Saldula palustris ( Douglas, 1874 )

Li, Zihe, Li, Hongjiao, Bu, Wenjun & Ye, Zhen, 2025, Taxonomic review of Saldula (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Saldidae) from China, Zootaxa 5666 (4), pp. 451-488 : 471-473

Saldula palustris ( Douglas, 1874)

( Fig. 13 )

Salda palustris Douglas, 1874: 10 .

Acanthia palustris Reuter, 1891: 155 .

Saldula palustris : Stichel (1934: 302); Cobben, 1960: 258; Chen & Zheng, 1987: 395; Vinokurov, 1988: 755; Péricart, 1990:

178; Chen & Lindskog, 1994: 408; Lindskog, 1995: 131; Vinokurov et al., 2012: 59; Vinokurov & Kment, 2015: 378; Vinokurov et al., 2018: 135.

Chinese common name. īãø.

Material examined. CHINA: Inner Mongolia: 3 males, 3 females, E’erduosi city, Honghaizi Wetland Park, 39.5647°N, 109.7969°E, 1249, 21 July 2023, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM); 2 males, Bayannao’er city, Wuliangsuhai Lake, 40.8256°N, 108.7657°E, 989 m, 13 July 2023, Chen Liu leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Xinba’erhu Zuoqi Banner, Xinba’erhu Zuoqi Wetland Park, 48.2102°N, 118.2691°E, 619 m, 13 July 2021, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM); 1 male, Xinba’erhu Zuoqi Banner, Hulun town, 49.3792°N, 117.1203°E, 662 m, 15 July 2021, Mu Qiao leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Hulunbei’er city, Hulunhu Nature Reserve, Wulanao’er Lake, 48.4153°N, 117.5628°E, 560 m, 15 July 2021, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM). Hebei: 1 male, Baoding city, Laiyuanhu Lake, 39.3401°N, 114.7251°E, 782 m, 23 July 2023, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM). Shanxi: 1 male, Ningwu county, Luyashan Nature Reserve, 1800 m, 20 July 2011, Guijiang Yang leg. (NKUM). Ningxia: 3 males, 3 females, Zhongwei city, Tenggeli Lake, light-trapped, 37.5228°N, 105.1172°E, 1206 m, 19 July 2023, Chen Liu leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Zhongwei city, Xiangshanhu National Wetland Park, 34.4919°N, 105.1998°E, 1187 m, 19 July 2023, Huanyu Chen leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Zhongwei city, Shapotou Nature Reserve, 37.5312°N, 105.0538°E, 1214 m, 1 August 2021, Zezhong Jin leg. (NKUM). Gansu: 3 males, 3 females, Jiuquan city, Jindinghu Lake, 40.3539°N, 99.6163°E, 1107 m, 17 July 2023, Yuqi Zai leg. (NKUM); 2 males, 3 females, Jiuquan city, Jinta county, Yongsheng village, 1107 m, 16 July 2023, Chen Liu leg. (NKUM). Xinjiang: 1 male, 3 females, Bayinguoleng Prefecture, Bohu county, Bositenghu Lake, 41.8640°N, 86.7330°E, 1050 m, 13 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 1 male, 3 females, Altai Prefecture, Habahe county, E’erqisihe River, 47.9920°N, 85.7741°E, 371 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Bayinguoleng Prefecture, G218 National Highway, Kaiduhe River, 41.9625°N, 86.6333°E, 982 m, 13 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Bo’ertala Prefecture, Jinghe county, Jinghezhong Bridge, 44.6934°N, 82.8337°E, 119 m, 20 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Hami city, Tuoputale village, 42.6373°N, 93.4699°E, 537 m, 10 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Altai Prefecture, Buerjin county, Dulaiti village, 47.4269°N, 87.0816°E, 503 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Tacheng Prefecture, Yumin county, 46.4209°N, 82.9138°E, 426 m, 21 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Ili Prefecture, Huocheng county, X123 County Road, 44.1064°N, 80.6427°E, 636 m, 18 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Altai Prefecture, Jimunai county, Hongshan Reservoir, 47.3862°N, 85.8677°E, 1018 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 2 females, Altai Prefecture, Habahe county, Baishahu Lake, 48.0074°N, 85.8731°E, 366 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM). Xizang: 3 males, 3 females, Rikaze city, Dingri county, Jiacuo village, 28.9208°N, 87.4345°E, 5106 m, 13 August 2024, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 1 female, Rikaze city, Dingjie county, Qiongzi village, 28.1762°N, 87.8641°E, 4279 m, 8 August 2024, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM).

Diagnosis. Body oblong, dorsum with dense, short pubescence ( Fig. 13a ). Head short and wide, antennomere II mainly blackish, with yellowish apex, longer than antennomeres III+IV; mandibular plates black, maxillary plates and anteclypeus yellowish, labiomeres III+IV mainly black to blackish-brown, preocellar spots nearly circular. Pronotum short and wide, lateral margin shallowly convex, hemelytra with distinct variation, corium mainly dull yellowish-white in pale individuals, basal part of corium black, lateral margin of exocorium with two black spots, dark individuals with complex black-white pigmentation ( Fig. 13b–e ); legs mainly yellowish, femora with black stripe on ventral side and dark spots on lateral side, tibiae with a dark spot on apex, dorsal side of foretibia and middle tibia with complete black stripe, apical half of tarsomere III of each leg infuscate. Male parameres with a tuft of short hair on processus sensualis ( Fig. 13f–h ), parandria with blunt apex, inner half sclerotized weaker ( Fig. 13i ), median endosomal sclerite distinctly slender, U-shape. Female subgenital plate nearly triangular, with a blunt apex, apical half pale.

Comparative notes. See comparative notes under Saldula pallipes .

Habitats. Contrasting with its perception as a halophilic species in Europe ( Lindskog 1975), it demonstrates a remarkable adaptability in China, occupying both salt lakes and freshwater habitats. This species exhibits a preference for semi-arid regions, yet it seldom extends into semi-humid regions within China.

Distribution in China. Saldula palustris is among the most common and widely distributed species in China, including Xinjiang ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2012, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Gansu ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Hebei ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Liu & Bu 2009, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Ningxia ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Inner Mongolia ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Wang & Li 2012, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Shanxi ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Heilongjiang ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Henan ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Sichuan ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Qinghai ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Xizang ( Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018).

General distribution. Widely distributed across Afrotropical, Oriental, Palearctic, Saharo-Arabian and Sino-Japanese regions ( Schuh et al. 1987, Larivière & Larochelle 2018).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Saldula palustris. a, dorsal habitus, scale=2.0 mm; b–e, variation of hemelytra, scale=2.0 mm; f–h, different views of paramere, scale=0.2 mm; i, parandria, scale=0.2 mm.