Rhagovelia aguaclara, Padilla-Gil, Dora N., 2010

Padilla-Gil, Dora N., 2010, Two new species of Rhagovelia in the salina group from Colombia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae), Zootaxa 2621, pp. 63-68 : 65-68

Rhagovelia aguaclara sp. nov.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, apt M, allotype macr F: COLOMBIA, Nariño, Tumaco, Aguaclara , 4 IX 2009, leg. O. Arcos ( ICN). PARATYPES, same data as holotype, 6 apt M, 3 apt F ( ICN); 6 apt M, 4 apt F (PSO-CZ); 5 apt M, 2 apt F (CP).

Description. Colour and pilosity.- General colour dark brown; genital segments, greater part of antennae, rostrum, and legs, shining black; central part of abdominal sternite VII pale brown; outer rim of connexiva, shinny black. Anterior transverse band of pronotum, basal third of first antennal segment, all coxae, all trochanters, 2/3 basal of fore femur, andd 1/3 basal of hind femur yellow; all acetabulae pale brown. Venter dark brown. Dorsum and venter of body covered with tiny, black denticles. Dorsum and venter covered with long, semirecumbent yellow setae; bearing long dark brown setae on sides of thorax; abdominal sternite VII and genital segments covered with scattered, small, gold setae. Vertex with two pairs of dark setae; antennal segment I bearing eight long, stiff, erect black setae, segment II with six setae of this type; legs with the usual pubescence and setae. Female, abdominal tergites V and VI with shinny black spots and VII–IX shinny black.

Apterous Male. Length 3.72; maximum width 1.40. Length of antennal segments I–IV: 0.94, 0.50, 0.58, 0.72; head width 0.94; eyes length 0.4, width 0.34, interocular space 0.22. Pronotum short, length on mid-line 0.20; mesonotum, length, 0.72; metanotum, 0.14. Trochanters unarmed; fore femur and tibia straight ( Fig. 5 ), tibial comb short (0.30), slightly more than ¼ of the tibial length; middle tibia lacking apical spur; hind femur ( Fig. 6 ) slightly incrassate; ventral surface with a row on ¼ basal with 6 small, black spines, followed by 6 spines, slightly longer than the basal ones and then 3 or 4 spines smaller distally; hind tibia straight ( Fig. 6 ), and with three teeth near apex.

Proportions of male legs as follows: fore femur/tibia/ tarsal 1/ tarsal 2: 1.10/1.06/0.04/0.26; middle femur, length-width/ tibia/ tarsal 1/tarsal 2: 2.00–0.32/1.68/0.70/0.76; hind femur length-width/ tibia/ tarsal 1/tarsal 2: 1.44–0.40/1.78/0.08/0.46.

Abdomen L (I–VII)/W: 1.54/1.26. Median length of abdominal tergites as follows: I and IV: 0.16, II–III, V–VI: 0.20, VII: 0.44, VIII: 0.48; tergites I–IV slightly convex and tergites V–VI slightly concave; connexiva horizontal or slightly angled upward at 10º. Venter lightly triangular, ventrite VII with 2 (1+1) shallow depressions on either side of midline; ventrite VIII slightly depressed; genital segments well developed, parameres symmetrical (L/W: 0.34/0.16, Fig. 7 ).

Apterous Female ( Fig. 8 ). Length 4.53, maximum width 1.73, distinctly larger than male. Length of antennal segments I–IV: 1.00, 0.58, 0.70, 0.70; connexival margins of segments I–IV thickened; connexiva angled upward at 45º, apices of connexiva reaching basal half of tergite VIII. Abdomen L/W: 2.28/1.56. Median length of abdominal tergites as follows: I–III: 0.24, IV: 0.22, V: 0.26, VI: 0.3, VII: 0.36 and VIII: 0.40. Venter convex, gonocoxa well developed, distinctly visible.

Macropterous form unknown.

Etymology. The species name “ aguaclara ” refers to the type locality.

Comparative notes. Individuals of Rhagovelia aguaclara may be recognized by the distinctive armature of the male hind leg ( Fig. 6 ): femur slightly incrassate 3.6 longer than width, tibia with three teeth near apex; and by the distinctive parameres ( Fig. 7 ) and connexiva of the female ( Fig. 8 ).

R. colombiana and R. aguaclara have very sculptured male parameres ( Figs. 7 , 9 ).

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 8. Rhagovelia aguaclara sp. nov., 5 – 7 male, 5 fore tibiae, 6 hind leg, 7 paramere, 8 female habitus.

FIGURES 9, 10. Male paramere, 9 R. colombiana, 10 R. arcuata, (Figs. 9 − 10, after Polhemus & Manzano, 1992).