Nephus eurypodus Yu & Lau, 2001

Nephus eurypodus Yu & Lau, 2001

Figs 4a–j

Nephus ( Geminosipho) eurypodus Yu & Lau, 2001: 155 . Kovář 2007: 581. Wang & Chen 2023: 163.

Material examined. PAKISTAN, Punjab, Rawalpindi , PMAS– Arid Agriculture University, 33°38’56” N, 73°04’54” E, 501 m, 2♂♂, 2♀♀, 27.v.2015, GoogleMaps 2♂♂, 1♀, 11.vii.2016, 1♂, 3♀♀, 4.ix.2016, 1♂, 2♀♀, 10.x.2016, 2♂♂, 2♀♀, 2.v.2017, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); 1♂, 2♀♀, 2.vi.2015, 1♀, 27.v.2016, leg. I. Bodlah ( PMAS – AAUR); Nawaz Sharif Park, 33°38’53” N, 73°04’37” E, 511 m, 5♂♂, 8♀♀, 8.vi.2015, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); GoogleMaps Gilgit – Baltistan, Gilgit, Jutial Khomer, 35°54’37” N, 74°20’44” E, 1473 m, 2♂♂, 1♀, 7.vii.2015, GoogleMaps 1♂, 3♀♀, 30.viii.2015, 2♂♂, 3♀♀, 15.ix.2016, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); Naltar, 36°09’53” N, 74°10’46” E, 2893 m, 1♂, 2♀♀, 9.viii.2015, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); GoogleMaps Jutial Nala, 35°53’20” N, 74°20’37” E, 1815 m, 2♂♂, 3♀♀, 29.viii.2015, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); GoogleMaps Minawar, 35°52’31” N, 74°25’38” E, 1508 m, 1♂, 2♀♀, 15.ix.2016, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); GoogleMaps Nagar, Jaglot Gouro, 36°10’09” N, 74°17’08” E, 1673 m, 1♂, 3♀♀, 20.ix.2016, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR); GoogleMaps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar , Garhi Ata Muhammad, 33°58’38” N, 71°34’55” E, 345 m, 1♂, 31.x.2015, leg. Z. Iqbal ( PMAS – AAUR). GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Nephus eurypodus is similar to N. bielawskii in external appearance, but it can easily be distinguished by having entirely black or reddish brown pronotum ( Figs 4a–c), and apex of penis with bifid process and short thread-like membranous appendages at tip ( Fig. 4g). However, in N. bielawskii , pronotum is black with reddish-brown lateral margins ( Figs 2a–b), and apex of penis is slightly curved and pointed with long flagellum-like membranous appendage ( Fig. 2f).

Description. TL: 1.60–1.87 mm; TW: 1.15–1.33 mm; TH: 0.62–0.74 mm; EL/TW: 1.04–1.11; TL/TW: 1.40; HW/PW: 0.57–0.59; PL/PW: 0.44–0.47.

Body oval and rounded, strongly convex, dorsum with dense pubescence ( Figs 4a–b); pronotum reddish brown to black; head dark-brown or reddish-brown, except mouthparts and antennae brown ( Fig. 4c); elytra reddish-brown to black with two apical yellow-brown to orange spots, elytral apices brown ( Figs 4a–b); antennae composed of 10 antennomeres ( Fig. 4e); abdominal postcoxal lines on ventrite 1 incomplete laterally, expending to 4/5 length of ventrite, and slightly curved apically at lateral margin ( Fig. 4d).

Male genitalia ( Figs 4f–i). Penis slender; penis capsule with inner arm well developed, longer than outer arm, outer arm reduced ( Fig. 4f); apex of penis slightly curved outwards, tip with bifid process with short thread-like membranous appendages ( Fig. 4g); tegmen with penis guide in lateral view broader at base, and gradually narrowing toward pointed apex ( Fig. 4h); penis guide in inner view sub-parallel sided from base to apical 3/4 of its length, then narrower to pointed apex ( Fig. 4i); parameres slightly shorter than penis guide, covered with apical long hairs.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 4j). Coxites subtriangular, elongate, with styli present, sperm duct membranous with uniform diameter, adjacent to the apical part of bursa, infundibulum absent; spermatheca vermiform, without clearly defined nodulus or ramus.

Preys. This species feeds on Aphis gossypii Glover , Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris , Tinocallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy) ( Hemiptera : Aphididae ), Drosicha stebbingi Green ( Hemiptera : Margarodidae ) Planococcus citri Risso , Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley , Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink , Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green ( Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae ) and psyllids species ( Hemiptera : Psyllidae ) (First record for these prey).

Associated plants. This species is colllected from the Asterales : Asteraceae : Artemisia maritima Linnaeus , Parthenium hysterophorus Linnaeus , Xanthium strumarium Linnaeus ; Brassicales : Caricaceae : Carica papaya Linnaeus ; Fabales : Fabaceae : Cassia fistula Linnaeus ; Malvales : Malvaceae : Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linnaeus ; Myrtales : Lythraceae : Lagerstroemia indica Linnaeus ; Rosales : Rosaceae : Morus alba Linnaeus , Pyrus malus (Suckow) Borkhasar , Prunus armeniaca Linnaeus , Prunus persica (Linnaeus) Batsch ; Rosales : Elaeagnaceae : Hippophae rhamnoides Linnaeus ; Vitales : Vitaceae : Vitis vinifera Linnaeus.

Distribution. Pakistan: Gilgit–Baltistan: Gilgit and Nagar, Punjab: Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Peshawar (current study); China: Guangdong, Hong Kong ( Yu & Lau 2001). New species records for Pakistan.

Remarks. Yu & Lau (2001) originally described and illustrated Nephus eurypodus from Hong Kong. It resembles N. phosphorus ( Lewis, 1896) in external apperance. However, Yu & Lau differentiated it from N. phosphorus by having the anterior margin of elytral spot extended beyond the middle of elytra and with the longer spermathecae. Additionally, they also described a unique character of this species: very broad, plate-like femora and strongly flattened tibiae resembling Aponephus lentiformis Booth (1991) , which is now classified as Nephus ( Nephus) lentiformis ( Poorani 2002) . Some species of Nephus , such as N. ( Bipunctatus) ziguiensis Yu, 1997 , also have broad and flattened femora, particularly in the hind legs. However, the two species can be distinguished by their antennomeres: N. eurypodus has 10 antennomeres, whereas N. ( B.) ziguiensis has only 9. This species is commonly collected in the northern regions of Pakistan.