Diagnose of the nominal subgenus of Edessa and description of the E. sexdens group (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae, Edessinae) Author Mendonça, Maria Thayane Da Silva Author Silva, Valéria Juliete Da 0000-0002-1845-5228 valeriajuliete@hotmail.com Author Fernandes, José Antônio Marin text Zootaxa 2023 2023-02-14 5240 1 1 63 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5240.1.1 journal article 256481 10.11646/zootaxa.5240.1.1 4d650293-3f9a-4bbe-9530-204a3b09ef8b 1175-5326 7639547 2FE467C1-EAC2-4E90-B673-CCE2CCA93C1D Edessa (E.) helicoceras Breddin, 1905 ( Figs. 8 , 26 C,D , 31 A ) Edessa helicoceras Breddin, 1905: 26 ; Kirkaldy, 1909: 158 . Edessa helicoceras . Lectotype male. Esmeralda, Venezuela , Schirmer leg. ( SDEI ). Examined. Designated by Gaedike (1971: 87) . Edessa helicoceras . Paralectotype female. Same data (SDEI). Material examined. COLOMBIA : 1♁, Colombia ( UFPA ) ; Bogotá : 1♀ , Bogotá , 10-VI-1925 , M. H. Nicefero ( Comp W type — Seiler & Lutz 1957) ( USNM ) . ECUADOR , Napo : 1♀ , Tena , 18-VII-1982 , R. Hensen ( Comp. W Type — Fernandes JAM 1990) ( UFPA ) . Measurements (n= 3). Total length: 17.5–19.8; head length: 1.8–2.0; head width: 3.0–3.1; pronotum length: 3.9–4.2; pronotum width: 9.5–10.0; scutellum length: 7.9–8.8; scutellum width: 6.0–6.5; abdominal width: 8.8–9.8; length antennomers: I: 1.0–1.0; II: 1.7–1.8; III: 1.7–1.8. Diagnosis. Specimens large ( 17.5–19.8 mm ). Dorsal surface olive green ( Fig. 26 C ). Ventral surface dark yellow to brown with transversal black lines on thorax and abdomen ( Fig. 26 D ). Antennae reddish brown ( Fig. 26 C ). Pronotum with punctures concolorous with surface to brown ( Fig. 26 C ). Humeral angles long (1,75 times longer than wide) ( Fig. 26 C ), apices black ( Fig. 26 C ); humeral angle dark spot restricted to the angle in dorsal view, but in ventral view spot expanding into the propleuron ( Fig. 26 C,D ). Scutellum with punctures concolorous with surface to brown ( Fig. 26 C ); apex not reach end of corium ( Fig. 26 C ). Corium with all veins concolorous with surface ( Fig. 26 C ). Posterolateral angles of connexivum with apices brown ( Fig. 26 C ); connexival segments without spot and flat ( Fig. 26 C ). Ventral surface. Thorax with black stripes ( Fig. 26 D ); dark stripe of the propleuron connected to the dark spot of the humeral angle ( Fig. 26 D ). Proepisternum with dark stripe. Evaporatorium black ( Fig. 26 D ). Metasternal process ( Fig. 8 G ) with anterior apex straight and laterally well expanded, margin rounded; anterior face somewhat excavated; anterior bifurcation receiving fourth rostral segment; with black central spot. Legs with tibiae and tarsi darker than the rest ( Fig. 26 D ). Abdomen with spine of third segment acuminated ( Fig. 26 F ). Intersegmental areas covered by wide black band reaching lateral margin; band connected to the pseudosutures by black spots that also cover spiracles ( Fig. 26 D ). Pseudosutures solid black, margin irregular ( Fig. 26 D ). Median longitudinal black band complete ( Fig. 26 D ). Trichobotria lateral to the spiracles. Posterolateral angles of segment VII not reaching the level of apices of laterotergites IX in females ( Fig. 8 F ). Male genitalia, dorsal side of the pygophore with a suffused brown area occupying 1/3 of the surface ( Fig. 8 A,B,D,F ). Posterolateral angle of pygophore slightly developed ( Fig. 8 A ). Superior process of genital cup little developed, fixed to the wall of the tenth segment, rectangular, thick, tumid, not continuing ventrally in a carina ( Fig. 8 B,E ). Anterior half of proctiger black ( Fig. 8 A,B,D,E ). Ventral rim not setose ( Fig. 8 C ). Female genitalia, valvifers VIII with a small dentiform projection on the valvifers IX; tumescence in the central region of the valvifers VIII with black spot; valvifers IX with black spot; laterotergites VIII with dark band on outer lateral margins; laterotergites IX with black spot in dug the base ( Fig. 8 F ). FIGURE 8. A–G. Edessa ( E. ) helicoceras Breddin, 1905 : A pygophore in dorsal, dorsolateral, ventral, posterior and posterolateral views, respectively; F, genital plates; G, metasternal process. Scale 1 mm. Male genitalia ( Fig. 8 A–E ): Parameres with brown margin; anterior lobe round and subrectangular; dorsal and posterior lobe rounded ( Fig. 8 B,D,E ). Proctiger with subtriangular posterior face ( Fig. 8 D,E ). Ventral rim with expansions undeveloped and concolorous with surface ( Fig. 8 C ). Female genitalia: Valvifers VIII with dark punctures and setulose; inner margins black, contiguous and divergent; distal margin forming distal U-shaped excavation, with black band and arched. Laterotergites IX with apices acuminate passing the sclerite uniting laterotergites VIII ( Fig. 8 F ). Comments. The type locality of this species, Esmeralda, was considered Venezuela by Breddin (1905) and Gaedike (1971) , but Esmeralda was considered Colombia by Breddin in his description of Edessa (E.) schirmeri and E. (E.) subandina ( Breddin 1904 , Gaedike 1971 ). But in one of the E. (E.) subandina labels is written Esmeralda, Venezuela ( Fig. 22 D ). Therefore, we were unable to correctly place this location in any of the mentioned countries. The E. (E.) helicoceras can be easily separated from the other species of the group by the humeral angles narrow and long ( Fig. 26 C,D ); connexivum without spots ( Fig. 26 C ) and ventral surface with wide black stripes ( Fig. 26 D ). Distribution ( Fig. 31 A ): COLOMBIA : Bogotá ; VENEZUELA : Amazonas ; ECUADOR : Napo .