Macrocoris flavicollis Signoret, 1861

Mbogho, Aaron Y. & Sites, Robert W., 2013, Naucoridae Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Tanzania, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 513-513 : 526-528

Macrocoris flavicollis Signoret, 1861

Figs 9 , 20 , 30

Macrocoris flavicollis: Signoret 1861: 970 .

Diagnosis: This species is variable in appearance, but fresh specimens have a distinctly green pronotum and legs ( Fig. 20 ), which fade to yellow in alcohol or exposure to light. This species also is characterized by a concolorous connexivum.

Material examined: TANZANIA: Kagera Region: ca 5 km E of Bhiaramulo, 2°38.159'S 31°20.789'E, 1427 m, 26.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, roadside pool with grasses, algae, lily pads, L-1154 ( UMC; 3♀) ; Benako Reservoir , 2°28.081'S 30°51.355'E, 1492 m, 26.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, marginal vegetation on dam, L-1156 ( UMC; 3♂, 7♀, 1 nymph) ; Karenge , 3°07.936'S 31°04.530'E, 1234 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shallow pools with heavy vegetation and cattle use, L-1157 ( UMC; 1♂, 2♀) . Kigoma Region:W of Kibondo, Mpemvyi River , 3°44.028'S 30°41.945'E, 1225 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, pooled areas of slow stream, L-1160 ( UMC; 1♀) ; Nyakivaya Lake , ca 5 km N of Kasulu, 4°16.455'S 30°26.111'E, 1165 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shallow small lake with heavy vegetation, L-1161 ( UMC; 19♂, 15♀, 14 nymphs) ; Luchugi River , 4°31.733'S 30°09.699'E, 1217 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, small stream, L-1162 ( UMC; 1♂) ; 15 km N of Kigoma, Mungonya River , 4°50.337'S 29°40.001'E, 806 m, 28.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, muddy bank with sparse marginal vegetation, L-1169 ( UMC; 2♂, 6♀) ; Msimba , ca 18 km N of Kigoma, 4°51.058'S 29°42.552'E, 807 m, 28.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, very slowly flowing stream with marginal vegetation, L-1170 ( UMC; 15♂, 7♀) ; Katosho Reservoir , 8 km E of Kigoma, 4°51.221'S 29°39.436'E, 802 m, 28.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, emergent dead tall grasses in turbid reservoir, L-1171 ( UMC; 2♂, 2♀) ; Gombe National Park, Mwagongo, Nkonya River , 4°37.351'S 29°38.319'E, 775 m, 29.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, gravel/rocky clear stream with sparse marginal veg, L-1173 ( UMC; 4♂, 1♀) ; Gombe National Park, Rutanga stream, 4°39.111'S 29°37.660'E, 776 m, 29.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, sandy & muddy stream with heavy vegetation, L-1175 ( UMC; 1♂, 1♀) . Iringa Region: Tanganyika, Ikoga Marshes , 8°20'S 34°30'E, 3500 ft, 9.viii.1959 ( UMC; 1♂) ; same locality, 19–20.viii.1959 ( UMC; 2♀) . Mara Region: Tairo , ca 5 km E of Bunda, 2°33.827'S 33°45.695'E, 1230 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, heavily vegetated pond margins, L-1146 ( UMC; 1♂, 2♀, 4 nymphs) ; Ushashi , ca 5 km N of Nyiendo, 2°00.540'S 33°55.241'E, 1344 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, vegetated pond margins, L-1147 ( UMC; 2♂, 3♀) . Mbeya Region: 1 km N of Nyenjele, Muwawa River , 8°55.289'S 32°21.583'E, 1448 m, 3.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, pool with overhanging grasses, L-1206 ( NMSA, UMC; 12♂, 15♀) ; Itunga inlet, Lake Nyassa , 9°35.094'S 33°56.769'E, 482 m, 4.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, heavy marginal vegetation at boat ramp, L-1208 ( UMC; 10♂, 10♀, 2 nymphs) . Morogoro Region: Mikumi National Park , 7°21.608'S 37°03.337'E, 529 m, 7.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, heavily vegetated seasonal pond, L-1219 ( UMC; 1 nymph) ; ca 21 miles NW of Morogoro, 6°29.634'S 37°33.465'E, 372 m, 7.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, heavily vegetated pond ringed with reed grass, L-1220 ( UMC; 2♂, 2 nymphs) ; Kisawasawa River at Kisawasawa , 7°50.596'S 36°52.311'E, 326m, 8.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, vegetated margins of sandy stream, L-1625 ( UMC; 1♂, 4♀) ; Sonjo River at Sonjo , 7°48.490'S 36°53.785'E, 320 m, 8.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, vegetated margins of rocky stream, L-1626 ( UMC; 1♀) ; Sumbugulu River at Kidatu , 7°43.371'S 36°56.013'E, 306 m, 8.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, veg margins of rocky stream, L-1627 ( UMC; 2♂, 3♀) ; Kiberege River at Kiberege , 7°56.871'S 36°51.378'E, 299m, 8.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, vegetated margins of sandy stream, L-1628 ( UMC; 1♂, 3♀) ; Mbasa River at Mahandaki , 8°23.638'S 36°38.707'E, 299 m, 9.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, muddy impoundment of slow stream,L-1630 ( UMC; 2♀) . Mwanza Region: Kisesa , ca 20 km NE Mwanza, 2°33.345'S 33°03.652'E, 1230 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, vegetated pond margins, L-1144 ( UMC; 9♂, 5♀, 6 nymphs) ; near Kashishi , 2°16.239'S 33°48.314'E, 1344 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, vegetated pond margins L-1149 ( UMC; 1♂) ; Nyanguge , 2°32.619'S 33°13.181'E, 1159 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, large vegetated pond, no cattle usage, L-1151 ( UMC; 12♂, 8♀, 1 nymph) . Rukwa Region: 5°12.863'S 30°23.357'E, 1206 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, slow stream pools with algae & overhanging vegetation, L-1184 ( UMC; 1♀) ; 93 km N of Mpanda, Kapipula stream, 5°42.233'S 30°41.563'E, 1326 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, stream wetland with dense emergent grasses, L-1186 ( UMC; 2♂) ; 57km N of Mpanda, Masito / Ogala , 5°56.742'S 30°57.812'E, 1144 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, slow stream, coarse roots at margin, L-1187 ( UMC; 1♂) ; Sau River at Kasunga , 8°03.444'S 31°30.112'E, 1795 m, 2.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, marginal dense vegetation in cattle pool of stream, L-1200 ( UMC; 3♀) ; Kamawe River at Puwi , 8°21.029'S 31°50.054'E, 1598 m, 3.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, clear stream, marginal vegetation, some rocks, L-1205 ( UMC; 2♀) . Ruvuma Region: ca 5 km N of Songea, Luwila River , 10°37.510'S 35°39.199'E, 1086 m, 5.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, slow sandy stream with overhanging vegetation, L-1210 ( UMC, 1♂, 1♀) ; 20 km N of Songea, Lumecha River at Samangula , 10°30.149'S 35°40.268'E, 994m, 5.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, overhanging grasses, L-1211 ( UMC; 2♂, 1♀) ; Hanga River at Ngadinda , 10°10.264'S 35°39.611'E, 777 m, 5.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, overhanging vegetation and matete, L-1213 ( UMC; 1♀) . Singida Region: Kipumbuiko River , 5°05.667'S 34°45.940'E, 1516 m, 8.viii.2010; R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shallow silty stream with algae & Typha angustifolia , L-1225 ( UMC; 2♂, 1♀) . Tanga Region: Kihuuwi River at Timba , 5°07.683'S 38°41.418'E, 174 m, 15.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, marginal grasses with silty/rocky bottom, L-1260 ( UMC; 1♀) . ZANZIBAR: Kaskazini Region: Kitope River at Zingwezingwe Bridge , 6°00.963'S 39°14.734'E, 39m, 17.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, discontinuous pools with aquatic veg and grasses, L-1265 ( UMC; 2♀) ; Kitope River at Mkaratini Bridge , 6°00.714'S 39°14.841'E, 30 m, 17.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, discontinuous pools with aquatic vegetation and grasses, L-1266 ( UMC; 2♀) .

Extralimital material examined: [ BOTSWANA]: V.-L. Kal. Exp., Tsotsorogo Pan, 17/6/-9/7/30 ( TMSA, 1♀) . [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO]: Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Katanga: Mwadingusha , 27-V-1965, W. Verheyen ( RMCA; 1♀) . KENYA: 31 m W of Eldoret , 5500’, 19 VI 1964, E.S. Brown 799, B.M. 1966-102 ( BMNH; 2♂, 2♀) . [ MALAWI]: Nyasaland, S.W. of Lake Chilwa , 9 Jan. 1914, S. A. Neave ( BMNH; 1♀) ; Nyasaland, Mlanje , 4 X 13, 2300 ft., S. A. Neave, 1914-75 ( BMNH; 1♀) . NIGERIA: N. Nigeria, Azare , 1928-1929, Dr. Ll. Lloyd / Pres. by Imp. Inst. Ent. B. M. 1936-11 ( BMNH; 4♂, 3♀) ; R. Matagi, 28 mls from Kano,. iv.1963 / Mr. & Mrs. Omer-Cooper, B. M. 1969-138 ( BMNH; 1♀) ; Kadura, Kontagora Rd. , 3.iv.1963 / (15) pools bridge over tributary / Mr. & Mrs. Omer-Cooper, B. M. 1969-138 ( BMNH; 1♀) . SOUTH AFRICA: Natal , 13 mi. SW Empangeni, III-24-1968, Paul Spangler ( UMC, 3♀) ; Natal, Richard’s Bay , 28°48'S 32°06'E, 20-I-2008, P.E. Reavell / Sontulu pan scirpetum ( PRC; 1♀) ; kz-natal, between Empangeni & Richards Bay , unnamed pan, 28°50'S 32°00'E, 15 m asl, 14-IV-89, P.E. Reavell / Ludwigia zone ( PRC; 1♂) ; Natal #13G, Empangeni , 28°38'S 31°42'E, 150 m, 7-IV-87, P.E. Reavell / Leersia hexandra bed, golf pond ( PRC; 1♂) ; KZ-Natal, Nyala Game Reserve 28°39'S 31°40'E, 100 m, Date: 12-XI-89, P.E. Reavell / Mbondwe pan ( PRC; 1♂) ; Lake Banghazi Natal RSA, 2 V 1989, C.C.Appleton / Collection of D.H. Jacobs ( DHJC; 1♀) . SUDAN: A.E. Sudan, Equatorial Prov., Li Rangu, 15 mls. from Yambio , Feb.-March 1948 / from streams / P.H. Abbott Coll., B.M. 1948-306 ( BMNH; 1♂, 3♀) ; Equatoria ,. i.1954, Nyangwara / Mr. & Mrs. Omer-Cooper, B. M. 1969-138 ( BMNH; 1♀) . UGANDA: Kampala,. viii.1932, G.L.R. Hancock, NA.2 / Pres. by Imp. Inst. Ent. B. M. 1936-585 ( BMNH; 1♂) . [ ZIMBABWE]: S. Rhodesia, Glyro River, Byo-Wankie Rd. , Sept. 1948 / J. Omer-Cooper, B. M. 1969-138 ( BMNH; 1♀) ; St. between Salisbury + Bromly , 12.xi.1948 / Mr. & Mrs. Omer-Cooper, B. M. 1969-138 ( BMNH; 1♀) ; Inyagui Riv. , Sept. 1948 / J. Omer-Cooper, B. M. 1969-138 ( BMNH; 1♂) .

Distribution: In addition to Madagascar and Zanzibar, from which M. flavicollis was described ( Signoret 1861), this species has been recorded from Sudan ( Linnavuori 1971, 1981) west through Chad (Poisson 1949; Linnavuori 1981), Central African Republic, Nigeria (Linnavuori 1981), Benin (Poisson 1951 a), and Ivory Coast (Linnavuori 1981), south through Uganda, Kenya (Montandon 1914; Poisson 1967), Congo (Poisson 1967; Linnavuori 1971), Tanzania (Poisson 1963), Rwanda (Poisson 1949), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Poisson 1949, 1963), and Mozambique (Montandon 1899). We also have examined specimens from Botswana, Malawi, and South Africa. In Tanzania, M. flavicollis occurs throughout the country wherever appropriate vegetated lentic habitat is found. Specifically, we collected it from Kagera, Kigoma, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mwanza, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Singida, Tanga, and Kaskazini regions. It was not collected from Arusha, Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, and Manyara regions.

Discussion: Macrocoris flavicollis was described by Signoret (1861) from specimens from Madagascar and Zanzibar. Specimens that we collected in Zanzibar agree with the original description and generally match the type housed at NHMW and specimens identified by Montandon, Poisson and others.

Poisson (1948 b) indicated that size (8–10 mm) and pigmentation of the species are variable, and later (Poisson 1949) described two subspecies of M. flavicollis based on pronotum characteristics and body size. More specifically, M. f. chariensis Poisson is known from only the Chari Basin of Chad and has the pronotum clear yellow with few or no small black spots and is smaller in body size. M. f. uelei Poisson has the pronotum with larger, confluent black spots and the anterior black spots on the posterior lobe are larger than are those of the nominate subspecies. This subspecies was described from Uele in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Poisson 1949) and also is known from Chad (Bebedja), Ivory Coast, and central Sudan; it was found among Ceratophyllum and other vegetation and in a swimming pool (Linnavuori 1981). M. f. flavicollis is known from eastern Sudan south throughout most of Africa south of the ranges of M. f. chariensis and M. f. uelei and was recorded from marginal emergent vegetation in pans and a marsh as deep as 2.5 feet in Zimbabwe ( Weir 1966). Linnavuori (1981) reported that this subspecies occurs among vegetation in eutrophic waters.

Figures

Figs 9–14. Male genitalia: (9) Macrocoris flavicollis, (10) Naucoris obscuratus, (11) Neomacrocoris karimii, (12) Neomacrocoris bondelaufa, (13) Neomacrocoris parviceps, (14) Neomacrocoris vuga. Abbreviations: LP – left paramere, RP – right paramere, ph – phallosoma, ve – vesica. (Figs 11–14 are reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)

Figs 20–22. (20) Macrocoris flavicollis female from L-1260, (21) Macrocoris laticollis male from L-1156, (22) Naucoris obscuratus female from Lake Rukwa,Tanzania.Sizes are proportionate among figures.

Fig.30.Distribution maps of13 speciesof Naucoridae known from Tanzania.Notincluded is Neomacrocoris usambaricus, which was recorded from West Usambara. (Map for N. bondelaufa and N. vuga is reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)