Corythucha melissa, a new species of lace bug (Heteroptera: Tingidae) from manzanita in California

3 Pages·2002·0.79 MB·English

by  Richard C Froeschner

94 ENTOMOLOGICALNEWS
CORYTHUCHA MELISSAE, A NEW SPECIES
OF LACE BUG (HETEROPTERA: TINGIDAE)
FROM MANZANITA IN CALIFORNIA1
RichardC. Froeschner^, LauraTorresMiller''
ABSTRACT:Descriptionandillustrationsforanewspecies,Corythuchamelissae,collectedon
manzanita, theericaceous plantArctostaphylosregismontanaEastwoodinCalifornia.
The genus Corythucha Stal (1873:119, 122) has beenreported to berepre-
sentedby49speciesinNorthAmerica(Froeschner, 1988:714-721),manymore
than does any otherlace bug genus occurring in that area. All ofthem, includ-
ing the new species described below, feed on thejuices ofplants.
Corythucha melissae, NEW SPECIES
Figures 1, 2
Diagnosis: This new species is amemberofthe group ofCorythucha spe-
cies characterized by having the lateral carinae ofthe pronotal disc extending
anteriorly toterminateatthecrestoftheinterhumeralconvexityandthefusion
ofthe median carina with the hood occupying the lower fourth ormore ofthe
posteriormargin oftheelevated, inflated hood (Figs. 2, 3). Within thatgroup,
itagrees with Corythuchadistincta Osborn andDrake (1916:13)inhaving the
subbasal and preapical brown crossbands in the costal area, but differs most
conspicuously from C. distincta in having the pronotal hood low and broadly
arched rather than tall, converging, and narrowly arched dorsally (compare
Figs. 2, 3).
Descriptionofholotypefemale:Length3.3 mm Areolaeofwings andparanotatranspar-
ent, with darkbrown cloudingformingthe followingmarks:- onparanotatwoindefinite spots,
oneonanteriorhalf, oneonposteriorhalf; costal areawithasubbasal andasubapicalcrossbar;
anteriorandposteriorendsofdiscoidalareas,theseextendedtojointhecostalcrossbars. Hood
withveinsdarkbrown,areolaemilky;pronotalsurfaceyellowishbrown,shining.Antennaeyel-
lowishwithsegmentsIandIIandapexofIVnoticeablydarker.Legsyellowishbrown.Headand
ventral surfaceofbody, includinglongitudinalcarinaeofrostral groove, shiningblack.
Hoodmuchswollenonposteriorhalf,graduallytaperinganteriorly,withlengthalmostequal
tolengthofmediancarina[1.6:1.7],slightlyhigherthanmediancarina,itsdorsaloutlinebroadly
andalmostevenlyrounded(Fig. 2),veinsoflateralsurfaceswithfewverysmallspines.Median
carinaslightlylowerthanhood, dorsalmarginlongitudinallyconvex, withthelarge, semicircu-
lar areola near midlength borderedby smallerareolae. Lateral pronotal carinae anteriorly eva-
nescent at summit of interhumeral convexity, much lower than median carina, with a row of
1 ReceivedAugust6, 2001. Accepted September27, 2001.
2Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Entomology,
Washington, DC, 20560-0105.
3 WestVirginiaDepartmentofAgriculture, Charleston, WV, 25305-0170.
ENT. NEWS 113(2): 94-96,March&April,2002
Vol. 113,No. 2,March& April, 2002 95
Figs. 1-2. Corythuchamelissae, n. sp. 1. Habitus,naturallength3 3 mm; 2 lateralviewofhead,
hood and median carina ofpronotum. Fig. 3. Corythucha distincta Osborn and Drake, lateral
view ofhead, hoodand mediancarina
96 ENTOMOLOGICALNEWS
areolae.Freemarginofparanotawitharowofverysmallspines.Hemelytronwithdiscaleleva-
tionprominent;lateralmarginofhemelytronandouterveinofdiscoidalareaeachwitharowof
small spines.
Theavailablespecimensareallquitesimilar,withlengthvaryingfrom3.0-3.3,theholotype
being the longest; intensity ofdarkmarkings varying from darkestontherecentspecimen and
palerbrownontheolderspecimens, apparentlyhavingfadedthroughtime.
Holotype female, with two labels: Upperlabel: "Locality, U.S.A., CA. San MateoCo., El
CatedeMaderaOSP,Collectiondate8/18/99,CollectedbyMelissaAndres";lowerlabel: "Host
plant: Ericaceae, Arctostaphylos regismontana, Voucher number 589-b." Deposited in the
SmithsonianInstitution,NationalMuseumofNaturalHistory,Washington,DC.Nineparatypes:
2Cfd\79 9 from "DiamondSprings,Cal.,V-20-56,S.W.Hitchcockcollector,"aredeposited
,
asfollows: lCf, 19 incollectionofL. T. Miller, DepartmentofAgriculture, Charleston, West
Virginia; 1Cf and 49 9m collection ofMuseum ofNatural History, Box U-43, University of
Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut06268; and 29 9 intneNational Museum ofNaturalHistory
Washington, DC. 20560-0105.
This species bears the givenname ofMelissaAndres whocollected itdur-
ing an ecological study ofinsects on manzanita.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors aregrateful toThomasJ. Henry, SystematicEntomologyLaboratoryoftheU.
S. DepartmentofAgricultureandtoPaulJ. Spangler, DepartmentofEntomology, Smithsonian
Institution,forcarefulreviewsandsuggestionsforthemanuscript; andtoYoungSohn,Illustra-
tor, SmithsonianInstitution,forthefinefigures.TheyalsothankJaneO'Donnell,Curatorofthe
Collection attheUniversityofConnecticut, Storrs,Connecticut, fortheloanofninespecimens
heremadeparatypes.
LITERATURECITED
Froeschner, R.C. 1988. Family Tingidae Laporte, 1807 (= Tingididae, Tingitidae). The Lace
Bugs.pp.703-733.InHenry,T.J. andR.C.Froeschner,(eds).CatalogoftheHeteropteraor
TrueBugs, ofCanadaandtheContinental UnitedStates. E.J. Brill,LeidenandNewYork,
958 pages.
Osborn,H.andC.J. Drake. 1916 SomenewspeciesofNearcticTingidae OhioJ. Sci., 17:9-
15
Stal,C. 1873. EnumeratioHemipterorum, vol.3. Kongl. SvenskaVet-Akad.Handl.,vol. ll.no.
2,pages 1-163.