Abstract
Agriocleptes zischkai Wygodzinsky, 1953 is synonymyzed under A. wygodzinskyi Prosen & Martínez, 1953. The species is from Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Introduction
The Neotropical genus Agriocleptes Stål, 1866 includes nine species (Maldonado 1990), one of which is now synonymyzed.
Within the subfamily Apiomerinae, Heniartes Spinola, 1837 is the only genus resembling Agriocleptes, but the latter has the head longer than the pronotum, the corium with waxy secretions, the membrane not completely dark but with some pale areas, and the middle tibia not so recurved (Wygodzinsky 1947; Costa Lima et al. 1948); all these characteristics separate it from Heniartes.
Wygodzinsky (1946) redescribed the genus and added two new species. Later (Wygodzinsky 1953), he described four new species including A. zischkai and gave a partial key to the species. At the same year, Prosen and Martínez (1953) described A. wygodzinskyi. Some years later, Carcavallo and Martínez (1960) described A. salvatorianus, a new species from Colombia. No further species have been described since then. The species within the genus may be separated by color pattern and male genitalia. Color patterns are quite constant among species and the male genitalia are similar within species groups (Wygodzinsky 1953).
While at the AMNH one of us (senior author), noted that two Bolivian species, A. wygodzinskyi and A. zischkai, are very similar and probably the same species.
The specimens examined are deposited in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, U.S.A. (AMNH), and in the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos Aires, Argentina (MACN).
Systematics
We studied type material of both A. wygodzinskyi and A. zischkai. We checked all specimens studied against descriptions; all the specimens fit well with both.
The senior author examined the specimens of the AMNH and the junior author the MACN ones. We were unable to locate the male holotype of A. wygodzinskyi. All the specimens from Prosen and Martínez bear identification labels dated "1954", a year after the publication date of the paper of A. wygodzinskyi. Perhaps they waited for the publication of the paper before labeling their specimens with the new name. Slashes separate the different labels on the specimens. Quotation marks indicate handwriting.
One male: Holotypus / Cochabamba 2000m Zischka col. / "Agriocleptes zischkai Wygod." Wygodzinsky det. INST. MED. REG. [AMNH]
One female: Allotypus / Cochabamba 2000m Zischka col. / "Agriocleptes zischkai Wygod." Wygodzinsky det. INST. MED. REG. [AMNH]
One female: Paratypus / Cochabamba 2000m Zischka col. / Collectio Wygodzinsky "Agriocleptes zischkai Wygod." Wygodzinsky det. INST. MED. REG. [AMNH]
Four females: Paratypus / Cochabamba Bolivia 2000m / "Agriocleptes zischkai Wygod." Wygodzinsky det. INST. MED. REG. [AMNH]
Four nymphs: Cochabamba Bolivia 2000m / "Agriocleptes zischkai Wygod." Wygodzinsky det. INST. MED. REG. [AΜΝΗ]
One male: NE Cochabamba. Bolivia. IV-22 1952. Colector: L.Pena / "Agriocleptes zischkai Wygod." Wygodzisnky det. [AΜΝΗ].
One female: Alotipo / Cochabamba, alrededores ciudad / "Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen y Martínez" II-53, Prosen det. 1954 [MACN]
Seven males: Paratipo / Cochabamba, alrededores ciudad / "Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen y Martínez" II-53, Prosen det. 1954 [MACN]
Three females: Paratipo / Cochabamba, alrededores ciudad / "Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen y Martínez" II-53, Prosen det. 1954 [MACN]
One female: Paratipo / Cochabamba, alrededores ciudad / "Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen y Martínez" II-53, Martínez col., Prosen det. 1954 [MACN]
One male: Paratipo / Cochabamba, alrededores ciudad/ "Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen y Martínez" II-53, Martínez det. 1954 [MACN]
Sex not determined, abdomen broken: Paratipo / Cochabamba, alrededores ciudad / "Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen y Martínez" II-53, Prosen det. 1954 [MACN]
We found some variation in the color intensity of legs, head, and pronotum, but not in the pattern. In addition, all the colors of the structures are the same. Prosen and Martínez (1953) implicitly pointed the variability of the yellowish spots on the anterior part of the posterior lobe of the pronotum, and Wygodzinsky (1953) (Figs. 20,21,22) was more explicit, providing illustrations. Only A. bergi Wygodzinsky 1953 is close to A. wygodzinskyi and A. zischkai. In all three species, the pronotum is black with two yellowish spots or a complete line on the posterior lobe. In A. bergi, the coxae, trochanters and femora are yellowish with some pale brown rings; the tibiae are yellowish sometimes with the apical part black. In both A. wygodzinskyi and A. zischkai, the coxae have at least the anterior or posterior half black; the trochanters are black, but the anterior one has a small pale spot; the anterior and median femora are black with a medial yellowish ring, the posterior ones have also a basal yellowish ring; the tibiae are black with a medial yellowish ring. The corium has the apical part yellowish, with a large central reddish spot. In A. bergi, the corium is different. These color patterns on the legs and hemelytra are constant among the specimens studied. Moreover, all specimens examined were from Cochabamba (Bolivia) and almost all were collected by only one person, Rodolfo Zischka (Prosen and Martínez 1953; Wygodzinsky 1953). Therefore, because we did not find any significant differences between A. wygodzinskyi and A. zischkai, we believe these two species are the same and belong to just one species.
Prosen and Martínez and Wygodzinsky published the descriptions of A. wygodzinskyi and A. zischkai, respectively, in December 1953. The journal issue of Prosen & Martínez is dated "Diciembre 29 de 1953" while Wygodzinsky's is just dated "Dezembro, 1953". So, in agreement with article 21.3.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Ride et al. 1999), the priority is for Prosen & Martínez and the synonymy is as follow:
Agriocleptes wygodzinskyi Prosen & Martínez, 1953: 54
A. zischkai Wygodzinsky, 1953: 376
It is curious that Wygodzinsky never recognized this synonymy. At the AMNH the first author was able to look at Wygodzinsky's personal reprints, and among them was the paper of Prosen and Martínez, kindly dedicated to "Dr. P. Wygodzinsky". We do not know if Prosen and Martínez knew about the Wygodzinsky's paper. Prosen & Martínez (1953) also stated that one male and female paratype were in the Wygodzinsky's personal collection; we did not see those specimens at the AMNH.
Footnotes
Acknowledgements
R. T. Schuh facilitated the examination of the Reduviidae collection at the AMNH, and A. Bachmann the examination of the Reduviidae collection at the MACN, and helped us in clarify the priority of the names. For constructive comments, we are indebted to C.W. Schaefer.