Holcostethus sphacelatus (Fabricius, 1794)

Holcostethus sphacelatus (Fabricius, 1794)

Cimex sphacelatus Fabricius, 1794: 120 .

Pentatoma annulata Mulsant et Rey, 1852: 86 (syn. Mulsant et Rey, 1866: 267).

Peribalus sphacelatus var. suboblongus Rey, 1887: 2 .

Peribalus sphacelatus var. roseus Cerutti, 1937: 168 .

Holcostethus sphacelatus : Tamanini, 1981: 133.

Diagnosis. The species differs from the closely related H. albipes in the larger body, straight sides of the pronotum, bordered with a sharp pale costa deflexed upward. Hypophysis of paramere strongly narrowed in middle part, with tooth distinctly distant from base of hypophysis ( Fig. 51 View Figs ). Spermathecal bulb smaller, with longer processes usually bearing processes.

Body brownish, with large black punctation (distance between punctures exceeding, or equal to their diameter). Abdominal segments with black spots in anterior and posterior corners of tergites. Underside pale, with rather dense punctation. Antennal segments dark, with pale bases. Length of body 8.0–10.2 (8.95) mm, b. lw 1.52–1.61 (1.58).

Head trapeziform ( Fig. 95 View Figs ) [h. wl 1.12–1.23 (1.18)], 0.21–0.26 (0.235) times as long as body. Jugae with widely rounded apices, slightly emarginate before eyes. Clypeus open, as long as, or slightly shorter than jugae. Eye large, ds 1.43–1.55 (1.49). l. ba 1.88–2.26 (1.04).

Pronotum with straight sides bordered with fine yellow costa deflexed upwards, p. wl 2.12–2.29 (2.21). Scutellum about as long as wide, s. lw 0.97–1.05 (1.03).

Male genitalia. Hypophysis of paramere narrowed in middle part, with tooth distant from base ( Fig. 51 View Figs ).

Female genitalia. Spermatheca with small spherical bulb forming rather long processes (occasionally projecting considerably beyond proximal flange) bearing appendages ( Fig. 12 View Figs ). Laterotergite IX with widened apex ( Fig. 100 View Figs ).

Distribution. This is a Mediterranean species distributed in southern Europe and northeastern Africa.

Material examined. 1 ♀, Alpes mer. (Staudinger) ; 1 Ô, 1 ♀, Mt. Vitosha , Sofia, Bulgaria, 5–25.VII.1953 (Martino) ; 2 Ô, 4 ♀, Topchider near Belgrade, Serbia, VI–VIII.1927 (Martino) ; 1 Ô, same locality, 1.V.1928 ; 1 ♀, Monte-Carlo , 8.IV.1913 (N.L. Pastukhov) ; 1 ♀, Helvetia , 3.VII.1907 ; 1 Ô, Vittoria-Liguria, VII.1933 (G. Mantero) ; 1 ♀, Madrid ; 1 Ô, 1 ♀, Monfalcone , Italie, IX.1933 (Passauro) ; 1 ♀, Bormio , Italy, 1933 (Passauro) ; 1 ♀, Trieste, 20.VII.1929 (Passauro) .