Leprosoma BAERENSPRUNG, 1859

Genus Leprosoma BAERENSPRUNG, 1859

Description. Body ( Figs 1-4, 6, 7) moderately large, broadly oval, rather weakly convex, yellowish or light or dark brown. Surface asperous, covered reticilately sculptured, without distinct punctures. Head somewhat inclined, about as long as wide or slightly wider than long. Preocular part narrowed and bent downwards apically, with more or less deep lateral incisures. Juga convex, much longer than tylus, converging before it. Tylus narrowed apically. Eyes spherical, moderately large. Ocelli closer to anterior margin of pronotum than to eye margins. Bucculae strongly arcuately convex before middle, each without tooth on anterior part, strongly decreasing caudad. Rostrum reaching middle of metacoxae. Prothorax. Anterior margin of pronotum with thin elevation, lateral margins more or less strongly concave, without rib. Anterior pronotal angles each with small denticle. Humeri slightly to strongly projecting beyond lateral margins of hemelytra. Posterior angles of pronotum shortly rounded. Disc in anterior portion with a small tubercle on each side and a deep furrow (cicatrice) just posterior to it. Up to three transverse carinae developed on pronotum: thin anterior carina just posterior to cicatrices; long, more or less sinuous posterior carina in the middle of pronotum, and shorter intermediate carina sometimes present before the posterior one. Anteror margins of propleurites form short, plates extending ventrad. Anterior angles of these plates acute. Mesothorax. Scutellum narrow, reaching or (in most females) almost reaching apex of abdomen, leaving connexivum and most of corium exposed. Lateral margins of scutellum in basal part subparallel, straight or slightly concave in middle. Apex of scutellum rounded, linguiform. Impressions in basal corners of scutellum barely visible. Basal triangular elevation of scutellum quite high, transformed distally into narrowing carina not reaching apex of scutellum. Inner margins of pleurites before mesocoxae with rectangular plates directed mediad; posterior margins of pleurites without strip of porous cuticle. Metathorax. Stink glands opening in antero-medial part of small, roundish, rather deep impressions; a small tubercle present lateral to gland aperture. Sterna of all thoracic segments with a deep median groove. Legs pale with more or less large dark spots. Meso- and metacoxae with tubercles curved caudad. Abdomen. Connexivum broad, concolorous with rest of dorsum or sometimes darker. Laterotergites smooth or with uneven, wide and low transverse elevation in posterior part. Posterior angles of abdominal segments with tubercles varying in size from small to very large. Ventral surface of abdominal base without tubercle or longitudinal depression. Abdominal venter pale, with small and very shallow pale punctures. Pygophore ( Figs 17-20) somewhat wider than long, calyciform at base, slightly widened in distal part. Latero-apical angles pointed, slightly protruded laterad. Dorsal infolding of pygophoral rim long, strongly elevated, with shallow notch. Latero-apical margins smooth ( Figs 8, 11, 13-15) without tubercles or denticles). Ventro-apical margin with very shallow, wide, median notch. Ventral infolding of pygophoral rim perpendicular to ventral wall of pygophore or slightly elevated, long or short. Ventral wall smooth, without punctation, convex in distal part. Parandria small, roundish, as long as wide. Paramere ( Figs 9, 12, 16). Basal plate small, roundish. Body of paramere rather long. Sensory processus not developed. Hypophysis long, rather wide in posterior part, narrowed toward apex; its outer margin strongly sclerotized, with a row of very small obtuse denticles. Aedeagus ( Figs 21-26). Phallobase slightly wider than long; its ventral processes long, thin, somewhat spaced; dorsal connectives short; capitate processes small, oval. Theca not subdivided into apical and basal parts, moderately long and wide, widest distad of middle; ventral wall almost straight; dorsal wall convex; base with moderately large membranous ventral tubercles. Conjunctiva small. Its paired ventro-lateral lobes with two pairs of branches: lateral and medial. Apex of conjunctiva very short, weakly convex. Dorsal wall forming at base a low elevation bearing two narrow, rather long, pointed sclerotized processes directed towards base of aedeagus ( Fig. 26). Longitudinal bands of median penal plates widely spaced at base, converging distad, covered by ventro-lateral lobes and subparallel in their ventral part. Apical processes small, almost nearly contiguous. Vesica narrow, short, tubular. Genitalia of female. First gonocoxae slightly wider than long, almost flat, covered with short setae along caudal and mesial margins. Median genital plate rather long, narrowed caudad, with some short setae on anterior corners. Paratergites IX moderately wide, broadly rounded apically, distinctly projecting beyond dorsal margin of proctiger. Paratergites VIII large, with lateral margins straight, posterior margins arcuately or sub-angularly convex, and mesial margins concave. Bridge between paratergites VIII rectangular, very short, broadly rectangular. Vestiges of first and second gonapophyses as rather large membranous folds. Triangulum large. Gynatrial sclerites. Parabasal sclerite ( Fig. 27) wide, rather weakly sclerotized, truncate on anterior end. Basal sclerites broadly triangular, almost touching parabasal sclerite near posterior angles. Outer angles of basal sclerites elongate. Ring sclerites rather small, fused with basal sclerites. Annular sclerite somewhat ovate. Conoid sclerite slightly abbreviated. Spermatheca. Proximal part of spermathecal duct ( Figs 28-30) extending slightly beyond anterior margin of abdominal sternum VII. Medial part of duct very short (equal in length to sternum VII) or long, extending beyond anterior margin of sternum III or IV. Proximomedial part of duct (membranous dilation) without sharp constriction on proximal end. Distomedial part (sclerotized invaginated rod) of duct considerably widened before posterior (according to position) end. Visible distal part of duct appreciably longer than pump. Capsule of spermatheca large, spherical, with one or two short processes.

Key to species

1(4). Body without incrustation resembling hoarfrost. Head wider than long. Longitudinal carinae on frons obscure or absent. Humeri not incrassate and not separated from pronotal disc by impression. Cicatrices pale. Anterior transverse carina very low, obliterated laterally, often absent or vestigial. Scutellum broad, 0.58-0.65 times as wide as long; tubercles at its base small, rounded ................ ....................................................................... The “ inconspicuum” species group

2(3). Tubercles in anterior portion of pronotum small. Connexivum thin (in strongly lateral view), its laterotergites smooth, with very fine punctation. Tubercles on posterior angles of abdominal segments very small....... Leprosoma inconspicuum

3(2). Tubercles in anterior portion of pronotum large. Connexivum thicker (in strong lateral view), its laterotergites with rough punctation and transverse elevation, sometimes strongly smoothed. Tubercles on posterior angles of abdominal segments usually rather large .......................................................... Leprosoma stali

4(1). Body covered with incrustation resembling hoarfrost. Head as long as wide. Longitudinal carinae on frons distinct. Humeri incrassate, separated from pronotal disc by impression. Cicatrices black. Anterior transverse carina high. Scutellum rather narrow, 0.50-0.57 times as wide as long, tubercles at its base large, clear longitudinal.......................................................The “ reticulatum” species group.

5(10). Humeri long, strongly projecting beyond lateral margins of hemelytra.

6 (9). Body length 5.25-6.55. Intermediate pronotal carina present. Posterior transversal carina strongly and smoothly curved. Elevations on connexival laterotergites moderately convex, tubercles on posterior angles of abdominal segments moderately large. Medial part of spermathecal duct long, extending beyond anterior margin of abdominal sternum V.

7(8). Humeri broadly or rectangular rounded, directed laterad. Pronotal transverse carinae distinct. Ventral infolding of rim of pygophore very long, perpendicular to ventral wall of pygophore............................ Leprosoma tuberculatum (in part)

8(7). Humeri looking like horns curved forward. Pronotal transverse carinae obsolete and masked by incrustation. Ventral infolding of rim of pygophore very narrow and slightly elevated.................................. Leprosoma tenuimarginatum nov. sp.

9(6). Body length 6.00-6.80. Intermediate pronotal carina absent. Posterior carina weakly and sharply curved. Elevations on connexival laterotergites strongly convex, tubercles in posterior corners of abdominal segments very large. Medial part of spermathecal duct as long as abdominal sternum VI or slightly extending beyond its anterior margin ....................................................... Leprosoma olcesii

10(5). Humeri short, slightly projecting beyond lateral margins of hemelytra.

11(12). Humeri directed laterad. Medial part of spermathecal duct long, extending beyond anterior margin of abdominal sternum V. Distributed in Russia, Turkey, Transcaucasia, Central Asia and China........... Leprosoma tuberculatum (in part)

12(13). Humeri weakly curved forward. Medial part of spermathecal duct short, slightly extending beyond anterior margin of abdominal sternum VII. Distributed in North Africa, Israel, Syria, Iran....................................... Leprosoma reticulatum