Mesovelia horvathi Lundblad

Man, Yang Chang & Murphy, Dennis H., 2011, Guide To The Aquatic Heteroptera Of Singapore And Peninsular Malaysia. 6. Mesoveliidae, With Description Of A New Nereivelia Species From Singapore, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 59 (1), pp. 53-60 : 54-55

Mesovelia horvathi Lundblad

( Figs. 1, 2 )

Mesovelia horvathi Lundblad, 1933: 190 (type locality, Sumatra).

Mesovelia japonica Miyamoto, 1964: 199 (Synonymised by Polhemus & Polhemus 2000:208).

Material examined. – SINGAPORE: numerous apterus males, females and a few macropterous forms collected from different locations in vegetated pools, ponds, reservoirs, sides of streams, 1980 – 2002.

W. MALAYSIA (all apterus form unless stated): Johore: 10 males, 6 females, Pontain, coll. C.M. Yang, 4 Mar. 1992 ; 1 female, Gunong Pulai, 20 May 1993; 4 males, 1 female, Endau Rompin, Sungei

1. Body slender, size 2.0– 3.5 mm in male. Head length distinctly less than thorax length. Pronotum mid-length shorter or subequal to mesonotum in apterous form. Stout spines on antennae and legs. Apterous and macropterous ....................... 3 Mesovelia

– Body shorter or suboval in shape, size about or less than 2 mm. Head prolonged, subequal length to thorax. Pronotum longer than mesonotum. Spines absent on antennae and legs. Only apterous form known .................................................. 2

2. Eyes vestigial with 3–4 ommatidia. Mesonotum about 2 times the length of metanotum ( Fig. 5 ); size small, 1.0– 1.5 mm .... Cryptovelia (one species, stysi Andersen , recorded from Sarawak).

– Eyes large with 24–30 ommatidia. Mesonotum subequal to length of metanotum, size larger, 1.70–2.20 mm ................... .............................................................................. 4 Nereivelia

3. Posterior margin of middle femur with only 1–2 black spines distally in both sexes, male abdominal sternum VIII without middle black hairs, anteriorly with a pair of black tuft of hairs ( Figs. 1, 2 ) ........................................... M. horvathi Lundblad

– Posterior margin of middle femur armed with row of black spines (10–17) in both sexes. Male abdominal sternum VIII with a tuft of stout black hairs on the middle and one paired patch of pale hairs laterally ( Fig. 3 ) ..... M. vittigera Horváth Pantai Burung, coll. C.M. Yang, 13 Jul. 2001; 1 male, Sungei Temantang, Mawai, coll. H.K. Lua, 24 Feb. 1995; Selangor: 1 macropterous male, Templer Park, coll. C.M. Yang, 15 Nov. 1995 ; 10 males, 6 females, Ulu Gombak, coll. H.K. Lua, 6 May 1996; 2 males, North Selangor peat swamp, Coll. H.K. Lua, 17 Jun. 1991 ; Pahang: 12 males, 13 females, Pulua Tioman (Sungei Keliling, Sungei Paya, Sungei Dungun), Jun. 1997 ; 1 macropterous male, Lake Chini , coll. M. Balke, 17 Apr. 1997 ; 1 male, 4 females, Sungei Belat, coll. B. Tan & G. Sumita, 15 May 1995; Parak : 4 females, Sungei Kenderong, Grik, coll. H.K. Lua, 21 Feb. 1997; 1 male, 2 females, Sungei Lebey, coll. H.K. Lua, 17 Feb. 1997; Perlis: 1 macropterous male, 4 females, Sintok Padang, coll. H.K. Lua, 19 Feb. 1997; Trengganu : 1 male, 2 females, coll. H.K. Lua, 28 Oct. 1998; 1 male, Sekayu, coll. B.Tan & G. Sumita, 16 May 1995; 2 males, Pulua Redang, coll. H.K. Lua, 25 Jun. 1992.

Remarks. – This species is very common in Singapore and Malaysia, also collected from brackish water. Widespread from China, Japan to Australia ( Polhemus & Polhemus, 2000; Andersen & Weir, 2004).

Figures

Fig. 1–2. Mesovelia horvathi Lundblad. 1. apterous male, dorsal view; 2. apterous male, ventral view.

Fig. 5. Cryptovelia stysi Andersen, apterous male, dorsal view (after Andersen, 1999).

Fig. 3. Mesovelia vittigera Horváth, apterous male, ventral view.