Theloris costata

Theloris costata (Thunberg, 1783)

Cimex costatus Thunberg, 1783: 50, fig. 63; Gmelin, 1790: 2158; Turton, 1802: 652; Stål, 1855: 345, 346.

Cimex bilineatus Thunberg, 1783: 52; Thunberg, 1822: 2.

Cimex multicolor Gmelin, 1790: 2178.

Alydus costatus: Thunberg, 1822: 4.

Cimex civilis Germar, 1838: 179.

Pentatoma costata: Dohrn, 1859: 16; Walker, 1867: 294.

Pentatoma (Theloris) costata: Stål, 1865: 172.

Theloris costata: Stål, 1876: 74; Lethierry & Severin, 1893: 115; Kirkaldy, 1909: 46; Dolling et al., 1999: 15, 22, 25, 60.

Diagnosis. Body yellowish; clavus and region between claval suture and radial vein brown; radial vein black; membrane of each hemelytron hyaline, brownish; scutellum with 1+1 paramedian brownish bands. Head wider than long, each mandibular plate shorter than or as long as clypeus. Prosternum sulcate; mesosternum carinate; and metasternum flat. Superior ridge of pygophore produced posteriorly, bisinuate; genital cup with superior process of dorsal rim flap-like; crown of parameres directed laterally, with dorsal and ventral processes forming a C-shape. Posterior margin of gonocoxites VIII setose; gonapophyses VIII visible, not covered by gonocoxites VIII carinate medially.

Description. Coloration. Yellowish; clavus and region between claval suture and radial vein brown; radial vein black; membrane of hemelytra hyaline, brownish; scutellum with 1+1 paramedian brownish bands (Figs 3–5, 7–8, 24). Ventrally, body and legs yellowish; apical half of tibiae, pretarsi, antennae, and labium brownish (Figs 6–7, 25). Head. Wider than long; each lateral margin of head sinuous; mandibular plates shorter than or as long as clypeus, each blunt apically; antenniferous tubercles visible in dorsal view (Fig. 24). Each antenniferous tubercle with lateral and ventral processes (Fig. 26). Each antennomere I surpassing head apically; proportion of antennomeres II=III=IV>V>I. Anterior margin of each buccula triangular, posterior margin of each tapering towards base of head. Labiomere I longer than bucculae (Fig. 26); labium reaching anterior margin of abdominal segment III; proportion of labiomeres II>III=I>IV. Thorax. Pronotum wider than long; each anterior margin concave; anterolateral angles bearing each a minute process; each anterolateral margin straight; humeri rounded, slightly produced laterally; each posterolateral margin sinuous; posterior margin nearly straight (Fig. 24). Apical angle of each corium reaching abdominal segment VIII medially; membrane not surpassing or slightly surpassing abdominal margin posteriorly (Fig. 5). Scutellum longer than wide; frenal lobe longer than post-frenal lobe. Prosternum sulcate; mesosternum carinate; and metasternum flat. Peritreme of metasternal gland opening ruga; evaporatorium covering most of each metepisternum and all of each mesepimeron (Fig. 27). Pro-, meso- and metacoxae equally spaced from each other (Fig. 25). Tibiae sulcate dorsally. Abdomen. Connexivum exposed. Abdominal spiracles brownish, surrounded by circular, yellowish area. Trichobothria posterior to spiracles, one mesial and other lateral to an imaginary line connecting spiracles. Male genitalia. Pygophore pyriform in dorsal view (Fig. 28). Genital cup opened dorsoposteriorly, wide. Dorsal rim (dr) setose; superior ridge (sr) produced posteriorly, bisinuate; superior process of dorsal rim flap-like (Fig. 28). Posterolateral angles of pygophore produced posteriorly, mostly rounded, with small rhomboid projection apically. Ventral rim (vr) M-shaped in ventral view (Fig. 30); ventral rim divided into superior and inferior layers of ventral rim (Fig. 29); inferior layer quadrate projected ventrally, depressed medially in posterior view; superior layer bisinuate, U-shaped medially. Segment X with a pair of processes latero-basally; posterior portion less sclerotized than remaining areas of segment X. Crown of each paramere (p) directed laterally, with dorsal and ventral processes forming a C-shape (Fig. 28); the area between processes with microtrichia (Fig. 31). Phallotheca (ph) longer than wide (Figs 32-34); phallotheca smooth; vesica (v) sclerotized, bifid, blunt apically, projected posteriorly; each conjunctiva (cj) bilobed, dorsal lobe entirely membraneous, ventral lobe membraneous with sclerotized apical process (pcj); ductus seminis distalis (dsd) shorter than vesica, projected posteriorly (Figs 32-34). Female genitalia. Gonocoxites VIII (gc8) swollen, wider than long; mesial margins convex; each posterior margin straight; mesial and posterior margins setose, setae on posterior margins denser than on mesial margin (Figs 35). Mesial margins of gonocoxites VIII not juxtaposed, gonapophyses VIII (g9) visible, carinate medially (Figs 6, 35–36). Laterotergites VIII (la8) triangular; posterior margin smooth and straight; spiracle present. Gonocoxites IX (gc9) flat, twice as wide as long; posterior margin concave. Laterotergites IX (la9) depressed medially; rounded apically; not surpassing tergite VIII. Segment X rectangular, wider than long. Gonapophyses IX (g9) with 1+1 elliptical chitinellipsen (ch) (Fig. 37). Thickening of vaginal intima in two portions, anteriorly triangular and posteriorly discoid, in which the orificium receptaculi opens. Median duct of vesicular area (va) arcuate basally; ductus receptaculi distal (drd) ¼ as long as vesicular area; posterior annular flange (paf) wider than anterior annular flange (aaf); capsula seminalis (cs) elongate, globose basally, constricted medially, with two apical processes, each process directed basally (Fig. 37).

Measurements. Table 1.

Distribution. South Africa (Fig. 39).

Analysed specimens. SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 3♂, 3♀, C.P., Baviaanskloof, 10.ix.1982, -33, 23.416 67 (SANC); 1♂, C.P., Waboomskraal, -33.52, 22.22, 17.x.1985, W. Breytenbach col. (SANC); 1♂, 1♀, Albertina, Mossel Bay, 21.xii.1971, E. Holm (SANC).

Occurrences retrieved from GBIF: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Olifantsbos, Nature Reserve Cape Good Hope, 30.iii.1995, -34.26666, 18.383 333, Varrer. Mesic Mtn. Fynbos (SAM); Rotzberg, Hermanus Fernkloof Nat. Reserve, 13.v.1995, -34.4, 19.283 333, 300m- 340m, Varrer. Mesic Mtn. Fynbos (SAM); Noordhoek Peak S., 22.iv.1994, -34.083333, 18.366 667, C. Zachariades (SAM); Bains Kloof, Wit River Valley, 01.xii.1949, -33.633333, 19.116 667 (SAM); Cloetes Pass, 01.x.1937, -33.95, 21.783 333 (SAM); Riversdale, 01.i.1908, -34.083333, 21.25 (SAM); Knysna, 01.i.1892, -34.033333, 23.033 333 (SAM); Cape T., 01.ii.1888, -33.933333, 18.466 667 (SAM); Cape T., 01.viii.1887, -33.933333, 18.466 667 (SAM); Cape T., 01.i.1886, -33.933333, 18.466 667 (SAM); Flats, 01.iii.1886 (SAM);

Occurrences retrieved from iNaturalist: Western Cape: City of Cape Town, Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, 01.xii.2012, -33.752762, 18.493 378, Tony Rebelo; Eden, Bergplaas in the Outeniquas, 06.ix.2013, -33.91158, 22.673 28, Nicola van Berkel; Eden, Lange Berg, 29.vi.2018, -33.81098, 22.686 68, Nicola van Berkel; Eden, R 328 Mossel Bay, 24.i.2008, -33.923, 22.044, Sally Adam; City of Cape Town, Cape Point, 27.iv.2019, -34.310861, 18.431 426, 20m, Peter Thompson; Overstrand, Fernkloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus, 31.x.2019, -34.382072, 19.268 886, 25m, Felix Riegel; Overstrand, Fernkloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus, 31.x.2019, -34.382366, 19.269 007, 25m, Felix Riegel; Uniondale, Prince Alfred Pass, 20.x.2019, -33.756603, 23.160 25, 30m, Felix Riegel; Simon’s Town, Cape Point, 12.x.2019, -34.193747, 18.382 541, BotanicExpedition2019; Heidelberg, Route to Helderfontein Hut, 07.xi.2019, -33.970071, 20.817 391, 12m, Linkie; City of Cape Town, 23.viii.2019, - 33.660 115, 18.460 996, 4m, Jurina; Overberg, 27.vii.2019, -34.347489, 19.22196; City of Cape Town, 27.iv.2019, -34.090857, 18.948 713, Magriet B.; Eden, Fynbos trail, 09.vi.2015, -33.96669, 22.082 88, 1m, Sally Adam; City of Cape Town, Steenbrass Nature Reserve, 05.vi.2015, -34.2308, 18.860 9, 1m, Jeffrey Michael; Eden, Kranshoek 432 Ptn 5, 29.v.2015, -34.09875, 23.306 69, 1m, Nicola van Berkel; Overberg, Bosch Hoek, 08.x.2011, -34.51286, 19.929 74, 1m, Nicola van Berkel; City of Cape Town, Porcupine Buttress on Helderberg Dome Trail, 24.viii.2014, -34.039248, 18.874 182, 1m, Tony Rebelo; City of Cape Town, Blouberg Nature Reserve, 28.iii.2014, -33.75265, 18.492 953, 1m, Tony Rebelo; Eden, Fynbos trail, 19.ii.2014, -33.96669, 22.082 88, 1m, Sally Adam; Eden, R 328 Mossel Bay, 24.i.2008, -33.923, 22.044, 110m, Sally Adam; Eder, Doringrivier West, 24.v. 2013, 110m, -33.5862, 22. 2, 110m, Brian du Preez; Overberg, Kleinmond and surrounds, 12.v.2013, -34.33702, 19.035 448, 1m, Magriet B.; City of Cape Town, Blouberg Nature Reserve, 01.xii.2012, -33.752762, 18.493 378, 1m, Tony Rebelo. Eastern Cape: Nelson Mandela Bay, Van Stadens Wild Flower Reserve, 17.ii.2017, -33.9114, 25.219 21, 1m, Shaun Swanepoel; Cacadu, Bothas Ridge Grahamstown, 18.x.2014, -33.239428, 26.574 294, 1m, Timvn; Cacadu, Kouga Wildernis, 03.x.2013, -33.71483, 23.839 82, 1m, Nicola van Berkel; Cacadu, Formosa, 17.xi.2012, -33.93931, 23.733 08, 1m, Nicola van Berkel.