Antillaptera wheeleri Heiss 2019, nov.sp.
Creators: name: Heiss, Ernst
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Hemiptera
Aradidae
Antillaptera
Antillaptera wheeleri

description: Antillaptera wheeleri nov.sp. (Figs 6-11)
T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype ♂,labelled: Dominica,St.PaulParish/ Springfield Plantation, 5km / NE of Canefield, 350m elev. / 15°20.796̕N, 61°22.168̕W / 13.Feb. 2005, T.J. Henry & / A.G. Wheeler Jr., Cymbogon / citratus (Poaceae) //; Loan from / USNMNH / 2042238 //. Paratypes: 4♂♂, 4♀♀ (1 L5) with same data and locality but on Pennisetum setosum (Poaceae); 2♂♂, 3♀♀ (1 L5) from same locality, dated 16.Feb.2005 also from Pennisetum setosum and 2 L5 with date 14.Feb. 2005 ex. Rhynchospora polyphylla (Cyperaceae) (deposited in USNM, 2♂♂, 1♀ in CEHI). They are designated and labelled accordingly.
E t y m o l o g y: It is a pleasure to dedicate this species to Alfred G. Wheeler Jr., Professor of Entomology Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina USA, recognizing his important contribution to bug taxonomy and collector of this species.
D e s c r i p t i o n: Head as long as wide (0.75 / 0.75); genae surpassing clypeus, diverging anteriorly; antenniferous lobes conical with acute apex; antennae twice as long as width of head (1.5 / 0.75), segment I thickest and longest, II and III thinner, IV fusiform; length of antennal segments I / II / III / IV = 0.5 / 0.275 / 0.4 / 0.325; eyes oval, granulate, not stalked; postocular lobes with a distinct setigerous tubercle adjacent to eyes, sinuately converging posteriorly to constricted neck.
Thorax: Pronotum about 3 times as long as wide (1.1 / 0.375); lateral margins slightly concave and converging anteriorly; anterolateral angles subangular, produced over collar; disk with a median groove and lateral irregular smooth callosities, the margin beset with rows of small setigerous tubercles; mesonotum strongly transverse with oblique callosities lateral of median carinate ridge which extends from pronotum to mtg III; metanotum and mtg I+II fused lateral of median ridge which is flanked by longitudinal carinae.
Abdomen: Tergal plate wider than long (1.2 / 0.95), medially raised on mtg III-V; deltg II+III fused, lateral margins beset with small setigerous tubercles; posterolateral angles of deltg VI + VII with triangular expansions of dorsally reflexed vltg VI and VII; tergite VII raised medially for the reception of globular pygophore.
Venter: Spiracles II+III lateral and visible from above, VI-V sublateral and not visible, VI+VII lateral and visible from above; posterolateral angles of vltg VII produced posteriorly with a glabrous glandular tubercle at apex, which is visible from above (Figs. 10, 11).
F e m a l e: Basically as male but of larger size and wider abdomen; tergite VII with a transverse carina on posterior margin; ptg VIII as long as tergite IX.
M e a s u r e m e n t s: Holotype ♂. Body length 3.6; ratio length of antennae / width of head 2.00; width of abdomen across tergite IV 1.82; width of mesonotum 1.375; width of metanotum 1.575; Paratypes. Length of ♂♂ 3.6 ̅ 3.7; ♀♀ 4.15 ̅ 4.25.
E c o l o g y: The records from Poaceae grasses (Cymbogon citratus, Pennisetum setosum) and Cyperaceae (Rhynchospora polyphylla) are very unusual, as flat bugs generally feed on fungi and develop in respective habitats where such sources are available, a fact confirmed by multiple observations by the author. As known from other usually ground living heteroptera (eg. Lygaeidae) adults and larval stages climb under certain circumstances upon lower vegetation, an atypical habitat, where they then get collected by sweeping.
D i s t r i b u t i o n: Small apterous flat bugs have a very limited range of distribution and therefore regarded as endemic to the Island of Dominica.
C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Antillaptera wheeleri nov.sp. seems to be closely related to A. basseterrana nov.sp. sharing the ochraceous coloration and the median carinate thoracic ridge without sulcus. It differs from the latter by shorter antennae, lateral margin of pronotum more concave and more stout habitus; from A. furconotus nov.sp. by characters given in the key.
description: Published as part of Heiss, Ernst, 2019, New genera and species of apterous Carventinae (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Aradidae) Irom Lesser Antilles, pp. 69-82 in Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (1) on pages 72-73, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3763680