Rupisalda austrosinica, Vinokurov, 2015

Vinokurov, Nikolay N., 2015, A new species and new data on distribution of the shore bugs of China (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Saldidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (2), pp. 569-584 : 572-578

Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov.

( Figs 9–21 , 31 )

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: J, CHINA: GUANGDONG: Danxia Shan NP, Xianglong lake (wet rock), 25º01.244′N 113º44.342′E, 98 m a.s.l. [ Fig. 32 ], 23.–26.iv.2013, J. Hájek & J. Růžička lgt.( NMPC). PARATYPES: 3JJ 2♀♀, same data as holotype (2 JJ 1 ♀ – NMPC, 1 J 1 ♀ – ZISP). YUNNAN: Shanzi env., Jizu Shan Mt., Zhusheng monastery, 25º57.7′N, 100º23.6′E, 2180 m a.s.l. [ Fig. 33 ], 22.–24.vi.2007, 1 ♀, J. Hájek & J. Růžička lgt. ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. Recognized by the moderate body size (3.5–4.4 mm); colour of antennal segments III yellowish-white in middle or black, segment IV bicolorous, whitish in basal portion and black in apical portion, or nearly all whitish; labium long, bicolored yellow and dark-brownish, extending far beyond apex of metacoxae; and structure of male ( Figs 15–20 ) and female ( Figs 14 , 21 ) genitalia and terminalia. The new species is similar to the Oriental Rupisalda thailandana ( Cobben, 1986) which is distinguished from R. austrosinica by the different colour pattern of apical antennal segments (III dark-brownish, IV brownish with middle part somewhat paler coloured), labium uniformly dark brown, reaching only apex of metacoxae, and features of male and female genitalia ( Figs 23–29 ). See also Table 2.

Description. Male ( Fig. 9 ). Body black, elongate-oval, body length 3.5–3.7 mm, 2.1–2.3 times as long as wide, hemelytra submacropterous or macropterous. See Table 1 for detailed measurements.

Head ( Fig. 13 ). Eyes large, bluish-gray. Frons dimly shining, with shallow longitudinal groove at middle, wrinkled, smooth along inferior margins of eyes, with short gray adpressed setae and scarce long black hairs shorter than trichobothria. Vertex around ocelli smooth and shiny, with small transverse wrinkles near collar. Ocelli noticeably elevated from surface of vertex, bluish-gray, with narrow yellow margin, separated from each other by 3/4 of width of ocellus. Preocellar spots distinct, yellow, rounded, elongated, with longest side along eyes. Maxillary and mandibular plates yellow, transverse swelling black, shiny; clypeus brown-yellow. Gular area black. Labrum yellow, with dark brown margins. Labium long, extending far beyond apex of metacoxae and reaching base of abdomen, yellow, laterally dark brown. Ratio of antennal segment I to remaining segments: II – 2.0–2.1, III – 1.3–1.54, IV – 1.3–1.6. Segment I ventrally black, with semierect, thin, short black setae, dorsally yellow, flat, with short thick black setae at sides. Segment II black, with narrow yellow ring at base, shiny, densely covered with short black semierect setae. Segment III with thick gray setae, yellowish-white in middle or completely black. Segment IV entirely white, or with dark bands at middle or at middle and apex.

Thorax. Pronotum trapeziform, covered with gray adpressed and long erect black setae, posterior lobe with thin transverse wrinkles; flattened lateral margins narrow, slightly concave, with a row of dark short setae anteriorly. Callus distinctly convex ( Fig. 10 ), smooth, separated from posterior lobe by distinct furrow, reaching anterolateral part of pronotal sides; medial pit deep, with pair of small cavities laterally and posteriorly. Scutellum convex, black, shiny, depressed at middle. Ventral side of thorax, including all acetabula black, shiny, with long white erect setae. Base of pro- and mesocoxae with large black to brown spots, yellow to pale-yellow at middle and white apically; metacoxae white, with small dark spot at base. Femora dark red, with white base and brown flat sides. Tibiae dark-yellow, with a yellowish-white ring subapically and a narrowly dark brown apex. Metatibiae weakly arched in basal part. Tarsal segments I and III dark brown, segment II pale. Forewing ( Fig. 12 ) with short adpressed recumbent golden setae and long erect black setae with curved apex. Hypocostal lamina without secondary suture. Clavus velvety-black, with sub-basal and subapical oblong yellow spots. Corium black and matt, with shiny, wide whitish edge along lateral margin. Endocorium ashy gray at base. Two spots on proximal part of endocorium and two spots on apical part of exocorium white or yellowish white. Two or three small rounded and elongated spots on inner corner of endocorium and in some examined specimens narrow longitudinal yellow spot along R-vein. Membrane dark brown, with pale oblong stripes within cells.

Abdomen black, with white adpressed setae, lateral margins of segments with narrow yellow stripes.

Genitalia. Eversible gland of male genitalia reaching middle of genital segment ( Fig. 10 : eg) or missing. Paramere stout, with comb of long, thin, dark brown hair on smoothly rounded dorsal side, apex of processus hamatus tapered and upturned, processus sensualis flat, with short setae, lateral side with deep notch ( Figs 15–17 ). Outer side of parandria widely narrowed, distance between them narrow ( Fig. 18 ). Penisfilum coiled 1 time ( Fig. 19 ), medial endosomal sclerite horseshoe-shaped ( Fig. 20 ).

Female ( Fig. 11 ). Body length 4.1–4.4 mm. Habitus, coloration, vestiture, and colour pattern of forewing as in male. Subgenital plate triangular, yellow ( Fig. 14 ), spermatheca oblong-oval, thick-walled, without flange ( Fig. 21 ).

Etymology. The species name is an adjective composed of Latin australis (- is, - e) (= southern) and sinicus (- a, - um) (= Chinese), referring to its area of distribution.

Differential diagnosis (see also Table 2). The new species is closely related to Rupisalda thailandana ( Cobben, 1986) and can be considered as its northern counterpart. Both species are similar in vestiture of dorsum, topography of spots on clavus and corium. Rupisalda thailandana differs from the new species by the slender body, very long protruding setae on frons, colour of antennal segments III and IV and labium, bluish-gray hue in anterior half of corium and arrangement of spots within cells on membrane ( Fig. 22 ). The former species also differs in the following features of male and female genitalia: apex of processus hamatus of paramere straight ( Fig. 23 ), lateral side without notch ( Fig. 24 ), end of parandria rounded ( Fig. 25 ), penisfilum coiled 1.5 times ( Fig. 26 ), median endosomal sclerite narrowed ( Fig. 27 ), spermatheca pyriform ( Fig. 29 ).

Habitat. At type locality, Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov. was collected on a vertically exposed wet rock ( Fig. 32 ); the single female from Yunnan was collected in gravelly bank of a forest stream ( Fig. 33 ) (J. Hájek, pers. comm.)

Distribution. China: Guangdong and Yunnan Provinces ( Fig. 31 ).

Systematic placement. Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov. belongs to the Indo-Malayan Saldula fletcheri- group defined by COBBEN (1986) and including so far five species: S. championi Drake, 1954 , S. edita Drake & Hoberlandt, 1951 , S. fletcheri (Distant, 1909) , S. pusana (Distant, 1909) , and S. thailandana Cobben, 1986 . COBBEN (1986) provided the following comment on this species group: ‘The generic attribution of both species [i.e. S. fletcheri and S. thailandana ] considered above needs further study. They apparently belong to a clade which harbours other morphologically more advanced species in the same geographic region, viz. S. championi , edita and pusana . Although detailed habitat descriptions are not available, I presume that this clade has adapted towards a lapidicolous way of life. This group of 5 species shares the plesiomorphous absence of a secondary hypocostal ridge and spermathecal flange. It is further characterized by the following apomorphic traits: proportionally long antennae, first antennal segment flattened dorsally and last segments provided with signal colouration, bowed hind tibiae, loss of abdominal larval organ, displacement of abdominal stigmata towards sternites lateral margin. Some of these and other characteristics are shared by species groups either assigned to Macrosaldula (Europa and northern Asia, COBBEN 1985), or to the genus Rupisalda (Neotropics and Africa, POLHEMUS 1981, 1985, COBBEN 1987). The validity and mutual relationships of these species groups require a more careful cladistics evaluation than has been undertaken up till now.’

However, in a recent monograph on Malayan Leptopodomorpha , POLHEMUS & POLHEMUS (2012) published new data on S. thailandana , based on material from Malaysia and Thailand, and placed this species within the genus Rupisalda . They provided the following comment: ‘Although originally described in the genus Saldula ( COBBEN 1986) , the lack of a secondary hypocostal ridge on the ventral hemelytron, coupled with its general habitus and preference for rheocrenes, places this species in the genus Rupisalda .’ Unfortunately, POLHEMUS & POLHEMUS (2012) did not comment on the remaining species of ‘ Saldula ’ fletcheri species-group.

As the ‘ Saldula ’ fletcheri species-group sensu COBBEN (1986) seems to be a monophyletic clade, the current placement of its included taxa in two different genera is unacceptable and confusing. Therefore, I suggest to include the entire ‘ S. ’ fletcheri species-group in Rupisalda providing the following new combinations: Rupisalda championi ( Drake, 1954) comb. nov., R. edita (Drake & Hoberlandt, 1951) comb. nov., R. fletcheri (Distant, 1909) comb. nov., and R. pusana (Distant, 1909) comb. nov.

Figures

Figs 9–14. Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov.: 9–10 – male (Guangdong); 11 – female (Yunnan); 12 – forewing; 13 – head, frontal view; 14 – female subgenital plate, ventral view. Abbreviations: eg – eversible gland.

Figs 15–21. Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov.: 15–17 – paramere in various positions, 18 – parandria, 19 – penisfilum, 20 – median endosomal sclerite in ventral view, 21 – spermatheca.

Figs 30–31. 30 – Distribution of Macrosaldula bogdashana Luo & Vinokurov, 2011 (1) and Salda littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) (2) in Xinjiang. 31 – distribution of Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov.

Figs 32–36. 32–33 – habitats of Rupisalda austrosinica sp. nov.:32 – Danxia Shan NP, Xianglong lake, 33 – Jizu Shan Mt. 34 – habitat of Saldula burmanica Lindskog, 1975, Haba Xueshan Mts. 35–36 – habitats of Saldula recticollis (Horváth, 1899): 35 – Nanling NNR, Dadongshan; 36 – Danxia Shan NP, slopes of Elder peak (Photo: J. Hájek).

Figs 22–29. Rupisalda thailandana (Cobben, 1986): 22 – forewing;, 23, 24 – paramere in various positions; 25 – parandria; 26 – penisfilum; 27 – medial endosomal sclerite; 28 – subgenital plate; 29 – spermatheca. Figures after COBBEN (1986).