PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
by the
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONU. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM
Vol. 102 Washington: 1952 No. 3309A REVIEW OF THE STINK BUGS OF THE GENUS MECIDEABy R. I. SailerThe genus Mecidea (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) comprises a groupof stink bugs that occur in the subtropical and adjacent temperateparts of the world. Within these regions the distribution of the genusappears to coincide rather closely with that of xerophytic or semixero-phytic environments. Notable exceptions exist that may reflectinsufficient knowledge. However, if our present information is evenreasonably complete, the distribution of the genus as a whole and ofits various species raises a number of interesting questions of zoogeo-graphical significance. This paper is written in the hope that clarifi-cation of taxonomic relationships may facilitate the usefulness of thegenus as a tool for zoogeographic studies.Acknowledgments.?I wish to express to the following institutionsand individuals my appreciation of the privilege of studying specimenscontained in their collections: United States National Museum; Uni-versity of Kansas Snow Entomological Museum (thi-ough R. H.Beamer); Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (throughJ. A. G. Rehn) ; Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales (through A. E.Riggi and N. A. Kormilev); British Museum (Natural History)(through R, J. Izzard); Museo de La Plata (through E. J. Mac-Donagh); Narodni Museum v Praze (through L. Hoberlandt) ;Instituto de Entomologia de Fundaci6n Miguel Lillo (through K. J.Hayward) ; California Academy of Sciences (through E. S. Ross)
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H. Ruckes, Department of Biology, City College of New York;J. C. Lutz, Philadelphia, Pa.; C. J. Drake, Iowa State College, Ames,Iowa; H. M. Harris, Department of Zoology and Entomology,Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa; R. C. Froeschner, Department ofZoology and Entomology, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa.969584?52 1 47 j
472 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102The following abbreviations are used for institutions in which typematerial has been deposited:A.N.S.P. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.B.M. British Museum (Natural History).C.A.S. California Academy of Sciences.I.E.F.M.L. Institute de Entomologfa de Fundaci6n Miguel Lillo.I.M.U.L.P. Institute del Museo de la Universidad de La Plata.M.A.C.N. Museo Argentine de Ciencias Naturales.U.K.S.M. University of Kansas Snow Entomological Museum.U.S.N. M. United States National Museum.HISTORICAL ACCOUNTThe generic name Mecidea was established by Dallas in 1851 fortwo species, indica (Bengal) and linearis (locality unknown). Signoretalso described a genus in 1851 that he called Cerataulax. This genuswas based on the species quadrimttatus (Mauritius), which wasdescribed in the same paper. In October of 1851 Signoret reportedthat Dallas' "List of Hemipterous Insects in the British Museum" hadbeen published a few days earlier than his paper "Description deNouvelles Especes d'H^mipteres (Ann. Soc. Ent. France, ser. 2, vol. 9,pp. 329-348). As a result he listed several corrections on page cviiiof the same volume. One of these corrections states that Cerataulaxvittatus (sic) Signoret must be changed to Mecidea linearis Dallas.While there is no doubt of the generic synonymy, reliable evidence thatquadrivittatus and linearis are the same species is lacking.Subsequent authors have described 13 additional species in thegenus Mecidea. The present paper treats 1 of them as a synonym,renames 1 homonym, and adds 3 additional new species. Thisprovides the genus with a total of 18 species.GENERIC RELATIONSHIPSMecidea is included with nine other genera in the tribe Mecideini.These genera form a heterogeneous assemblage within the subfamilyPentatominae, They are set apart from the other tribes of thesubfamily by a single common character: Abdomen beneath, antero-laterally, with transversely strigose or rugose stridulatory vittae.Within the tribe extreme differences of size and structure contrastmarkedly with the close similarity of species within the various generaas far as they are known to me. This suggests a polyphyletic origin forthe tribe. Whatever the result of future studies on the tribe Mecideini,there is no doubt that the closest relatives of Mecidea are at presentfound within this tribe. Mecidea is thereby clearly associated with agroup of genera that are restricted to the Australasian region. This isthe more remarkable since Mecidea is not known from that region.
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 473DISTRIBUTION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCEThe distribution of Mecidea arouses interest because of its remark-ably discontinuous nature. Although the genus belongs to a pre-dominantly Australasian tribe, the Australasian Region is the onlyone of the sLx major world zoogeographical regions not included inthe distribution of the genus. Within these regions the membersof the genus are found in arid or semiarid zones lying roughly betweenlatitude 40? N. and latitude 40? S. (See fig. 88.)At the present time the center of distribution of the genus appearsto be in the Abyssinian and Uganda higlilands of Africa. Of the 14Old World species 5 are found in or adjacent to this area. Of these5 species 2 are widespread, Mecidea pallidissima being found eastwardas far as Central India and pallida over the Near East and the drierparts of Africa north of latitude 10? N. Mecidea pallida is, further-more, closely allied to and possibly identical with indica of India andlepineyi of the western Sahara. The distribution of pallida assumesgreater interest with the discovery that the North American speciesmajor is so closely related that the two may be no more than sub-specifically distinct. Furthermore, longula, which is known from at
^PAMPEANA
Figure 88.?Map showing known distribution of Mecidea (in black). Specific names areintended to provide a diagrammatic picture of the distribution of the two principal speciesgroups. Related species are connected by four lines.
474 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102least 3 semiarid islands in the West Indies, is clearly derived frompallida or from common parent stock.Of the other three species that are associated with the Abyssinianand Uganda highlands, Mecidea lutzi appears to have no close relativeand tellinii is known only from the original description. However, thethird species, kristenseni, is clearly allied to the more northern andand eastern pallidissima and to the South African prolixa. Surprisinglyenough the two remaining American species, minor (southwesternUnited States and northern Mexico) and pampeana (Argentina), bothresemble prolixa more than they do pallida.If lines are drawn to connect the areas occupied by related species(see fig. 88) one line must reach from India across North Africathrough the West Indies to the southwestern United States, The otherline may also start in India, pass south through Ethiopia, and SouthAfrica, across the South Atlantic to Argentina and north to thesouthwestern United States.Having described the distribution of the genus and correlated it asfar as possible with relationships within the genus, there remains thequestion of how significant this information may be and what if anyconclusions may be derived from it.The possibility that one or more of the species has been transportedfrom one desert area to another through the agency of man cannotbe overlooked. On two occasions living specimens of Mecideaprolixa have been intercepted by quarantine inspectors at UnitedStates ports, each time in shipments of grass seed from South Africa,The very close relationship of indica, pallida, and major may also beused as an argument for a recent dispersal of what may prove to beone species. Also, if we accept the distribution as resulting fromenvironmental discontinuity follomng topographic and climaticchanges, we must be prepared to accept the probability that pallidaand its derivatives indica and major have remained virtually un-changed since early Tertiary time (see Johnston, 1940).The existence of parallel examples of this particular pattern ofdistribution probably constitutes the best argument in favor of ahistorico-geological explanation. Among the plants several generaare common to the arid region of southwestern United States andnorthwestern Mexico and the deserts of Argentina. These have beentreated by Johnston (1940), and Cain (1944) has summarized theinformation concerning discontinuous distribution of plant generathat are known from the desert regions of North America, SouthAmerica, and Africa. Cain was able to cite four well-marked xero-phytic genera as having representatives on all three continents.Menodora, one of the four genera, was shown by Steyermark (1932)
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 475
to include one North American species that has a variety in SouthAfrica.Several well-established cases of insect genera that have speciesdistributed among the arid regions of North America, South America,and Africa are known, though in several instances genera so listed inthe past do not bear critical scrutiny. It is to be expected that thenumber of genera exhibiting this distribution will be small, since anyrelationship shown by these desert floras and faunas must be of veryancient origin, and few genera would be expected to survive theprolonged effects of divergent evolution. This view is amply supportedby a large number of tribes and subfamilies that exhibit either thisdistribution pattern or some variant of it.Chopard (1938), in a chapter on the habitats of Orthoptera, discussedsuch relationships and cited 3 subfamilies that contain genera in thedesert regions of 2 or more continents. Uvarov (1938) used many ofthe same genera in an extensive paper on the subject; however, hetreated them in tribal rather than subfamily groupings. Uvarov(1937) also mentioned the mecopterous family Bittacidae, whichcontains 2 allied flightless genera: Apterobittacus, which occurs inCalifornia; and Anomalobittacus, which is known from South Africa.The homopterous genus Orgerius, of the family Dictypharidae, hasbeen listed by several authors and most recently by Metcalf (1946) ashaving about 20 Mediterranean species and at least 4 species in thewestern United States; however, Ball and Hartzell (1922) expressedthe opinion that the Old World species belonged to a different genusand Dr. P. W. Oman, who has examined specimens from both regions,confirms this view. Nevertheless, the tribe Orgeriini remains a goodexample of the distribution pattern in question.At the generic level a termite genus, Amitermes, appears to providea distribution picture that is in many respects similar to that of thetribe Mecideini. Like Mecideini it is predominantly Australasian butcontains species that are widely distributed in the arid or semiaridparts of southwestern North America, South America, Africa, andAsia. This genus was discussed at some length by Hill (1942).Cockerell (1932) has shown that a genus of bees, Hesperapis, occurs inthe arid districts of the southwestern United States and under similarconditions in South Africa.Another genus that has a marked preference for arid or semiaridregions is Apiocera, in the dipterous famfly Apioceridae. Cazier(1941) has provided a generic review of this family and a discussion ofthe distribution of the family and its 4 genera. Three of the generahave a restricted one-continent distribution; however, the fourth,Apiocera, contains 13 known Australasian species, 1 from SouthAfrica, 2 from Chile, and 20 from North America.
476 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Of considerable significance is the thysanuran genus Machilinus.While Machilinus has not yet been found in South Africa or India itsdistribution is otherwise remarkably like that of Mecidea. Wygodzin-sky (1950) calls attention to the minimal possibilities for the active orpassive dispersal of machilids and concludes that distribution in thisinstance is an argument indicating the considerable age of the genusMachilinus.At least two genera are known that provide examples of thisdistribution pattern, both at the generic and at the specific levels.The first of these is the genus Leptoconops, which belongs to thedipterous family Heleidae. This family includes the biting midges andpunkies, which are commonly associated with aquatic environments;nevertheless, Leptoconops is largely restricted to arid or semiaridregions lying between the parallels of latitude 40? N. and 35? S.Three species are known from Australia, two from South Africa, fivefrom the Mediterranean basin, two from the lower Oriental region, onefrom South America, and two from North America. In the revisionof the genus by Carter (1921), one of the North American species,which has been extremely abundant near Great Salt Lake since thatregion was first visited by white man, was described as var. americanusof the North Africa species kerteszi Kieffer. Subsequent workers havereviewed and accepted Carter's opinion.Finally, there is the leafhopper genus Circulifer, which is of interestsince it contains the beet leafhopper C. tenellus (Baker). The beetleafhopper occurs in the western United States, in xerophytic environ-ments in southern Florida, and in Puerto Rico and the Mediterraneanbasin. With the exception of tenellus, Ciculijer appears to be re-stricted to the arid and semiarid parts of the Mediterranean basineastward to Central Asia. The fact that tenellus belongs to Circuliferwas shown by Oman (1948), and though he emphasized its Old Worlddistribution and relationships, he did not undertake to explain thespecies' distribution. Of all the cases discussed here, it seems likelythat the strongest argument in favor of a recent introduction can bepresented for this leafhopper. Nevertheless, together with Lepto-conops kerteszi, Circulifer tenellus has a distribution pattern closelyparallel to that for the combined species Medicea pallida, longula, andmajor.It therefore appears that in all categories from the family to thespecies, examples can be cited that point to an ancient faunistic andfloristic relationship between the semidesert and desert regions of theMediterranean basin. South Africa, southern South America, andsouthwestern North America. Far from being peculiar, the distri-bution of Mecidea in fact fits a rather well-established pattern.Clearly, the genus should be considered in futiu-e speculations con-
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 477
cerning animal dispersal and zoogcographical relationships.Bibliographic references to literature concerned with the distribu-tion of the group discussed in this paper may be found on page 503.CHARACTERS USED FOR SEPARATION OF SPECIESIn general appearance the species of Mecidea are very similar(see fig. 89.) They are unusually uniform in size and color, and suchdifferences as do exist can be expressed only as averages. Thesedifferences are often as pronounced within species as between speciesand so have little value for purposes of identification. The charactersseeming to have importance for purposes of specific differentiation arethose associated with the internal male genitalia, the shape of thepronotum, and with the antennae of both sexes. These charactersare relatively stable but are not easy to use. The antennae show suchmarked sexual dimorphism that the sexes of each species must betreated individually, while examination and comparison of the internalmale genitalia involve rather complicated dissection and preparatorytechnique.A step-by-step outline of the technique utilized for study of theinternal male genitalia follows
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1. Relax specimen. A solution of one-third 95-percent alcohol,one-third ethyl acetate, and one-third water has proved very effective,2. Detach genital segment from the abdomen and place the seg-ment in a hot solution of 10 percent KOH.3. Remove the segment as soon as it turns dark brown and placein water,4. By using two fine teasing needles, each having their pointsslightly bent, withdraw the aedeagus either through the genital open-ing or through the open posterior end of the genital segment.5. Once the aedeagus is free, osmotic pressure will cause the lateraland median penial vesiculae to expand. The lateral vesiculae andoften the median vesicula expand to maximum size without furthertrouble. If the median vesicula fails to escape from its invaginatedposition above the penisfilum, manipulation and pressure applied tothe cylinder of the aedeagus mil usually force it out, whereupon itwill expand in a normal manner. Caution: Care must be exercisednot to puncture either the walls of the lobes or of the cylinder of theaedeagus, as this results in the immediate collapse of the vesiculae.6. After study of a specimen is finished the genital segment andthe aedeagus may be placed in a small (10X4 mm.) vial containinga drop of glycerine. The vial may then be corked and attached to thepin containing the corresponding insect. The vesiculae immediatelycollapse when the aedaegus is placed in glycerine but will reexpandreadily when returned to water.
478 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102TERMINOLOGY OF THE PARTS OF THE INTERNAL MALEGENITALIAThe terminology used in this paper is based on that proposed by-Alex. D. Baker in "A Study of the Male Genitalia of Canadian Speciesof Pentatomidae," Can. Journ. Res. vol. 4, pp. 148-220, 1931. Unfor-tunately the homology of the vesiculae situated at the apex of theaedeagus in Mecidea remains obscure. Structures referred to byBaker as titillators are either absent or are represented by the structuretreated in the present paper as the median vesicula. This is animpaired, distensible structure located above the basal attachment ofthe penisfilum. The structures treated by Baker as the median lobesmay be the same as are here termed penial plates. In Mecidea thesepenial plates are paired, sclerotized structures which are connected toeach other basally and are attached on their ventral face to the dis-tensible lateral vesiculae. The latter structures are undoubtedly thesame as those that Baker called the lateral penis lobes.The key is unsatisfactory in several respects. The degree ofvariation shown by the various structures which, of necessity, are usedfor construction of the key is such that many species must be keyedout in two or more places. In addition, the absence of, or insufficientnumber of specimens representing several Old World species makes itimpossible satisfactorily to key out more than 4 of the 14 speciesinvolved. KEY TO THE SPECIES OF MECIDEA1. New World 2Old World 112. (1) With dark markings on midventral line of abdomen.minor Ruckes (p. 490)Without dark markings on midventral line of abdomen 33. (2) Males 4Females 84. (3) With a tubercule near the posterior ventral margin of the hypopygium(see pi. 48, fig. 53) minor Ruckes (p. 490)Without such a tubercule (see pi. 48, fig. 52) 66. (4) Third segment of antenna shorter than second segment.major, new species (p. 486)Third segment of antenna equal to or exceeding length of secondsegment 66. (5) Black spots just below abdominal setigerous punctures each with greatestdiameter equal to one-eighth length of its supporting segment.major, new species (p. 486)Black spots just below abdominal setigerous punctures each with greatestdiameter equal to no more than one-twelfth of its supportingsegment 77. (6) Pronotum strongly constricted just in front of the humeral angles.longula Stai (p. 484)Pronotum with lateral margin regularly and shallowly concave fromhumeral angle to anterior angle pampeana, new species (p. 495)
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 479
8. (3) Third antennal segment cylindrical longula St&l (p. 484)Third antennal segment flattened dorsally at least along basal third -_ 99. (8) Black spots just below abdominal sctigerous punctures each with greatestdiameter equal to one-eighth length of its supporting segment.major, new species (p. 486)Black spots just below abdominal setigcrous punctures each with greatestdiameter not exceeding one-twelfth length of its supporting segment 1010. (9) Width of pronotum just behind calli not exceeding length of secondantennal segment minor Ruckes (p. 490)Width of pronotum just behind calli equal to length of second antennalsegment plus at least one-half diameter of eye.pampeana, new species (p. 495)11. (I) At least one of the black spots on the abdomen just beneath the setigerouspunctures with a diameter three times that of a spiracle.lutzi, new species (p. 485)Black spots on abdomen just beneath the sctigerous punctures never withdiameter more than twice that of a spiracle 1212. (11) Midventral line of abdomen with a dark mark on at least the sixthvisible segment 13Midventral line of abdomen unmarked 1413. (12) Lateral margins of pronotum noticeably flattened from anterior angleto behind calli, ventral width of margin equal to width of unpuncturedarea just below kristenseni Jensen-Haarup (p. 482)Lateral margins of pronotum carinate from anterior angle to behindcalli but not noticeably flattened from dorsal view, ventral widtliof margin less than width of unpunctured area just below.prolixa StS,l and possibly quadrivittata (Signoret) (pp. 497, 498)14. (12) Males 15Females 1815. (14) Third segment of antenna at least twice as long as second segment.pallidissima Jensen-Haarup (p. 494)Third segment of antenna less than twice as long as second segment. 1616. (15) Third segment of antenna 1.75 times as long as second segment.vidali, new name (p. 501)Third segment of antenna subequal to or less than length of secondsegment 1717. (16) Third segment of antenna subequal to second, .linearis Dallas (p. 483)tellinii Schoutedcn (p. 501)Third segment of antenna shorter than second indica Dallas (p. 481)pallida St^l (p. 493)lepineyi Lindberg (p. 483)sahariana Wagner (p. 500)18. (14) Dorsal ridge on second antennal segment strongly flattened andexplanate along posterior half pallidissima Jensen-Haarup (p. 494)Dorsal ridge on second anennal segment more carinate, not noticeablyexplanate near base indica Dallas (p. 481)pallida Stai (p. 493)lepineyi Lindberg (p. 483)sahariana Wagner (p. 500)rungsi Vidal (p. 499)straminea Vidal (p. 501)969584?52 2
480 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF SPECIES 1
o. Males with penisfilum extending beyond penial plates lutzi, new speciesaa. Males with penisfilum not reaching apices of penial plates.h. Males with dorsal protuberance of median penial vesicula longer thanventral protuberance.
c. Males without inner apical angles of lateral vesiculae noticeably produced.indiea Dallaspallida StS.1major, new specieslongula St&lcc. Males with inner apical angles of lateral vesiculae noticeably produced.kristenseni Jensen-Haarupprolixa St&lpallidissima Jensen-Haaruplib. Males with ventral protuberance of median penial vesiculae longer thandorsal protuberance minor Ruckespampeana, new speciesGenus MECIDEA DallasMecidea Dallas, List of the specimens of hemipterous insects in the collectionof the British Museum, vol. 1, pp. 131, 139, 1851.^
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Stal, Hemiptera Africanadescripsit Carolus St&l, vol. 1, pp. 79, 132, 1865; Enum. Hemip., vol. 2, p.17, 1872; Enum. Hemip., vol. 5, p. 34, 1876.
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Atkinson, Journ. Asiat. Soc.Bengal, vol. 56, p. 201, 1887.
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Distant, Fauna of British India, Rhynchota,vol. 1, p. 140, 1902.?Beegroth, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1905, p. 146.?
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KiRKALDY, A catalogue of the Hemiptera (Heteroptera) Cimicidae, vol. 1, p202, 1909. (Genotype: M. indica Dallas, designated by Distant, 1902.)Ceralaulax Signoret, Ann. Ent. Soc. France, ser. 2, vol. 9, pp. 335-336 and cviii,1851. (Genotype: C. quadrivittatus Signoret, only included species.)Body elongate, linear, straw colored, with the punctures sometimesdarkened. Color quite uniform throughout genus.Head somewhat pointed anteriorly; juga longer than tylus, meetingbut not fused in front; eyes large, globose, ocelli prominent, nearereyes than midline of head. Antennae five-segmented and ex-hibiting sexual dimorphism; second segment three-sided, anglesoften ridgelike, always longer in the female than in the male; thirdsegment of male proportionately longer than third segment of female,cylindrical and with pubescence similar to fourth segment; thirdsegment of female triangular in cross section at least basally and withpubescence similar to the second segment. Rostrum attaining themiddle coxae, first segment not exceeding the bucculae, secondsegment longer than apical two together.Pronotum carinate laterally, humeral angles prominent, anteriorangles acute, front margin sinuate, not wider than the eyes, hindmargin produced posteriorly to the scutellum, truncate across widthof scutellum ; dorsum coarsely punctured except calli ; midline of meso-sternimi carinate; midline of metasternum broadly and shallowly
' Species the relationships of which are uncertain: lepineyi Lindberg; tellinni Schouteden; lineariaDaU&s; guadTivUtata (Signoret); rungsi Vidal; sahariaiia W agncr; straminea Vidal; vidali, new name.
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 481
sulcate. Osteolar canal extending nearly to the dorsoanterior angleof the priimose area. Femora unarmed, tibiae sulcate. Hemclytrapale to straw colored, vitreous; corium and clavus more or less regu-larly punctured, punctures often rufescent, exocorium usually palerthan corium and exocorial vein, almost straight, raised and con-spicuously pale.Abdomen with striate area on both sides, starting on the first appar-ent segment at base of the hind coxa and continuing across segments2 and 3, evanescent on 4; second segment convex medially. Dorsumof abdomen with a dark vitta on each side just inside the connexivum.Ventrally each segment usually has a black spot located on each sidearound the innermost setigerous puncture (trichobothria). Genitalsegment of the male with cup dorsoventrally compressed, deeplyconcave, opening dorsoposteriorly; inferior ridge forming posteriormargin, deeply sinuate in ventral view with a notch at median line;proctiger tubular, membranous except basally; claspers of the single-armed type; superior ridge reduced; superior carinae present as anelongate black tuberculate process opposite apices of claspers. Geni-tal plates of female loosely contiguous at apices, gi-adually divergentbasally along median line. Subgenital plates narrowly roundedapically, extending slightly beyond the tergal plate. Apices oflateral plates bluntly acuminate, barely produced beyond posteriormargin of tergal plate. Female genitalia without effective diagnosticvalue. MECIDEA INDICA DallasPlate 47, Figures 1-3; Plate 48, Figures 31, 32Mecidea indica Dallas, List of the specimens of hemipterous insects in thecollection of the British Museum, vol. 1, p. 139, pi. 3, fig. 3, 1851.
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StAl,Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol. 13, pt. 3, p. 57, 1856.?Walker, Catalogueof the specimens of heteropterous Hemiptera (Hemiptera-Heteroptera) inthe collection of the British Museum, pt. 1, p. 179, 1867; Enum. Hemip.,vol. 5, p. 38, 1876.
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Atkinson, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. 56, pp. 201-202,1887.
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Lethierry and Severin, Catalogue g^n^ral des H^miptferes, vol. 1,H6t6roptferes, Pentatomidae, p. 92, 1893.
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Distant, Fauna of British India,Rhynchota, vol. 1, pp. 140-141, 1902.
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Kirkaldt, A catalogue of the Hemip-tera (Heteroptera) , vol. 1, Cimicidae, p. 202, 1909.
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V.^n Duzee, Catalogueof the Hemiptera of North America, p. 29, 1917.
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Jensen-Haarup, Ent.Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, p. 7, 1922.?China, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10,vol. 17, p. 97, 1936.Most clearly related to Mecidea pallida, but also near M. major.Only three specimens have been available for tliis study, but it wouldappear that apart from the penial plates and slightly less carinatelateral margin of the pronotum there is little that will separate indicafrom major, and it is even more difficult to distinguish the species frompallida. Study of additional specimens of these two species may showthat pallida and major are synonyms of indica.
482 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Length: Male, 9.6 mm; width at the humeral angles, 2.5 mm;female, 11.9 mm; width at the humeral angles, 3.2 mm.Antennae of male: Relative length of segments 30:85:60:80:65.First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 31.Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 40:110:55:lost:lost. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 32.Male genitalia: Penial vesiculae and penial lobes as shown onplate 47, figures 1,2, and 3.Variation.?The juga of one female specimen overlap slightly attheir apices, while those of the male specimen are divergent.Type.?In the British Museum.Distribution.?Recorded by Distant (1902) from Bombay andPoona. One specimen from each of these localities was available,whUe the third specimen, a male, was collected at Hoshangabad,Central Provinces, India.Host plants.?None has been recorded.MECIDEA KRISTENSENI Jensen-HaarupPlate 47, Figure 19; Plate 48, Figures 50, 51Mecidea kristenseni Jensen-Haarup, Ent. Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, pp. 8, 9, fig. 8b,1922.?LiNDBERG, Not. Ent., vol. 18, pt. 3, pp. 85-86, 1938.Closely related to Mecidea prolixa but a little larger and more robustin appearance and with the posterior lobe of the pronotum more con-vex, clearly distinguished by the shape of the lateral penial vesiculae.The color pattern sets the species apart from all other species ofMecidea with the exception of unusually dark specimens of prolixa.The characteristic color was noted by Jensen-Haarup and describedas follows: "Body wing covers, thi-ee innermost joints of antennaeand legs partially more or less densely covered with blackish punctures,which where condensed, form the following dark, longitudinal stripes:two on head, four on pronotum and two on scutellum." The brownishrose-red color that Jensen-Haarup noted as infusing the inner part ofthe corium is not present in any of the eight specimens available forstudy. The linear black spots on the midventral line of the abdomenare more pronounced than in either M. prolixa or M. minor and inseveral specimens spots are present on each of the last five abdominalsegments. The black spots below the setigerous punctures are small,seldom exceeding the diameter of a spiracle. The black vittae on thedorsum of the abdomen are each as broad as the pale intervening area.Length: Male, 8.7 mm; female, 9.5 mm.Width at humeral angles: Male, 2.4 mm.; female, 2.8 mm.Antennae of male: Relative length of segments, 35:60:90:75:65.The last three segments as shown on plate 48, figiu-e 50.Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 40:95:70:80:70.The last three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 51.
STINK BUGS, GENIJS MECIDEA?SAILER 483Male genitalia: Penial plates and lateral penial vesiculae as onplate 47, figure 19. The median penial vcsicula is not shown, as itcould not be forced out of its invaginated position in any dissection ofthe tlii'ce available males.Variation.?The eight specimens examined were all collected atthe same time and place. The most striking variation shown by theseries is the degree to which the spots on the median line of the venterof the abdomen are present. In two specimens these spots arepresent on five segments while on two others only the sixth segmentis so marked.Type.?Presumed to be in the Zoological Museum at Copenhagen.Distribution.?The species was described from a female specimencollected in Eritrea. The eight specimens that I have studied belongto the British Museum and bear the following data: Abyssinia, plainsnorthwest of Lake Zwai, 5,500 to 6,000 feet, November 1, 1926.MECIDEA LEPINEYI LindbergMecidea lepineyi Lindbeeg, Not. Ent., vol. 18, pt. 3, pp. 85, 87, fig. Ic, 1938.This species was described from a specimen collected in a region ofthe west Sahara known as El Djouf. The description does not referto the sex of the specimen; however, the illustration and descriptionof the antennae are strongly suggestive of a male specimen of Mecideapallida. The fact that the illustration is accompanied by one of afemale specimen of pallida raises the possibility that Lindberg wasnot aware of the sexual dimorphism exhibited by the antennae ofMecidea. If this is true, it would not be surprising if he failed properlyto associate the sexes and decided that his male specimen representeda new species. It seems best, however, not to synonymize the specieswith pallida until the type specimen can be compared with a male ofthe latter species.The present location of the type is not apparent from Lindberg'spaper. MECIDEA UNEARIS DallasMecidea linearis Dallas, List of the specimens of hemipterous insects in the col-lection of the British Museum, vol. 1, p. 139, 1851.
?
Signoret, Ann. Soc.Ent. France, ser. 2, vol. 9, p. cviii, 1851.?
^
Walker, Catalogue of the specimensheteropterous Hemiptera (Hemiptera-Heteroptera) in the collection of theBritish Museum, pt. 3, p. 539, 1868.
?
Stal, Enum. Hemip., vol. 5, p. 38,1876.
?
Lethierry and Severin, Catalogue general des H^miptferes, vol. 1,H^teroptferes, Pentatomidae, p. 92, 1893.
?
Kirkaldy, A catalogue ofthe Hemiptera (Heteroptera) , vol. 1, Cimicidae, p. 202, 1909.
?
Distant,Ann. South African Mus., vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 39, 1911.
?
Jensen-HaarupEnt. Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, p. 7, 1922.
?
Hesse, Ann. Transvaal Mus.,vol. 16, pt. 4, p. 585, 1935.The specimen described by Dallas as Mecidea linearis bore no local-ity data. When Signoret in 1851 acknowledged that Mecidea Dallas
484 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102
should be used for Cerataulax Signoret he also made his speciesCerataulax quadrivittatus a synonym of M. linearis Dallas. Walker inin 1868 accepted this synonymy, but subsequent workers have not(see p. 499). In 1911 Distant reported that linearis had been col-lected in South Africa, and in 1922 Jensen-Haarup remarked in a foot-note "According to Dr. E. Bergroth in litt. M. linearis proved to be anAfrican species." Hesse in 1935 referred to specimens taken in north-ern Bechuanaland as linearis but at the same time he expressed theopinion that a comparison of the types of linearis and prolixa wouldshow the two species to be the same.Dallas, in his brief description of M. linearis, states "Antennarumarticulo secundo, tertio subaequali." This remark was based on amale specimen and is not characteristic of the males of prolixa or ofthe males of any other African species of which material has beenavailable for study.WhUe this characteristic of the male antennae is common toMecidea major, longula, and pampeona these American species lackcertain color characteristics described by Dallas. Signoret's descrip-tion of the color of the female specimen, which he described under thename Cerataulax Quadrivittatus, suggests that this species and linearismay be the same. An examination of male specimens of Quadrivittatusfrom Mauritius will be necessary in order to confirm or disprove thispossibility.It is also possible that linearis may prove to be an older name forMecidea tellinii. Schouteden's description of the length of thesecond and third segments of the male antennae of tellinii agreesexactly with Dallas' description of this character for linearis. Onthe other hand, Schouteden's specimens are described as being some-what larger and paler than would be expected if the species were thesame.Type.?In the British Museum.MECIDEA LONGULA St&IPlate 47, Figures 7-9; Plate 48, Figures 35, 36, 54, 58Mecidea longula StAl, Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol. 11, pt. 8, p. 233, 1854;Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol. 13, pt. 3, p. 57, 1856.?Dohrn, CatalogusHemipterorum, p. 10, 1859.?Stal, Enum. Hemip., vol. 2, p. 17, 1872[excluding Texas record].
?
Lethierry and Severin, Catalogue g^n^raldes H^miptferes, vol. 1, Heteroptferes, Pentatomidae, vol. 1, p. 92, 1893[excluding Texas record].
?
Kirkaldy, A catalogue of the Hemiptera (Heter-optera), vol. 1, Cimicidae, p. 202, 1909 [excluding Texas record].
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Stoner,Iowa Univ. Stud. Nat. Hist., vol. 10, pt. 1, p. 9, 1922.Related to Mecidea major and M. pallida but smaller and slightlymore elongate than these species. The antennal characters are dis-tinctive and should serve to distinguish the species. The third an-tennal segment of the male is equal to or slightly longer than the
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 485
second, and the third segment of the female is ahnost entirely cylin-drical. In both major and -pallida the third segment of the femaleantennae is dorsally flattened, at least along the posterior third.Color almost identical with major; dark punctures along lateralline of thorax and abdomen somewhat less numerous. Black spotsjust below abdominal setigerous punctures, with greatest diameterequal to one-twelfth length of supporting segments. Spiracles pale.Form narrowly elongate.Length: Males, 8.6-9.1 mm.; females, 9.3-10.1 mm.Width at humeral angles: Males, 2.2-2.6; females, 2.6-2.7.Antennae of male: Kclative length of segments, 35:75:80:70:60.First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 35.Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 40:100:55:70:60.First thi-ee segments as shown on plate 48, figure 36.Male genitalia: Hypop^^gium, clasper, penial plates, and penialvesiculae as shown on plate 48, figures 54, 58, and plate 47, figures9, 7, and 8.Variation.?Sixty specimens from Antigua collected at the sameplace and date show some slight variation in size and some variationin the relative lengths of the second and third antennal segments ofthe males. In the case of one male the second segment is slightly lessthan two-thirds as long as the third.Type.?Not seen. It should be in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseum,Stockholm.DiMribution.?St. Bartholomew Island (type locality): Antigua,June 21, 1918. Puerto Rico, Ponce, September 2, 1948.Host plant.?Chloris radiata (Linnaeus) Swartz, reported by Stoner(1922), who added the comment, "I believe that I have never foundany pentatomid in greater abundance in a limited area."MECmEA LUTZI, new speciesPlate 47, Figures 26-28; Plate 48, Figures 39, 40Resembles Mecidea pallida and M. major in size and color. Differsnotably from these species in having the pronotum barely constrictedat the middle and in having the lateral margin of the pronotum morenoticeably carinate. The male genitalia are characterized by theelongate penisfilum which, relative to the penial plates, is twice aslong as in any other species of Mecidea.Color somewhat variable, usually testaceous with the callousedmidline of the pronotum and scutellum paler and the hemelytraquite vitreous. Exocorial vein almost white. Inner basal angle ofclavus with small fuscus spot. Black spots below abdominal setigerouspunctures large, their diameter usually three times that of a spiracle.Midventral line of abdomen unmarked.
486 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Form rather broadly elongate. Pronotum only slightly constrictednear middle, the lateral margins carinate and almost serrate along theiranterior third. Abdomen with lateral striate areas continuous alongfirst through fourth and evanescent on fifth and sixth visible segments.Length: Males, 10.0-11.0 mm.; females, 11.3-11.5 mm.Width at humeral angles: Males, 3.2-3.4 mm. ; females, 3.4-3.5 mm.Antennae of male (holotype specimen): Relative lengths of segments,40:90:75:80:70. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 39.Antennae of female (allotype specimen): Relative lengths of segments,45:115:65:85:70. First tlu-ee segments as shown on plate 48, figure 40.Male genitalia: Penial plates, penial vesiculae, and penisfilum asshown on plate 47, figures 26, 27, and 28.Variation.?There is some variation in color and the degree to whichthe pronotal margin is carinate. The Kenya specimens tend to bedarker and the darkest one has four well-marked longitudinal darkbands on the pronotum and a fuscus spot at the inner apical angle ofthe corium. Most of the punctures on the corium are also fuscous.Types.?Holotype, male, Djamba, Belgian Congo, altitude 1,700-1,800 feet, August 9, 1929, H. H. Curtiss (J. C. Lutz collection).Allotype, same data (retained for U.S.N.M. collection, No. 609824).Paratypes: 1 9, same data; 2 cf, 2 9, Athi River Crossing, 16miles N. N. E. of Kibwezi, Kenya, July 25, 1934, J. A. G. Rehn(A.N.S.P.), 1 cf and 1 9 retained for U.S.N.M. collection; 1 9,Makinda, Kenya, April 5 to 7, 1911, S. A. Neave (B. M.).Distribution.?Since the two Kenya localities are situated withinabout 10 miles of each other, the species is in effect known from onlytwo widely separated localities in Equatorial Africa. Djamba (alsospelled Djumbwi) is located in the District of Stanleyville about 160miles south of the boundary of French Equatorial Africa. The Kenyalocalities are situated about halfway between Nairobi and the portcity of Mombasa. Rehn described (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia,vol. 88, p. 9, 1936) the country near Kibwezi, Kenya as "dense thorn-bush country, with scattered taller boabab, euphorbia, and acaciatrees." The northern part of the Belgian Congo including Djambais largely covered by tall grass savanna.I take pleasure in naming this species for John C. Lutz. The firstexamples of this species to be encountered were found in his extensiveprivate collection of Heteroptera.MECIDEA MAJOR, new speciesFigure 89; Plate 47, Figures 10-12; Plate 48, Figures 33, 34, 52, 59Mecidea longula [not Stil] Uhler, List of Hemiptera of region west of the Missis-sippi River, including those collected during the Hayden Explorations of1873. Bull. U. S. Geol. Geogr. Surv. Terr., vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 269-361, 1876(seep. 17of extract under above title); Check list of the Hemiptera Heterop-
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 487tera of North America, p. 5, 1886.
?
Van Duzee, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc,vol. 30, pt. 1, p. 26, 1904 [erroneously reports longula as described fromTexas material].
?
Barber, Sci. Bull. Mus. Brooklyn Inst. Arts Sci., vol. 1,pt. 9, p. 257, 1906 (Texas record).^Kirkaldy, A catalogue of the Ilemiptera(Heteroptera), vol. 1, Cimicidae, p. 202, 1909 [Texas record].
?
Banks,Catalogue of the Nearctic Hemiptera-Heteroptera, p. 86, 1910.
?
Van Duzee,Check list of the Hemiptera ... of America, north of Mexico, p. 4,1916; Catalogue of the Hemiptera of North America, p. 29, 1917. Torre-BuENO, Ent. Amer., new ser., vol. 19, pt. 3, p. 201, 1939.
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Froeschner,Amer. Midi. Nat., vol. 25, pt. 1, pp. 128, 132, 1941.?Ruckes, Bull. BrooklynEnt. Soc, vol. 41, pt. 3, pp. 86-87, 1946.Very closely related to Mecidea 'pallida, in fact so closely relatedthat separatioji of females on the basis of structure may be uncertain,if not impossible. However, the single male example of 'pallida avail-able for study shows characters which, if sufficiently constant, shouldserve to distinguish the species. These characters are the relativelength of the antennal segments and shape of structures pertaining tothe internal genitaha. The male specimen of 'pallida has the tliirdsegment of the antennae 52 percent as long as the second, while thethird antennal segment of male major was in no instance found tobe less than 62 percent as long as the second. The average for 50specimens was 75 percent. Among these specimens were four thathad the third segment subequal to the second. The male genitalia ofboth species present a very similar appearance; liowever, the penialplates of pallida are significantly broader and the concave areas ontheir dorsal surfaces more pronounced. The blaciv spots below theabdominal setigerous punctures are smaller on the three specimens ofpallida examined than is characteristic for major.Head, pronotum, and scutelium straw yellow. Eyes, punctureson dorsum, and plem-ites of pronotmn just behind eyes, on anteriorlobe of pronotum each side midhne, on antenniferous tubercles andside of head before eye, and on apices of jugae, rufescent to black.Sockets of bristlelike hairs on antennae dark. Hemelytra pale vitreous,corium with numerous rufescent punctures, exocorial vein pale, mem-brane vitreous. Connexivum pale impunctate. Venter pale yellowwith reddish tint, impunctate except on lateral line along fh-st fivesegments, these punctures usually darkened; black spot just belowsetigerous punctures with greatest diameter equal to one-eighth lengthof supporting segmient. Spiracles often darkened.Dorsal aspect as shown in figure 89. Rather elongate. Humeralangles obtusely angulate, elevated. Lateral margins of pronotum\\'ith edges calloused, almost carinate.Length: Males, 9.5-10.4; females, 10.0-12.7 mm.Width at humeral angles: Males, 2.6-3.1; females, 2.8-3.7 mm.Antemiae of male: Relative length of segments (holotype specimen)40 :100 :75 :80 :65. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 33.969584?52 3
488 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Antennae of female (allotype specimen), 40:120:55:75:65. Fii'stthree segments as shown on plate 48, figure 34.Male genitalia : Hypopygium, clasper, penial plates, and penial vesicu-lae as shown on plate 48, figm-es52, 59, andplate47, figures 12, 10, and 11.Variation.?Mecidea major shows considerable variation in size andstructure. The second antennal segment of both sexes varies con-siderably and in the case of females often renders this structure ofHttle value in separating major from minor. The juga show such adegree of variation as to make them of little diagnostic value. In thespecimens examined the greater number show the juga to be barelycontiguous in front of tylus, mth the inner margins divergent towardapices and usually tipped slightly inwardly and downward along apicalhalf; however, many specimens present the almost continuouslycontiguous, acuminate form characteristic of minor as well as the otherextreme in which the juga are not contiguous but continue parallelwith each other for some distance before the tylus. The genitalplates of the female also show considerable variation, making themdifficult to use for diagnostic purposes; characteristically all platestend to be shorter in relation to their length than is typical for minor.Types.?Holotype, male, Bexar County, Tex., October 8, 1937,William F. Turner, U.S.N.M. No. 58421. Allotype, same data.Paratypes: (43 d'cf, 57 99) Texas: Arlington, 1 9, September 24,1907 (U.S.N.M.). Austin, 1 cf, November 16, 1928, J. O. Martin;1 9, December 7, 1928, J. O. Martin (C.A.S.). Banks, 1 9, August15, 1938; 1 9, July 31, 1940, L. S. Jones. Bexar County, 1 9, No-vember 8, 1937, Wilham F. Turner; 2 d^, 1 9, November 23, 1938,William F. Tm-ner, on "grass"; 1 9, August 24, 1938, William F.Turner; 1 cf^, 2 9, September 28, 1939, WiUiam F. Turner. Browns-ville, Esperanza Ranch, 1 cf , 1 9, July 24, 1904; 1 cf , 1 9, August17, 1904. Brownsville, 1 9, April 1903; 1 cf , May 29, 1933, P. W.Oman. Clarendon, 1 cf, 1 9, September 19, 1905, C. R. Jones(U.S.N.M.). College Station, 1 cf , October 14, 1927, H. G. Johnston;1 cf, October 17, 1929, H. G. Johnston (H. M. Harris coUection).Crystal City, 5 9, January 14, 1950, J. B. Duncan, on spinach. Dal-las, 1 cf, 3 9, October 16, 1911, H. Pinkus, at fight. Dennison,1 d^, 2 9, October 16, 1938, L. S. Jones. Fort Worth, 1 cT, Sep-tember 10; 1 9, October 15. Gainesville, 1 cf , 2 9, October 10, 1923,E. E. Russell, on Johnson grass. Houston, 1 9, September 23, 1944.BEPQ Special Survey No. 20865 (U.S.N.M.). George West, 1 cf,June 28, 1938, R. I. Sailer. Hidalgo County, 2 9, July 28, 1928, J.G. Shaw; 2 cf , August 2, 1928, L. D. Beamer; 1 cf , August 14, 1928,R. H. Beamer. Jim Wells County, 2 cf , 1 9, July 24, 1928, R. H.Beamer. Karnes County, 2 cf , 1 9, July 23, 1928, A. M. James.Kendall County, 5 cf , 3 9, July 22, 1928, L. D. Beamer (U.K.S.M.).
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 489
Figure 89.?Dorsal view of Mecidia major, new species, female (allotype)-
490 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Laredo, 1 9, June 3, 1933, P. W. Oman (U.S.N.M.). Plainview, 1 cf,November 9, 1930, S. E. Jones (H. M. Harris collection). Ranger,3 cT, November 2, 1940, D. W. Craik (U.K.S.M.). Reinbardt, 1 9,September 19, 1907. San Antonio, 1 9, Harper and Dean; 4 cf , 5 9,
"fall" 1939, H. A. Gunning, on seed heads of Bouteloua curiipendula(Micbaux) (U.S.N.M.). Sanderson, 3 d^, 3 9, October 22, 1938, S.E. Jones (H. M. Harris collection). Tyler, 1 9, October 17, 1938,L. S. Jones. Victoria, 1 9, April 19, 1905, W. E. Hinds; 1 9, Novem-ber 9, 1906, J. D. Mitchell. Waco, 3 9, October 9, 1939, P. A. Glick,on cotton (U.S.N.M.); 1 cf , October 1, 1938. Wellborn, 1 9, October4, 1927, H. G. Johnston. Weslaco, 1 d^, July 17, 1927, M. McPhial(H. M . Harris collection) . Wichita Falls, 1 d^ , 2 9, November 5, 1 904
;
Texas, with no other data, 2 cf , 3 9 (U.S.N.M.). Arizona: AtascosaMountain, 1 9, November 2, 1935, E. D. Ball (U.S.N.M.). Arkan-sas: Howard County, 1 cr', 1 9, December 8, 1938, Wilham F. Turner;Pike County, 1 9, October 4, 1939, V/ilHam F. Turner (U.S.N.M.).Oklahoma: Elmer, 1 cf , July 6, 1937, Standish-Kaiser. Miilerton, 1&, August 20, 1934, C. A. Sooter (H. M. Harris collection). Okla-homa City, 2 cf, August 3, 1917, on cotton (U.S.N.Ai.). WichitaNational Forest, 1 9, June 27, 1936, M. B. Jackson (U.K.S.M.).Kansas: Manhattan, 2 c^, 7 9, June 21, 1937 (H. Ruckes collection).Meade County, 1 9, Septem.ber 13, 1944, R. H. Beamer (U.K.S.M.).Missouri: Columbia, 1 9, October 5, 1937, R. Froeschner (R. Froesch-ner collection).Distribution.?From Sanderson and Brownsville, Tex., north toManhattan, Kans., and Columbia, Mo. A majority of the recordsare from south and central Texas.Dates oj collection.?Collected every month except February andMarch. Thi'ee-fourths of all collections were made dm-ing the monthsof July thi"ough October. Records from Oklahoma, Kansas, andMissouri range from June 21 through October 5.Host plants.?Bouteloua curtipendula (Micheaux) Torrey, Sorghumhalapense (Linnaeus) Persoon, "grasses," wheat, spinach, Senecio, andcotton. Mecidea major is probably associated primarily with mem-bers of the gi-ass family. There are no records showing that majorhas caused injury of economic importance to ^nj host plant.MECIDEA MINOR RuckeaPlate 47, Figures 13-15; Plate 48, Figures 37, 38, 53, 57Mecidea minor Ruckes, Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc, vol. 41, pt. 3, pp. 87-88, 1946.Mecidea longula, StIl, Enum. Hemip., vol. 2, p. 17, 1872 [Texas record].
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UhlerList of liemiptera of region west of the Mississippi River, including thosecollected during the Hayden Explorations of 1873. Bull. U. S. Geol. Geogr.Sur. Terr., vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 269-361, 1876 (see p. 17 of extract under abovetitle; New Mexico record).?Osborn, Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci., vol. 5, p. 232,1898.?Howard, The insect book, pi. 29, fig. 18, 1903.?Van Duzee, Trans.
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 491Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 30, pt. 1, p. 2G, 1904 [Colorado record].
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Snow, Trans.Kansas Acad. Sci., vol. 20, pt. 1, p. 177, 1906.
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Van Duzee, Catalogue ofthe Hemiptera of North America, p. 29, 1917 [in part].
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Ruckes, Hull.Brooklyn Ent. Soc, vol. 33, pt. 1, p. 10, 1938.Related to Mecidea kristenseni and M. pampeana; however, themales are easily separated since both these species lack the tuberculefound near the ventral posterior margin of the genital segment ofilf . minor. The dorsally flattened and usually grooved third antennalsegment of minor serves to distinguish the females from kristenseni, inwhich the third antennal segment is cylindrical. The presence ofblack markings on the midventral line of the abdomen is sufficient todistinguish most specimens of either sex from pampeana.Color quite similar to M. major except on venter of abdomen.Midventral line of abdomen marked with fuscus or black, varyingfrom a continuous line on fourth, fifth, and sixth visible segments anda lineate spot on the third, through a short lineate spot on each seg-ment to complete obsolescence. Spiracles always pale. Black spotsjust below abdominal setigerous puncture with their greatest diameterseldom more than one-twelfth length of supporting segment at thesame level.Form more elongate than M. major or M. longula. Lateral marginof pronotum almost regularly concave; edges carinate anterior to callibut not more than calloused posteriorly. Calloused line along middleof pronotum and scutellum more prominent than in other Americanspecies. Pronotum with tendency toward a carina on each sidebehind calli. Juga usually converging to an acute apex and notdeflected along apical half.Length: Males, 9.1-10 mm.; females, 9.2-11 mm.Width at humeral angles: Males, 2.1-2.4 mm. ; females, 2.2-2.8 mm.Antennae of male: Relative length of segments, 32:76:87:75:65.Fii-st three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 37.Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 40 : 1 15 : 65 : 70 : 64.First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 38.Male genitalia: Hypopygium, clasper, penial plates and penial vesicu-lae as shown on plate 48, figures 53, 57 ; plate 47, figures 15, 13, and 14.Female genitalia: In most instances sufficiently difl'erent fromMecidea major to be of diagnostic value. Terminal segment not morethan twice as wide as long, usually less. Genital plates proportion-ately narrower than those of major. Subgenital plates with a width-length ratio of 18:45.Variation.?Characteristically more uniform than Mecidea major.The second antennal segment of the female varies considerably inlength and in the degree to which the dorsal ridge is expanded. Thejuga show less variation than is characteristic of major; however, thereis a range from overlapping before the tylus to failure to converge.
492 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Types.?Holotype and allotype in the American Museum ofNatural History, New York,Paratypes: In the H. Rukes collection; IcT and 19 paratype inU.S.N.M. collection, No. 609825.Type locality.?Las Cruces, Dona Ana County, N. Mex.Distribution.?Originally recorded from two locahties in NewMexico, one in Colorado (Fort Colhns), and one in Arizona (Babo-quivari Mountains).Additional material examined.?MEXICO: Durango: Durango,November 26 ; Tlahualilo, September 4, 1928. Nuevo Leon: 10 milessouth of Linares, December 24, 1940. Sokora: San Bernardino, RioMayo, July 15 and August 18, 1935. Baja California: Canipole[about 25.5? lat.], October 2, 1941. UNITED STATES: California:Escondido, July 15, 1941; Visalia, June 11, 1909. Arizona: Babo-quivari Mountains, March 12, 1932 and October 18, 1935; Badger,Santa Cruz County, July 31, 1924; Cochise County, August 24, 1935;Douglas, San Bernadino Ranch, 3,750 feet elevation; Fort Grant,July 20; Herford, October 20, 1937; Patagonia, on Sonorita Creek,October 14, 1927; Patagonia, August 23, 1937; Springerville, June 6,1930; Wilcox, August 24, 1937. New Mexico: Dep, August 1938;Las Cruces, August 18, 1937; Organ, July 3, 1940; Virden, August 8,1929, on Chen, ohlongi. Texas: Alpine, September 1939; Amarillo,August 10 and September 28, 1930; Bangs, November 16; BexarCounty, August 24, 1938; Brownsville, March 31, 1933 and May 31,1933; Crystal City, January 14, 1950; Dallas, October 16, 1917; ElPaso, August 22, 1908; El Paso County, August 24, 1938; Fort Davis,October 22, 1938; Fort Stockton, October 23, 1938; Hidalgo County,July 28, 1928; Laredo, June 31, 1933; Marathon, October 22, 1938;Menard County, July 19, 1928; Presidio County, July 15, 1917; RioFrio, May 10, 1910; San Antonio, July 4, 1936; Sanderson, October 22,1938; Sutton County, July 20, 1928; Taylor County, July 11, 1928;Terlingua, May 3, 1927; Three Rivers, June 27, 1938; Wades, May 21
;
Zavalla County, July 3, 1910. Oklahoma: Lawton, August 2, 1918;Wichita National Forest, June 27, 1936. Kansas: Clark County,1,950 feet elevation, August 23, 1911; Hamilton County; MeadeCounty, September 13, 1944; Morton County, July 27, 1924; SaintJohn County, July 1885; Scott County, August 23, 1927; SewardCounty, July 23, 1944; Stevens County, 2,700 feet elevation.Missouri: Kansas City. Colorado: Holly, September 8, 1898.Utah: Salt Lake City, June 25, 1922. South Dakota: Capa, August15, 1922. Iowa: Sioux City, July 7, 1897 (reported by Osborn, 1898).His specimen has not been examined and his record is placed underM. minor only because this species appears to have a more northernrange of distribution than M. major.
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 493Distribution summarized.?From latitude 24? N. to central Cali-fornia, northern Utah, and central South Dakota; the easternboundary near the eastern borders of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.Collection dates summarized.?Collected every month except Febru-ary and April. More than half the collections were made during Julyand August and 90 percent between May 1 and November 1. Recordsnorth of latitude 33? N., middle of June through September.Host plants.?Bouteloua curtipendula (Michaux) Torrey; also takenon Chenopodium pratericola subsp. desiccatum (A. Nelson) Aellen andSpinacia oleracea Linnaeus (spinach).MECIDEA PALLIDA StMPlate 47, Figures 4-6; Plate 48, Figures 29, 30Mecidea pallida StAl, Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol, 11, pt. 8, p. 233, 1854;Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol. 13, pt. 3, pp. 56-57, 1856; Hemiptera Africanadcscripsit Carolus Still, vol. 1, p. 132, 1865; Enum. Hemip., vol. 5, p. 38,1876.
?
Lethierry and Puton, Ann. Soc. France, ser, 5, vol. 6, p. 15, 1876.
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Lethierry and Severin, Catalogue g6n6ral des Hdmiptferes, vol. 1, Het^rop-tdres, Pentatomidae, p. 92, 1893.
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Schouteden, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belgique,vol. 49, p. 7, 1905.?OsHANiN, Berz. Palaerkt. Hemip., vol. 1, p. 85, 1906.KiRKALDY, A catalogue of the Hemiptera (Heteroptera), vol. 1, Cimicidae,p. 202, 1909.?HoRVATH, Ann. Mus. Nat. Hungarici, vol. 7, p. 290, 1909.Bergevin and Th6ry, Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. I'Afrique Nord, ser. 2, vol. 9,p. 142, 1910.?Jensen-Haarup, Ent. Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, pp. 7-9, 1922.?China, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10, vol. 17, pp. 96, 97, fig. b, 1936.LiNDBERG, Comm. Biol. Soc. Sci. Fennica, vol. 6, pt. 7, pp. 7, 20, 1936;Not. Ent., vol. 18, pp. 85, 86, fig. 1, b, 1938.?Ruckes, Bull. Brooklyn Ent.Soc, vol. 41, pt. 3, pp. 86, 87, 1946.?Vidal, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc,vol. 48, pp. 117-118, 1949.?Wagner, Eos, vol. 25, pts. 3-4, pp. 190-191,1949 [fig. of type).Mecidea pallida var. virens, Vidal, 1949, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc, vol. 48,p. 118, 1949 (new synonymy).So closely related to Mecidea major and M. indica that it is doubtfulif the females can be distinguished in all instances. Perhaps bestcharacterized by the small degree of secondary sexual dimorphismexhibited by the antennae. Also bears a superficial resemblance toM. lutzi but is easily distinguished from that species by the moreconcave, less carinate lateral margins of the pronotum and the smallersize of the black spots just below the abdominal setigerous puncture.Habitus does not differ significantly from AI. major; however, thepronotum is slightly less constricted at middle than in M. indica.Black spots just below abdominal setigerous punctures about twicethe diameter of a spiracle.Length: Male, 11.8 mm.; females, 11.8-12.4 mm.Width at humeral angles: Male, 3.3 mm.; females, 3.0-3.3 mm.Antennae of male: Relative length of segments, 45:125:70:95:missing. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 29.
494 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 45:130:50:missing:missing. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 30.Male genitalia: Penial plates and penial vesiculae as shown onplate 47, figures 6, 4, and 5.Variation.?^Among the five specimens examined the shape of thejuga varies from overlapping at their apices to divergent at theirapices. Vidal's descriptions of Mecidia pallida and of the form ofthat species that he called virens suggest a range of variation verysimilar to that observed for major in North America.Type.?Not seen; should be in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseum,Stockholm. The specimen was said to have been collected in "Nubiasuperior." This would place the type locality somewhere in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.Distribution.?Specimens have been examined from the followinglocalities: Gafsa, Tunisia; Minna, northern Nigeria; Al Huseini (nearLahej), Aden Protectorate and Baghdad, Iraq. The literature recordspallida from the Canary Islands east across North Africa and throughthe Near East to Iran. It is also recorded from Greece.Neither the literature nor available specimen data provides anyinformation concerning host plants or dates of collection.MECIDEA PALLIDISSIMA Jensen-HaarapPlate 47, Figures 23-25; Plate 48, Figures 41, 42Mecidea pallidissima Jensen-Haarup, Ent. Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, pp. 8, 9,fig. 8, a, 1922.?LiNDBERG, Not. Ent., vol. 18, pt. 3, pp. 85, 87, 1938.Mecidea ingramsi China, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10, vol. 17, pp. 96-97, fig. a,1936 (new synonymy)
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A very pale species which, judging from the characteristics of themale genitalia, is most closely related to kristenseni. The sexualdimorphism of the antennae common to all Mecidea is more extremein pallidissima than in any of the other known species of the genus.Punctation of the body not darkened except on juga, pronotumjust behind the eyes and inner basal angle of the clavus of somespecimens. The setigerous punctures on the first three segments ofthe antennae usually dark. Without dark markings along medianline of abdominal venter and usually mthout evidence of a darkspot below each of the setigerous punctures,Pronotum moderately constricted near middle, with lateral margincalloused but without evidence of a carina.Length: Male, 8.0-9.5 mm.; width across humeral angles: 1.9-2.2mm. Female, 9.6-11.0 mm. ; width across humeral angles, 2.2-2.7 mm.Antennae of male: Relative length of segments 35:55:135:95:80.First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 41.Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 40:115:80:missing:missing (compared with type specimen) or as taken from China's
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 495description of ingramsi "11:32:23:25:21." First three segments asshown on plate 48, figure 42.Male genitalia: Penial plates and penial vesiculae as shown byplate 47, figures 24, 23, and 25.Variation: Specimens from Kenya, Arabia, and southern India arequite uniform in size and color; however, two male specimens fromFrench Somaliland are noticeably smaller and tend to be darker.China, in his description of Mecidea ingramsi, noted that a femalespecimen from Wadi Maseila, Hadhramaut, was much smaller thanthe specimen that he made the type of the species. The single speci-men from India has the antennal segments generally shorter than thefemales from Arabia; however, the ratio of their lengths does notvary significantly and the other characteristics of the antennae arequite similar.Types.?Of pallidissima, presumed to be in the Zoological Museumat Copenhagen; of ingramsi, in the British Museum.Distribution.-?^Eritrea: Recorded by Jensen-Haarup. Hadhra-maut: Recorded as M. ingramsi by China from specimens collectedin November and December.Material examined: Kenya: Kula, July 7, 1935. French Somali-land: Djibouti, August 31, 1926. Arabia: Jidda, March 14 and 17,1936; Buriam, May 20, 1936. India: "South India."From these records it appears that M. pallidissima ranges from themountainous region of northern Kenya, across the Arabian peninsula,and as far east as southern India. With so few records available itis not possible to construct a clear picture of distribution for thespecies and additional specimens from India are needed in order toconfirm the presence of pallidissima in that country.MECIDEA PAMPEANA, new speciesPlate 47, Figubes 16-18; Plate 48, Figures 43-46, 55, 56Mecidea longula, Berg, Hemiptera Argentina enumeravit speciesque novasdescripsit C. Berg, p. 37, 1879.
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Pennington, Lista de la Hemipteros Hetcr-opteros Republica de la Argentina, Primera Parte, Pentatomoideo-Coroidea,p. 7, 1921 (a privately published work).
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Piran, Acta Zool. Lilloana, vol. 5,p. 12, 1948.Most closely alHed to Mecidea minor of North America and M.kristenseni of Africa, but readily distinguished from the former by theabsence of the tubercle on the median line of the ventroposteriorsurface of the male genital segment and from the latter by the absenceof black markings along the median ventral line of the abdomen ofboth sexes.Color variable; in darkest specimens the pronotum shows fromobscure longitudinal dark bands. Calloused median line of pronotumand scutellum continuous. Exocorial vein noticeably paler tha"
496 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM tol. 102
exocorium. Small black spots below abdominal setigerous punctureswith greatest diameter not more than one-twelfth length of supportingsegment.Form narrowly elongate. Jugae loosely contiguous along entireinner margin before tylus, slightly deflected inwardly. Protonumwith transverse constriction hardly noticeable; lateral margins slightlyconcave before the humeral angles, edge almost carinate.Length: Males, 9-10 mm.; females, 8.6-11.8 mm.Width of humeral angles: Males, 2.25-2.45 mm.; females, 2.3-2.8mm.Antennae of male (holotype specimen) : Relative length of segments,40:85:90:80:63. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 43.Antennae of female (allotype specimen): Relative length of segments,40 :115 :55 :70 :60. First three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 44.Male genitalia: Hypopygium, clasper, penial vesiculae, and penialplates as shown on plate 48, figures 55, 56, and plate 47, figures 16,17, and 18.Variation.?If this species is properly interpreted it exhibits aremarkable degree of variation. This variation involves size, color,and relative lengths of the antennal segments. Among the specimensstudied those from Chaco and C6rdoba are largest and darkest, andthe males generally have the third segment of the antennae longerthan the second. A series of 18 specimens from Conhello, La Pampa,are consistently smaller, paler, and several males have the third anten-nal segment shorter than the second. Variation in relative lengthof the antennal segments is even more pronounced among femalespecimens. (See plate 48, figures 43 and 44.) The ratio of lengthsof the second to the third segments of the allotype from Agua de Oro,C6rdoba, is 115:50, of a female from Mendoza, 110:75, and anotherfrom La Rioja is 100:60. The black spots below the abdominalsetigerous punctures are reduced in many specimens and often absent.These differences are as great as those existing between certainspecies of Mecidea ; however, the degree of intergradation found amongthe specimens studied, together with the relative stability of the malegenital structures, are accepted as an indication that only one speciesis involved.Types.?Holotype, male, Tucum?,n, Argentina, February 26, 1946,P. A. Berry (U.S.N.M. No. 58422). Allotype, Agua de Oro, C6rdoba,Argentina (M.A.C.N.).Paratypes: ARGENTINA: Tucuman: Tucuman, 1 cf , February26, 1946, P. A. Berry (U.S.N.M.); 1 9, April 1932; 4 cf , 2 9, Novem-ber and December 1944, R. Golback; 1 cf , December 1946, T. Araoz;1 9, October and November 1949, R. Golback. Los Puestos, IcT,April 20, 1948, R. Golback. Parque Aconguija, 1 cf , April 7, 1947,
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 497Sr. Ares. Aconguija, 1 9, November 1946; Guardamontc, 1 cf,April 2, 1948, R. Golback (E.F.M.L.). EI Cadillal, 1 cT, March 14,1949, N. Kormilcv (M.A.C.N.). Santiago del Estero: Sumampa,1 cf , 1 9, November 16, 1944. Cliilea, 1 d", April 7, 1945, R. Maldo-nado (I.M.U.L.P.). Rio Salado, 1 d^, 1 9, M. Gomez (M.A.C.N.);1 9, no other data (C. J. Drake collection). Chaco: Colonia, 1 cf
,
May 16, 1936, P. Denier. Colonia Castelh, 1 cf, May 15, 1936,P. Denier. Resistencia: 1 9, November 1935, P. Denier(I.M.U.L.P.). Fontana, 5 9, May 12, 1938, A. Meyer (M.A.C.N.).Formosa: "Aim. Brown," 1 cf, 2 9, May 19, 1936, P. Denier.Zona 9a, 1 cf, 1 9, June 6, 1939, P. Denier (I.M.U.L.P.). Salta:Salta Cuidad, March 17, 1949, N. Kormilev (M.A.C.N.). La Rioja:La Rioja, 2 9 (C. J. Drake collection). Mendoza: Mendoza, 1 cf1 9 (C. J. Drake collection); C6rdoba: C6rdoba, 1 9, identified byBerg as M. longula. Bajo Grande, 1 9, August 15, 1939, R. Mal-donado. Rayo Cortado, 2 cf, December 15, 1939 (LM.U.L.P.).Argiiello, 2cf , 2 9, February 1948, De Carlo; El Sauce, 8 9, December1938, M. Viana; Agua de Oro, 8 cf , 13 9, December-January 1949,De Carlo (M.A.C.N.). La Pampa: Conhello, 6 cf , 13 9, January1943, H. Hepper; 1 9, January 1939, M. Ibanez (M.A.C.N.). Pico,1 cf , 1 9, AprH 1936, P. Denier (I.M.U.L.P.). Buenos Aires:Buenos Aires, 1 9, determined as M. longula by Berg (B. M.). Saave-dra, 1 9, January 2, 1922 (LM.U.L.P.). La Colina, 1 cf, 1 9,December 9, 1938, C. J. Drake (C. J. Drake collection).Distribution.?Argentina, north of the Rio Colorado, east of theAndes, and west of the Rio Parana.MECIDEA PROUXA StftlPlate 47, P'igures 20-22; Plate 48, Figures 47-49Mecidea prolixa St?,l, Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol. 14, p. 312, 1858; HemipteraAfricana descripsit Carolus St?,l, vol. 1, p. 133, 1865; Enum. Hemip., vol 5,p. 38, 1876.
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Lethierry and Severin, Catalogue g6n6ral des H^miptferes,vol, 1, H^teroptferes, Pentatomidae, p. 92, 1893.
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Schouteden, Ann. Soc.Ent. Belgique, vol. 49, p. 7, 1905.
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Kirkaldy, A catalogue of the Hemiptera(Heteroptera), vol. 1, Cimicidae, p. 202, 1909.
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Jensen-Haarup, Ent.Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, p. 9, 1922.
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Lindberg, Not. Ent., vol. 18, pt. 3,p. 86, 1938.Mecidea linearis, Hesse, Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 16, pt. 4, p. 585, 1935.Most closely related to Mecidea kristenseni but easily distinguishedby details of the male genitalia, the proportionately broader secondantennal segment of both sexes, and the less convex posterior lobe ofthe pronotum. Judging from material at hand prolixa is, on an aver-age, the smallest species of Mecidea and with the possible exceptionof kristenseni it is the darkest in color. This dark color is not char-acteristic of all specimens but there is a decided tendency for allpunctures and all points w^here hair attach to be fuscus.
498 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Calloused median line of pronotum and scutellum prominent andcontinuous. Exocorial vein and exocorium quite pale and noticeablycontrasting with the darker coriimi. Black spots below abdominalsetigerous punctures very small, seldom larger than a spiracle. Mid-ventral line of abdomen with a dark linear spot on sixth visible seg-ment and frequently on fifth, fourth, and third segments.Length: Males, 7.3-8.2 mm.; females, 9.1-9.8 mm.Width at humeral angles: Males, 1.8-2.2 mm.; females, 2.2-2.5 mm.Antennae of male: Relative length of segments; 30:45:90:75:65.Fu'st three segments as shown on plate 48, figure 47.Antennae of female: Relative length of segments, 35:80:70:75:65.First three segments usually as on plate 48, figure 48.Male genitalia: Penial plates and penial vesiculae as shown on plate47, figures 21, 20, and 22.Variation.?The specimens exammed show a wide range of variationin several important characters. The most pronounced variation isfound in the relative lengths of the second and third antennal segmentsof the female. Most specimens examined have the third segmentshorter than the second (see pi. 48, fig. 48); however, several havethe segments subequal and one specimen that is not otherwise differenthas the third segment noticeably longer, the ratio of length of thesegments being 65:80 (see pi. 48, fig. 49). The black spots onthe median line of the venter range from barely perceptible on thesixth visible segment to well marked on the third, fourth, fifth, andSLxth. The black spots below the setigerous punctures range fromentirely absent to a spot having a diameter equal to one-twelfth thelength of the supporting segment.Type.?Not seen. Located in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseum,Stocldiolm.Distribution.?Literature records and locality data on the specimensstudied indicate that M. prolixa is restricted to the desert or semiaridregions of Africa south of the Zambezi River. The following localitieswere represented among the 16 specimens studied. SOUTHWESTAFRICA: Okahandja. UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Prov-ince: Ceres, 1,500 feet; Somerset East; Swellendam. East CapeProvince: Katberg, 4,000 feet. Natal: Van Reenen, Drakensberg,5,500-6,500 feet. Dates of collection range from September throughMarch. MECIDEA QUADRIVITTATA (Signoret)Cerataulax quadri-viltatus Signoret, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, ser. 2, vol. 9, p. 336,pi. 10, figs. 9, 9, a, 1851.Mecidea vittata [lapsus calami] Signoret, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, ser. 2, vol. 9,p. cviii, 1851.Mecidea linearis, Signoret, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, ser. 2, vol. 9, p. cviii, 1851.
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Walker, Catalogue of the specimens of heteropterous Hemiptera (Hemip-
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 499tera-Heteroptera) in the collection of the British Muaouin, pt. 3, p. 539, 1868.Mecidea quadrivittata, StXl, Ofv. Vet. Akad. Forhandl., vol. 13, pt. 3, p. 57, 1856;Hcmiptera Africana descripsit Carolus St&l, vol. 1, p. 133, 1865; Enum.ITemip., vol. 5, p. 38, 1876.
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Lethierry and Severin, Catalogue g(5n6raldes H6miptferes, vol. 1, Hctdroptfcres, Pentatomidae, p. 92, 1893.
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Kirkaldy,A catalogue of the Hemiptera (Ileteroptera), vol, 1, Cimicidae, p. 202,1909.?Jensen-Haarup, Ent. Meddel., vol. 14, pt. 1, pp. 7-9, 1922.This species is thought to be known only from Signoret's tj^pespecimen, which was collected on the Island of Mauritius, Beyondbeing 11 mm. long and a female specimen with a color pattern sug-gestive of the darker specimens of Mecidea prolixa, Signoret's descrip-tion reveals little that will serve to identify the species. Jensen-Haarup appears to have reexamined the type specimen, for in his keyto the Ethiopian species of Mecidea he includes quadrivittata, andremarks, "2nd joint of antennae much longer than 3rd," Unfortu-nately this is not distinctive, since it is true of the female of mostspecies of Mecidea.The possibility that quadrinittata may be a synonym of M. linearisis examined in the discussion under the latter species.Type.?Not seen. Believed to be in the Naturhistorische Museum,Wien, MECIDEA RUNGSI VidalMecidea rungsi Vidal, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc, vol. 48, p. 118, 1949.Described by Vidal as being near Mecidea quadrivittatus. This,together with his description of shape, color, and length of the secondand third segments of the antennae would indicate a close resemblancebetween the two species; however, the body length shown for rungsiis nearer that recorded for M. prolixa.The following salient characters are extracted from Vidal's descrip-tion:Smaller than Mecidea pallida but of the same shape. Punctures onscutellum and hemelytra much more noticeable than in M. stramineaand M. lepineyi (Vidal not Lindberg). Pronotum with sides feeblysinuate, dorsum bearing four longitudinal bands of brown punctures,the two median bands being scarcely visible.Antennae of the same shape as pallida. Comparative lengths ofsegments 2, 3, 4, and 5 are 95: 40: 52: 45. The first three, covered withspines, the base of each forming a rather large brown puncture.Scutellum with concolorus punctation and bearing a smooth medianlongitudinal carina; the pronotum bears traces of this carina. Clavusbordered with a brown line at the base along margin of scutellum. Aband of brown punctures on each side underneath body, leaving thehead, passing along the thorax and along the line of the abdominalspiracles.Length: 9.7 mm.
500 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Described from a female specimen collected at Mader Bergat,Morocco, October 1941, by Ch. Rungs.Type.?In I'lnstitut Scientifique Cherifien, Rabat, Morocco.MECIDEA SAHARIANA WagnerMecidea sahariana Wagner, Eos, vol. 25, pts. 3-4, pp. 190-191, 2 figs., 1949.This species is said by Wagner to be very closely related to Mecideapallida, but it is easily separated from that species by the longer,narrower head, the relatively smaller eyes and shorter second antennalsegment. The species is also described as considerably smaller thanpallida. Wagner's illustration shows the male to have a remarkablywide second antennal segment.The antennae are described as follows: First segment very short,not attaining apex of head; second segment, male 0.8 or female 0.84times as long as the head and noticeably flattened; in the male thisflattening is most striking and the flattened portion is wider than thesegment itself. The third segment of the male is somewhat more thanhalf as long as the second, but in the female it is only 0.3 times as long.The abdominal segments with a small black spot near the stigmata.Length: Male, 9.9 mm.; female, 10.0-10.3 mm.Described from one male and two females from Spanish Sahara(U.-Bomba, March 6, 1943, and Sebka Um Seikira, April 8, 1945,Mat^u collector).Type.?In the Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Barcelona.As evidenced by his description of M. sahariana, Wagner is thefirst author to note the sexual dimorphism of the antennae that appearsto be characteristic of all Mecidea. He also speculates on the distri-bution of M. sahariana and AI. pallida and concludes that since thelatter was described from "Nubia Superior" it is unlikely that thetwo species have the same range of distribution. In consequence hestates that it is probable that the records for pallida from Algeria,Tunis, and Morocco pertain to sahariana.This conclusion seems highly improbable. Certainly typical M.pallida occurs in Tunisia, for I have examined a male specimencollected at Gafsa. Other specimens have been seen from northernNigeria and from the Aden Protectorate. These facts, combined withthe close relation of pallida to M. indica and to M. longula and M.major, suggest a wide range of distribution for pallida. Furthermore,the wide range of variation exhibited by the New World species makesit seem likely that several of the species now listed from the NorthAfrican region will prove to be only variants of pallida.
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 501MECIDEA STRAMINEA VldalMecidea straminea Vidal, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc, vol. 48, pp. 118-119, 1949.Described by Vidal as being near Mecidea lejpineyi (Vidal notLindberg) but darker in color and with different comparative lengthsof the second and third antennal segments.According to Vidal the comparative lengths of antennal segments2, 3, 4 and 5 are as 77 : 39 : 50 : 45.Length: 10 mm.Described from a female specimen collected at Fort Trinquet,Mauritania, French West Africa, November 1942, by Ch. Kungs.Type.?In I'lnstitut Scientiiique Cheriiien, Rabat, Morocco.MECIDEA TELUNn SchoutedenMecidea tellinii Schouteden, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belgiquc, vol. 49, p. 7, 1905.
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Bergkoth, Mem. Soc. Ent. Belgique, vol. 15, p. 152, 1908.This species was described from two male specimens collected inEritrea. Schouteden characterized the species as more robust thanMecidea pallida and M. prolixa. This comparison is unfortunatesince prolixa is the smallest and least robust of the genus, while of thespecies known to me pallida is the largest and most robust. Theantennae (male) are described as having the second and third segmentssubequal in length. Tliis agrees with Dallas' description of linearisand suggests that M. tellinii might be a synonym of that species.Characters of size and color, however, seem to indicate that the speciesare different. Schouteden states that his specimens were 10.25 mm.long and 3.75 mm. ^\ade across the pronotum. Tliis would maketellini the least elongate species in the genus.Types.?The type specimens are beUeved to be in Schouteden'sprivate collection. MECIDEA VIDALI, new nameMecidea lepineyi Vidal, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc, vol. 48, p. 119, 1949 (pre-occupied by M. lepineyi Lindberg, Not. Ent., vol. 18, ser. 3, pp. 85, 87,fig. Ic, 1938).Described by Vidal as paler but of the same shape as rungsi, thepunctation of the head, scutellum, and hemelytra as concolorous andhardly visible, and the antennae as bearing brown punctures.The comparative lengths of antennal segments 2, 3, 4, and 5 weredescribed as 40 : 70 : 56 : 49.Length: 9 mm.Described from a male collected August 30, 1941, by Lepiney,Sauvage, and Rungs.Type.?In I'lnstitut Scientifique, Cheriiien, Rabat, Morocco.
502 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 102Comments.?In his last descriptive sentence concerning Mecidealepineyi (Vidal not Lindberg) Vidal states that the comparativelengths of the second and third antennal segments are sufficient toidentify this species. Unfortunately, this is not true since the malesof M. kristenseni Jensen-Haarup have almost the same comparativelengths for the second and third antennal segments. This fact sug-gests that vidali may prove to be only a very pale form of kristenseni.
STINK BUGS, GENUS MECIDEA?SAILER 503REFERENCES TO LITERATURE CONCERNED WITH DISTRIBUTIONBall, E. D., and Hartzell, A.1922. A review of the desert leafhoppers of the Orgerini (Rhynchota: Ful-goridae). Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., vol. 25, pp. 137-152, 1 pi.Cain, S. A.1944. Foundations of plant geography, 556 pp.Carter, H. F.1921. A revision of the genus Leptoconops Skuse. Bull. Ent. Res., vol. 12,pp. 1-28.Cazier, M. a.1941. A generic review of the family Apioceratidae with a revision of theNorth American species (Diptera-Brachycera). Amer. Midi. Nat.,vol. 25, pp. 589-631.Chopard, L.1938. La biology de Orthopt^res, 564 pp., 453 figs. Encyclopedie Entomol-ogique, serie A, XX.Cockerell, T. D. a.1932. Discontinuous distribution in bees. Nature, vol. 130, pp. 58-59.Hill, G. F.1942. Termites (Isoptera) from the Australian region, 480 pp., 24 pis.Johnston, I. M.1940. The floristic significance of shrubs common to North and SouthAmerican deserts. Journ. Arnold Arboretum, vol. 21, pp. 356-363.Metcalf, Z. p.1946. The center of origin theory. Journ. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc, vol. 62,pp. 149-175, 41 pis.Oman, P, W.1948. Notes on the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) and its relatives(Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Journ. Kansas Ent. Soc, vol. 21,pp. 10-14.Stetermark, J. A.1932. A revision of the genus Menodora. Missouri Botanical Garden Ann.,vol. 19, pp. 87-176.UVAROV, B. P.1937. A representative of an Old World subfamily of Acrididae in south-western North America. Pan-Pacific Ent., vol. 13, pp. 97-100.1938. Ecological and biogeographical relations of Eremian Acrididae.Soci6t6 de Biogeographie VI. La vie region desertique nord-tropicale de I'ancien monde, pp. 231-273.Wygodzinskt, p.1950. Notas y descripciones de Algunas "Machilidae" Americanas (Thysa-nura, Insecta). Acta Zool. Inst. Miguel Lillo, vol. 7, pp. 593-622.
Plate 47Illustrations of characters on the aedeagus of species of Mecidea:1-3, Mecidea indica Dallas, from Hoshangabad, Central Provinces, India: 1, Lat-eral vesiculae, dorsal view; 2, penial plates, showing penisfilum; 3, medianvesicula, lateral view.4-6, M. 'pallida St?,l, from Gafsa, Tunisia: 4, Median vesicula, lateral view;5, lateral vesiculae, dorsal view; 6, penial plates.7-9, M. longula StS,l, from Antigua, British West Indies: 7, Lateral vesiculae,dorsal view; 8, median vesicula, lateral view; 9, penial plates.10-12, M. major, new species, from Bexar County, Tex.: 10, Lateral vesiculae,dorsal view; 11, median vesicula, lateral view; 12, penial plates.13-15, M. minor Ruckes, from Zavallo County, Tex.: 13, Lateral vesiculae,dorsal view; 14, median vesicula, lateral view; 15, penial plates.16-18, M. pampeana, new species, from Tucumdn, Argentina: 16, Lateral vesi-culae, dorsal view; 17, penial plates; 18, median vesicula, lateral view.19, M. kristenseni Jensen-Haarup, from plains northwest of Lake Zwai, Abyssinia:Dorsal view, showing lateral vesiculae, penial plates, and penisfilum. Medianvesicula not evaginated.20-22, M. prolixa St?,l, from Cape Province, South Africa: 20, Lateral vesiculae,dorsal view; 21, penial plates; 22, median vesicula, lateral view.23-25, M. pallidissima Jensen-Haarup, from Djibouti, French Somaliland: 23,Lateral vesiculae, dorsal view; 24, penial plates; 25, median vesicula, lateralview.26-28, M. lutzi, new species, from Djamba, Belgian Congo: 26, Dorsal view oflateral vesiculae and penial plates, showing penisfilum; 27. median vesicula,lateral view; 28, median vesicula, dorsal view.604
U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PROCEEDINGS, VOL. 102. PLATE 47
/6.
(For explanation see page 504.)
U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PROCEEDINGS. VOL. 102, PLATE 48
pallidlSSima jg pj?ipe?n-i 57 hino/> 58 loksulx 59 ?njo?(For explanation see page 505.)
Plate 48Illustrations showing the first three segments of the antennae of both sexes ofspecies of Mecidia. For each species an illustration of the male is shown first,followed by another of the female. To some extent it is intended that theseillustrations show the limitations, as well as the usefulness, of the antennalcharacters, for purposes of identification:Mecidca pallida Stkl:29, Male, from Gafsa, Tunisia.30, Female, from Minna, northern Nigeria.M. indica Dallas:31, Male, from Hoshangabad, Central Provinces, India.32, Female, from Poona, Bombay, India; compared with type.M. major, new species:33, Male, from Bexar County, Tex.34, Female, from Bexar County, Tex.M. longula St?-1:35, Male, from Antigua, British West Indies.36, Female, from Antigua, British West Indies.M. minor Ruckes:37, Male, from Zavalla County, Tex.38, Female, from Dallas, Tex.M. lutzi, new species;39, Male, from Djamba, Belgian Congo.40, Female, from Djamba, Belgian Congo.AI. pallidissima Jensen-Haarup:41, Male, from Jidda, Arabia.42, Female, from Buraim, Arabia.M. pampeana, new species (examples from two localities are intended to showextremes of variation encountered in this species):43, Male, from Conhello, La Pampa, Argentina.44, Female, from Conhello, La Pampa, Argentina.45, Male, from Agua de Oro, C6rdoba, Argentina.46, Female, from Agua de Oro, C6rdoba, Argentina.M. prolixa Stil:47, Male, from Cape Province, South Africa.48, 49, Female, from Cape Province, South Africa.M. kristenseni Jensen-Haarup:50, Male, from plains northwest of Lake Zwai, Abyssinia.51, Female, from plains northwest of Lake Zwai, Abyssinia.Figures showing a ventral view of the hypopygium, of species of Mecidea:52, M. major, new species, from Bexar County, Tex.53, M. minor Ruckes, from Dallas County, Tex.54, M. longula St&l, from Antigua, British West Indies.55, M. pampeana, new species, from Tucumdn, Argentina.Figures showing an outside lateral view of the left clasper, of species of Mecidea.56, M. pampeana, new species, from Tucumdn, Argentina.57, M. minor Ruckes, from Dallas, Tex.58, M. longula St?,l, from Antigua, British West Indies.59, M. major, new species, from Bexar County, Tex. 505
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