Rhagovelia nicolai, Padilla-Gil, Dora N., 2011

Padilla-Gil, Dora N., 2011, Four new species of Rhagovelia in the robusta group from Colombia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae), Zootaxa 2975, pp. 35-46 : 38-41

Rhagovelia nicolai sp. n.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, apt 3, allotype apt Ƥ: COLOMBIA, Nariño, Altaquer, Reserva Río Ñambi, 1100−1900 m, 2 October 2007, leg. D.N. Padilla, ( ICN). PARATYPES, same data as holotype, of these the following have been distributed: 1 apt 3, 2 apt Ƥ (PSO-CZ).

Apterous Male. Length 5.66, maximum width (across pronotum) 2.0 ( Fig. 8 ). General dorsal coloration uniform orange-brown, with anterior band of pronotum yellowish-brown. All margins (dorsal and ventral) of segments dark brown.

Head orange-brown, frons and vertex bearing stiff brown setae; antennae yellowish, segments III and IV orange-brown, all segments covered with very short, semi-recumbent dark pubescence, segments I and II also bearing ~6 long stiff, erect, black setae, segment I −III with scattered pale, erect pilose setae along anterior margins, lengths of these setae exceeding the diameter of the segments; lengths of segments I −IV, 1.24, 0.80, 0.72, 0.72.

Pronotum orange-brown, anterior 1/5 yellowish-brown, this area of paler coloration extending downward across pleural region; pronotal surface and posterior lateral margins of prosternum and metasternum with very shallow, scattered foveae, pronotal surface covered with fine, short black setae, lateral and posterior margins and adjacent mesopleural area bearing many long, erect, black setae; length/width: 1.4/2.0, completely covering mesonotum but leaving small portion of metanotum exposed; length of exposed metanotum at midline 0.26.

Abdomen brown, margins of tergites I −VII narrowly pruinose; tergite I (0.30) shorter than II (0.34), tergite IV (0.28) shorter than III (0.32); tergites V −VII progressively longer (0.30, 0.32, 0.48 respectively), tergite VIII shorter than VII (0.30); tergites I −VII and all connexival segments covered with short, recumbent light yellow setae intermixed with scattered erect slender black setae.

Legs yellowish to orange-brown ventrally, darker brown dorsally, with distal portions dorsal of hind femur and terminal tarsal segments of middle and hind legs becoming blackish distally; all segments thickly covered with short, erect slender black setae, fore and middle trochanters unarmed, posterior trochanter bearing 5 small, subequal black peg-like teeth; fore, middle, and hind trochanters, femora, and tibiae bearing numerous long, erect, pilose black setae; fore tibia weakly expanded and concave ventrally on distal 1/5, with small black grasping pad apically on posterior margin; middle femur and tibia slender, cylindrical; hind femur greatly incrassate, dorsal longitudinal row containing 9 black teeth: 3 small teeth followed by a gap, then 5 teeth on distal 2/3 with 1 very large spine-like tooth followed by 4 subequal peg-like teeth and 1 moderately large spine-like tooth near the center of apex femur; organized ventral spine row lacking, ventral surface instead bearing ~40 moderate sized black peg-like teeth ( Fig. 9 ); hind femur with several spots on region dorsal of anterior ventral surface. Hind tibia weakly sinuate and dorsoventrally flattened ( Fig. 8 ), ventral surface with 2 longitudinal rows along posterior margin, basal 2/3 with 28 black peg-like teeth, apical 2/3 with a large peg-like black spine followed by 17 smaller subequal-sized teeth, additionally with a moderate length, black, pre-apical spine and a conical, black apical spur.

Proportions of male legs as follows: fore femur/tibia/tarsal 1/tarsal 2: 1.40/1.52/0.10/0.40; middle femur/tibia/ tarsal 1/tarsal 2/tarsal 3: 2.40/1.80/0.10/0.64/1.00; hind femur/ tibia/ tarsal 1/tarsal 2/tarsal 3: 2.40/2.52/0.04/0.22/ 0.44.

Venter yellow to orange-brown, abdominal ventrites I −V bearing longitudinal median carina, this carina more pronounced on basal segments I and II; segment I very depressed on either side of carina; ventrite VII not depressed, posterolateral margins lacking black denticles on each side bordering genital cavity; ventrite VIII not depressed basally; parameres symmetrical, stout basally, tips expanded, shape as show in Fig. 10 ; proctiger ( Fig. 11 ).

Apterous female. Length 5.66, maximum width (across pronotum) 1.8. Similar to wingless male in general structure and coloration with the following exceptions: lengths of antennal segments I −IV, 1.12, 0.64, 0.64, 0.60. Abdomen, tergite I (0.28) shorter than II (0.30), tergites III −V, VII equal in length (0.32), VI: 0.35, VIII: 0.24; connexiva tapering gradually and evenly to apex of abdomen, connexival margins weakly bowed, of even width throughout their length; abdominal tergites IV −VIII lacking long, slender, erect, black setae, abdominal ventrites lacking longitudinal medial carina; proctiger lying in horizontal position, tip rounded ( Fig. 12 ); hind femur moderately incrassate ( Fig. 13 ), ventral surface with 2 roughly parallel irregular longitudinal rows of spines, near to middle femur, dorsal row containing 5 black teeth, of this, the first large black tooth, followed by a gap, then 4 teeth, the first one very large tooth followed by 3 teeth decreasing gradually in size toward distal end, all yellow with black tips, ventral row composed of 5 smaller subequal-sized black teeth. Hind tibia straight, ventral surface with 2 parallel longitudinal rows of 48 black, peglike teeth along posterior margin, without spine at apex.

Macropterous form: unknown

Type locality. Río Ñambí, Altaquer is located at 1º 18' N, 78º 0 5 W, the average temperature is 18º C.

Ecological notes. R. nicolai was found along small shaded streamlets, on calm pools; in premontane pluvial, primary forest.

Etymology. This species name is dedicated to my son “Nicolas”.

Comparative notes. Rhagovelia nicolai ( Figs. 8−13 ) is characterized by the shape of the male paramere ( Fig. 10 ) and armature of the male hind leg ( Fig. 9 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Rhagovelia nicolai sp. n., apterous male, dorsal habitus. Scale 1 mm.

FIGURES 9 − 13. Structural details of Rhagovelia nicolai sp. n., 9 − 11 male. 9, hind leg. Scale 0.25 mm; 10, paramere (setae omitted). Scale 0.05 mm; 11, proctiger. Scale 0.05 mm; 12, female abdomen, lateral view. Scale 1 mm; 13, female hind femur, dorsal view. Scale 0.25 mm.