Stridulivelia (Aenictovelia) chocoana, Morales & Molano & Moreira, 2020

Morales, Irina, Molano, Fredy & Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo, 2020, Veliidae (Insecta: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) from Colombia: Description of a new species and of the male of Euvelia meta Molano, Moreira & Morales, 2016, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 201991) 64 (1), pp. 1-6 : 2-3

Stridulivelia (Aenictovelia) chocoana sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Recognized by the following combination of characters: Pronotal humeral angles smooth ( Fig. 1 ); micropterous wing silvery ( Figs. 1a and c ), body length 3.25–3.50 mm; male hind trochanter with a long, acute spike near apex ( Figs. 1a and b ), parameres with projection on the anterior margin weak ( Fig.2a ), dorsal vesical sclerite thin, projecting at apex ( Fig. 2g ), and lateral sclerites short and curved ( Fig. 2g ). Female terminalia without projections ( Figs. 1c and d ).

Description. Micropterous male ( Figs.1a and b ). Head brown; two circular pruinose patches near anterior margins of eyes; longitudinal midline impressed; a pair of oblique indentations posteriorly; frons set with fine golden setae. Antenna brown, article I stoutest, curved laterally; II and III slender, cylindrical; IV subfusiform; all articles covered with fine golden setae intermixed with longer black bristlelike setae. Pronotum brown, anterior lobe with two patches of silvery setae; humeral angles rounded; anterior and posterior lobes separated by a row of coarse pits; anterior lobe set with fine golden setae; posterior lobe subcarinate medially, surface on either side set with several pits; surface between pits covered with short golden setae and longer brown setae; pronotal margins smooth; pleural region set with coarse, irregular pits, fringed by short silvery setae on acetabula; set with long brown setae on metapleura. Micropterous wing silvery ( Fig. 1a ). Ventral surface brown, labium light brown, glabrous, with dark stripe medially, apex black; meso- and metasterna set with long, fine golden setae. Legs yellowish brown, coxae and trochanters light brown, tips of trochanters and femora infuscated, hind femur thick, with brown medially and apically; all leg segments covered with short, fine black setae, intermixed with longer black setae; fore and middle femora and tibiae with evenly spaced, short golden setae ventrally; hind trochanter with a long, acute spike near apex; posterior surface of hind femur with a longitudinal row of about 17 small pegs before middle, followed by one large peg slightly beyond middle, and about 3 pegs of decreasing size towards apex, plus 17 scattered black pegs parallel to the previous row; hind tibia with a longitudinal row of about 65 black pegs. Abdomen brown, surface thickly covered with fine golden setae; posterior projection of last laterotergite short. Abdominal segments II–VI with transverse lateral sulci. Parameres symmetrical, triangular knife-shaped, with the thin point directed caudally, acuminate apically ( Fig. 2a ). Dorsal vesical sclerite thin, projecting at apex ( Fig. 2g ), lateral sclerites short and curved ( Fig. 2g ).

Micropterous female ( Figs.1c and d ). All features except the terminalia very similar to the micropterous male. Abdominal segments II–V with transverse lateral sulci; laterotergites reflexed over mediotergites IV–VII, convergent over IV–V and parallel over VI–VII.Hind trochanter without large spike; posterior surface of hind femur with a longitudinal row of about 6 small pegs before middle, followed by one large peg slightly beyond middle, and about 8 pegs of decreasing size towards apex, plus 10 scattered black pegs parallel to the previous row; posterior tibia with a longitudinal row of about 35 black pegs.

Measurements (male holotype /female paratype).Body length 3.25 / 3.55; head length 0.52 / 0.52; head width 0.33 / 0.33; antennomere I 0.89 / 0.92; antennomere II 0.66 / 0.72; antennomere III 0.62 / 0.62; antennomere IV 0.49 / 0.49; eye width 0.16 / 0.16; pronotum length on midline 0.82 / 0.82; pronotum width 0.92 / 0.92; FORELEG, femoral length: 0.95 / 1.05; tibial length 1.02 / 1.08; tarsomere I 0.04 / 0.04; tarsomere II 0.24 / 0.30; tarsomere III, lost / lost; MIDLEG: femoral length: 1.48 / 1.58; tibial length 1.68 / 1.74; tarsomere I lost / 0.03; tarsomere II lost / 0.30; tarsomere III lost / 0.46; HINDLEG, femoral length: 1.41 / 1.48; tibial length 1.78 / 1.68; tarsomere I 0.09 / 0.06; tarsomere II 0.29 / 0.39; tarsomere III 0.33 / 0.46.

Etymology. This species is named after Chocó Department, Pacific Region of Colombia, where the type series was collected.

Material examined. Holotype. (1 ♂) ( UPTC): COLOMBIA, Chocó, Bahía Solano, Corregimiento El Valle , quebrada, 98 m, 6° 6.540’ N / 77° 25.572’ W; 4.XI.2016; S. P. Mondragón and F. Molano Col.

Paratypes. (3 ♀) ( UPTC): COLOMBIA, Chocó, Bahía Solano, Corregimiento El Valle , quebrada, 98 m, 6° 6.540’ N / 77° 25.572’ W; 4.XI.2016; S. P. Mondragón and F. Molano Col .

Comments. Stridulivelia (Aenictovelia) chocoana sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from other species of the subgenus by the smaller body length of 3.25–3.50 mm, whereas other species have body lengths of 4.45–5.20 mm ( Drake and Menke, 1962; Polhemus, 1979; Polhemus and Polhemus, 1985). The new species resembles S. (A.) cinctipes, but differs in the shape of the parameres and vesical sclerites of the male. In S (A.) cinctipes, the projection on the anterior margin of the paramere is stronger, the apex is not directed caudally ( Fig.2b ), and the lateral vesical sclerites are as long as the dorsal sclerite ( Fig. 2h ). Meanwhile, in S (A.) chocoana sp.nov., the projection on the anterior margin of the paramere is weaker, the apex is directed caudally ( Fig. 2a ), and the lateral vesical sclerites are much shorter than the dorsal sclerite ( Fig. 2g ). The parameres of other species of the subgenus ( Figs.2c, d, e, f ) are completely different from those of S. (A.) chocoana sp. nov. and S. (A.) cinctipes.

Figures

Figure 1 Stridulivelia (Aenictovelia) chocoana sp. nov., male holotype, a) dorsal view, b) ventral view, female paratype c) dorsal view, d) ventral view.

Figure 2 Parameres of male: a) S. (Aenictovelia) chocoana sp. nov., b) S. (Aenictovelia) cinctipes, c) S. (Aenictovelia) expeixis, d) S. (Aenictovelia) pueblana, e) S. (Aenictovelia) secerna, f) S. (Aenictovelia) speciosa. Vesical sclerites: g) S. (Aenictovelia) chocoana sp. nov., h) S. (Aenictovelia) cinctipes.