Anisoscelis ( Bitta ) hymenipherus Westwood

Anisoscelis ( Bitta) hymenipherus Westwood View in CoL

( Figs. 13–14 View FIGURES 13 – 16 , 25 View FIGURES 23 – 26 )

Anisoscelis hymenipherus Westwood, 1840: 275 View in CoL .

Bitta flavolineata osunai Brailovsky & Mayorga, 1995: 200 View in CoL –202. Nov. Syn.

Diagnosis. Head pale orange; pronotum tricolored, posterolateral and posterior border yellow, with black transverse band between humeri, the rest pale to dark orange; scutellum black, lateral margins, middle longitudinal stripe and apex yellow; clavus shiny reddish; corium pale reddish orange, costal and apical border yellow, with inner incomplete black longitudinal stripe; inner margin of corium next to clavus black; hemelytral membrane dark brown; connexivum dark brown; dorsal abdominal segments dark brown, anterior border usually yellow; antennal segment I black, inner surface dark yellow, segments II–III black and IV pale brown with apical third dark orange; ventral surface pale yellow; labial segments I–III pale yellow, IV black; coxae pale yellow; trochanters pale yellow with two black longitudinal stripes; femora pale yellow with two complete black longitudinal stripes; fore and middle tibiae yellow with two complete longitudinal stripes; hind tibiae with inner expansion dark reddish with posterior border black, proximal angle and middle third pale orange; outer expansion dark reddish with proximal and distal third dark to pale yellow and middle third with transverse dark to pale yellow stripe with 5 to 8 irregular black spots; tarsi pale yellow. Labium almost reaching posterior margin of abdominal sternite IV; humeral angles subacute, directed back ward. Parameres. Figs. 13–14 View FIGURES 13 – 16 .

Notes. Anisoscelis ( B.) alipes Westwood, 1840 , A. ( B.) gradadius Distant, 1881 , and A. ( B.) hymenipherus Westwood, 1840 form a natural group of species characterized by having the pronotum tricolored, with posterolateral and posterior border yellow, next to a black transverse band between the humeri, the remainder pale to dark orange; scutellum black with lateral margins, middle longitudinal stripe, and apex yellow; antennal segment I black, inner surface pale to dark yellow; trochanters, femora and fore and middle tibiae pale yellow with two complete black longitudinal stripes. Anisoscelis ( B.) hymenypherus is recognized by having the clavus shiny reddish, with its margin next to scutellum black, corium shiny reddish with apical and costal borders yellow and having a black longitudinal stripe next to costal border. The other two species have a black clavus and corium with claval and corial veins, and apical and costal margin yellow. In A. ( B.) alipes and A. ( B.) hymenipherus the head dorsally is pale yellow to pale orange, and in A. ( B.) gradadius pale yellow with antenniferous tubercle, postocular area, ocellar tubercle and neck black. The humeral angles in A. ( B.) alipes and A. ( B.) hymenipherus are narrow, subacute, and directed backwards and in A. ( B.) gradadius stout, and directed laterally.

Distribution. Colombia: Boyaca ( Casanare, Aguaclara, Hacienda Don Antonio) and Tolima. Venezuela: Aragua (Maracay, El Limón, Rancho Grande), Arzoategui ( Valle Guanape, near to Tucusito), and Mérida (Parroquia) ( Brailovsky & Mayorga 1995).

Type material examined. Holotype, male, Venezuela, Estado Aragua, El Limon, Maracay , 15-VII-1976, leg. J. M. Ayala ( UNAM) .

Material examined. New records. Surinam: 1 male, Nickerie, Mozes Kreek , 26-VI-1974, leg. D. Engleman ( UMRM) . Trinidad ( West Indies): Carriker, heights of Aripo , VIII– IX-1909 (without collector) ( UNAM) ; 1 male, Arima Valley, Simla , Beebs Tropical Res., 27-IV-1976, 3-VII-1976, leg. C. B. & H. V. Weemer ( UNAM) ; 1 male, St. George Co., Simla House, N Arima, 10°41’N –61°17’W, 26–30-V-1997, leg. M. L. Pickles (CNC).