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A NEW SPECIES OF HENICOCEPHALOIDES FROM EASTERN
MADAGASCAR (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA: REDUVIIDAE)
PETR BAN
ˇAR
ˇ
1
,LEONIDAS ROMANOS DAVRANOGLOU
2
AND DOMINIK CHŁOND
3
1
Czech University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Forest
Protection and Entomology, Kamy´cka´ 1176, CZ-165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic;
petrbanar@seznam.cz
2
Animal Flight Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road,
Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom; lrdreduvius@yahoo.gr
3
University of Silesia, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Zoology,
ul. Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland; dominik.chlond@us.edu.pl
Abstract—Henicocephaloides raunoi sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Physoderinae) is described
based on a single male specimen from Eastern Madagascar, which is deposited in the collection of the Moravian
Museum, Brno. The newly described species is illustrated and compared to Henicocephaloides fulvescens Villiers,
1962. A revised generic diagnosis is also provided.
Key words: Reduviidae, Physoderinae, Henicocephaloides, new species, Madagascar.
INTRODUCTION
Physoderinae is a small subfamily of Reduviidae
with only 15 known genera and 69 described species
(Maldonado Capriles, 1990; Forero and Weirauch,
2005; Weirauch, 2006; Cao et al., 2011; Chłond,
2011; Re´dei, 2012; Chłond et al., 2015; Davranoglou,
2014; Davranoglou et al., 2016). The Madagascan
fauna of Physoderinae is particularly diverse, with
11 genera and 26 species (Bergroth, 1906; Miller,
1955; Signoret, 1860; Villiers, 1953, 1962, 1964,
1968; Chłond et al., 2015). The genus Henicoce-
phaloides Villiers, 1962 currently contains only
Henicocephaloides fulvescens Villiers, 1962, which
is based on single male from Eastern Madagascar
(Marovato, Rogez).
During sifting of forest litter in Re´ serve Expe´ri-
mentale de Vohimana in Eastern Madagascar,
a single male of Henicocephaloides was collected.
This unique specimen represents a new species,
which is described herein.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The term “dorsal ocular index” refers to the
ratio of the minimum width of the vertex to the
maximum width of the eye; it is easiest to calcu-
late if measured as twice the minimum inter-
ocular distance / maximum width across eyes
minus minimum interocular distance. External
and genital structures were examined using a SZP
11 ZOOM stereoscopic microscope. The uncoated
specimen was examined with a Hitachi S-3700N
environmental electron microscope at the De-
partment of Palaeontology, National Museum,
Praha. All drawings were made using a camera
lucida. Genitalia were boiled in 12%KOH for
2 minutes to remove soft tissue, rinsed in distilled
water, and dissected. Color photographs were
taken with a Leica MSV266 camera. Measure-
ments are given in millimeters. The label data are
cited verbatim, using a slash (/) to separate rows on
the label; different labels are indicated by double
slashes (//). Notes by the authors are within square
brackets.
The holotype is deposited in the collection of
the Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic
(MMBC).
TAXONOMY
HENICOCEPHALOIDES VILLIERS, 1962
Henicocephaloides Villiers, 1962: 230. Type species:
Henicocephaloides fulvescens Villiers, 1962, by
original designation.
REVISED DIAGNOSIS: The genus Henicocepha-
loides is characterized by the three-segmented
tarsi, the long anterior part of head (anteocular
and clypeus), the scapus not conspicuously sur-
passing the apex of the clypeus and by the finely
granulose ventral surface of the femora (some-
what reduced in H. fulvescens).
Entomologica Americana 122(1–2):238–244, 2016
Henicocephaloides raunoi, new species
Figs. 2A–D, 3B, D, F, 4A–F
TYPE MATERIAL:HOLOTYPE:male, “VOH/Aug.
2012/10 MADAGASCAR /Re´serv. Expe´rimentale
de VOHIMANA / Circuit 5, PK 18“; 22.viii.2012 /
S18u55’38.8‘‘E48u30’01.7‘‘; 915m / sifting litter;
Winkler app. extr.; L.S. / Rahanitriniaina & E.M.
Rabotoson lgt. [printed] // Henicocephaloides /
raunoi sp. nov. P. Ban
ˇar
ˇ, / L.R. Davranoglou &
D. Chłond det. 2015 [printed red label]” (MMBC).
Holotype is card-mounted, third and fourth right
antennomeres are missing, third and fourth left
antennomeres are glued separately on the same
rectangular card, right foreleg mounted on sepa-
rate label, dissected genitalia are preserved in vial in
glycerol, pinned on the same pin as the specimen.
DESCRIPTION:Male: COLORATION: Uniformly
dark brown, legs, labium and antennae somewhat
paler.
VESTITURE: Entire body surface covered
with sparse, short, appressed to semi-erect setae,
denser on head, anntennae and legs (Fig. 3B).
Head with a distinct pattern of pilose-glabrous
areas. Thorax follows a similar pattern. Setigerous
tubercles on head and pronotum. Scutellum with
strongly reduced vestiture (Fig. 3F).
STRUCTURE: Body elongate, flat, with long
and thin legs (Fig. 2A). Head elongate, almost
twice (1.95 times) as long as its width across eyes,
posterior lobe 1.2 times wider than long, eyes of
medium size, margins not reaching dorsal and
ventral outline of head in lateral view. Ocular
index 2.21. Ratio of length of eye to distance eye
to apex of antennifer 0.87. Ocelli of medium size,
placed on minute tubercles. Antenna long, anten-
nomeres I and II wider than antennomeres III
and IV, antennal formula (longest segment first):
II : IV : III : I. Labium typical for subfamily (see
Davranoglou, 2015). Thorax: Pronotum (Fig. 2A):
Anterior lobe conspicuously wider than long; collum
indistinct, without processes at its lateral margins;
disk with a symmetrical pattern of depressed,
glabrous areas separated by lines of minute
setigerous tubercles (Fig. 3D). Anterior and pos-
terior lobes separated by a vaguely developed
impression. Posterior part of anterior lobe and
proximal part of posterior lobe connected by five
narrow, strongly sclerotized carinae. Posterior lobe
wider than long, without particular modifications;
somewhat rugose on its anterior third. Parascu-
tellar lobes reaching proximal third of the scutel-
lum. Scutellum laterally with elevated ridges,
median part slightly depressed, with elongate
apical projection directed posteriad. Legs long
and thin, ventral faces of femora with small non-
setigerous tubercles. Fore wing: Membrane and
veins bare, except of sparsely setose costal margin.
Male genitalia: Pygophore subquadrate (Fig. 4A).
Parameres (Figs. 4B, C) large, apical portion
broadened. Articulatory apparatus of the phallus
long and thin (Figs. 4D, F). Phallus ventrally with
sclerotized membrane, overlapping non-inflated
phallus in its whole length; dorsally with (most
probably) paired dorsal phallothecal sclerite over-
lapping completely its dorsal face (and meeting
dorso-laterally with ventral sclerotized membrane.
Dorsal sclerotized plate of phallotheca narrow, its
base strongly sclerotized, broadest in the third of
its length, forming there unusual heart-shape
widening, its apical two thirds subparallel, very
narrow (Fig. 4D). Endosomal ventral part with
sparse, weakly sclerotized teeth (Figs. 4D, F).
Dorsoapical part of endosoma roughly denticu-
lated with strongly sclerotized teeth (Figs. 4D, F).
MEASUREMENTS: L 5length; W 5width.
Total body L – 8.46. Head (without neck): Total
L – 1.60; posterior lobe L – 0.56; posterior lobe
W – 0.69; eye L – 0.34; distance eye to apex of
antennifer – 0.39; diatone (maximum width across
eyes) – 0.82; dorsal synthlipsis (minimum inter-
ocular distance) – 0.43. Labium: Segment I L –
0.44; segment II L – 1.49; segment III L – 0.32.
Antenna: Segment I L – 0.38; segment II L – 0.67;
segment III L – 0.53; segment IV L – 0.64.
Pronotum: Total L (median) – 1.51; total L
(maximum) – 1.98; anterior lobe L (maximum) –
0.64; anterior lobe W (maximum) – 1.33; posterior
lobe L (median) – 0.84; posterior lobe W
(maximum) – 2.16. Foreleg: Femur L – 1.53; femur
W (maximum) – 0.24; tibia L – 2.09; tibia W
(maximum) – 0.13. Middle leg: Femur L – 1.62;
femur W (maximum) – 0.21; tibia L – 1.84; tibia W
(maximum) – 0.11. Hindleg: Femur L – 1.82; femur
W (maximum) – 0.22; tibia L – 2.02; tibia W
(maximum) – 0.12. Forewing: Total L – 5.25;
maximum W – 2.16. Abdomen: Total L – 3.95;
maximum W – 2.65.
Female: Unknown.
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS:Henicocephaloides rau-
noi sp. nov. differs from H. fulvescens by longer
body (8.46 mm; 7.52 mm in H. fulvescens); dark
brown body color (Fig. 2A) (pale brow n to yellowish
in H. fulvescens, Fig 1A); longer and thinner
antenna, antennomeres II and IV subequal in length,
2016 NEW SPECIES OF HENICOCEPHALOIDES (REDUVIIDAE) 239
longest, scapus shortest, faintly surpassing clypeus
(antennae shorter and thicker, all antennomeres
subequal in length in H. fulvescens, scapus not
surpassing clypeus); anteocular stout, triangular
(Fig. 2B) (anteocular elongate and apically rounded
in H. fulvescens, Fig. 1C); stronger head chaetotaxy
(Figs. 3E–F); scutellar process elongate (same length
in H. fulvescens but stouter) (Figs. 3E–F) and
smooth and shiny median depression on pronotal
posterior lobe (matt and conspicuously wrinkled
in H. fulvescens).
ETYMOLOGY: It is a great pleasure to dedi-
cate this new species to Rauno E. Linnavuori,
in recognition of his achievements on the
taxonomy of Heteroptera.
HABITAT AND COLLECTING METHOD: The single
male was sifted from the forest litter in evergreen
forest of eastern Madagascar. Litter sample sifted
in the forest was placed in Winkler apparatus,
which extracted arthropods for two days. All
collected arthropods were fixed with 50%alcohol
and subsequently transported to the P. Ban
ˇar
ˇ’s lab
for sorting and examination. Henicocephaloides
raunoi shared the same microhabitat with many
other arthropod groups, namely ants, springtails,
millipedes, spiders, harvestmen, many groups of
beetles (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae, Pselaphi-
nae, Scydmaeninae, Scaphidiinae; Tenebrionidae,
Ptiliidae, Carabidae, Curculionidae, etc.) and true
bugs (Dipsocoromorpha: Schizopteridae; Enicoce-
Fig. 1. Henicocephaloides fulvescens Villiers, 1962, holotype. A. dorsal habitus; B. original labels; C. head, dorsal
view. Scale bars in mm.
240 ENTOMOLOGICA AMERICANA Vol. 122(1–2)
phalomorpha: Enicocephalidae; Reduviidae: Saici-
nae, Emesinae; Aradidae, Rhyparochromidae,
Cydnidae, etc.).
DISTRIBUTION: Known only from type locality,
Eastern Madagascar, Re´serve Expe´ rimentale de
Vohimana.
DISCUSSION
The new species is unique, as it possesses
a mixture of traits present in either Henicocepha-
loides [short scapus] or Tribelocephaloides Villiers,
1962 [stout anteocular portion of the head, not
mentioned in Villiers’ (1962) description of the
genus]. Although the relationship between the
two genera will only be further elucidated from
a thorough morphological analysis and/or a mo-
lecular phylogeny of the subfamily, there are a
few preliminary notes to be made.
The main distinguishing features between the
two genera are based solely on differences
between the length and width of scapus, as well
as the shape of the anteocular region. These two
characters are remarkably variable within several
physoderine genera (e.g., in most species studied
by Villiers (1962); in Physoderes Westwood, 1846
[Davranoglou, 2014], Leptophysoderes Weirauch,
2006 [Davranoglou et al 2015; Weirauch, 2006],
Fig. 2. Henicocephaloides raunoi sp. nov. A. dorsal habitus; B. head, dorsal view; C. head, ventral view; D. head,
lateral view. Scale bars in mm.
2016 NEW SPECIES OF HENICOCEPHALOIDES (REDUVIIDAE) 241
Fig. 3. Henicocephaloides fulvescens Villiers, 1962, holotype A. head, dorsal view; C. pronotum, dorsal view;
E. scutellum, dorsal view; Henicocephaloides raunoi sp. nov. B. head, dorsal view; D. pronotum, dorsal view;
F. scutellum, dorsal view. Scale bars in mm.
242 ENTOMOLOGICA AMERICANA Vol. 122(1–2)
etc.). Thus, the separation of Tribelocephaloides
and Henicocephaloides may be somewhat artificial
and unnecessary, and the two genera are likely to
be synonymized in the future.
Regarding the leg structure of H. raunoi,
Davranoglou (2014) first noted that the majority
of Physoderinae possess a unique pattern of tibial
armature: the fore tibiae are armed dorsally, while
the mid tibiae are armed ventrally. Henicocepha-
loides raunoi and other physoderine genera
(Befotaka Villiers, 1962, Epiroderoides Villiers,
1962, Maroantsetrana [Villiers, 1962], Tribeloce-
phaloides) are characterized by long, slender legs,
with reduced or no tibial armature. The absence
of such a conserved feature could be of systematic
importance and should be considered when
coding a character matrix for a morphological
phylogeny of the subfamily.
Fig. 4. Henicocephaloides raunoi sp. nov. A. pygophore, ventral view; B. left paramere, outer view; C. left
paramere, inner view; D. phallus, dorsal view; E. phallus, lateral view; F. phallus, ventral view. Scale bars in mm.
2016 NEW SPECIES OF HENICOCEPHALOIDES (REDUVIIDAE) 243
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are thankful to E. Guilbert and
D. Pluot-Sigwalt for their help and hospitality dur-
ing our visits to the Muse´um National d’Histoire
Naturelle in Paris and for the loan of H. fulvescens
holotype specimen, and Petr Kment (National
Museum, Prague) for access to SEM laboratory.
The senior author would like to thank Dr. Lala
Harivelo Ravaomanarivo Raveloson (University of
Antananarivo, Faculty of Sciences, Department of
Entomology) and Dr. Chantal Andrianarivo (Mada-
gascar National Parks) for their support in the
following research project: ‘E
´tude a` long terme de la
biodiversite´ des groupes choisis d’insectes (Cole´opte`res,
He´te´ropte`res, Le´pidopte`res et Homopte`res) dans les
localite´s pre´alablement se´lectionne´es en conside´ration
de la recherche et la protection de la biodiversite´
dans les aires prote´ge´ es de Madagascar’ and for
the financial support provided by the grant
IGA no. B03/15 of the Czech University of Life
Sciences Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood
Sciences.
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