taxonID	type	description	language	source
43435E3D721BE274FF404761FF33FE93.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. CHINA, Sichuan Prov., 1 apterous male, Qingcheng mountain, stream near the entrance, 22 July 1989, leg. Ping-ping Chen (Holotype, NKUM); 1 apterous male, Mt. Emei, Wannian Temple, stream, 2 VIII 1989, leg. Wen-jun Bu (Holotype of M. bui, NCTN); 3 apterous males, 4 apterous females, Dujiangyan city, Qingcheng mountain (30 ° 55 ' N, 103 ° 29 ' E), 14 July 2015, 815 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM); 2 apterous males and 2 apterous females (NCTN), 5 apterous males and 6 apterous females (NKUM), Jiangyou city, Laojun mountain (32 ° 01 ' N, 104 ° 56 ' E), 19 July 2015, 850 m, leg. Zhen Ye; 4 apterous males, 7 apterous females, Guangyuan city, Wangcang county, Qilixia Nature Reserve (32 ° 37 ' N, 106 ° 31 ' E), 22 July 2015, 1235 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM); 5 apterous males, 3 apterous females, Yaan city, Zhougong mountain (29 ° 57 ' N, 103 ° 01 ' E), 9 May 2015, 800 m, leg. Zhuo Chen. CHINA, Hubei Prov., 1 apterous males and 3 apterous females (NCTN), 9 apterous males and 8 apterous females (NKUM), Shiyan city, Zhuxi county, Chengguan town, Xinmin village (32 ° 18 ' N, 109 ° 42 ' E), 11 August 2015, 600 m, leg. Zhen Ye; 8 apterous males, 10 apterous females, Shiyan city, Yunxi county, Yangwei town, Hubaoxia Forest Park (32 ° 51 ' N, 110 ° 14 ' E), 13 August 2015, 500 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM).	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D721BE274FF404761FF33FE93.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The moderately incrassate male fore femora (Figs. 3, 9, 39); fore femora with only with a subapical indentation and a small single apical tooth (Figs. 3, 9, 39); the unmodified inner surface of the fore tibiae (Figs. 3, 9, 39); male segment VIII more or less rectangular (Fig. 44); the relatively small segment VIII and pygophore (Figs. 44, 49); the elongate male proctiger with a pair of blackish dots laterally (Fig. 54); the diagnostic shape of the male paramere (Figs. 5, 10, 59 – 62); female abdominal sternum VII laterally moderately constricted, with the apical half forming a very broadly half round lobe, and the caudal margin with a shallow median notch (Fig. 34), are the diagnostic features of M. sichuanensis.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D721BE274FF404761FF33FE93.taxon	description	Redescription. Apterous male (Figs. 1, 6, 7, 13 – 16, 21 – 24). Body length 6.54 – 7.10, body width (across acetabula) 3.15 – 3.52. Colour: dorsum yellow with prominent black stripes; interocular dark mark usually arrowhead shaped, bifid posteriorly, along inner margin of eyes with narrow indistinctly dark line; first antennal segment yellowish brown, remaining segments usually blackish; rostrum yellowish with black apex; pronotum with T-shaped black stripe, lateral pronotal stripe very broad; mesonotum with median slender longitudinally stripe, sublateral stripes broader than lateral stripes, nearly equal in width to transverse bands; longitudinal dark stripe of mesopleuron slender, running at least 1 / 2 of its length, close to anterior margin but far from short acetabular mark; anterior transverse stripe of metanotum laterally confluent with posterior stripe of metanotum; fore femora with apical dark ring and four longitudinal marks, ventral mark connected with ring, remaining marks not confluent, inner mark pale and bright, external mark broad and blackish brown; middle and hind femora yellowish, tibiae and tarsi black; abdomen mainly blackish dorsally, abdominal tergites II – III blackish, abdominal tergites IV – VII blackish anteriorly and yellowish posteriorly; abdominal segment VIII with a large rectangular blackish mark in dorsal view, posteriorly with slightly bifid-shaped. Genital segments yellowish. Structural characters: head length 0.80 – 0.84, head width 1.79 – 1.83, minimum interocular width 0.65 – 0.68; antenna about 0.86 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.41, 1.38, 1.22, 0.81; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.71 – 0.73, pronotum width 1.90 – 1.93; fore femora moderately incrassate (Figs. 3, 9, 39), ratio length / width 4.4, inner side not modified, with a subapical indentation, and a small single apical tooth (Figs. 3, 9, 39); inner surface of fore tibiae not modified (Figs. 3, 9, 39); lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 3.28, 2.85 and 1.09 (0.08 + 1.01), middle leg: 8.23, 6.12 and 2.99 (2.49 + 0.50), hind leg: 7.82, 5.24 and 0.89 (0.47 + 0.42); dorsum of abdomen clothed with short shiny golden hair, venter of abdomen densely clothed with pale yellow hairs. Male terminalia: abdominal segment VIII more or less rectangular, length 1.22, width 0.73, about 1.67 times as long as wide, posterior margin with dense brown erect hairs (Fig. 44); pygophore relatively small and subovate (Fig. 49), proctiger laterally with a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 54); paramere relatively slender, curved upwards, extending beyond genital segments, apex truncate and blunt (Figs. 5, 10, 59 – 62). Endosoma (Figs. 4, 11, 12, 67): dorsal sclerite long and recurved proximally, apical accessory sclerites small, accessory lateral sclerites straight, ventral sclerites present and long. Apterous female (Fig. 29). Body length 6.18 – 6.23, body width (across acetabula) 3.32 – 3.36. Colour similar to apterous male. Structural characters: head length 0.73 – 0.76, head width 1.65 – 1.67, minimum interocular width 0.66 – 0.68; antenna about 0.74 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 1.89, 0.92, 1.01, 0.75; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.49 – 0.51, pronotum width 1.58 – 1.61; fore femora slender without teeth, ratio length / width 7.1, inner surface of fore tibiae not modified; lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.51, 2.19 and 0.91 (0.07 + 0.84), middle leg: 6.45, 4.92 and 2.49 (2.11 + 0.38), hind leg: 6.18, 4.34 and 0.84 (0.45 + 0.39). Female terminalia: abdominal sternum VII large, about as long as length of preceding abdominal sterna together, laterally constricted, apical half forming a broad lobe, caudal margin with a shallow median notch, not completely covering apex of abdomen in ventral view (Fig. 34).	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D721BE274FF404761FF33FE93.taxon	distribution	Distribution. China (Sichuan, Hubei). M. sichuanensis currently widely distributed around the northern and western regions of Sichuan Basin extending to southeast areas of Qinling mountains in China (Fig. 84).	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D721BE274FF404761FF33FE93.taxon	discussion	Discussion. Chen & Zettel (1999) described M. bui which was collected from Mountain Emei, Sichuan, China. It was mentioned in their comparative notes that this species was very similar to M. sichuanensis, but mainly differentiated from the shape of paramere: the blade apex being more or less blunt and truncate in M. bui but tapering in M. sichuanensis (Chen & Zettel, 1999). However, after checking the parameres of the two holotypes, we have been convinced that M. bui is the objective synonym of M. sichuanensis. Our opinion is based on the evidence of their general morphology, especially on the shape of paramere, which in general are the most reliable characteristics of specific identification within the genus. The paramere of M. sichuanensis (Fig. 142 in Chen & Nieser, 1993) was illustrated in fact in dorso-external view, which led to a view of “ sharp apex ”. However, from the external view, the apex of paramere is blunt and more or less truncate. The all given paramere illustrations (Figs. 5, 10, 59 – 62; see also the Figs. 21 & 22 in Chen & Zettel, 1999) to M. sichuanensis and M. bui are identical to each other. Taking also the other morphological similarities into account, we therefore synonymize M. bui Chen & Zettel 1999 with M. sichuanensis Chen & Nieser, 1993. Chen & Nieser (1993) proposed that M. sichuanensis might be a species in the M. stali group, and their opinion was mainly based on the general structure of the male fore leg. After examining the type series and the recent samples from the Sichuan Basin, we conclude that M. sichuanensis is more adequate to be assigned to the M. lituratus group, because they seem more agreeable to each other morphologically by the following set of characters: male fore femora moderately incrassate (Figs. 3, 39 – 43); subapical indentation of male fore femora only with a single tooth (Figs. 3, 39 – 43); the inner surface of fore tibiae unmodified (Figs. 3, 39 – 43); male abdominal segment VIII more or less rectangular (Figs. 44 – 48); and female abdominal sternum VII laterally moderately constricted, with the posterior half forming a broad lobe (Figs. 34 – 38). The morphological differences between the M. stali group and the M. lituratus group are indicated in the Table 1 (modified from Chen & Nieser, 1993).	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7213E278FF4045C9FC0DF8F2.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Holotype: apterous male, CHINA, Sichuan Prov., Luzhou city, Xuyong county, Huagaoxi Nature Reserve (28 ° 09 ' N, 105 ° 28 ' E), 15 August 2013, 817 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM). Paratypes: 1 apterous male and 1 apterous female (NCTN), 1 apterous male and 1 apterous female (NKUM), same data as holotype.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7213E278FF4045C9FC0DF8F2.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The relatively small body size (male body length 5.85 – 6.05; female body length 5.05 – 5.20) (Figs. 17, 25, 30); lateral pronotal stripe of pronotum nearly united to the inner margin of the eyes (Fig. 25); the relatively slender male fore femur (Fig. 40) only with a subapical indentation and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 40); the unmodified inner surface of fore tibiae (Fig. 40); the male proctiger elongate and laterally without a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 55); the typically falciform shape of paramere (Fig. 63); and the female abdominal sternum VII laterally constricted, with the apical half forming a half-round lobe, and the caudal margin without median notch (Fig. 35), are the diagnostic features of M. astictus sp. nov..	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7213E278FF4045C9FC0DF8F2.taxon	description	Description. Apterous male (Figs. 17, 25). Body length 5.85 – 6.05, body width (across acetabula) 2.60 – 2.65. Colour: dorsum yellow with prominent black stripes; interocular dark mark usually arrowhead shaped, bifid posteriorly, along inner margin of eyes with narrowly indistinct dark line; first antennal segment yellowish brown, remaining segments usually blackish; rostrum yellowish with black apex; pronotum with T-shaped black stripe, lateral pronotal stripe very broad, nearly united to inner margin of eyes; mesonotum with median slender longitudinal stripe, sublateral stripes broader than lateral stripes, nearly equal in width to transverse bands; longitudinal dark stripe of mesopleuron slender, running at least 1 / 2 of its length, close to anterior margin but far from short acetabular mark; anterior transverse stripe of metanotum laterally confluent with posterior stripe of metanotum; fore femora with apical dark ring and four longitudinal marks, ventral mark connected with ring, remaining marks not confluent, inner mark pale and bright, external mark broad and blackish brown; middle and hind femora yellowish, tibiae and tarsi black; abdomen mainly blackish dorsally, abdominal tergites II – V blackish, abdominal tergites VI – VII blackish anteriorly and yellowish posteriorly; abdominal segment VIII with a large rectangular blackish mark in dorsal view, posteriorly with moderately bifid-shaped. Genital segments yellowish. Structural characters: head length 0.58 – 0.62, head width 1.60 – 1.64, minimum interocular width 0.69 – 0.73; antenna about 0.92 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.45, 1.29, 1.10, 0.64; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.70 – 0.74, pronotum width 1.68 – 1.72; fore femora slightly incrassate, ratio length / width 5.7, inner side not modified, with a subapical indentation, and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 40); inner surface of fore tibiae not modified (Fig. 40); lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.88, 2.15 and 0.90 (0.10 + 0.80), middle leg: 6.70, 5.21 and 2.44 (2.11 + 0.33), hind leg: 6.45, 4.55 and 0.60 (0.32 + 0.28); dorsum of abdomen clothed with short shiny golden hairs, venter of abdomen densely clothed with pale yellow hairs. Male terminalia: abdominal segment VIII more or less rectangular, length 1.34, width 0.88, about 1.52 times as long as wide, posterior margin with dense brown erect hairs (Fig. 45); pygophore subovate (Fig. 50), proctiger elongate and laterally without a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 55); paramere relatively stout and moderately curved upwards, extending beyond genital segments, blade of paramere laterally with small protuberance, apex blunt (Figs. 63, 74). Endosoma (Figs. 68, 72, 73): dorsal sclerite long and recurved proximally, accessory lateral sclerites slender and straight, ventral sclerites present and long. Apterous female (Fig. 30). Body length 5.05 – 5.20, body width (across acetabula) 2.93 – 3.05. Colour similar to apterous male. Structural characters: head length 0.63 – 0.65, head width 1.47 – 1.51, minimum interocular width 0.54 – 0.56; antenna about 0.82 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 1.77, 0.85, 0.91, 0.68; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.49 – 0.51, pronotum width 1.40 – 1.43; fore femora slender without teeth, ratio length / width 6.2, inner surface of fore tibiae not modified; lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.21, 1.80 and 0.78 (0.10 + 0.68), middle leg: 6.02, 4.41 and 2.71 (2.23 + 0.47), hind leg: 5.78, 3.78 and 0.72 (0.38 + 0.34). Female terminalia: abdominal sternum VII relatively large, about as long as length of preceding abdominal sterna together, laterally constricted, apical half forming a half-round lobe, caudal margin without median notch, not completely covering apex of abdomen in ventral view (Fig. 35). Macropterous female and macropterous male. unknown.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7213E278FF4045C9FC0DF8F2.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet “ astictus ” (from Latin, meaning unspotted) refers to male proctiger lacking a pair of blackish dots laterally.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7213E278FF4045C9FC0DF8F2.taxon	distribution	Distribution. China (Sichuan) (Fig. 84). Comparative notes: Metrocoris astictus sp. nov. fits the diagnostic characters of the M. lituratus group as defined by Chen & Nieser (1993). The general appearance of the paramere in this new species is slightly similar to that of another new species M. guizhouensis sp. nov. (see below), with both occurring in the southern region of the Sichuan Basin. However, the paramere blade of M. astictus sp. nov. is much more slender and slightly subapically curved (Figs. 63, 74), while the paramere blade of M. guizhouensis sp. nov. is relatively stout and its subapical part is not curving (Figs. 65, 80). In addition, the shorter body length (apterous male: 5.85 – 6.05; apterous female: 5.05 – 5.20) (Figs. 17, 25, 30) and male proctiger lacking a pair of blackish dots laterally (Fig. 55) in M. astictus sp. nov., are also the important difference between these two closely related species.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7210E27EFF404760FBB5FF0F.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Holotype: apterous male, CHINA, Sichuan Prov., Bazhong city, Pingchang county, Zhenlong mountain Forest Park (31 ° 48 ' N, 107 ° 31 ' E), 24 July 2015, 1120 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM). Paratypes: 1 apterous male and 1 apterous female (NCTN), 2 apterous males and 2 apterous females (NKUM), same data as holotype.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7210E27EFF404760FBB5FF0F.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The relatively large body size (male body length 6.81 – 6.88) (Figs. 18, 26); longitudinal dark stripe on the mesopleuron running at least 2 / 3 of its length, and very close to anterior margin; fore femora bearing only with a subapical indentation and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 41); the unmodified inner surface of the fore tibiae (Fig. 41); the male proctiger with a pair of blackish dots laterally (Fig. 56); the typically falciform shape of the paramere (Figs. 64, 77); the laterally constricted female abdominal sternite VII, with the apical half forming a halfround lobe, and the caudal margin without median notch (Fig. 36), are the diagnostic features of M. falciformis sp. nov..	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7210E27EFF404760FBB5FF0F.taxon	description	Description. Apterous male (Figs. 18, 26). Body length 6.81 – 6.88, body width (across acetabula) 3.01 – 3.09. Colour: dorsum yellow with prominent black stripes; interocular dark mark usually arrowhead-shaped, bifid posteriorly, with narrow dark line along inner margin of eyes; first antennal segment yellowish brown, remaining segments usually blackish; rostrum yellowish with black apex; pronotum with T-shaped black stripe, lateral pronotal stripe very broad; mesonotum with slender longitudinal median stripe, sublateral stripes broader than lateral stripes, nearly equal in width to transverse bands; longitudinal dark stripe of mesopleuron slender, running at least 2 / 3 of its length, very close to anterior margin but far from short acetabular mark; anterior transverse stripe of metanotum laterally confluent with posterior stripe of metanotum; fore femora with apical dark ring and four longitudinal marks, ventral mark connected with ring, remaining marks not confluent, inner mark pale and bright, external mark broad and blackish brown; middle and hind femora yellowish, tibiae and tarsi black; abdomen mainly blackish dorsally, abdominal tergites II – V blackish, abdominal tergites VI – VII blackish anteriorly and yellowish posteriorly; abdominal segment VIII with a large sub-rectangular blackish mark in dorsal view. Genital segments yellowish. Structural characters: head length 0.68 – 0.71, head width 1.66 – 1.70, minimum interocular width 0.63 – 0.66; antenna about 0.83 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.65, 1.31, 1.10, 0.62; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.75 – 0.78, pronotum width 1.89 – 1.92; fore femora moderately incrassate (Fig. 41), ratio length / width 4.9, inner side not modified, with a subapical indentation, and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 41); inner surface of fore tibiae not modified (Fig. 41); lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 3.17, 2.70 and 1.09 (0.09 + 1.00), middle leg: 8.01, 6.08 and 2.79 (2.42 + 0.37), hind leg: 7.71, 5.36 and 0.80 (0.44 + 0.36); dorsum of abdomen clothed with short shiny golden hair, venter of abdomen densely clothed with pale yellow hairs. Male terminalia: abdominal segment VIII more or less rectangular, length 1.58, width 1.02, about 1.55 times as long as wide, posterior margin with dense brown erect hairs (Fig. 46); pygophore subovate (Fig. 51), proctiger laterally with a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 56); paramere relatively slender and falciformly curved upwards, extending beyond genital segments, lateral part with distinctly angular projection, apex narrowed and blunt (Figs. 64, 77). Endosoma (Figs. 69, 75, 76): dorsal sclerite long and recurved proximally, accessory lateral sclerites straight, ventral sclerites present and long. Apterous female (Fig. 31). Body length 6.26 – 6.31, body width (across acetabula) 3.39 – 3.43. Colour similar to apterous male. Structural characters: head length 0.71 – 0.73, head width 1.60 – 1.63, minimum interocular width 0.59 – 0.63; antenna about 0.74 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.12, 1.04, 1.15, 0.73; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.49 – 0.51, pronotum width 1.80 – 1.83; fore femora slender without teeth, ratio length / width 5.2, inner surface of fore tibiae not modified; lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.60, 2.34 and 1.01 (0.10 + 0.91), middle leg: 7.02, 5.32 and 2.86 (2.48 + 0.38), hind leg: 6.86, 4.78 and 0.98 (0.51 + 0.47). Female terminalia: abdominal sternum VII large, about as long as length of preceding abdominal sterna together, laterally constricted, apical half forming a half-round lobe, caudal margin without median notch, not completely covering apex of abdomen in ventral view (Fig. 36). Macropterous female and macropterous male. unknown.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7210E27EFF404760FBB5FF0F.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet “ falciformis ” (from Latin, meaning acinaciform) refers to blade of paramere curved upwards and acinaciform-shaped.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7210E27EFF404760FBB5FF0F.taxon	distribution	Distribution. China (Sichuan) (Fig. 84). Comparative notes: M. falciformis sp. nov. fits the diagnostic characters of the M. lituratus group as defined by Chen & Nieser (1993). The general appearance of this new species is similar to M. sichuanensis Chen & Nieser, 1993. However, the paramere blade of M. falciformis sp. nov. is falciform-shaped, with the lateral part bearing a distinctly angular projection, and its blade apex narrowed (Figs. 64, 77), while in M. sichuanensis the paramere blade is relatively slender and straight, without an angular projection laterally, and the blade apex is slightly extended (Figs. 5, 10, 59 – 62). In addition, the larger male abdominal segment VIII (Fig. 46) and pygophore (Fig. 51) and the caudal margin of female abdominal sternum VII without median notch in M. falciformis sp. nov. (Fig. 36), represent further important differences between these two closely related species.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7216E27FFF40417CFD1EFE02.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Holotype: apterous male, CHINA, Guizhou Prov., Zunyi city, Suiyang county, Kuankuoshui Nature Reserve (28 ° 14 ' N, 107 ° 11 ' E), 8 August 2013, 1250 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM). Paratypes: 1 apterous male and 1 apterous female (NCTN), 2 apterous males and 2 apterous females (NKUM), same data as holotype.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7216E27FFF40417CFD1EFE02.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The relatively large body size (male body length 6.75 – 6.82; female body length: 6.35 – 6.40) (Figs. 19, 27, 32); fore femora only with a subapical indentation and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 42); unmodified inner surface of the fore tibiae (Fig. 42); male proctiger with a pair of blackish dots laterally (Fig. 57); the diagnostic shape of the paramere (Figs. 65, 80); and female abdominal sternum VII laterally constricted, with the apical half forming a broad lobe, and the caudal margin without median notch (Fig. 37), are the diagnostic features of M. guizhouensis sp. nov..	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7216E27FFF40417CFD1EFE02.taxon	description	Description. Apterous male (Figs. 19, 27). Body length 6.75 – 6.82, body width (across acetabula) 2.90 – 3.00. Colour: dorsum yellow with prominent black stripes; interocular dark mark usually arrowhead-shaped, bifid posteriorly, along inner margin of eyes with narrowly indistinct dark line; first antennal segment yellowish brown, remaining segments usually blackish; rostrum yellowish with black apex; pronotum with T-shaped black stripe, lateral pronotal stripe very broad; mesonotum with median slender longitudinally stripe, sublateral stripes broader than lateral stripes, nearly equal in width to transverse bands; longitudinal dark stripe of mesopleuron slender, running at least 1 / 2 of its length, close to anterior margin but far from short acetabular mark; anterior transverse stripe of metanotum laterally confluent with posterior stripe of metanotum; fore femora with apical dark ring and four longitudinal marks, ventral mark connected with ring, remaining marks not confluent, inner mark pale and bright, external mark broad and blackish brown; middle and hind femora yellowish, tibiae and tarsi black; abdomen mainly blackish dorsally, abdominal tergites II – V blackish, abdominal tergites VI – VII blackish anteriorly and yellowish posteriorly; abdominal segment VIII with a large rectangular blackish mark in dorsal view, posteriorly with moderately bifid-shaped. Genital segments yellowish brown. Structural characters: head length 0.69 – 0.72, head width 1.66 – 1.69, minimum interocular width 0.65 – 0.68; antenna about 0.82 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.57, 1.23, 1.13, 0.61; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.67 – 0.70, pronotum width 1.75 – 1.78; fore femora slightly incrassate, ratio length / width 5.2, inner side not modified, with a subapical indentation, and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 42); inner surface of fore tibiae not modified (Fig. 42); lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.92, 2.78 and 1.11 (0.10 + 1.01), middle leg: 7.60, 5.76 and 2.98 (2.60 + 0.38), hind leg: 7.53, 5.25 and 0.83 (0.43 + 0.40); dorsum of abdomen clothed with short shiny golden hair, venter of abdomen densely clothed with pale yellow hairs. Male terminalia: abdominal segment VIII more or less rectangular (Fig. 47), length 1.61, width 1.01, about 1.59 times as long as wide, posterior margin with dense brown erect hairs (Fig. 47); pygophore subovate (Fig. 52), proctiger laterally with a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 57); paramere moderately stout and curved upwards, extending beyond genital segments, blade of paramere laterally with small protuberance, apex blunt (Figs. 65, 80). Endosoma (Figs. 70, 78, 79): dorsal sclerite long and recurved proximally, accessory lateral sclerites slender and straight, ventral sclerites present and long. Apterous female (Fig. 32). Body length 6.35 – 6.40, body width (across acetabula) 3.26 – 3.30. Colour similar to apterous male. Structural characters: head length 0.78 – 0.81, head width 1.67 – 1.71, minimum interocular width 0.67 – 0.69; antenna about 0.79 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.18, 1.05, 1.01, 0.78; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.47 – 0.49, pronotum width 1.77 – 1.81; fore femora slender without teeth, ratio length / width 7.2, inner surface of fore tibiae not modified; lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.67, 2.35 and 1.11 (0.10 + 1.01), middle leg: 7.02, 5.35 and 3.03 (2.53 + 0.50), hind leg: 6.95, 4.88 and 1.01 (0.53 + 0.47). Female terminalia: abdominal sternum VII relatively large, about as long as length of preceding abdominal sterna together, laterally constricted, apical half forming a broad lobe, caudal margin without median notch, not completely covering apex of abdomen in ventral view (Fig. 37). Macropterous female and macropterous male. unknown.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7216E27FFF40417CFD1EFE02.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name is derived from the name of type locality, Guizhou Province, China. Distribution. China (Guizhou) (Fig. 84). Comparative notes: M. guizhouensis sp. nov. fits the diagnostic characters of the M. lituratus group as defined by Chen & Nieser (1993). The paramere shape in this new species is slightly similar to another of our new species, M. astictus sp. nov. (see above), and both occur in the southern region of the Sichuan Basin. However, the paramere blade of M. guizhouensis sp. nov. is relatively stout, and its subapical part is not curved (Figs. 65, 80), whereas the paramere blade of M. astictus sp. nov. is much more slender and slightly curved subapically (Figs. 63, 74). In addition, the larger body length (apterous male: 6.75 – 6.82; apterous female: 6.35 – 6.40) (Figs. 19, 27, 32) and male proctiger with a pair of blackish dots laterally in M. guizhouensis sp. nov. (Fig. 57), are other important differences between these two closely related species.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7217E27CFF404270FC4AFC77.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Holotype: apterous male, CHINA, Guizhou Prov., Zunyi city, Daozhen county, Dashahe Nature Reserve, Mopanshi (29 ° 01 ' N, 107 ° 41 ' E), 10 August 2013, 1100 m, leg. Zhen Ye (NKUM). Paratypes: 1 apterous male and 1 apterous female (NCTN), 1 apterous male and 1 apterous female (NKUM), same data as holotype.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7217E27CFF404270FC4AFC77.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The fore femur only with a subapical indentation and a small single apical tooth (Fig. 43); the unmodified inner surface of the fore tibiae (Fig. 43); the relatively large male abdominal segment VIII and pygophore (Figs. 48, 53); the proctiger laterally raised and with a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 58); the typically triangular shape of the paramere blade (Figs. 66, 83); accessory lateral sclerites of endosoma relatively thick in dorsal view (Figs. 71, 81); female abdominal sternum VII laterally constricted, apical half forming a relatively broad lobe, caudal margin without median notch (Fig. 38), are the diagnostic features of M. zhengi sp. nov..	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7217E27CFF404270FC4AFC77.taxon	description	Description. Apterous male (Figs. 20, 28). Body length 6.62 – 6.71, body width (across acetabula) 3.08 – 3.21. Colour: dorsal yellow with prominent black stripes; interocular dark mark usually arrowhead shaped, bifid posteriorly, along inner margin of eyes without narrow dark line; first antennal segment yellowish brown, remaining segments usually blackish; rostrum yellowish with black apex; pronotum with T-shaped black stripe, lateral pronotal stripe very broad; mesonotum with median slender longitudinally stripe, sublateral stripes broader than lateral stripes, nearly equal in width to transverse bands; longitudinal dark stripe of mesopleuron slender, running about 1 / 2 of its length, very close to anterior margin but far from short acetabular mark; anterior transverse stripe of metanotum laterally confluent with posterior stripe of metanotum; fore femora with apical dark ring and four longitudinal marks, ventral mark connected with ring, remaining marks not confluent, inner mark relatively pale and bright, external mark broad and blackish brown; middle and hind femora yellowish, tibiae and tarsi black; abdomen mainly blackish dorsally, abdominal tergites II – IV blackish, abdominal tergites V – VII blackish anteriorly and yellowish posteriorly; abdominal segment VIII with a large rectangular blackish mark in dorsal view, posteriorly with moderately bifid-shaped. Genital segments yellowish. Structural characters: head length 0.51 – 0.55, head width 1.61 – 1.69, minimum interocular width 0.67 – 0.70; antenna about 0.90 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.71, 1.40, 1.18, 0.70; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.66 – 0.70, pronotum width 1.87 – 1.90; fore femora moderately incrassate (Fig. 43), ratio length / width 4.5, inner side not modified, with a subapical indentation, and a small single apical tooth; inner surface of fore tibiae not modified (Fig. 43); lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 3.12, 2.52 and 1.01 (0.10 + 0.91), middle leg: 8.21, 6.11 and 3.01 (2.62 + 0.39), hind leg: 8.02, 6.23 and 1.02 (0.52 + 0.50); dorsum of abdomen clothed with short shiny golden hair, venter of abdomen densely clothed with pale yellow hairs. Male terminalia: abdominal segment VIII more or less rectangle (Fig. 48), relatively large, length 1.58, width 1.08, about 1.46 times as long as wide, posterior margin with dense brown erect hairs (Fig. 48); pygophore subovate (Fig. 53), proctiger laterally raised and with a pair of blackish dots (Fig. 58); paramere stout and triangularly curved upwards, lateral part with distinctly angular projection, apex narrowed and blunt (Figs. 66, 83). Endosoma (Figs. 71, 81, 82): dorsal sclerite long and recurved proximally, apical accessory sclerites small, accessory lateral sclerites thick and straight, ventral sclerites present and long. Apterous female (Fig. 33). Body length 6.07 – 6.13, body width (across acetabula) 3.36 – 3.40. Colour similar to apterous male. Structural characters: head length 0.70 – 0.73, head width 1.57 – 1.61, minimum interocular width 0.62 – 0.65; antenna about 0.74 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I – IV: 2.01, 0.89, 0.91, 0.74; pronotum slightly narrower than head, pronotum length 0.47 – 0.50, pronotum width 1.67 – 1.71; fore femora slender without teeth, ratio length / width 6.9, inner surface of fore tibiae not modified; lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsus): fore leg: 2.75, 2.31 and 1.00 (0.12 + 0.88), middle leg: 6.81, 5.39 and 2.91 (2.31 + 0.60), hind leg: 6.78, 4.50 and 0.98 (0.53 + 0.45). Female terminalia: abdominal sternum VII relatively large, about as long as length of preceding abdominal sterna together, laterally constricted, apical half forming a broad lobe, caudal margin without median notch, not completely covering apex of abdomen in ventral view (Fig. 38). Macropterous female and macropterous male. unknown.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7217E27CFF404270FC4AFC77.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Named in honour of Prof. Leyi Zheng for his outstanding contribution to the studies on Heteroptera.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
43435E3D7217E27CFF404270FC4AFC77.taxon	distribution	Distribution. China (Guizhou) (Fig. 84). Comparative notes: M. zhengi sp. nov. fits the diagnostic characters of the M. lituratus group as defined by Chen & Nieser (1993). The general appearance of this new species is also similar to the M. sichuanensis Chen & Nieser, 1993. However, the distinctive paramere blade of M. zhengi sp. nov. is rather stout and triangularly curved upwards, and the lateral part bears a distinctly angular projection, with the blade apex narrowed (Figs. 66, 83), while in M. sichuanensis the paramere blade is relatively slender and straight, lacks an angular projection laterally, and has the blade apex slightly extended (Figs. 5, 10, 59 – 62). In addition, the larger size of abdominal segment VIII and pygophore (Figs. 48, 53), the thicker accessory lateral sclerites of the endosoma in dorsal view (Figs. 71, 81), and the caudal margin of female abdominal sternum VII lacking a median notch in M. zhengi sp. nov. (Fig. 38), are other important differences between these two closely related species.	en	Chen, Zhen Ye Ping-Ping, Bu, Wen-Jun (2016): Notes on the Metrocoris lituratus group (Heteroptera: Gerridae: Metrocoris) with descriptions of four new species in Sichuan Basin from China. Zootaxa 4117 (3): 359-374, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.3.4
