Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905

Tinerella, Paul P., 2013, <strong> Taxonomic revision and systematics of continental Australian pygmy water boatmen (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Corixoidea: Micronectidae) </ strong>, Zootaxa 3623 (1), pp. 1-121 : 38-40

Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905

( Figs. 20–22 )

Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905a: 57 .

Micronecta ludibunda: Breddin, 1905b: 157 . [redescription]

Micronecta thelxinoe Kirkaldy, 1905: 262 . [status unknown; listed by Wróblewski (1968: 775) as? synonym of M. ludibunda Breddin ]

Micronecta lucina Distant, 1910: 345 . [synonymy Wróblewski, 1968: 775; also listed as synonym of M. albifrons (Motschulsky) by Bergroth 1921: 109.]

Micronecta graphiptera Horváth, 1918: 146 . [synonymy Wróblewski, 1962b: 323]

Micronecta graphiptera: Lundblad, 1933: 76 . [list]

Micronecta ludibunda: Lundblad, 1933: 95 . [redescription; key]

Micronecta inconspicua Lundblad, 1933: 96 . [synonymy Chen, 1960: 115]

Micronecta striatella Lundblad, 1933: 98 . [synonymy Chen, 1960: 115]

Micronecta ludibunda: Chen, 1960: 115 . [synonymical notes]

Micronecta ludibunda: Wróblewski, 1962b: 323 . [redescription]

Micronecta albifrons: Leong, 1966: 86 . [nec Motschulsky 1863; misidentification]

Micronecta malayana Leong, 1966: 86 .

Micronecta ludibunda: Wróblewski, 1968: 765 . [redescription; list]

Micronecta ludibunda graphiptera: Wróblewski, 1968: 775 . [subspecies status]

Micronecta ludibunda langkana Wróblewski, 1968: 775 .

Micronecta ludibunda malayana: Wróblewski, 1968: 775 . [subspecies status]

Micronecta ludibunda: Wróblewski, 1972a: 41 . [distribution]

Micronecta ludibunda langkana: Wróblewski, 1972a: 41 . [additional description; faunistics]

Micronecta ludibunda: Fernando and Cheng, 1974: 39 . [faunistics]

Micronecta ludibunda: Nieser, 1999b: 287 . [key]

Micronecta ludibunda: Nieser and Chen, 1999: 80 . [faunistics; key]

Micronecta ludibunda: Nieser, 2002b: 268 . [notes; key]

Micronecta malayana: Nieser, 2002b: 269 . [revised species status]

Micronecta ludibunda: Tinerella and Polhemus, 2005: 187 . [key]

Micronecta ludibunda: Chen et al., 2005: 420 . [list]

Micronecta ludibunda graphiptera: Tinerella, 2008: 29 . [synonymy]

Micronecta ludibunda langkana: Tinerella, 2008: 29 . [synonymy]

Micronecta ludibunda: Tinerella, 2008: 29 . [redescription, phylogeny]

Diagnosis: Small, compact, ovoid micronectids ( Figs. 20a–b ). Readily distinguished by the small size, narrow interocular space, and distinct longitudinal color patterning. Male parameres ( Figs. 22a–f ) diagnostic for the species. Macropterous and brachypterous forms similar, differing only in size (length) and relative proportions (length and width) of the pronotum.

Size: ( Table 8). Brachypterous form: 1.86–2.23. Macropterous form: 2.14–2.36.

Derivation of specific epithet: From the Latin ludibundus, meaning playful, frolicsome.

Notes on type material: Holotype not designated by Breddin. One syntype listed by Weidner (1972) in ZMUH. I was unable to examine any type material for this species.

Description: Based on brachypterous and macropterous forms (differences noted).

Measurements. Length: male 1.96–2.24; female 1.86–2.36; Width: male 1.02–1.17; female 1.00–1.22; Width of head: male 0.67–0.85; female 0.68–0.87; Synthlipsis: male 0.15–0.30; female 0.24–0.28; Width of eye: male 0.21–0.29; female 0.23–0.31; Width of pronotum: male 0.68–0.87; female 0.68–0.92; Length of pronotum: male 0.17–0.25; female 0.15–0.26.

Color: Ground color yellowish-brown ( Figs. 20a–b ). Head same color, eyes reddish-brown. Vertex, frons, and clypeus same color. Labium darker brown. Clypeogenal area paler laterally. Antennae pale. Pronotum light brown, apical margin darkened along length. Clavus with widened basal pale diagonal area, apical portion same color as corium and membrane, a single broad dark longitudinal line placed medial on each clavi. Lateral claval margins with narrowed pale band along entire length. Corium with darkened, somewhat incomplete longitudinal markings running nearly entire length. Scutellum paler apico-medially. Prenodal embolar area lacking pruinosity. Post-nodal area short, laterally infuscated. Left membrane in males sub-hyaline, that of females hyaline and pale, lateral margins in both sexes with darkened outline. Venter pale, legs same color, metatarsal natatorial setae darker brown.

Structural characteristics: Ratio of body length/width: males 1.99; females 1.97. Pronotum slightly wider than head, interocular space subequal to width of eye, (synthlipsis/width of eye = 0.96). Ocular index: males 0.97; females 1.00. General facies of head (vertex, frons, and labium) proportionate. Antennae densely pilose, segments one and two very short, segment three longer, broadly ovate. Pronotum short, convex medially, narrowed laterally, nearly five times as wide as long (W/L: males 1.08/0.21; females 1.09/0.23) in both wing forms. Prothoracic lobe short and wide, anterior margin subquadrate, posterior margin broadly rounded ( Fig. 21a ). Hemelytra with fine, wavy transverse microsculpturing. Short, minute setae sparsely distributed over corium. Metathoracic wings welldeveloped, reaching nearly to apices of hemelytra. Metathoracic wing venation in macropters fully developed, in brachypters, reduced. Lateral spines on abdominal segments IV–VIII: IV: one stout, short spine, two long, thin setae; V: two short, stout spines, one long, stout spine, one long, thin seta; VI: two short, stout spines, one long, stout spine, two thin, long setae; VII: two short, stout spines, one long, stout spine, one thin, long seta; VIII: five stout, short spines, one long, stout spine, one thin, long seta. Metaxyphus of both sexes a short, broadly rounded lobe, setae dispersed throughout ( Fig. 21b ).

Male foreleg ( Fig. 21c ): femur with two short, stout spines in basal third near ventral surface and two spines subapically near dorsal surface. Tibia with three large setae dorsally, one in middle portion and two subapical. Pala with four setae dorsally of varying lengths; palmar area with about nine setae in dorsal row and 11–12 setae in lower row, lower row setae slightly more pronounced than those of dorsal row. Apex of pala with single thickened seta. Palar claw ( Fig. 21d ) narrow, tapered proximad, upper margin narrowly rounded, lower portion nearly straight. Female foreleg with same general setal arrangement as male.

L= length, LP= length of pronotum, W= body width, WH= width of head, S= synthlipsis, WE= width of an eye, WP= width of pronotum, L:W= ratio body length to width, S:E= ratio of synthlipsis to eye width, OcI= ocular index.

Lateral lobes of abdominal tergum IV broadly rounded, right lobe longer than left. Apical margin of right lobe with 17 evenly spaced setae, left lobe with 16 setae. Prestrigilar flap of tergal segment V relatively narrow, longer than wide ( Fig. 21e ). Strigil small, narrow, appearing as a cylindrical disk. Median lobe of sternite VII ( Fig. 21f ) long, sharply acuminate, setae confined basally with one or two longer setae among field of shorter setae. Free lobe of tergite VIII ( Fig. 21g ) subquadrate, outer angle nearly square, inner angle slightly produced; short setae distributed throughout medial portion of lobe, apex of lobe with about 14 long setae. Pars stridens processus cleaner ridges of tergite VIII appearing as a fine ridged mat. Left paramere ( Figs. 22a–d ) slightly shorter, shaft very thin along length, tip with pronounced quadrate lobe ( Figs. 22a–d ). Base broad, with produced anterior angle ( Figs. 22a–b, d ). Right paramere ( Figs. 22a–f ) long, shaft very thin along length, somewhat twisted, tip flattened, with apex slightly curved. Base rounded ( Fig. 22e ) with more than 50 plectral ribs spanning medial to caudal portion. Aedeagus narrowed, as in Figures 22a–b, d .

Distribution and Habitat: A widespread species recorded from India, throughout southeast Asia, east to the Solomon Islands. Newly recorded for Australia, from Queensland, based on one macropterous male specimen. No collection method or habitat data accompany the specimen. The species inhabits a wide variety of habitats and has been taken at lights. Recent collections from the Solomon Islands were from streams, with the species being taken in the shallowest of water near the bank (D. A. Polhemus, pers. comm.).

Discussion: Micronecta ludibunda graphiptera Horváth and M. ludibunda langkana Wróblewski were recently synonymized with the nominate species by Tinerella (2008), who also discussed the great variation seen with the species across its entire range.

Micronecta ludibunda is a distinct species and is not likely to be confused with other Australian Micronecta . The systematic position of M. ludibunda is presently unclear, however, the taxon differs from typical species of the M. annae species group on the basis of the abdominal morphology, including the sternal process of abdominal segment VII, free lobe of abdominal tergite VIII, and the unique male genitalia.

Specimens examined: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: North Queensland. 1921. (1♂). [ AMSA] .

Figures

FIGURE 20. Micronecta ludibunda Breddin. a. Male. b. Female. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. (modified from Tinerella, 2008)

FIGURE 21. Micronecta ludibunda Breddin. a. Prothoracic lobe, female. b. Metaxyphus. c. Left male foreleg, posterior aspect. d. Left male pala (tarsus), anterior aspect, palar claw folded in. e. Prestrigilar flap of abdominal segment V. f. Sternal process of abdominal segment VII. g. Free lobe of abdominal tergite VIII. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. (modified from Tinerella, 2008)

FIGURE 22. Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, male genitalia. a. Left paramere, lateral aspect, right paramere, dorsal aspect. b. Left paramere, dorso-lateral aspect, right paramere, dorso-lateral aspect. c. Left paramere, tip, right paramere, tip. d. Left paramere, lateral aspect, right paramere, dorsal aspect. e. Pars stridens processus, base of right paramere. f. Right paramere, base of shaft. (modified from Tinerella, 2008)