Oiovelia spumicola Spangler

Floriano, Carla Fernanda Burguez & Rodrigues, Higor D. D., 2016, A new species of Oiovelia (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae) from Mesoamerica, with an identification key to the genus, Zootaxa 4144 (4), pp. 584-592 : 591

Oiovelia spumicola Spangler

( Figs. 2 E, 3, 4I, 5B)

Oiovelia spumicola Spangler, 1986: 438 .

Material examined. All specimens macropterous. 2♂ and 1♀ ( USNM), ‘ Venezuela. T. F. Amaz. \ Cerro de La Neblina \ Camp XI. 1450 m.\ 0º52’N . 65º 58’W \ 25–28 February 1985 ’ ‘ In mountain stream\ P.J. & P.M. Spangler \ & R. A. Faitoute’ ‘ Paratype \ Oiovelia \ spumicola \ PJSpangler’.

Discussion. This species is unique because it has not been recorded from other localities since its original description. Probably, it is restricted to elevations above 1,400 m on the border between southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. The apterous and macropterous forms were described by Spangler (1986), and later Rodrigues et. al. (2014) photographed the apterous form and illustrated the genital segments of the male. In this paper, we present for the first time photographs of the macropterous form ( Fig. 3 ). Unlike other species of the genus, it does not have setae on the anterior lobe of the pronotum.

Distribution of the genus Oiovelia . Until now, the genus was recorded only from South America. The records of O. johnpolhemi sp. nov. from Mexico and Belize expand the occurrence of the genus to southern North America and Central America ( Fig. 5 A). The absence of records in central South America ( Figs. 5 ) is notable. Possibly, this distribution pattern is due to a deficit of sampling effort in this area. The same can be seen in southern Central America. Thus, new records and new species are expected to be discovered in both regions.

Oiovelia cunucunumana is the species with the largest distribution in the genus, occurring from northern Venezuela to northeastern Argentina. Oiovelia chenae Rodrigues & Melo , O. hamadae Rodrigues & Melo , O. pydanieli Rodrigues & Melo , and O. spumicola Spangler are probably species with Amazonian distribution. Out of these, O. pydanieli and O. spumicola are recorded only from the Guiana Shield. In contrast, O. brasiliensis Moreira, Nessimian & Rúdio , O. machadoi Rodrigues & Moreira , and O. viannai Rodrigues & Melo are species that occur on the east side of Brazil. The records for O. brasiliensis and O. machadoi are concentrated in the Atlantic Forest, whereas O. viannai is recorded from the Cerrado biome.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Oiovelia spp., segments of male. (A – D) Oiovelia johnpolhemi sp. nov.; (A) dorsal view of tergum VIII; (B) ventral view of sternum VIII; (C) lateral view of abdominal segment VIII; (D) lateral view of genital capsule; (E) O. spumicola, lateral view of genital capsule; (F) O. machadoi, lateral view of genital capsule; (G – N) left paramere in lateral view; (G) O. brasiliensis; (H) O. chenae; (I) O. cunucunumana; (J) O. hamadae; (K) O. machadoi; (L) O. pydanieli; (M) O. rivicola; (N) O. viannai. Figures E, G – J, L – N from Rodrigues et al. (2014); E and K from Rodrigues & Moreira (2016).

FIGURE 3. Oiovelia spumicola, macropterous form. (A) Male paratype, dorsal view; (B) male paratype, ventral view; (C) female paratype, dorsal view; (D) female paratype, ventral view.

FIGURE 5. Geographical records of all species of Oiovelia.