New combinations, status, and species of Neotropical Ambrysini (Heteroptera: Naucoridae: Cryphocricinae)
Author
Reynoso-Velasco, Daniel
text
Zootaxa
2017
2017-09-25
4323
4
503
518
journal article
32005
10.11646/zootaxa.4323.4.4
cafdc21f-367c-4abc-b93c-bf4338483003
1175-5326
995854
5641Cb17-Fb71-4Ebc-B178-0891C31B6Abb
Genus
Picrops
La Rivers
La Rivers (1952)
established the subgenus
Picrops
to accommodate the divergent morphology of
Ambrysus usingeri
.
Picrops
differs from the remainder of the genus
Ambrysus
in a much greater suite of characters than was originally presented by La Rivers. Both sexes of
Picrops
have four or more distal comb rows of spines on the hind tibia (three or fewer in
Ambrysus
). The midline of the abdominal sternum is clothed with a heavy band of elongate hairs on segments III–VIII in males and III–VII in females, similar in appearance to the thick mid-ventral band of hairs in species of
Laccocorinae
and more profuse than in most species of
Ambrysus
. The accessory genitalic process of male tergum VI is absent, whereas it is present in most species of
Ambrysus
. Mediotergite VII in males is enlarged and bears a lateral process on each side (sometimes absent on the left side); no species of
Ambrysus
has such modification of mediotergite VII. The pseudoparameres of tergum VIII are reduced or absent, whereas the condition of these structures has recently been shown to be informative at the species complex or species level in
Ambrysus
(
Reynoso-Velasco & Sites 2016a
,
b
). The parameres are asymmetrical and wrap over the phallosoma, whereas they are symmetrical and generally lie to the sides of the phallosoma in
Ambrysus
. The femora and tibiae are exceptionally slender for this family. The lateral margin of the eye appears as a sharp point, hence the name
Picrops
. The dorsal surface is a mottled pattern of dark and light brown with hints of rose on the head, pronotum, forefemora, and connexiva. This genus is among the most dorsoventrally flattened naucorids. The asymmetrical parameres and modified mediotergite VII are autapomorphies of
Picrops
within
Ambrysini
. These features together clearly distinguish members of this subgenus from all other species of
Ambrysus
. Thus, we elevate the subgenus
Picrops
to full generic rank.