Potamobates shuar, Buzzetti, Filippo Maria, 2006

Buzzetti, Filippo Maria, 2006, The genus Potamobates Champion in Ecuador, with description of P. shuar n. sp. (Hemiptera: Gerridae), Zootaxa 1306, pp. 51-56 : 52-54

Potamobates shuar n. sp.

Diagnosis: Potamobates shuar is morphologically similar to P. anchicaya , but differs in having a single lateral spine on the right side of the male’s VIII abdominal segment ( Fig. 2A ). In P. anchicaya the male has two lateral spines on the right side of the VIII abdominal segment. In the female P. shuar , the connexiva ( Fig. 1 C) almost join at the level of the last two abdominal segments, whereas in the P. anchicaya female the connexiva are well separated all along the abdomen.

Description: Apterous male (Holotypus): Ground color shining black, body covered with very dense, short, dark pubescence; head entirely creamy white except vertex and hind margin ( Fig. 1 D); pronotum with wedge­shaped and anteriorly pointing creamy white marking medially ( Fig. 1 D); mesonotum black with three differently shaped creamy white longitudinal stripes ( Fig. 1 D); abdomen black, pleurae ventrally and all sternites creamy white. Bright pubescence present on propleurae, posterolateral corners of mesonotum, mesocoxae, lateral sides of metanotum, metacoxae, and lateral of abdominal tergites I–VII. Length of head (1) more than twice the narrowest interocular space (0.35); width of eye 0.5; eyes extending posteriorly 1/5 onto propleura. Rostrum not reaching hind margin of prosternum. Pronotum wider (1.95) than long (0.95). Mesonotum long if compared with thoracical segments 2.85, widest across mosocoxae (2.5). Metanotum short if compared with other thoracical segments 0.85, widest across metacoxae (2.45). Abdomen short if compared with whole body, its length excluding genital segments 2.45, genital segments longer than abdomen (3.15). Tergites II–V subequal in length (0.2–0.3), tergite I 0.45, tergite VI 0.35, tergite VII 0.7, tergite VIII the longest (2.15).

Tergite VII with angulated connexiva, these not produced and ventrally emarginated in middle.

Tergite VIII ( Fig. 2A ) modified, right lateral side bearing single stout spine rising from more or less defined lobe. In dorsal view hind margin of this tergite bent, wright side longer than left. Pygophore rotated 90° on left, proctiger bearing long, apically widened lateral process on left side, this visible in ventral view ( Fig. 2A ).

Antennae entirely black. Antennomere I longest (1.95), antennomeres II–IV: 0.65, 0.6, 0.9.

Fore femur creamy white with inner­ventral black stripe, fore tibia and tarsi black. Mid and hind legs proximally dark brown to distally brown; segments length (femur, tibia, tarsus I, tarsus II): fore legs, 2.65, 2.5, 0.2, 0.55, mid, 9.93, 6.1, 2.9, 0.8, hind, 10.12, 5.0, 0.45, 0.2.

Body length 8.1 (mean 8.05 with the 11 male paratypi).

Apterous female (Allotypus): Body more robust than male, coloration similar to that of male. Connexiva almost joining at level of two last abdominal segments, produced posteriorly into long slender embracing lobes ( Fig. 1 C).

Body length 8.5.

Macropterous male and female unknown.

Derivatio nominis: P. shuar n. sp. is named after the Shuar tribe, which inhabits southern Ecuadorean Amazon.

Examined material: (1 male Holotypus, 1 female Allotypus, 11 male Paratypi) Morona Santiago prov., Bomboiza, 800 m., 22.III.2004, 12ɗɗ 1Ψ, legit. G. Carotti & P. Tirello. All material is in coll. FMB except holotypus and 2 paratypi in coll. ZMUC and 2 paratypi in coll. PUCE.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A, B: Potamobates shuar n. sp.; A: male genital segment, ventral view; B: male genital segment, lateral view.

FIGURE 1. A: habitat of P. horvathi and P. anchicaya in locality Montalvo, La Mayronga (photo F. M. Buzzetti); B: habitat of P. shuar n. sp. in locality Bomboiza (photo P. Tirello); C: P. s h u a r n. sp. female abdomen in dorsal view (photo F. M. Buzzetti); D: P. s h u a r n. sp. male holotype (photo F. M. Buzzetti).