Velia affinis Kolenati, 1857

Khazaei, Zohreh, Polhemus, Dan A. & Tahami, Mohadeseh S., 2020, A new species of Leptopus (Heteroptera: Leptopodidae) from caves in Iran, with notes on other cavernicolous Iranian Heteroptera, Zootaxa 4763 (2), pp. 246-258 : 255

Velia affinis Kolenati, 1857

In addition to the new species of Leptopus described above, the small water strider Velia affinis was also collected from two of the caves investigated. The species was previously recorded from Iran by Ghahari et al. (2013), but from surface waters. During the course of the current investigations, five females and one male of Velia affinis were collected in the twilight and lighted zones of Dasht-e Shir 2 Cave and Cheshmeh Ta’laou Cave ( Figs. 11, 12 ), but in different types of habitat. In the Dasht-e Shir cave there is a water feature in the lighted zone of cave system which might be fed by underground waters, with the water level here changing in response to variations in seasonal precipitation. Specimens of V. affinis were collected from the twilight zone close to the lighted zone. By contrast, the Chesmeh Ta’alou Cave is a channel with a low ceiling ( Figs. 11, 12 ), located down in a valley with muddy substrate, and is provided with water from the entrance to the twilight zone. The amount of annual precipitation affects the water level here as well. The specimens of V. affinis were again collected from the twilight zone of the cave.

Figures

FIGURES 11, 12. Interior views of Chesmeh Ta’alou Cave, Iran, collection locality for Velia affinis.