Husseyella diffidens (Drake and Harris, 1933)

Moreira, F. F. F., Nessimian, J. L., Rúdio, J. A. & Salles, F. F., 2010, New species and new records of Veliidae from Espírito Santo State and adjacent Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with notes on nomenclature (Insecta: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha), Journal of Natural History 44 (45 - 46), pp. 2761-2801 : 2789-2790

Husseyella diffidens (Drake and Harris, 1933) / Husseyella halophila ( Drake, 1958)

Only three species of Husseyella Herring, 1955 have been described so far, with both H. halophila and H. diffidens known to occur in estuarine areas of Brazil ( Drake 1958). Husseyella halophila was previously known only from Santa Catarina State, being recorded here for the first time from southeastern Brazil. Husseyella diffidens was described from “São Matheos, Brazil ”, but without mention of any state. Its presence in Espírito Santo State is confirmed here, in the municipality of Conceição da Barra, located just north of São Mateus.

The descriptions of both species are incomplete, but they can be distinguished by length of antennae and mid tarsi. The specimen of H. halophila observed bears antennae 1.50 mm long, and mid tarsi 0.65 mm, corresponding approximately to the measures given in Drake (1958). As for H. diffidens , both structures are longer, and the values found were 1.83 mm for antennae and 0.88 mm for mid tarsi in females, and 1.73 mm and 0.73 mm in males.

The two species can also be distinguished by colour pattern: body of H. halophila is black with only a reddish brown U-shaped mark on base of head and a transverse reddish brown mark near anterior margin of pronotum, whereas in H. diffidens body is dark brown, with reddish brown abdominal connexiva, and there are marks of the same colour on base of head (not mentioned on original description), and on pronotum (one transverse anterior mark, all median line, and a smaller posterior mark).

Examined material [ Husseyella diffidens ]

Brazil: Espírito Santo – Conceição da Barra, foz do rio, em raízes de Rhizophora mangle [−18.55905 ◦, −39.73286 ◦], 1 May 2009, (F.F.F. Moreira and J.A. Rúdio): 14 apterous males, 32 apterous females. [ Husseyella halophila ]. Brazil: Espírito Santo – São Mateus, Rio Mariricu, PO-6 [18 ◦ 43 ′ 28.37 ′′ S, 39 ◦ 46 ′ 16.82 ′′ W], 1 October 2007 (CEUNES): 1 apterous female.