An analysis of species­groups of the genus Plinthisus Stephens (Hemiptera: Rhyparochromidae) in the Ethiopian Region with the description of eight new species Author Sweet, Merrill H. Author Slater, James A. text Zootaxa 2004 533 1 56 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.157231 b5cb967b-71dc-4274-a326-782875cb782b 1175­5326 157231 F227B130-5DAF-4BC2-9986-DC2076AA93CA Key to Ethiopian Plinthisus Species­Groups 1. Scent gland auricle curving or pointing caudad ( Figs. 18–21, 23, 26 ); auricle sometimes expanded distad into a tear­drop shape ( Fig. 21 )................................................. 2 — Scent gland auricle recurved, first curving caudad then cephalad. ( Figs. 22, 24–25, 27 ); auricle apex, if expanded, scimitar­shaped ( Figs. 24–25 ) ..................................... 8 2. Pronotum with at least posterior lobe heavily punctate ( Figs. 1–2 ); brachypter coleopteroid, hemelytra extending caudad to at least tergum 5 ( Fig. 2 ) ....................... 3 — Entire pronotum appearing impunctate, with no more than micropunctures on posteriorlobe;brachypterwithhemelytratruncate,extendingonlytoabdominaltergum4( Fig. 5 ) ....................................................................................................................................... 7 3. Male profemur with one row of 2–3 spines ( Fig. 115 ); less than 1.8 mm in body length ......................................................................................................... Pulchellus Group — Male profemur with two rows of many spines, inner row with at least 2 major spines ( Figs. 110–113 ); more than 2.2 mm in body length ..................................................... 4 4. Bucculae very large, much wider than width of labium and extending anteriorad beyond tylus ( Fig. 8 ); brachypter without fringe of membrane on hemelytron, abdominal tergal sutures 4–5 and 5–6 transverse, not curving caudad, tergum 6 greater in length than either tergum 4 or 5 ( Fig. 39 ) ........................................ Rudebecki Group — Bucculae not wider than width of labium, not extending anteriorad beyond tylus ( Figs. 9–10 ), brachypter with fringe of membrane on hemelytron ( Fig. 2 ); abdominal tergal sutures 4–5 and 5–6 curving caudad, tergum 6 much shorter than either tergum 4 or 5, ( Fig. 40–41 )................................................................................................................... 5 5. Entire dorsum, pleura, and abdominal venter coarsely and evenly punctate; eyes either greatly foreshortened, more than twice as high as long, or very small, eye width 1/6 of interocular space Brachyoccus Group — Anterior lobe of pronotum, proepisternum and abdominal venter impunctate to finely punctate, much less punctate than posterior lobe of pronotum; eye normal, less than twice as high as long or, width greater than 1/4 interocular width ............................... 6 6. Sparsely clothed above with short sericeous decumbent hairs, body hairs shorter than antennal hairs and less than width of metatibia; in brachypter, male protibia ( Fig. 110 ) lightly curved, armed beneath only with small tubercles of equal size........................... .......................................................................................................... Tineoides Group — Densely clothed above with long upright hairs, hairs longer than antennal hairs and twice width of metatibia; male protibia ( Fig. 113 ) strongly curved, armed beneath with mixed large and small tubercles .......................................................... Hirsutus Group 7. Body nearly glabrous, with at most very short decumbent hairs ( Fig. 5 ); profemur mutic, convex below ( Fig. 117 ) Fynbosi Group — Body densely clothed with long semi­erect hairs; profemur ( Fig. 120 ) flattened and sulcate beneath, armed with a single spine ...................................... Zuurbergi Group 8. Scent gland auricle strongly recurved, reaching anterodorsal corner of granulose scent area, dividing scent gland area ( Figs. 24–25 ); over 1.9 mm in length .......................... 9 — Scent gland auricle with only apex curved cephalad, not dividing the granulose scent area ( Figs. 22, 27 ); under 1.8 mm in length ................................................................ 10 9. Dorsal body surface granulose­pebbled in texture ( Fig. 6 ); profemur convex beneath ( Fig. 118 ) ........................................................................................ Peninsularis Group — Dorsal body surface polished, shining in texture ( Fig. 7 ); profemur flattened and sulcate beneath ( Fig. 119 ) ....................................................................... Lamprus Group 10. Head, pronotum, scutellum and hemelytra coarsely and densely punctate­granulose ( Figs. 3–4 ), no trichobothriumlike seta on eye ( Fig. 12 ) ........................ Ericae Group — Head, pronotum, scutellum and hemelytra smooth, lightly punctate with well­separated punctures, eye with a long trichobothriumlike seta............................................ 11 11. Lateral margins of hemelytra ecarinate; brachypterous hemelytron with posterior margin transversely truncate, without membrane, barely reaching 4th abdominal tergum; body densely pilose above .................................................. Drakensbergensis Group — Lateral margin of hemelytra carinate; brachypterous hemelytron with posterior margin oblique, with fringe of membrane, and reaching at least 5th abdominal tergum; body sparsely clothed with short decumbent sericeous hairs above ........... Ptilioides Group