Baptista digitata Andersen, 1989

Ye, Zhen, Polhemus, Dan A. & Bu, Wenjun, 2014, First record of the genus Baptista Distant, 1903 (Heteroptera: Veliidae) from China, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3811 (3), pp. 301-315 : 302-303

Baptista digitata Andersen, 1989

( Figs. 1, 2 , 10 , 14 , 21 , 26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42, 46)

Baptista digitata Andersen, 1989: 371 .

Material examined. CHINA, Yunnan Prov.: 4 apterous males, 1 apterous female, Lincang city, Cangyuan county, Banhong village , Nangunhe Natural Reserve , (23°29'N, 99°09'E), alt. 900 m, 6.V.2011, coll. Zhen Ye.

Diagnosis. This species is closely related to B. femoralis ; however, abdominal ventrite VI and VII both possess a longitudinal median keel ( Fig 10 ), and the structure of abdominal ventrite VIII ( Fig 21 ) readily separates the males of the two species (for B. femoralis , see Fig. 16 in Andersen 1989).

Redescription. Apterous male ( Fig 1 ). Colour: ground colour dull brown, head brown, clypeus, pseudocellar spots and median line of head black, rostrum yellowish with black apex, buccula yellowish brown; antennal segments I–II dark yellow, III–IV brown; pronotum brown, with dense, black spots on posterior part, behind head, anterior margin with narrow yellowish band; legs mainly brown, basal part of femur yellowish, with apices of femora, tibiae and tarsi infuscated; abdomen dorsally and laterally dull brown, ventrally mainly yellow, laterosternite and mediotergite VII yellowish, intersegmental limits of abdomen black, hind margin of mediotergite I with some silvery pubescence; abdominal segment VIII, pygophore and proctiger yellowish, each weakly infuscated apically. Structural characteristics: body length 2.94–2.98, medium-sized for genus, elongate, bearing short, grayish, appressed pubescence, dorsum covered by relatively long, suberect, brown or silver hairs. Head about 1.36 times as wide as long, posteriorly inserted into medially concave anterior margin of pronotum; labrum angulate; buccula clearly visible; antennae long and slender, about 0.67 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.50, 0.30, 0.58, 0.60; pronotum width: 0.88–0.91, length: 0.53–0.56, about 1.64 times as wide as long, anterior pronotal margin deeply emarginated, pronotal collar angularly widened behind eyes but ventrally narrowed, hind pronotal margin broadly rounded, posterior portion of pronotal lobe with scattered dark punctures; metanotum completely hidden beneath pronotal lobe except laterally. Legs with mainly decumbent, short setae except femur ventrally with relatively long, erect setae; fore femur modified, strongly bent on apical third, ventral margin with large, pilose preapical tumescence ( Fig 14 ); fore tibia slightly curved and thickened distally, without row of spines or protuberance ventrally, grasping comb short, only about 0.21 times tibia length; lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia, and tarsi): fore leg: 0.95, 0.80 and 0.33, middle leg: 1.00, 0.95 and 0.40 (0.16+0.24), hind leg: 1.12, 1.20 and 0.47 (0.24+0.23); mediotergites not flat, more or less depressed; connexivum approximately rectangular, distinctly raised; abdominal segments VI and VII modified both pleurally and ventrally, segment VI produced pleurally on each side into a pilose, posteriorly-directed, fingerlike projection, segment VII likewise produced pleurally on each side into a short, rounded, pilose projection ( Fig 10 ); ventrite VI and VII both possess a longitudinal median keel, laterally with a moderate depression ( Fig 10 ), segment VIII ( Fig 21 ) about 1.43 times as long as wide, protruding behind segment VII, distinctly swollen ventrally. Genital segments: pygophore subovate; proctiger (Fig 26) narrow, with apex acute; paramere symmetrical, falciform, strongly curved, with slightly sharp apex (Figs 27, 28).

Apterous female ( Fig 2 ). Similar to male in general structure and coloration, body length: 2.93; structure of head including antenna as in male, head about 1.47 times as wide as long, antennae about 0.66 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.44, 0.28, 0.57, 0.63; pronotum as in male, width: 0.95, length: 0.55, about 1.73 times as wide as long; fore femur unmodified, fore tibia straight and without grasping comb, lengths of leg segments (femur, tibia and tarsi): fore leg: 0.90, 0.72 and 0.34, middle leg: 1.00, 0.90, and 0.39 (0.14+0.25), hind leg: 1.07, 1.19, and 0.48 (0.22+0.26); abdomen pleurally and ventrally without special modifications; connexiva broad, approximately rectangular, vertically raised throughout, converging posteriorly and touching caudally; gonocoxae and proctiger relatively small, proctiger with acute apex.

Notes. This species is recorded for the first time from China.

Discussion. Andersen (1989) gave an excellent description of B. digitata , and illustrated the range of variation from the largest to the smallest male forms (Figs. 19–23 in Andersen, 1989); the modifications of the male fore femur and abdominal segments VI–VII are much more pronounced in larger males than in smaller ones. The diagnostic features of our specimen match well with the original description of the largest form, although they differ slightly in regard to some structures: the fingerlike projection of segment VI is slightly shorter; the median keel on abdominal ventrites VI and VII is slightly wider; and the tooth of the basal part of the proctiger is shorter and nearly indistinguishable.

Distribution. China (Yunnan), Thailand ( Fig 46 ).

Figures

FIGURE 46. Geographical distribution of Baptista of the world.

FIGURES 1–5. Habitus of Baptista spp.. 1. B. digitata, male; 2. B. digitata, female; 3. B. hoedli, male; 4. B. hoedli, female; 5. B. hoedli, apterous male. Scale 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 10–13. Abdominal sternites of Baptista spp. (males). 10. B. digitata; 11. B. hoedli; 12. B. curvicornis sp. n.; 13. B. obtusa sp. n.. Scale 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 14–17. Fore legs of Baptista spp. (males). 14. B. digitata; 15. B. hoedli; 16. B. curvicornis sp. n.; 17. B. obtusa sp. n.. Scale 0.2 mm. FIGURES 18–20. Details of fore tibial venter of Baptista spp. (males). 18. B. hoedli; 19. B. curvicornis sp. n.; 20. B. obtusa sp. n.. Scale 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 21–25. Photographs of abdominal segment VIII of Baptista spp. (males); 21–24 ventral view, 25 lateral view. 21. B. digitata; 22. B. hoedli; 23. B. obtusa sp. n.; 24–25. B. curvicornis sp. n.; Scale 0.2 mm.