Nerthra indica (Atkinson, 1889)

Xie, Tong-Yin & Liu, Guo-Qing, 2018, Notes on some toad bugs from China (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Gelastocoridae), ZooKeys 759, pp. 137-147 : 137

Nerthra indica (Atkinson, 1889) Figs 1C, D; 3 A–G

Mononyx indicus Atkinson, 1889: 345; Montandon 1899: 394; Distant 1906: 15; Maxwell-Lefroy 1909: 709; Paiva 1919: 372.

Mononyx projectus Distant, 1911: 310 (syn. Todd 1955: 405).

Mononyx turgidulus Distant, 1911: 311 (syn. Todd 1961: 94).

Nerthra turgidula : Todd 1955: 406; Bal and Basu 2003: 542.

Nerthra indica : Todd 1955: 405; Todd 1961: 93; Nieser 1977: 298; Todd 1977: 216; Lansbury 1988: 189; Nieser and Chen 1992: 5; Bal and Basu 2003: 542; Kment and Jindra 2008:, 195; Xie and Liu 2013: 6.

Nerthra arunachalensis Thirumalai, 1998: 190; syn. Kment and Jindra 2008: 195.

Material examined.

CHINA: Jiangxi Province: 1♂, Jinggang Mountain [井冈山], 26.75N, 114.29E, 27. VII. 2002, Wan-liang ZHANG & Jian-hua DING leg.; Fujian Province: 1♀, ChongAn [崇安], 27.75N, 118.03E, VI. 1982, Qiang HE leg.; 1♂, Jianning Country [建宁县](26.83N, 116.84E), 26. IX. 2002; Wan-liang ZHANG leg.; 1♂, 2♀, Natural reserve of Jiangshi [将石自然保护区], 27.12N, 117.26E, 13. VIII. 2011, Zhen YE leg.; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: 1♂, Longsheng country [龙胜县], 25.80N, 110.01E, 14. VI. 1963, Si-kong LIU leg.; 1♀, Yao Autonomous County of Jinxiu[金秀瑶族自治县], 24.13N, 110.19E, 23. IX. 1981, Collector unknown; 1♀, Shengtang Mountain of Jinxiu[金秀圣堂山], 24.96N, 110.12E, alt. 900m, 18. V. 1999, Fu-sheng HUANG leg.; 1♂, 1♀, Defu of Napo country[那坡德孚], 23.39N, 105.83E, alt. 1350m, 21. VI. 2000, Jian YAO leg.; 1♀, Beidou of Napo country[那坡北斗], 23.04N, 105.93E, alt. 550m, 22. VI. 2000, Jian YAO leg.; 1♀, Jingxi Diding Autonomous Region[靖西底定自治区], 23.09N, 105.99E, alt. 1000-1700m, 23. VI. 2000, Jian YAO leg.; 1♂, Tiantang mountain of Rong country[玉林市容县黎村天堂山], 22.58N, 110.73E, alt. 730-740m, 17. VIII. 2009, Bo CAI & Ke-long JIAO leg.; Guizhou Province: 1♂, 7♀, Maolan National Nature Reserve[茂兰国家级自然保护区], 23.43N, 103.02E, 30. VII. 2013, Tong-yin XIE & Fu-xia HE leg.; Yunnan Province: 1♀, Pingbian Miao Autonomous county[屏边苗族自治县], 22.98N, 103.68E, alt. 1500m, 28. V. 1996, Wen-jun BU leg.; 1♂, 1♀, Mengkuan river of Mengla country[勐腊县勐仑镇勐宽河], 21.45N, 101.56E, 18.VIII.2010, Jing WANG leg.; 15♂, 24♀, Menglun town of Mengla country[勐腊县勐仑镇], 21.94N, 101.25E, alt. 534m, 4. VIII. 2010, Kai DANG leg.; 1♀, Nangun river of Cangyuan country[沧源县班洪乡南滚河保护区], 23.29N, 99.10E, alt. 534m, 6. V. 2011; Zhen YE leg.; Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region: 1♂, Mêdog county[墨脱县], 29.33N, 95.34E, alt. 1100m, VIII. 1984, Tan HE leg. 2♂, Mêdog county suburb[墨脱城郊], 29.30N, 95.36E, alt. 1100m, 15. VIII. 2003, Huai-jun XUE & Xin-pu WANG leg.; 1♂, 2♀, Beibeng town of Mêdog county[墨脱背崩县城], 29.24N, 95.18E, alt. 780-1100m, 13. VIII. 2003, Huai-jun XUE & Xin-pu WANG leg.; 1♀, Mêdog county-108K[墨脱县城-108K], 29.33N, 95.33E, alt. 880-1100m, 16. VIII. 2003, Huai-jun XUE & Xin-pu WANG leg..

Redescription.

Body middle sized for the genus. Body dorsally brown, with variable yellowish or other marking, often obscured by muddy crust. Scutellum slightly darker than rest of dorsal surface (Fig. 1 C–D). Body sculpture, outlines of the pronotum, hemelytra and abdomen very variable.

Head. Apex of head with four tubercles, one at the apex is not visible in the dorsal view, the others sometimes rather indistinct (Fig. 1 C–D).

Thorax. The lateral margins of the pronotum markedly asymmetrical, pronotum about as wide at anterior third as at the level of the transverse furrow. Scutellum elevated, tumescent laterally and at apex, with curved ridge paralleling sinuosity of posterior margin of pronotum. The outline of the ovipositor was the same and the ventral submarginal tumescences on the last visible abdominal sternite absent. Hemelytra not quite reaching end of abdomen in the females, membrane well developed; embolium narrow at base, dilated before middle, anterior portion and apex of dilation more or less rounded. Ventral surface and the apex of the fore, middle, and hind legs dark brown.

Abdomen. Abdomen greatly expanded laterally in females. Bristles mostly short and clavate, groups of long black bristles on basal tumescences and median part of pronotum. Abdominal sternites of male mostly asymmetrical, but nearly symmetrical in female. Lobes of ovipositor asymmetrical slightly lobed and projecting posteriorly. Ninth sternite wider than long, not as long as eighth sternite; seventh sternite sternite about half as long as eighth sternite; fifth sternite very short medially. Right paramere swollen apically and stick out at middle.

Remarks.

Body shape most closely related to N. lobata (Montandon, 1899) from which it may be separated by the male genitalia shape (Fig. 3 A–D), the smaller ovipositor lobes which are less projecting, and the lack of lateral submarginal tumescences of the last visible abdominal sternite in the females.

Distribution.

China (Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region), India, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos ( Todd 1955; Kment and Jindra 2008).