Microschema Stål, 1869

Synonyms (and unplaced invalid names)
Micropepla Sakakibara, 1979, Platycotis (Microschema) Stål, 1869
Selected references
Stål 1869a
Sakikibara 1979
McKamey and Deitz 1991b
McKamey and Deitz 1996a
McKamey 1998a
Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte 1997a
Overview
Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte (1997a) reinstated Microschema as a valid genus, with only one species (M. straminicolor), noting that it is the smallest (total length of 3.88- 4.40 mm) member of the tribe Hoplophorionini. They gave an illustrated redescription of this genus and species, which occurs in Brazil.
Taxon history
According to Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte (1997a), the holotype label of Hoplophora straminicolor Stål was previously placed on a specimen of the wrong sex, resulting in much confusion. Of two relevant specimens in the Naturhistoriska Ricksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden, the male specimen previously labelled as the holotype was not only of the wrong sex, but was found to belong to the genus Potnia (McKamey and Deitz 1991b; Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte 1997a). The second specimen (a female), however, closely matched Stål’s original description (Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte 1997a). The latter workers also found that Micropepla mourei, the only species of Micropepla, was synonymous with Microschema straminicolor, thus making Micropepla a junior synonym of Microschema. Previously, McKamey and Deitz (1996a) placed Micropepla as junior synonym of Ochropepla, with the new combination O. mourei, as reflected in McKamey’s (1998a) catalogue. Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte’s (1997a) publication appeared after the cut-off date of the 1998 catalogue.
Taxon images
Microschema
32807_mximage
1. Microschema straminicolor [holo...
32808_mximage
2. Microschema straminicolor [holo...
32806_mximage
3. Microschema straminicolor [holo...
 
Distribution
Neotropical region: Brazil.
16504_mximage
1.
 
Diagnostic characters
See Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte (1997a).
Description
See Sakakibara and Creão-Duarte (1997a).
Prepared by
Lewis L. Deitz, Albino M. Sakakibara, Stuart H. McKamey, and Mark J. Rothschild, 20 January 2024.