Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001

MOURA-JÚNIOR, DIONIZIO A., QUINTAS, VICTOR, SCHEFFLER, SANDRO M., NEL, ANDRÉ, RIBEIRO, JOSÉ RICARDO I. & MEJDALANI, GABRIEL, 2021, Redescription of Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil, based on the adult and nymphal stages (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha: Belostomatidae), Palaeoentomology 4 (4), pp. 339-352 : 341-342

Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001

( Figs 2–7 , Tab. 1 )

Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 (p. 134, figs A, B): Martins Neto (2005, p. 479); Popov & Bechly (2007, p. 320 and 593); Criscione & Grimaldi (2017, p. 1167); Moura-Júnior et al. (2018, p. 154).

Material. Neotype (here designated): MCT 6955 - I. Paraneotypes (here designated): MCT 6952 - I, MCT 6953 - I, MCT 6954 - I, SMNS 66563 . See full justification in material and methods.

Emended diagnosis. Belostomatini with total body length (adults) 10.35–12.40 mm; body approximately two times longer than wide. Compound eyes globular, with their lateral margins never flushing with lateral margins of pronotum and frons; interocular total length approximately two times longer than anteocular total length. Total length of pronotum 0.79–0.89 mm; posterior pronotal width approximately three times greater than length at median line. Lateral margins of abdomen apparently smooth, never interrupted at borders between segments. Nymph (probably fifth stadium) with total length of body 9.75 mm; wing pads visible, well developed, reaching second abdominal tergite (first visible).

Locality and horizon. Crato Formation, Ceará State, Brazil; upper Aptian (~114 Ma), Lower Cretaceous.

Description. Adult ( Figs 2–6 , Tab. 1 ). Body preserved in dorsal view, except for MCT 6952 - I (ventral view); total length 10.35–12.40 mm, approximately two times longer than wide. Head ( Figs 2E , 3B, C , 4C, G , 5B, C , and 6B ) 1.40 mm long and 2.51 mm wide. Compound eyes globular, wider than vertex, their diameter 1.00 mm, lateral margins never flushing with lateral margins of pronotum and frons. Interocular total length (0.85 mm) approximately two times longer than anteocular total length (0.41 mm).

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figs 2C , 3B, C, E , 4C, G , 5B–D , and 6D ) transverse, 0.79–0.89 mm long and 3.18 mm wide; concave anteriorly and approximately straight posteriorly; posterior pronotal width approximately three times greater than length at median line. Mesonotum ( Figs 2C , 3B, E , 5C , and 6D ) 1.29 mm long and 3.95 mm wide; scutellum ( Figs 3B, E , 5C , and 6D ) 0.89 mm long and 1.40 mm wide. Hemelytra ( Figs 5D–F, H , and 6I, J ) partially preserved; the following veins can be observed: R, M, Cu, and CuP+A; membrane with reticulation ( Fig. 5H ). Fore legs ( Figs 2A , 3A , 4C, G , 5B, C , and 6B ) raptorial, 4.15 mm long (MCT 6952 - I); femora and tibiae visible, former ones ( Fig. 2A ) with sulcus. Middle legs ( Figs 2B , 3D , 4B, C , 5G , and 6C, K ) approximately 6.2 mm long; tibiae and tarsi with fringe of setae ventrally; tarsal claws visible. Hind legs ( Figs 2D , 3A, F , 4B, D, F , and 6F, H ) 10.66 mm (MCT 6952 - I) to 10.85 mm (MCT 6952 - I) long; tibiae and tarsi with fringe of setae ventrally; tarsal claws visible. Tarsus of all legs apparently dimerous ( Figs 3D, F , 5G , 6H , and 7H ).

Abdomen ( Figs 3G, H , 4E, H , 5E, F, H , and 6G, I ) broad, 6.35 mm long and 5.25 mm wide; sternites not subdivided by a suture-like fold. Lateral margins apparently smooth, never interrupted at borders between segments. Distal portion with distinct lateral setae ( Fig. 3H ). Terminalia partially preserved ( Fig. 3G ); it is not possible to determine the sex. Short respiratory siphon located at abdominal apex ( Fig. 4E, H ).

Nymph ( Fig. 7 , Tab. 1 ). Probably fifth stadium. Body preserved in dorsal view, oval ( Fig. 7A ), 9.75 mm long, narrowed at anterior and posterior ends. Head ( Fig. 7C ) triangular; compound eyes wide, salient, globular. Thorax with pronotum ( Fig. 7A, C ) trapezoidal, wider than head, 0.68 mm long and 3.83 mm wide (wider than in adults, see Table 1 ); pronotal surface with distinct central line. Wing pads visible, well developed, reaching second abdominal tergite (first visible), indicating that this semaphoront is probably in fifth stadium; wing pads of mesonotum extended to metanotum ( Fig. 7E ). Fore, middle, and hind legs preserved ( Fig. 7D, F, G ), some fringes of natatorial setae visible; tarsi apparently dimerous; tarsal claws visible in all legs ( Fig. 7D, F, H ). Abdomen ( Fig. 7B ) roughly triangular; six segments visible (II–VII, Fig. 7A ); additional details are not possible to observe because of the poor preservation of the abdomen ( Fig. 7B ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 (MCT 6952 - I), ventral view. A, Body (red arrow indicates location of femoral sulcus). B, Left middle tarsus. C, Thorax (black arrows indicate location of insertion of middle legs). D, Left fore tarsus. E, Head and thorax. F and G, Abdominal laterotergites and sternites. H, Distal portion of abdomen. Scale bars = 500 µm (B), 1.0 mm (H), 2.0 mm (A, C–G).

FIGURE 3. Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 (MCT 6953 - I), dorsal view. A, Body. B, Vertex, compound eyes, pronotum, and mesonotum. C, Vertex, compound eyes, pronotum, and part of fore leg. D, Right median tibia and tarsus. E, Pronotum, mesonotum, and scutellum. F, Right fore tarsus. G, Abdomen. H, Distal portion of abdomen bearing setae. Scale bars = 1.0 mm (H), 2.0 mm (A–G).

FIGURE 4. Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 (MCT 6954 - I), dorsal view. A, Body. B, Left middle leg. C, Vertex, compound eyes, pronotum, fore legs and left middle leg. D, Left hind leg. E, Abdomen, including part of respiratory siphon. F, Right hind leg. G, Fore legs. H, Apical portion of abdomen, including part of respiratory siphon. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

FIGURE 5. Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 (MCT 6955 - I; neotype designated in this work), dorsal view. A, Body. B, Vertex, compound eyes, pronotum, and right raptorial fore leg. C, Head, pronotum, mesonotum, and scutellum. D, Pronotum, mesonotum, and scutellum. E, Abdominal tergites and hemelytra partially preserved. F, Hemelytra. G, Femur, tibia with setae, tarsus with setae, and two tarsal claws of left middle leg. H, Distal portion of abdomen with setae and hemelytron membrane partially preserved. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

FIGURE 6. Detailed morphology of Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001 (MCT 6955 - I; neotype designated in this work), dorsal view. A, Body. B, Vertex, compound eyes, right fore tibia and femur, and femora and part of tibiae of middle legs. C, Setae and setal insertions on right middle leg. D, Pronotum, mesonotum, and scutellum. E, Femur and tibia of right hind leg, showing fringe of setae. F, Tarsus of right hind leg, showing setae. G, Distal portion of abdomen and reticulated membrane of hemelytron. H, Apical portion of tibia, tarsus, and tarsal claw of left hind leg, showing tarsal setae. I, Corium of hemelytron, abdominal tergites and laterotergites. J, Veins R, M, Cu, and CuP+A of left hemelytron. K, Femur, tibia, tarsus, and tarsal claws of left middle leg, showing setal fringes. Ce, compound eye; Cr, corium; Cs, claval sulcus; Fe, femur; Ff, fore femur; Fs, fringe of setae; Ft, fore tibia; Lt, abdominal laterotergite; Me, mesonotum; Pr, pronotum; Rm, reticulated membrane; Sc, scutellum; Si, setal insertion; Ta, tarsus; Te, abdominal tergite; Ti, tibia; Tw, tarsal claw; Ve, vertex. Wing veins: A, anal; Cu, cubitus; CuP, cubitus posterior; M, media; R, radius. Scale bars = 5 mm (A), 500 µm (C), 1mm (F), 2 mm (remaining ones).

FIGURE 7. Neponymphes godoii Zamboni, 2001, nymph (SMNS 66593), dorsal view. A, Body.B, Abdomen. C, Vertex, compound eyes, and pronotum. D, Right middle leg. E, Wing pads. F, Right hind leg. G, Right fore leg. H, Tarsus and tarsal claw of right hind leg, showing setae. Scale bars = 2.0 mm. Figure A by Bernd Schuster, from Popov & Bechly (2007), used with permission granted by G. Bechly; remaining ones amplified from Fig. A.