Lattinellica decora ( Walker, 1867 ), 2008

Lattinellica decora ( Walker, 1867) , new combination

( Figs. 2, 11–19)

Mormidea decora Walker, 1867: 256 .

Description.—Overall dorsal coloration dark blue to green metallic to nearly black, head contrastingly pale yellow to yellow-orange ( Fig. 2); ventral coloration yellow to yellow-orange with black markings. Punctures relatively weak and shallow,relatively dense on dorsal surface (absent on juga), nearly impunctate ventrally.

Dorsal surface of head yellow to yellow-orange, often with base of vertex and apex of tylus blackish, with a few dark punctures near ocelli, occasionally a few punctures extending forward onto bases of juga ( Fig. 12). Juga and distal area of vertex with obliquely transverse wrinkles. Lateral margins of head distinctly sinuous, parallel and somewhat reflexed for middle third; tylus distinctly longer than juga, and somewhat enlarged apically ( Fig. 12). Antennae black, segment I relatively short, not reaching apex of head; segment II longer than III.

Pronotum metallic green or blue, sometimes nearly black, often yellowish on each anterior tooth (behind compound eyes); punctuation very small, but evident, rather uniformly distributed, except more sparse near humeral angles. Anterior pronotal margin concave, distinctly reflexed behind vertex of head; anterolateral margins nearly straight, not reflexed; posterior margin anterior to scutellum nearly straight; humeral angles spinose, each spine directed laterally, and slightly posteriorly ( Figs. 2, 11). Pronotal cicatrices obscure, but visible. Scutellum subtriangular, slightly inflated basally, entirely metallic blue-green to black; punctures similar to those on pronotum, becoming more sparse apically; apex narrowly rounded, nearly angulate. Coria entirely metallic blue-green to black; punctures larger, coarser than on pronotum and scutellum, nearly impunctate near apex of R + M vein. Distal margin of each corium nearly straight to slightly concave, apex somewhat obtusely produced ( Fig. 11). Hemelytral membranes fumose, veins parallel. Connexiva contrastingly pale yellow to yellow-orange; posterolateral angles rectilinear, except last pregenital segment slightly spinose in female, and strongly spinose in male specimens.

Ventral surface of head yellow to yellow-orange with some black markings on antennifers, and a few black punctures near base of head. Each buccula obtusely toothed anteriorly, evanescent posteriorly, ending distad from base of head. Rostrum dark brown to black, segment I reaching base of head, clearly surpassing posterior apices of bucculae; segment IV reaching at most to middle of metacoxae, usually reaching only anteri-or margins of metacoxae.

Propleura yellow to yellow-orange, with brown to black markings near front coxae, sometimes extending along anteri-or and lateral margins; nearly impunctate except for strong band of punctures along anterior margin, and a few weak punctures posteriorly. Prosternum slightly elevated, provided with numerous short whitish hairs. Mesopleura yellow to yellow orange, with brown to blackish areas medially, usually spilling onto central disk as large, black rectangular spot, and another smaller black spot sublaterally; with a few weak punctures along anterior margin, and a somewhat more dense patch of punctures just posterior to sublateral black spot. Mesosternum distinctly carinate, carina provided with many small, whitish hairs. Metapleura yellow to yellow-orange, except for large, round black spot laterad of evaporative areas, and much of evaporative area black (lateral marginal band and margins of ostiolar rugae always pale); punctures relatively coarse along posteri-or margin and on black lateral spot. Evaporative areas not overly extensive, reaching about half way to lateral metapleural margin and spilling onto posterior margin of mesopleura, rugulose, not punctate; ostiolar ruga short, auriculate, somewhat elevated distally. Front legs brown to black with superior surfaces of femora often becoming somewhat yellowish. Middle legs with coxae yellowish, sometimes with slight dark infuscation; trochanters usually brown to black; femora usually yellowish with dark markings distally, the markings sometimes becoming more extensive throughout length of femur; tibiae and tarsi dark brown to black. Hind legs colored similarly to middle legs, except femora more distinctly marked: basal two-thirds to three-fourths yellow, distal one-third to one-fourth dark brown to black, boundary between colors rather sharp.

Abdominal venter yellow to yellow-orange, often with a large, broad black band on each side of middle on abdominal segments III–VI, the black markings often bleeding into median along abdominal sutures; abdominal segment II (first visible) always entirely pale, last nongenital segment usually pale. Abdominal venter impunctate, occasionally a few small, weak punctures visible laterally; usually with numerous, weak, vermiculate lines laterally. Third abdominal segment not produced medially.

Male genital capsule rather large, black, lateral margins of genital cup folded inward, and then produced posteriorly into a rather large spine on each side, apex of each spine curved mesad ( Figs. 14, 15); inferior ridge with small U-shaped emargination, with a small, obtuse projection on each side of emargination ( Fig. 14); superior ridge with broad, shallow emargination, slightly Vshaped medially ( Fig. 15). Ventral margin of pygophore, in ventral view, arcuately concave ( Fig. 13). Parameres rather small, slightly swollen in middle, narrowing, and then swollen again distally, anterior margin rounded, posterior margin more angulate ( Figs. 16, 17). Proctiger complex, basal area granulate, inflated, U-shaped, with deep pit medially between arms of U; with large, obtuse projection just posterior to pit; posterior half somewhat saddle-shaped with distal margin produced upwards, angulate to somewhat spinose.

Female genital plates rather large, more or less brown to black, sometimes invaded with yellow; posterior margins of basal plates sinuous, mesial margins nearly straight, contiguous for most of their length ( Fig. 18); ninth paratergites rounded apically; eighth paratergites each provided with large, black, lateral spine ( Fig. 18). Spermatheca rather small, typically sclerotized parts only weakly sclerotized; sclerotized rod long, slender, becoming distinctly swollen apically ( Fig. 19); spermathecal bulb digitiform ( Fig. 19); spermathecal duct relatively short, not convoluted.

Measurements.—Total length 6.73– 7.84; total width across humeri 5.11– 5.79; medial length of pronotum 1.51– 1.76. Medial length of scutellum 2.90– 3.11, basal width 2.50–2.85, width at distal end of frena 1.11–1.23. Head length 1.37– 1.47, width 1.83–1.92, width between ocelli 0.47–0.52, width between eyes 1.01–1.13, distance from ocellus to adjacent eye 0.21–0.24, diameter of ocellus 0.10–0.12. Length of antennal segments: I 0.31–0.34, II 0.71–0.80, III 0.58–0.69, IV 1.17–1.25, and V 1.10–1.18. Length of rostral segments: I 0.78–0.85, II 1.13–1.24, III 0.48–0.52, and IV 0.57–0.60.

Type material.— Walker (1867) described Mormidea decora from a single specimen from Ega , Brazil. The type was not examined, but it is clear from Walker’s original description, and from Distant’s (1900b) notes, that this is the species Walker described. The holotype is deposited in the British Museum of Natural History, London.

Distribution.—Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.

Material examined.— Brazil: Est. Aleixo , Pomar, Manaus, Amazonas, 29- V-1968, E. V. Silya (1 ♀, DAR) ; Santa Julia, Croisière du Mercator , 23-I-1936, W. Adam (1 ³ 1 ♀, ISNB) . Colombia: Prov. Amazonas, Leticia , April 2–7, 1975, D. Engleman (1 ♀, DAR) . Ecuador: Napo Prov., Puerto Napo, along Rio Napo , 465 m, IV-17-1984, R. S. Zack (3 ³³ 1 ♀, WSUC; 1 ³, DAR) ; Napo Province, Puerto Napo, island nr bank of Rio Napo , elev. 464 m, 7 April 1984, R. W. Sites (1 ♀, WSUC) ; Pastaza Prov., Coca on Rio Napo , V-1965, L. E. Pena (3 ³³ 1 ♀, AMNH; 1 ³, DAR) ; Zam.- Chin. Prov., Zamora , 6 June 1976, A. Langley et al. (1 ³, USNM) ; Cumbaratza , III-31-65 (1 ♀, CASC) . Peru: Contamana , IV-14-63, L. Pena (1 ♀, AMNH) ; Iquitos, Amazonia , 11-II-77, Heiss (2 ♀♀, DAR) ; Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado , 1-I-1984, L. Huggert (1 ♀, MZLU) ; Madre de Dios, Rio Tambopata, Agua Negra , Primary rain forest, 19-I-1981 (1 ♀, MZLU) ; Rio Santiago , IX-5-30 (1 ³, AMNH) .

Comments.—The size, shape, coloration, and pattern of punctuation of this species are unique among New World pentatomines. There are several other pentatomine species that are somewhat metallic, but they tend to be much larger (e.g., Rhyssocephala Rider , Runibia Stål , Vulsirea Spinola ). Several asopine species (e.g., Zicrona Amyot & Serville ) are metallic and approximately the same size as this species, but they have the enlarged rostrum characteristic of predatory species. The pentatomine genus Senectius Rolston is about the same size, and does have some metallic coloration, but it is more variably colored with distinct white markings, and the ostiolar rugae are elongate, acuminate apically. At least one species of Mormidea ( Mormidea speciosa Haglund) tends to have a metallic sheen, but it also has white markings on the scutellum, the juga are distinctly punctate, and the male genitalia are distinctly different.