Hydrometra cherukolensis, Jehamalar, E. Eyarin & Chandra, Kailash, 2014

Jehamalar, E. Eyarin & Chandra, Kailash, 2014, On the genus Hydrometra Latreille (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Hydrometridae) from India with description of two new species, Zootaxa 3779 (5), pp. 501-517 : 509-511

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3779.5.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6B08D969-5277-4CFE-8F90-DAB07755D272
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6124807
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0B5E8796-FFBD-FF8B-AE96-00ABFC0E81A6
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Hydrometra cherukolensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Hydrometra cherukolensis View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 1C–D View FIGURES 1 A – H , 2C–D View FIGURES 2 A – H , 3C–D View FIGURES 3 A – H , 4C–D View FIGURES 4 A – H , 5C–D View FIGURES 5 A – H )

Material examined. Holotype. ♂ (brapt.): INDIA, TAMIL NADU, Kanyakumari District, Cherukole village, 131.2 ft [40 m], N 08°18’17.9’’, E 077°15’33.6’’, 3.x.2011, Coll: E. Eyarin Jehamalar. Allotype. 1 ♀ (brapt.), same data as for holotype. Paratypes. 3 ♀ (brapt.), same data as for holotype; 1 ♀ (mac.), Nagercoil, Pond in Scott Christian College campus, 60 m, N 08°10’58.2’’, E 077°24’20.3’’, 4.iii.2008, Coll: E. E. Jehamalar; 1 ♂ (mac.), same locality data as for holotype, 25.xi.2011, Coll: E. Hallings Raja Deasingh; 1 ♂ (brapt.), Chithiramcode, 66 m, N 08°18’46.4’’, E 077°19’14.2’’, 23.x.2012, Coll. E. E. Jehamalar & E.H.R. Deasingh.

Repository. The type specimens are deposited in the CEL, ZSI, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Holotype Reg. No. 3228/H15, Allotype Reg. No. 3229/H15 and Paratypes Reg. No. 3230/H15 to 3233/H15.

Etymology. The name cherukolensis refers to the type locality Cherukole Village.

Diagnosis. Hydrometra cherukolensis sp. nov. can easily be recognized by the presence of broad, parallelsided, medially depressed, anteriorly concave anteclypeus; maxillary plates well extended in front of the anteclypeus, convergent, and rugose in dorsal aspect ( Figs. 2C, D View FIGURES 2 A – H ). Male with seventh sternum of a pair of lateral setal patches three quarters distance from anterior margin; a pair of sub-basolateral setal tufts of the eighth sternum in males ( Figs. 4C View FIGURES 4 A – H , 5C View FIGURES 5 A – H ); lateral wing of abdominal segment IX inconspicuous; postero-lateral corners of abdominal segment VIII smiple, not angulated ( Figs. 3C View FIGURES 3 A – H , 4C View FIGURES 4 A – H , 5C View FIGURES 5 A – H ). Females usually more colourful than males ( Figs. 1C, D View FIGURES 1 A – H ); seventh sternum of female projected postero-medially, covering base of gonocoxae medially ( Fig. 4D View FIGURES 4 A – H ). Caudal process long, pointed in both sexes; directed slightly dorsocaudad in males ( Fig. 5C View FIGURES 5 A – H ), straight caudad in females ( Fig. 5D View FIGURES 5 A – H ).

Description. Brachypterous male: Holotype: ( Figs. 3C View FIGURES 3 A – H , 4C View FIGURES 4 A – H , 5C View FIGURES 5 A – H ). Body length 9.58 (paratype 9.82); maximum body width (across metacetabula) 0.55 (paratype 0.59).

Colour: Dark brown to black both dorsal and ventral; head anterior and posterior region yellow to brown; antenna dark brown, except base of I–III segments, yellow; eyes, antennal tubercles and anteclypeus dark brown and shiny; rostrum and legs yellow and shiny, apices of femora, tibiae and whole tarsi dark brown; pronotal lobe with a distinct median white stripe extends anteriorly near posterior margin of eyes; sublateral region of pronotal lobe with a narrow longitudinal yellow hue on each side; wing pads brownish with central longitudinal white stripe without interruption, except at cross veins; medio-tergites dark brown to black and shiny; setal patch on sternum VII dark brown to black; setal tuft on sternum VIII pale brown; tergum VII paler than the preceding segments; base of each latero-tergites with white pruinose mark; ninth abdominal sternum dark brown to black and shiny.

Structural characters: Head length 2.87 mm, maximum head width across eyes 0. 40 mm; head width across antennal tubercle 0.38; anteocular length 1.77; post ocular length 0.86; head anterior region with two pairs of trichobothria ( Fig. 2D View FIGURES 2 A – H ), posterior region with one pair of trichobothrium; antennal length, segment I–IV 0.32, 0.70, 1.83, 1.64; anteclypeus transverse, parallel sided, medially depressed, anteriorly sinuated margin ( Fig. 2D View FIGURES 2 A – H ), length of anteclypeus along midline 0.11, width 0.20; maxillary plate depressed in lateral view, extended well in front of anteclypeus and gular lobe ( Figs. 2C, D View FIGURES 2 A – H ); distance of maxillary plate extending in front of anteclypeus in dorsal aspect 0.08; minimum space between maxillary plates in dorsal aspect 0.04; gular lobe well developed, outer margin rounded, fully covers the base of rostrum in lateral aspect; antennal tubercle length 0.12, width 0.07; rostrum at rest reaching sub-basal region of head leaving a little more the length of eyes 0.24, eye width 0.14, dorsal minimum distance between eyes 0.10. Prothorax with a ring of punctures surrounds the anterior region of pronotum, more prominent ventrally; acetabula with few pits; posterior part of pronotum laterally with a longitudinal row of punctures on each side, pronotal lobe length 1.39; distance between procoxa and mesocoxa 0.82, distance between mesocoxa and metacoxa 1.51; prosternal length 0.44, mesosternal length 0.84, metasternal length 1.25; wing strap surpassing base of third tergite. Legs (length, paratype values given in parenthesis). Fore leg: femur 2.74 (2.99), tibia 2.37 (3.21), tarsus I–III 0.05 (0.06), 0.26 (0.28), 0.18 (0.20); mid leg: femur 3.03 (3.32), tibia 3.24 (3.61), tarsus I–III 0.05 (0.03), 0.35 (0.38), 0.18 (0.23), MTaI 1.94 (1.65); hind leg: femur 3.60 (4.04), tibia 3.43 (4.69), tarsus I–III 0.05 (0.06), 0.33 (0.33), 0.14 (0.24). Abdomen: long and slender, length 4.37; tergite V length 0.65, anterior width of tergite V 0.40; connexivum without characteristic pilosity, connexival corners simple, without characteristic pilosity; posterior margin of tergite VII fringed with golden hairs ( Figs. 3C View FIGURES 3 A – H , 5C View FIGURES 5 A – H ), tergite VII and VIII clothed with short golden hairs pronounced on tergite VII, postero-lateral corners of sternum VII with few long setae; tergite VII length 0.49, anterior width of medio-tergite VII 0.17, posterior width of medio-tergite VII 0.28; seventh sternum of male three quarters way from anterior margin laterally bearing a pair of oval-shaped prominent setal patch with a single erected long setae ( Figs. 4C View FIGURES 4 A – H , 5C View FIGURES 5 A – H ), setal patch length 0.07, width 0.03; sternum VIII length along mid line 0.40; sternum VIII depressed ventro-laterally, base of sternum VIII with a pair of setal tuft laterally on each side, setal tuft length 0.04; tergite VIII length including caudal process 0.67; caudal process slightly dorsocaudad.

Macropterous male (n=1): ( Fig. 1C View FIGURES 1 A – H ). Similar to Holotype. Body length 9.92, width 0.55; antennal length, segments I–IV 0.58, 1.07, 2.73, broken. Legs. Fore legs broken; mid leg, femur 2.92, tibia 3.16, tarsus I–III 0.06, 0.26, 0.20, MTaI 1.30; hind leg, femur 3.85, tibia 4.56, tarsus broken; wings surpassing anterior region of tergite VI, wings with a central longitudinal white stripe, without interruption.

Brachypterous female: ( Fig. 1D View FIGURES 1 A – H ). Similar to holotype, (range of 3 specimens is given in parenthesis). Usually bright coloured, little larger than males, body length 10.50 (range 10.50–11.24), width at metacetabula 0.65 (0.65– 0.67), head length 3.01 (3.01–3.25), width at eyes (0.40–0.44), and antennal tubercles (0.40–0.43) same 0.40, anteocular length 1.84 (1.84–2.02), postocular length 0.91 (0.91–0.98), dorsal minimum width between eyes 0.11, antennal segments I–IV 0.44, 0.95, 2.42, 1.43; rostrum reaching halfway between lower margin of eye and anterior margin of pronotum; pronotal lobe length 1.47, distance between procoxa and mesocoxa 0.93 and between mesocoxa and metacoxa 1.54; acetabula with few pits. Legs. Fore leg, femur 2.53 (2.53–3.02), tibia 2.91 (2.91– 3.26), tarsus I–III 0.05 (0.05–0.07), 0.24 (0.22–0.27), 0.17 (0.17–0.20); mid leg, femur 3.06 (3.06–3.30), tibia 3.21, tarsus I–III 0.05 (0.05-0.06), 0.37 (0.29–0.42), 0.21 (0.21-0.22), MTaI 1.76 (1.38–1.90); hind leg, femur 3.71 (3.71–4.03), tibia 4.10 (4.10–4.71), tarsus I–III 0.06 (0.05–0.06), 0.35 (0.30–0.37), 0.21 (0.21–0.22); wings surpassing anterior margin of tergite III ( Fig. 1D View FIGURES 1 A – H ). Abdominal length 5.08, abdominal venter with a central longitudinal bare line; tergite V length 0.78, anterior width 0.57; tergite VII and VIII clothed with golden hairs; connexival corners not produced; tergite VII raised posteriorly, postero median margin with arc-shaped slight depression ( Fig. 3D View FIGURES 3 A – H , 5D View FIGURES 5 A – H ), sternite VII produced postero-medially, covering half of gonocoxae medially ( Fig. 4D View FIGURES 4 A – H ); tergite VII length 0.46, anterior width of medio-tergite VII 0.21, posterior width of medio-tergite VII 0.30; tergite VIII length including caudal process 0.60; sternite VII length 0.72; length of gonocoxae along midline 0.06.

Macropterous female (n=1): Similar to holotype and brachypterous female. Body length 11.4, width at metacetabula 0.73; maximum head width at eyes 0.48; head width at antennal tubercle 0.44; eye length 0.28, width 0.18; pronotal lobe length 1.81; distance between procoxa and mesocoxa 1.18, between mesocoxa and metacoxa 1.83; Legs. Fore leg, femur 3.11, tibia 3.18, tarsus I–III 0.07, 0.28, 0.20; mid leg, femur 3.45, tibia 3.71, tarsus I–III 0.06, 0.41, 0.21, MTaI 1.95; hind leg, femur 4.27, tibia 5.03, tarsus I–III 0.07, 0.37, 0.23; wings surpassing anterior margin of tergite VI; abdomen length 5.05; anterior width of medio-tergite VII 0.23, posterior width of mediotergite VII 0.39; sternite VII length 0.75; gonocoxae length 0.09.

Comparative notes. Hydrometra cherukolensis sp. nov. is closely related to H. julieni and H. julienoidea , by shares the character of having setal patch on sternum VII and the appressed setal patch on sternum VIII in males and the shape of anteclypeus, gular lobe and maxillary plate. However, in H. cherukolensis , in addition to the appressed setal patch, a pair of setal tufts occur on the sub-basal region of sternum VIII laterally, which is absent in both H. julieni and H. julienoidea . The anteriorly convergent maxillary plate of H. cherukolensis sp. nov. extend well beyond the anteclypeus and gular lobe, but are short in front of anteclypeus and almost straight in H. julieni . The caudal process in the females of H. cherukolensis sp. nov. is directed straight caudad, but in females of H. julieni and H. julienoidea the caudal process is directed ventrocaudad. All the members of the H. julieni species group of male having a slight depression on sternum VII; however, sternum VII in the males of H. cherukolensis is not depressed.

Distribution. Presently, this species is known only from Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. It is possible that the range of this species extends to the Western Ghats states of India.