Elasmostethus kerzhneri, Yamamoto, 2003

Elasmostethus kerzhneri View in CoL sp. n.

( figs. 2, 9-10, 20, 27, 33)

Elasmostethus minor – Hasegawa, 1958: 6; Higuchi & Sato, 1988: 54; Ichita, 1988: 120; Miyamoto & Yasunaga, 1989: 188; Hayashi, 1998: 188 (nec Horváth, 1899).

Type material. – Holotype 3, Yabitsu-yachi , Towadako, Aomori Pref., Honshu, Japan, 21.vi.1998, M. Ohara et al. ( SEHU). – Paratypes: Honshu: 23 2♀, same data as for holotype ( SEHU) ; 53 5♀, same data as for holotype ( OMO) ; 13 4♀, Sukayu , Aomori, Aomori Pref., 6.ix.1987, T. Ichita ( IC) ; 23 1♀, Mt. Ohdake , Aomori, Aomori Pref., 8.vi.1998, S. Yamauchi ; 33 1♀, Mt. Hina-dake , Aomori, Aomori Pref., 21.vi.1997, S. Yamauchi ; 13 1♀, Mt. Ishikura-dake , Aomori, Aomori Pref., 8.viii.1999, S. Yamauchi ; 13, Sen’nin-tai , Aomori, Aomori Pref., 5.vi.1999, S. Yamauchi ; 53 2♀, Mt. Komaga-mine , Towadako, Aomori Pref., 21.vi.1998, S. Yamauchi ; 33 1♀, Mt. Sarukura-dake , Towadako, Aomori Pref., 22.vi.1998, S. Yamauchi ; 1♀, Ajigasawa , Aomori Pref., 28.vii.1987, A. Fukuda ; 1♀, same locality, 24.vii.1989, K. Shimoyama ( APMA) ; 13 1♀, Mt. Iwaki-san (alt. 1200-1625 m), Aomori Pref., 27.ix.1986, T. Ozaki ( IC) ; 23 2♀, Mt. Chokai-zan , Iwaki-san Mts., Aomori Pref., 7.vii.1993, S. Yamauchi ; 23, Mt. Saihoji-mori , Iwaki-san Mts., Aomori Pref., 12.vii.1995, S. Yamauchi ; 13 1♀, Shirasawa , Iwaki-san Mts., Aomori Pref., 17.viii.1993, S. Yamauchi ( APMA) ; 23 5♀, Mt. Shirakami-dake , Iwasaki, Aomori Pref., 31.vii.1988, T. Ichita ( IC) ; 1♀, Juni-ko , Iwasaki, Aomori Pref., 5.viii.1994, S. Yamauchi ; 2♀, Takinomata-zawa , Hiraka, Aomori Pref., 28.vi.1988, S. Yamauchi ( APMA) ; 13 1♀, Gama-numa (alt. 1600 m), Hachiman-tai, Iwate Pref., 13.ix.2000, M. Hayashi et al .; 23 1♀, Horai-numa (alt. 1310 m), Hachiman-tai, Iwate Pref., 9.ix.2001, M. Hayashi et al .; 23, Matsukawa-onsen (alt. 890 m), Hachiman-tai, Iwate Pref., 9.ix.2001, M. Hayashi et al .; 53 5♀, Fukenoyu (alt. 1120 m), Hachiman-tai, Kazuno, Akita Pref., 17.vii.2001, M. Hayashi et al .; 33 3♀, Oyachi (alt. 1080 m), Hachiman-tai, Kazuno, Akita Pref., 13.ix.2000, M. Hayashi et al. ( SUS) ; 13, Mt . Zawosan , Miyagi Pref., 22-23.vi.1974, Y. Kurosawa ( NSMT, no. 4675) ; 13, Hinoemata , Fukushima Pref., 9- 10.vi.1990, K. Konishi ; 13, Sandogoya-onsen , Kuroiso, Tochigi Pref., 21. ix.1974, K. Sadanaga ( NIAS) ; 13, Happo-gahara , Yaita, Tochigi Pref., 11.viii.1983, K. Kawakami ; 13, Kinugawa-onsen , Fujiwara, Tochigi Pref., 12.viii.1987, K. Watanabe ( TPMU) ; 13, Konsei-rindo , Nikko, Tochigi Pref., 23.vii.1983, K. Kawakami ( NIAS) ; 1♀, Karikomi-ko , Nikko, Tochigi Pref., 12.vi.1996, A. Yamamoto ( OMO) ; 23, Yumoto , Nikko, Tochigi Pref., 26.viii.1985, T. Imura ( TPMU) ; 13 5♀, Yamanohana , Ozegahara, Gunma Pref., 24.viii.1961, I. Hiura ( OMNH) ; 13 3♀, Ozegahara, Gunma Pref., 28- 31.viii.1978, M. Sato ( NSMT, no. 4676-4679) ; 13, same locality, 28-31.viii.1978, M. Tomokuni ( NSMT, no. 4680) ; 23, same locality, 20-24.viii.1979, M. Sato ( NSMT, no. 4681-4682) ; 13, Kosuge-gawa , Kosuge, Yamanashi Pref., 14.vii.1960, S. Katsuya ; 13, Mt. Iizuna-yama , Nagano Pref., 29.vi.1943, K. Sakaguchi ; 13, from Sarukura to Mt. Shirouma-dake , Hakuba, Nagano Pref., 15-16.ix.1966, H. Hasegawa ; 13, Kamikochi , Azumi, Nagano Pref., 3.viii.1952, E. Nakanishi ; 13, same locality, 12.ix.1952, H. Hasegawa ; 13, Takamiishi , Mt. Yatsuga-take, Nagano Pref., 31.vii.1964, H. Hasegawa ; 13, Inagoyu , Koumi, Nagano Pref., 24.vii.1959, T. Shibata ( NIAS) .

Description. – Body ovoid; dorsal surface green with red markings, densely dark punctate; ventral surface greenish yellow, reddish on posterior end. Head green, irregularly punctate except around eyes and with a pair of fuscous, narrow stripes on basal part of tylus. Antenna green, with brownish segment III, fuscous IV and V. Rostrum greenish yellow with fuscous apex, reaching to middle coxae. Pronotum green, reddish along posterolateral margin, densely punctate except for calli; humeral angle projecting weakly, infuscate posteriorly. Scutellum green, tinged with red basally, densely punctate; apex pale, impunctate. Corium translucent, green, with some red along claval and membranal margin, densely punctate; base of vein R+M narrowly blackish; apical corner slightly infuscate; clavus red, densely punctate; membrane brownish, with a triangular, fuscous marking at middle of costal margin. Femur greenish yellow, slightly darkened apically and with a small basal tubercle in male; tibia green, brownish apically; tarsus brown, darkened on apex of tarsomere II; apex of claw fuscous. Abdominal terga entirely black, except for narrowly greenish yellow lateral margins; posterior margin of segment VII reddish yellow. Connexiva greenish yellow, reddish on apex of segment VII. Sterna greenish yellow, impunctate; each segment with a pair of fuscous spots laterally; segment VII reddish on apical corners. Pendergrast’s organs semicircular ( fig. 33).

Male genitalia: Sides of genital capsule rounded, strongly convergent basally in dorsal view; ventral rim furnished with a pair of lower tufts and a pair of upper tufts, lateral teeth lacking; upper tuft large, oval-shaped; infolding of dorsal rim furnished with a pair of long setal tufts at each side of middle ( figs. 9-10); paramere with triangular outer projection strongly reflexed caudad ( fig. 20); phallotheca with a large dorsal diverticulum; dorsal lobe of conjunctival sheath developed and divided into 5 lobules ( fig. 27).

Female genitalia ( fig. 33): Posterior margin of genital segments VIII rounded laterally and with a shallow median emargination.

Dimensions. – 3 / ♀: Body length 9.78-11.50 (10.60)/9.92-11.90 (10.90); width of pronotum 4.49- 5.31 (4.98)/4.69-6.04 (5.28); width of head including eyes 1.73-1.90 (1.80)/1.73-1.97 (1.86); length of antennal segment I 0.97-1.10 (1.01)/0.83-0.97 (0.89), II 1.45-1.66 (1.54)/1.21-1.52 (1.34), III 0.90-1.14 (1.00)/0.76-1.04 (0.91), IV 1.45-1.69 (1.57)/1.31- 1.55 (1.42), V 1.31-1.48 (1.41)/1.21-1.41 (1.31); width of scutellum 2.42-2.86 (2.64)/2.52-3.24 (2.87); length of scutellum 3.04-3.45 (3.25)/2.97- 3.73 (3.41); length of fore femur 2.21-2.42 (2.28)/ 2.24-2.83 (2.55), fore tibia 2.07-2.28 (2.16)/2.07- 2.55 (2.32), middle femur 2.48-2.76 (2.62)/2.38- 2.83 (2.57), middle tibia 2.21-2.48 (2.36)/2.07-2.55 (2.33), hind femur 3.04-3.38 (3.20)/2.66-3.31 (3.02), hind tibia 3.11-3.31 (3.16)/2.69-3.24 (2.98).

Etymology. – Named in honor of Dr. I. M. Kerzhner, who kindly gave me valuable information on E. minor Horváth for comparison. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

Distribution. – Japan (Honshu).

Biology. – Betula ermanii Cham. ( Betulaceae ) was confirmed as a host plant; many nymphs were collected on this in Aomori Pref., northern Honshu (T. Ichita, pers. comm.). Further, E. kerzhneri also seems to be associated with Salix reinii Franch. et Savat. ( Salicaceae ), on which many mating adults were collected in Mt. Hakkoda-san, Aomori Pref. (M. Ohara, pers. comm.). This species occurs mainly in the montane to subalpine zone in Honshu.

Remarks. – This species was previously reported as E. minor Horváth in some faunistic reports in Japan. However this new species can be readily distinguished from E. minor by the oval-shaped upper tuft in the male genitalia ( figs. 9-10), and the shape of the paramere ( fig. 20). Otherwise, this species is very similar to E. interstinctus in general appearance, but it can be distinguished by the brownish membrane, the lack of lateral teeth on the genital, and the triangular outer projection of the paramere.