Neomacrocoris parviceps (Montandon)

Sites, Robert W., 2015, A new species, new synonymy, and notes on Neomacrocoris (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae), Zootaxa 3964 (5), pp. 553-560 : 557-558

Neomacrocoris parviceps (Montandon)

Macrocoris parviceps Montandon 1900 : Termé. Füz. 23: 422.

Neomacrocoris parviceps: Montandon 1913 , Bul. Soc. Rom. Ştiinţe, 22: 332.

Discussion. This species is widespread throughout much of Africa; thus, it is variable in its expression. It is known from the Ivory Coast ( Sites & Mbogho 2012) east to Sudan ( Linnavuori 1981) and south through the Democratic Republic of Congo ( Poisson 1948, 1949) and Tanzania ( Mbogho & Sites 2013) to South Africa ( Sites & Mbogho 2012). Reported here are the first records of this species from Morogoro Region of Tanzania and Mbale District in eastern Uganda. The limited previous Uganda records were from Jinja District and Namanve Swamp, both near the northern end of Lake Victoria. I collected in Namanve Swamp in August 2013 (L-1636); the swamp has been destroyed for commercial interests to the point that less than 1% of the swamp remained. No specimens of Neomacrocoris were collected in the small tract of remaining swamp. However, further north in Kapchorwa and Mbale districts, I collected several adult and immature specimens in small, muddy agricultural streams in the mountains. In Morogoro Region of Tanzania, many specimens were collected in the muddy, vegetated margins of streams.

Material examined. TANZANIA: MOROGORO REGION, Kilombero District, Mwaya River at Mang'ula, 07º 50.945'S, 36º 53.201'E, elev. 313 m, 7 August 2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho, G. Rwegasira, muddy/veg margins of sand/gravel stream, L-1623 (UMC, 23♂, 19♀); Kisawasawa River at Kisawasawa, 07º 53.596'S, 36º 52.311'E, elev. 326 m, 8 August 2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho, G. Rwegasira, veg margins of sandy stream L-1625 (UMC, 11♂, 8♀); Sonjo River at Sonjo, 07º 48.490'S, 36º 53.785'E, elev. 320 m, 8 August 2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho, G. Rwegasira, veg margins of rocky stream, L-1626 (UMC, 16♂, 11♀); Sumbugulu River at Kidatu, 07º 43.371'S, 36º 56.013'E, elev. 306 m, 8 August 2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho, G. Rwegasira, veg margins of rocky stream, L- 1627 (UMC, 7♂, 9♀); Kiberege River at Kiberege, 07º 56.871'S, 36º 51.378'E, elev. 299 m, 8 August 2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho, G. Rwegasira, vegetated margins of sandy stream, L-1628 (UMC, 3♂, 5♀); Ilahi River at Iraguwa, 08º 30.336'S, 36º 31.660'E, elev 313 m, 9 August 2013, R.W. Sites & G. Rwegasira, muddy stream w/ vegetated margins, L-1633 (UMC, 2♀). UGANDA: KAPCHORWA DISTRICT: Chekwenda River, 01º 20.633'N, 34º 20.372'E, elev. 1360 m, 14 August 2013, R.W. Sites & M. Masanza, veg margins of muddy stream, L-1641 (UMC, 1♂, 1♀, 2 nymphs). MBALE DISTRICT, Nambale, ca. 4 km S Mbale, 01º 00.392'N, 34º 11.394'E, elev. 1159 m, 14 August 2013, R.W. Sites & M. Masanza, gravel strm with veg margins, L-1643 (UMC, 1♂).

Published records. See records of N. parviceps in Sites & Mbogho (2012).