Steinovelia vinnula ( Drake, 1951 )

Rodrigues, Higor D. D. & Arango, Luisa Fernanda Álvarez, 2019, A new species of Oiovelia from Colombia, with notes for other three species of South American Veliinae (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (Pap. Avulsos Zool., S. Paulo) 59, pp. 1-9 : 7-9

Steinovelia vinnula ( Drake, 1951)

( Figs. 4 A-C, 5)

Velia vinnula Drake, 1951: 375-376 (original description). Paravelia vinnula: Polhemus, 1976: 513 (new comb.). Steinovelia vinnula: Polhemus & Polhemus, 1993: 397

(new comb.); Nieser & Melo, 1997: 100 (identification

key).

Description: Micropterous female (n = 1). Body length 4.40, maximum width (across the humeral angles) 1.05. Similar to macropterous specimens ( Fig. 4 A-B), except: pronotum narrower. Fore wings reduced, reaching anterior margin of abdominal mediotergite II ( Fig. 4A ). Abdominal mediotergites II-V with a longitudinal dark brown stripe medially; VI almost entirely dark brown; VII with lateral margins dark brown.

Distribution: Brazil, Amazonas: Iranduba (present study); Maranhão: Santa Helena (present study); São Paulo: Ribeirão Preto ( Drake, 1951) ( Fig. 5 ).

Discussion: Steinovelia vinnula can be easily distinguished from other species of the genus based on the broad hind femur with large spines centrally on the mesal margin ( Figs. 4 A-C). Despite this fact, the short description and lack of drawings in Drake (1951) might have led to confusion between this species and S. virgata (White, 1879) ( Fig. 4D ) by subsequent authors. Possible synonymy between S.vinnula and S.virgata was suggest- ed by Nieser & Melo (1997), but not confirmed because types were not available to them. In their identification key, only a minor difference in the antennal proportions was given to distinguish the two species.After examining the type specimens of both for the present study, we are certain of the validity of the two as distinct species. The main morphological difference between S. vinnula and S. virgata is the thickness of the hind femur and the size of its spines of the mesal margin (compare Figs. 4 C-D).

Type material examined: HOLOTYPE (macropterous female, pinned, NMNH): Ribeiro Preto [= Ribeirão Preto], São Paulo Brazil, January 26, 1939, E.J. Hambleton / CJ Drake Coll. 1956/ USNM ENT 00871020 .

Additional material examined: BRAZIL, Amazonas, Iranduba, várzea do Rio Solimões, Lago da Marchantaria , 27.VI.2011, H. Rodrigues col. (1 micropterous female, glued to a paper point, MZUSP) ; BRAZIL, Maranhão, Santa Helena, Alto Turi , 18.VIII.1965, Cerq. & Ed. col. (1 macropterous female, pinned, INPA) .

Figures

Figure 4.Steinoveliaspp.(A-C)Steinoveliavinnula, (A-B) micropterous femalefrom Iranduba,Brasil (MZUSP),(A) dorsal view,(B)ventral view;(C) Macropterous female fromSantaHelena,Brasil(INPA),dorsalview;(D)Steinoveliavirgata,macropterous femalefromRioGrandedoSul,Brasil,dorsalview(MZUSP).Size bar=1mm.

Figure 5. Distribution records for the species treated in the present study.