Ranatra odontomeros Nieser, 1996

Tran, A. D. & Zettel, H., 2021, Taxonomic review of the Ranatra gracilis group sensu Lansbury, 1972 (Nepomorpha: Nepidae), with descriptions of four new species, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 69, pp. 45-70 : 67

Ranatra odontomeros Nieser, 1996

( Fig. 9 )

Ranatra odontomeros Nieser, 1996: 349–351 (type locality: Nam Nao , Thailand).

Material examined. Holotype (male) and allotype (female), “ Thailand, Phetchabun Prov. / Nam Nao NP, Huai Ya Krua / nr. Headquarter, 24.11. / 1995, leg. H. Zettel (23)” ( NHMW) . Paratype: 1 female, locality label in Thai script: “Site: Nam Nao / Date: 17 June. 1979 / Collector: Uthai ” and with handwritten label “ Ranatra / odontomeros / Nieser / paratype ♀ ” ( KKU) [currently in NHMW; in original description by Nieser, 1996, the specimen was reported being a male] .

Diagnosis. Body length: male 37, female 42; ratio of siphon length: body length ca. 0.5–0.55; siphon index ca. 1.30–1.35×; lorum lower clypeus and without nodule dorsally; ratio of eye width: interocular width ca. 0.75–0.85; posterior width of pronotum ca. 1.4–1.5× anterior width; pronotal length ca. 1.3–1.4× fore coxa length; hemelytra reaching or slightly surpassing posterior margin of abdominal tergum VI; posterior margin of metasternum angularly emarginated, with sublateral grooves; fore femur on flexor side with a median tooth and a median carina, and with a pair of small pre-apical teeth; hind femur, when folded back parallel to body reaching anterior third of operculum (in both sexes); paramere: ventral side before apical hook with a large sub-triangular process, apical hook relatively short, tip of hook pointed.

Remarks. Fore femora of type specimens possess a pair of pre-apical teeth, which are more prominent in female specimens. In the original description, Nieser (1996) mentioned only one “apical tooth” on the fore femur. The drawings of the paramere presented in Nieser (1996) were not accurate, thus we provide here a photograph of the paramere of the holotype ( Fig. 9 ).

D. Polhemus & J. Polhemus (2012) and Tran & Poggi (2019) did not include this species in their respective concepts of the R. gracilis group, although Nieser (1996) already pointed out some characters that fit the definition of the group by Lansbury (1972). After examining the type specimens and diagnostic features, we agree with Nieser (1996) that this species should be included in the R. gracilis group.

Distribution. Thailand (Nieser, 1996).

Figures

Fig. 9. Paramere of Ranatra odontomeros Nieser, 1996, holotype.