 mm (0.74 mm); IV, 0.64–0.69 mm (0.69 mm). Pronotum: Median length 0.82–0.88 mm (0.83 mm); posterior width 1.58–1.63 mm (1.60 mm).
Macropterous, medium-sized, elongate oval. General coloration reddish orange, with bluish-black hemelytra. COLORATION. Head: Uniformly red to reddish orange, frons and vertex sometimes with dark brown transverse stripes on darkest specimens; clypeus and labrum dark brown to black. Labium: Brown. Antenna: Uniformly black. Thorax: Pronotum: Red to reddish orange, sides of collar tinged with brown, posterior third sometimes becoming grayish yellow or pale brown. Mesoscutum and scutellum: Reddish orange. Hemelytron: Dark bluish black, sometimes tinged with rosy red or reddish orange on corium; membrane translucent smoky brown, veins dark brown. Ventral surface: Propleural reddish orange, meso- and metapleural, and ventral areas of thorax dark brown to black; abdomen brown, reddish brown to black, apex of genital tubercle sometimes tinged with red. Leg s: Procoxae brown, paler basally and distally, meso- and metacoxae brown, narrowly pale distally; femora yellowish brown to dark brown or black, hind femur paler at base on darker specimens, with dorsal spots showing through on paler specimens; tibiae dark brown to black, tarsomeres brown to dark brown; claws dark brown. SURFACE AND VESTI- TURE. Hemelytra with a distinct bluish sheen; rest of characters as in generic description. STRUCTURE. Antennal segment I length longer than one-half length of segment II, segment II greater than width of interocular distance, segments III and IV half the width of segment I; labium extending to apices of hind coxae; remaining characters as in generic description.
Male genitalia: Endosoma (Fig. 94) as in generic description. Left paramere (Fig. 95) small, scythe-shaped, with an apical projection. Right paramere (Fig. 96) elongate, slender, weakly C-shaped, with a small apical process turned upward.
Female: (n = 5): Length from apex of head to cuneal fracture 3.50–3.85 mm; length from apex of head to apex of membrane 4.90–5.25 mm; widest point across hemelytra 2.11–2.37 mm. Head: Width across eyes 1.22–1.31 mm; interocular width 0.72–0.77 mm. Labium: Length 1.79–1.92 mm. Antenna: Segment I length 0.56–0.62 mm; II, 0.94–1.04 mm; III, 0.66–0.69 mm; IV, 0.59–0.67 mm. Pronotum: Median length 0.74–0.85 mm; posterior width 1.52–1.68 mm.
Similar to male in size, shape, and coloration. Genitalia as in generic description.
ETYMOLOGY. This new species is named after the late Dr. Joseph C. Schaffner (TAMU), who collected many of the specimens used in this study. His fieldwork, collections, and publications have had significant impact on our knowledge of the Mexican Miridae.
HOST. Unknown
DISTRIBUTION. Mexico (Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Durango, Michoacan, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, San Lois Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas).
TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype ♂, MEXICO: Nuevo Leon: 8 miles west of Iturbide, 24 July 1976, Pelgler, Gruetmacher, R & M Murray, Schaffner (TAMU). Paratypes: MEXICO: Coahuila: 4 ♀♀, 12.4 mi. S of Saltillo, 4 July 1984, Jones & Schaffner (TAMU). Durango: 26♂♂, 39♀♀, 24 mi. W La Ciudad Dgo., 7000’, 20 June 1964, L. A. Kelton, on century plant (34♂♂, 47♀♀, CNC PBI-00125077-99, 101, 87-103 - 122, 129-167; 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, USNM 00125101, 123-125, 127). Michoacan: 1♂, 1♀, 5.5 mi. W Patzcuaro, 9 July 1973, R. R. Murray (TAMU); 4 ♂♂, 9♀♀, Michoacan, Uruapan, 8 August 1978, Plitt & Schaffner (1♂, 5♀♀ TAMU; 2♂♂, 4♀♀ USNM); 1♂, 6♀♀, Michoacan, Cheran, 8 July 1985, Jones & Schaffner (TAMU) MEXICO. Nuevo Leon: 9 ♂♂, 32 ♀♀, 7 mi. S La Escondida, 4 July 1973, Mastro & Schaffner (7♂♂, 30 ♀♀ TAMU; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, USNM); 4♂♂, 4♀♀, 15 mi. W Li- nares, 2–3 July 1973, Mastro & Schaffner (TAMU); 3♂♂, 2♀♀, 23.6 mi. SW Linares, 3 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, & Schaffner (TAMU); 1♀, 18 mi. SW Linares, 2 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, & Schaffner (TAMU); 1♀, same data as for holotype (TAMU); 3♂♂, 3♀♀, 3.7 miles west of Iturbide, 24 July 1976, Peigler, Gruetmacher, R. & M Murray, & Schaffner (2♂♂, 2♀♀ TAMU; 1♂, 1♀ USNM); 2♀♀, 5 mi. east Iturbide, 23 July 1977, R. Peigler & D. Plitt (TAM); 2♂♂, 2♀♀, 14 mi. W Iturbide, 11 Apr. 1979, T. P. Friedlander & J. C. Schaffner (TAMU); 3♂♂, 20♀♀, 3 mi. S Pacheco, 3–4 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, & Schaffner (TAMU); 9♂♂, 2♀♀, 8 mi. S Pablillo, 11 Apr. 1979, T. P. Friedlander & J. C. Schaffner (7♂♂, 2♀♀ TAMU; 2♂♂ USNM). Oaxaca: 23♂♂, 65♀♀, Presa Benito Juarez, 23 July 1974, Clark, Murray, Ashe, & Schaffner (15♂♂, 59♀♀ TAMU; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, UNAM; 5♂♂, 5♀♀ USNM). Tamaulipas: 2♂♂, 4♀♀ 12.9 mi. SW Cd Victoria, 10 Oct. 1973, Gaumer & Clark (1♂, 3♀♀ TAMU; 1♂, 1♀ USNM); 4♀♀, Altas Cubres, 12 mi. SW Cd. Victoria, 19 Mar. 1986, J. C. Schaffner (TAMU). Zacatecas: 1 ♂, 24.7 mi. S of Juchipila, 6 Aug. 1988, Ferreira & Schaffner (TAMU).
description: Published as part of Henry, Thomas J. & Menard, Katrina L., 2020, Revision and Phylogeny of the Eccritotarsine Plant Bug Genus Caulotops Bergroth, with Descriptions of Four New Genera and 14 New Species (Hemiptera Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) Associated with Agave (Agavoideae Asparagaceae) and Related Plant Genera, pp. 201-252 in Zootaxa 4772 (2) on pages 225-226, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4772.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3816462