Hellica Stal

Genus Hellica Stal View in CoL

Fig. 1

Hellica Stal, 1867:533 .

Type-species: Hellicanitida Haglund, by subsequent monotypy.

Diagnosis. Among those genera of the tribeLanopini Kumar (subfamily Blaudinae , emended spelling) with juga not surpassing the tylus and humeri not projecting beyond the outline of the costa, Hellica is recognizable by the very short peritreme that is virtually no longer than wide.

Discussion. Kumar (1974:28-29) basedhisredescriptionof this genus on two males of Hellica nitida , which he designated lectotype and paralectotype, and remarked that females were unknown. For the present study, females were available for all three species at hand; all were found to have the Pendergrast organ present ( Figs. 3, 5, 7) and restricted to the anterior half of abdominal segment VII (last pregenital segment). ̊he male genital capsule is here shown in dorsal view with the parameres in their natural position (easily seen by gently lifting the apex of the hemelytral membrane).

Distribution.Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil.

KEY TO SPECIES OF HELLICA

l. Abdomen ventrally dark brown to black with broad lateral margins abruptly yellow. Tylus weakly but noticeably surpassing apex of juga, weakly tumid, not depressed subapically 2 - Abdomen ventrally yellow to tan with punctures and a variable sublateral longitudinal stripe on each side fuscous to brown. Tylus reaching apex ofjuga, weakly but noticeably depressed subapically johni new species

2. Male: Genital capsule with apical margin weakly but distinctly broadly bilobed in middle third, its dorsal setas scattered as in Fig. 4. Female: 3rd genital plate laterally, overlapping end of 2nd genital plate and in contact with basal genital plate as in Fig. 5 johnpolhemi new species

- Male: Genital capsule with apical margin not bilobed in middle third, its dorsal setae grouped as in Fig. 6. Female: 3rd and 2nd genital plates exposed to lateral ends as in figure 7 nitida Haglund