Biological and anatomical data, feeding habits and taxonomy of a new species of an afrotropical Fulvius (Insecta, Heteroptera, Miridae, Cylapinae, Fulviini).

Fulvius carayoni n. sp. is described on the basis of abundant material mainly from Cameroon and Ghana. Adults can be easily distinguished among the Afrotropical Fulvius Stål, 1862 by the longitudinal strips arising from the base of the hemelytra, by the colouration of the second antennal segment and of the scutellum, and by the male genital structures, particularly by the concomitant presence on the phallus of a hair-like apical filamentous structure and a pair of spiculi with bases posterior to the secondary gonopore. The egg and nymphal instars are briefly described. The presence of a pair of ventral cephalic trichobothria is documented for the immature stages as well as for the imago. Information about the internal anatomy of the male reproductive and digestive systems is supplied, as well as data concerning feeding habits, breeding and mating. Laboratory breeding of F. carayoni n. sp. shows that the species is predatory: for four years, it fed exclusively on eggs and neonate larvae of the pyralid Lepidoptera, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller, 1879). The anatomy, clearly of the mirid type, does not reveal any peculiarity except the fact that testes are each composed of a single follicle. In contrast, the modalities of the mating are peculiar, never observed within the Miridae. The intromission of the male organ is not performed by the usual genital route, i.e. at the base of the ovipositor via the vulva and the vestibulum. The phallus is introduced into the ovipositor itself, at its distal extremity, and when inserted it extends up to the genital chamber.