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LVIII.—A new subfamilyof Malaysian Dysodiidæ(Rhynchota)N.C.E. Miller F.R.E.S. F.Z.S. aa Department of Agriculture, S.S. andF.M.S.Published online: 17 Aug 2009.

To cite this article: N.C.E. Miller F.R.E.S. F.Z.S. (1938) LVIII.—Anew subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiidæ (Rhynchota), Annalsand Magazine of Natural History: Series 11, 1:5, 498-510, DOI:10.1080/00222933808526796

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933808526796

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498 Mr. N. C. E. Miller on a new

LVII I . - -A new Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiid~e (Rhynchota). By N. C. E. MILER, F.R.E.S., F.Z.S., Entomologist, Department of Agriculture, S.S. and F.M.S.

WHILe. collecting at The Gap (4000 ft.), Selangor, Federated Malay States, in December 1936, I came across a solitary specimen of a bug of remarkable shape, which apparently had been dislodged from its resting place by recent heavy rain. I t was lying on a stone parapet at the roadside and was still alive when picked up.

With a view to obtaining ova, I did not kill the specimen, and since its shape suggested that its habitat was probably under the bark of decaying trees, I placed it with some dead wood, which was maintained in a moist state. On this material it survived for a period of about six weeks and then died without having produced ova.

Later on, in the following year, while examining the collections of the Selangor Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States, I discovered more individuals of the same and of related species, which Mr. H. M. Pendlebury, Director of Museums, informed me had been submitted to the British Museum (Natural History), London, but had not yet been named. He suggested that I might care to take them to England when I went on leave and endeavour to determine them.

Although knowledge regarding these insects is almost non-existent, it seems reasonable to suppose that they live under the bark of decaying trees and, as suggested by Mr. W. E. China of the British Museum, the great length of the mouthparts, which are coiled in repose in the apex of the head, indicates that they most probably obtain their nourishment from the mycelia of fungi. The coiled position of the mouthparts when not in use is a condition which also obtains in the Aradid~e.

An examination of the available material has revealed seven new species.

In the preparation of this paper I am very greatly indebted to Mr. China for his kindness in elucidating many of the problems which arose. My thanks are also due to Mr. H. M. Pendlebury for affording me the opportunity of examining the specimens in the Selangor Museum.

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Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiidm. 499

The types are in the British Museum (Natural History), London.

Dysodiida~ Reuter, 1912.

C£1ELONOCOREA~" $, subfam, nov.

The members of this new subfamily are triangular in outline, flattened dorso-ventrally and apterous. The tarsi are composed of two segments. In colour, as in the Dysodiia~e and Aradid~e, they are mostly black or dark piceous, but they differ from the members of the latter family in having the prosternum narrowly and feebly sulcate and the meso- and metasterna broadly, shallowly, ovately depressed. Furthermore, the rostrum is shorter, the apical process of the head bifurcate, the eyes feebly prominent, the first segment of the antennae as long or longer than the head and of approximately the same thickness throughout, with the apex feebly bilobate.

They differ from members of the Dysodiin~e in the structure of the sternites, the absence of postocular spines, the length of the first antennal segment and the indistinct delimitation of the trochantera (partial fusion with the femora).

In this subfamily also it will be seen that the pro- and mesothorax are fused.

A striking feature is presented by the abdomen, which has a very broad connexival area, and the dorsum (the part usually covered by the elytra) has a complicated pattern of plate-like areas of varying shape, each with a small circular depression or very low prominence. The arrangement of these plate-like areas consists usually of two parallel rows of large areas subdorsally and a row adjoining the connexival area laterally.

Dorsally there is frequently present along the middle line an irregular tumescent ridge. The seventh abdominal segment is strongly produced apically.

The connexival area frequently has on each segment obscure glabrous areas not unlike trichobothrial areas in other families, e.g., Lyg~eidse.

Another feature of this subfamily is the dense tomentose clothing which extends over most parts of the body, with

* ~XtS~,t/ a tortoise, ~dp~ a bug . I n connec t ion w i th t h e tor toise- shell-like p la tes on t h e d o r s u m of t he abdomen .

32*

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500 Mr. N. C. E. Miller on a new

the exception of some of the dorsal plate-like areas and the small circular areas within them.

CHELONOCORIS, gen. nov.

Head rather long and narrow with the apical process bifurcate. Rostrum much shorter than the head, appar- ently composed of three segments, the apparent basal segment strongly constricted laterally. Antennae with the first segment as long or longer than the head; apical segment short, pyriform. Metathoracic gland ostioles visible from above. Abdomen with irregular prominences dorsally and parallel rows of plate-like areas of irregular pat tern; segment 7 produced apically and segment 8 irregularly conically produced. Species sexually dimor- phic.

Chelonocoris truncatus, sp. n. (Fig. 1.)

Colour.--Blaek. Antennm : base of segment 1, apex of segment 2, greater part of segments 3 and 4 dark eas- taneous. Eyes dark oehreous. Abdomen : centralareas in plate-like areas and glabrous areas on connexivum ferruginous ; midventral, subventral, and eonnexival areas ventrally castaneous. Legs pieeous; tarsi castaneous. Tomentose clothing and set~e fulvous.

Structure.--Antennae" segment 1 subequal to head in length; segment 2 one-third as long as 1; segment 3 about three times as long as 2 ; segment 4 subequal to 2. Eyes small, subreniform. Head somewhat wider anteriorly than posteriorly; frons basally and gen~e irregularly sulcate ; inner margins of gen~e deeply sulcate ; clypeus obliquely suleate; anterior margin of bucculm obtuse. Thorax : anterior margin of pronotal collar broadly con- cave ; disc of anterior lobe deeply longitudianally sulcate middorsally, irregularly suleate tuberculate laterally; mesothorax with longitudinal parallel carin~e middorsally ; laterally irregularly depressed and punctate ; prosternum feebly longitudinally sulcate; meso- and metasterna feebly ovately depressed. Abdomen: apical external angles of connexivum feebly prominent, rounded ; apical margin thickened medially; produced portion of segment 7 quadrate, relatively short; segment 8 bluntly conical apically. Legs: femora feebly constricted subbasally and subapically.

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Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiid~e.

Total length 18.0 mm.*. Described from 1 g~ (type),

(ex coll. F.M.S. Museums). Taiping, Perak,

Fig. 1.

501

F.M.S.

C

b

ChJonocori~ truncatus, sp. n. , 9.

a, f rom above ; b, f r om side ; c, apex o f a b d o m e n ven t ra l ly .

Ch~Ionocoris acuminatus, sP. n. (Fig. 2). Colour.--Black. Eyes castaneous. Tomentose clothing

dark fulvous. Structure.--Antenna~: segment 1 subequal in length to

anterior femora and about five times as long as segment 2, feebly thicker in basal half ; remaining segments missing.

* All m e a s u r e m e n t s are t a k e n f rom t h e apex o f apical process o f head to apex o f p r o d u c e d por t ion o f 7 th a b d o m i n a l s egmen t .

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502 Mr. N. C. E. Miller on a new

Eyes subreniform. Head : gen~e laterally sulcate ; base of frons smooth. Thorax: anterior lobe with a median anterior, a subdorsal basal and a median lateral low prominence ; mesothorax with a dorsal, moderately broad

Fig. 2.

C

b

Chelonocori8 acuminatus, sp. n., 9.

a, f rom above ; b, f rom side ; c, apex of abdomen ventrally.

rounded carina extending to scutellar area; sternites broadly depressed. Abdomen : produced portion of segment 7 subacute apically. Legs coarsely sparsely setose,

Total length 18.0 mm,

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Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiida~. 503

Described from 1 ~ (type), Trusan, Sarawak, Borneo, January 1915 (H. W. Smith); 1 $, Mt. Dulit, Sarawak, Borneo. Kalabit Exped. 1924 (Dr. E. Mj6berg).

Fig. S.

C

b

Chelonocoris bufo, sp. n., 9.

a, f rom above ; b, f rom side ; c, apex o f a b d o m e n ven t ra l ly .

Chelonocoris bufo, sp. n. (Fig. 3.) Colour.---Black ; set~e and tomentose clothing fulvous ;

basal segment of tarsi and claws castaneous. Structure.--Antennse: segment 1 curved, subequal in

length to posterior tibiae; segment 2 about one-fourth

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504 Mr. N. C. E. Miller on a new

as long as 1; segment 3 twice as long as seg- ment 2; segment 4 about two-thirds as long as 2; segments 1-3 with erect or suberect moderately long sparse setm; segment 4 with dense short set~e apically and sparse forwardly directed set~e. Eyes moderately prominent, ovate, with the lower margin almost straight. Head : lobes of apical process subacute ; gen~e and lateral area deeply transversely sulcate; anteocular portion somewhat broader than postocular portion. Thorax : seutellar area somewhat acutely produced apically ; pro- sternum feebly longitudinally sulcate ; meso- and meta- sterna shallowly broadly depressed. Abdomen: con- nexivum inclined upwards, strongly, longitudinally sulcate near external margin, apical margins of each segment thickened medially ; apex of produced portion of segment 7 broadly conical; apex of segment subacute. Head, body, and legs with erect moderately long set~e.

Total length 17.5 mm. Described from 1 ~ (type), The Gap, Selangor, F.M.S.

(4000 ft.), 26. xii. 36 (1V. C. E. Mil ler); 1 ~. Gunong Kledang, Perak, F.M.S., November 1916; 2 ~g~, Perak, Distant Coll., 1911.

Chelonocoris peregrinus, sp. n. (Fig. 4.)

Colour.--Dark piceous. Apex of segment 4 of antennae castaneous. Set~e and tomentose clothing dark fulvous.

Structure.---Antennae: (~), segment 1 feebly curved, subequal to posterior tibiae, (~), to anterior tibiee ; seg- ment 2 about one-fourth as long as 1 ; segment 3 three- fourths as long as 1; segment 4 two-thirds as long as 2. Eye8 subspherical, moderately prominent. Head : anteocular portion somewhat broader than postocular port ion; external margin of antennal tubercles broadly rounded; lobes of apical process narrowly rounded apically ; interocular area with two median low tubercles ; lower lateral margin deeply sulcate; gen~e deeply irregularly transversely sulcate. Thorax : lateral margins of anterior lobe moderately rounded; scutellar area longitudinally sulcate subdorsally, the sulci not reaching posterior margin ; subapically feebly transversely sulcate ; prosternum moderately deeply sulcate ; meso- and meta- sterna broadly shallowlydepreSsed. Abdomen: connexivum feebly inclined upwards, longitudinally sulcate and

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Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiid~e. 505

carinate, the apex of carin~e thickened; raised area along middorsum feeble ; produced portion of segment 7 feebly curved, projecting outwards and narrowly rounded

Fig. 4.

Chelonocoris peregrinus, sp. n., ~ and ~.

a, f rom above, ~ ; b, f rom side, ~ ; c, f r om above, ~ ; d, f rom side, ~ ; e, apex o f a b d o m e n vent ra l ly , ~.

apically. In the female the apex of the produced portion is more broadly rounded and relatively shorter.

Total length : ~ 17.0 ram., ~ 19.5 ram.

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506 Mr. N. C. E. Miller on a new

Described from 1 ~ (type), Aring, Distant Coll. 1911 ; 2 ~ , Malacca, Fry Coll., 1905; 1 ~, Gunong Tahan, Pahang, F.M.S., 2500-3500 ft., May-July 1905 (H. C. Robinson); 1 !~, Gombak Valley, October 16, 1921 (1t. M. Pendlebury) (the location of Aring is presumably in N. Borneo).

Chelonocoris malayensis, sp. n. (Fig. 5.)

Colour.---Black. Clothing and set~e dark castaneous; set~e on apical segment of antennae pale fulvous ; tarsi castaneous.

Structure.--Antenn~e : segment 1 subequal in length to head ; segment 2 about one-third as long as 1 ; segment 3 a little more than twice as long as 2 ; segment 4 two-thirds as long as 2. Eyes subspherical, moderately prominent. Head : external margins of apical process feebly arcuate ; anteocular portion a little shorter than postocular portion ; external margin of antennal tubercles rounded; genre irregularly transversely sulcate. Thorax : anterior margin of pronotal collar broadly, feebly concave ; anterior lobe with a median low tubercle near anterior margin, a moderately large rounded tubercle sublaterally anteriorly and a low tubercle subdorsally posteriorly ; scuteUar area with a median somewhat indistinct rounded carina in basal haft ; prosternum with a median sulcus widening posteriorly; meso- and metasterna feebly broadly de- pressed. Abdomen : external margins subparallel ; con- nexivum feebly longitudinally carinate sublaterally ; not inclined upwards ; external margin of produced portion of segment 7 feebly curved; apex narrowly rounded; tubercle at base of produced portion moderately long; apical margin of segment 6 bituberculate ; apex of mid- dorsal prominence triangularly depressed; central area in plate-like areas feebly raised. Legs erectly and mode- rately densely setose.

In the female the middorsal prominence and the ridges separating plate-like areas are more pronounced.

Tomentose clothing in both sexes very dense. Total length : c~ 15.0 ram., ~ 16.0 ram. Described from 1 c~ (type), Cameron Highlands, Pahang,

F.M.S. (5-6000 ft.), 9. vi. 35 ; 1 c~ and 1 9, Sungai Parang, Cameron Highlands (4850 ft.), 24. v. 31 ; ] c~ and 1 ~,

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Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiid~e. 507

Sungai Reran, Cameron Highlands (4200 ft.), 24. v. 31; 1 ~, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands (4800 ft.), 19. v. 31 ; ] ~ and 1 ~, Pari t Falls, Cameron Highlands (4800 ft.),

Fig. 5.

Chelonocorls malayen~vi~ sp. n., ~ and ~.

a, from above ~, ; b, f rom side, ~ ; c, f rom above, ~ ; d, f rom side, ? ; e, apex of abdomen ventral ly, ~.

25. v. 31 ; 1 ~, Tanah Rata, 14. iii. 35 (all H. M. Pendle- bury).

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508 Mr. N. C. E. Miller on a new

Chelonocoris dyak, sp. n. (Fig. 6.)

Colour. - -Black, except head, antennae and legs dark castaneous. Clothing and setm fulvous. Eyes cas- taneous.

Fig. 6.

e

~t C

b

Chelonocori8 dyak, sp. n., ~ and ?.

a, f rom above, ~ ; b, f rom side, d~ ; c, f rom above, • ; d, f rom above, ~ ; e, apex of abdomen ventral ly , ~.

Structure.--Antenn~e: segment 1 feebly curved, nearly twice as long as head ; segment 2 one-fourth as long as 1 ;

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Subfamily of Malaysian Dysodiid~e. 509

segment 3 about half as long as 1 ; segment 4 two-thirds as long as 2. Eyes moderately prominent, ovate, with the anterior and lower margins almost straight. Head: anteocular portion subequal in length to postoeular portion ; external margins of antennal tubercles rounded ; lobes of apical process feebly divergent and feebly con- stricted basally. Thorax: external margins of anterior lobe rounded; posterior margin s inuate; tubercles on disc feeble ; scutellar area narrow and convex ; prosternum feebly sulcate ; meso- and metasterna feebly depressed. Abdomen: external margin feebly rounded, subparallel; middorsal prominence with a subcircular depression in the region of segments 3 and 4 and an elongate ovate depression on segment 5 ; ridges enclosing plate-like areas prominent ; produced portion of segment 7 rather long, straight, acute. Legs : femora feebly thickened medially.

In the female the produced portions of segment 7 are feebly curved.

Total length : ~ 14.5 ram., ~ 16.0 mm. Described from 1 ~ (type), Sarawak, Shelford, 1900;

2 ~ , Sarawak, Shelford, 1 9 0 0 ; 1 ~, Kuching, Borneo, 2. viii. 99, Distant Coll.

Chelonocoris macilentus, sp. n. (Fig. 7.)

Colour.--Black. Antennae dark castaneous. Clothing and setee fulvous ; apical set~e on segment 4 of antennae pale stramineous.

Structure.--Antennx: segment 1 moderately curved, about one-third longer than head ; segments 2 and 3 together subequal to 1 ; segment 4 two-thirds as long as 2. Eyes feebly prominent, ovate, with the anterior and lower margins almost straight. Head : anteocular portion con- siderably shorter than postoeular portion ; lobes of apical process short, narrowly rounded apically, subacute in profile. Thorax: anterior lobe deeply, medially sulcate; laterally with a broad raised area ; seutellar area elongate ; metathorax with an elongate prominence sublaterally; prosternum feebly sulcate ; meso-and metasterna ovately depressed. Abdomen relatively narrow; lateral margins almost straight, subparallel ; ridges separating plate-like areas p rominen t ; middorsal longitudinal ridge low; area in region of segments 3 and 4 feebly ovately depressed;

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510 Mr. E. R. Hall on the Spotted Skunks.

produced portion of segment 7 feebly curved, relatively robust.

Total length 15.0 mm.

Fig. 7.

Chelonocorie mewilentus, sp. n. , c~.

a, f r o m a b o v e ; b, f r o m side.

Described from 1 ~ (type), Singapore, 1896 (H. N. Ridley).

LIX.--Notes on the Spotted Skunks (Genus Spilogale), with Accounts of new Subspecies from Mexico and Costa Rica. By E. RAYMOND HALL.

AN interest in the American Mustelidee has naturally led to study of the rich and historically important collections in the British Museum of Natural History. One result of this study is the recognition of two heretofore un- described geographic races of Spilogale, which, through

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