Scutiphora GUERIN 1831
Creators: name: Gerry Cassis
name: Loren Vanags
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2006
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Scutelleridae
Scutiphora

description: Scutiphora GUÉRIN 1831(Figs 1e, 21i, 28b, 42, 43, 44)
ScutipHora GUÉRIN 1831: pl. XI fig. 7 (gen. nov.); LAPORTE 1832: 11 (list); GERMAR 1839: 110 (description); AMYOT & SERVILLE 1843: 35 (description); STÅL 1865: 33 (key); MAYR 1866: 16, 23 (key, list); STÅL 1873: 8,10 (key, list); LETTHIERRY & SEVERIN 1893: 18 (catalogue); SCHOUTEDEN 1904: 28 (description); KIRKALDY 1909: 308 (catalogue); DUPUIS 1952: 452 (taxonomy); MCDONALD & CASSIS 1984: 555 (description); CASSIS & GROSS 2002: 598 (catalogue) PeltopHora BURMEISTER 1835: 393 (gen. nov.); DALLAS 1851: 19 (synonymy); STÅL 1865: 33 (key)
Type species: ScutipHora: ScutipHora rubromaculata GUÉRIN 1831 (= Scutellera pedicellata KIRBY 1826), monotypy; PeltopHora: PeltopHora cruenta BURMEISTER 1835 (= ScutipHora rubromaculata GUÉRIN 1831), monotypy
Diagnosis: ScutipHora is recognised by the following combination of characters: mesosternum sulcate, laterally striate (Fig. 42c); AII(a) arcuate; AII(b) short; anterolateral margin of pronotum concave (Fig. 28b); metathoracic external efferent system reduced (Figs 42c, d); peritreme short, subreniform (Fig. 42c, d); pygophore enlarged, medially excavate (Figs 42e, f, 43a); crown of parameres short (Fig. 43b); CAI absent (Fig. 43c); CAII tripartite, three elongate lobal sclerites (Figs 43c, d); CAIII fused medially, apically bifid (Fig. 43d); female terminalia caudally oriented; and, gonocoxae I greatly enlarged.
Description: Large species; elongate-ovoid (Figs 1e, 28b); dorsally and ventrally convex; dorsum densely punctate (Figs 1e, 28b); body almost glabrous (Figs 1e, 28b); body iridescent green with orange and black markings (Figs 1e, 28b). Head: triangular (Fig. 42a); weakly convex; jugal margins subcarinate (Fig. 42b); lorae strongly demarcat-ed, margins carinate; bucculae narrow, lateral margins parallel. Antennae: AII(a) strongly arcuate, more so in males; AII(b) very short; AIV flattened. Labium: reaching abdominal SIV; LII bicompressed. Pronotum: subtrapeziform, shield-like, moderately convex (Figs 1e, 28b); post-callosite region depressed (Figs 1e, 28b); anterior margin strongly concave (Figs 1e, 28b); anterolateral margins weakly concave, carinate (Figs 1e, 28b); posterior margin rectilinear (Figs 1e, 28b); post-humeral angles depressed. Scutellum: elongate, large, covering most of forewings, base of exocorium and tip of abdomen visible (Figs 1e, 28b); moderately convex, strongly declivent posteriorly; anterior region raised, with two prominent calli (Figs 1e, 28b); anterolateral angles upturned. Thoracic pleura: anterior margin of proepisternum truncate (Fig. 42c); external efferent system of metathoracic glands reduced, peritreme short, subreniform, evaporative areas confined minimally beyond margins of peritreme, including mesepimeron (Figs 42c, d). Thoracic sterna: prosternum depressed; mesosternum medially sulcate, laterally striate; metasternum depressed. Pregenital Abdomen: posterolateral angles of abdominal venter rounded; connexiva smooth, without processes; male SIII medially rounded, without medial sulcation or processes; female SIII with very weak medial depression; male SVII visible, weakly overlapping pygophore; female SVII recessed, not visible. Male Genitalia: pygophore greatly enlarged; posterior margin of pygophore with medial notch (Figs 42e, f, 43a); dorsal margin with setal patches (Fig. 42f, 43a); parameres with thick stem, crown small, weakly notched Fig. 43b); ductus seminis proximalis narrow, membraneous, singular (Figs 43c, d); ventral conducting canal, with up to 12 convolutions (Figs 43c, d); ejaculatory reservoir subelliptoid, moderately-sized (Figs 43c, d); vesica Sshaped; elongate, extending beyond conjunctival appendages (Figs 43c, d); CAI absent; CAII tripartite, CAII(L) elongate, sickle-shaped, strongly sclerotized, CAII(M) basally membraneous, apically with two digitiform lobal sclerites (Figs 43c, d); CAIII strongly sclerotized, fused medially, apically bifid (Figs 43c, d). Female Terminalia: caudally oriented; paratergites VIII moderately large, subelliptoid, medially incrassate; paratergites IX small, suboval, medial margins rounded; gonocoxae I greatly large, subtriangular, dorsal margin excavate; Spermatheca: fecundation canal short; reservoir round; proximal and distal flanges present; bulb oval.
Diversity and distribution: ScutipHora is a monotypic genus endemic to Australia.
Included species: S. pedicellata (KIRBY 1826) Australia
Remarks: The affinities of ScutipHora are difficult to deduce, with distinctive character states of the antennae, mesosternum, external efferent system of the metathoracic glands, and male aedeagus. The metathoracic peritreme resembles those found in CallipHara and Lampromica, with all three genera having the peritreme subreniform in shape, although it is much smaller in ScutipHora. The male genitalia are autapomorphic, with the CAII tripartite and enlarged digitiform lobal sclerites. ScutipHora also has fused, U-shaped CAIII, which is not found in the former two genera, but in genera such as Calliscyta and Cantao.
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 378-379, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12996779