Strongylovelia balteiformis, Ye, Zhen, Chen, Pingping & Bu, Wenjun, 2015

Ye, Zhen, Chen, Pingping & Bu, Wenjun, 2015, A review of the Strongylovelia Esaki, 1924 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from China, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 3920 (4), pp. 534-544 : 536-544

Strongylovelia balteiformis sp. n.

( Figs. 3 , 8, 12, 15, 20, 31, 32, 33, 34, 43)

Material examined. Holotype: apterous female, CHINA, Yunnan Prov., Xishuangbanna, Jinghong city, Puwen town, Caiyanghe Nature Reserve (22°31'N, 101°03'E), 25 April 2011, Zhen Ye leg. ( NKUM). Paratypes: 7 apterous males, 6 apterous females, 1 macropterous male, same data as holotype ( NKUM); 2 apterous males, 3 apterous females, Xishuangbanna, Jinghong city, Mengla county, Mengman town (21°17'N, 101°18'E), 30 April 2011, Zhen Ye leg. ( NKUM); 3 apterous female, Xishuangbanna, Jinghong city, Mengla county, Menglun town, Manzhang village (21°55'N, 101°12'E), 4 August 2010, Zhen Ye leg ( NKUM).

Diagnosis. Strongylovelia balteiformis sp. n. is similar to S. setosa Tran & Zettel, 2006 , with both of these two species having a similar and characteristically shaped large whitish, mark on the mesonotum ( Fig. 3 ). However, S. balteiformis sp. n. can be distinguished by relatively large body (in the apterous female of S. balteiformis sp. n., the body length is 1.51–1.54, whereas in the apterous female of S. setosa , the body length is 1.36–1.44 mm); by having the anterior half of the middle trochanter whitish in male and female; and by the connexivum VII of female with relatively long, posterodorsad-directed bristle-like hairs in lateral view ( Fig. 15 ).

Description. Apterous female ( Fig. 3 ). Colour: head almost black, inner margin of eyes slightly embrowned (often indistinct), clypeus blackish brown, rostrum dark brown with black apex, antennae shining black; pronotum black; mesonotum with characteristically shaped large whitish mark ( Fig. 3 ), mesosternum whitish with infuscated acetabula, extending onto the largely whitish mesopleura ( Fig. 15 ); metanotum black, completely fused with the mesonotum; legs mainly black, except anterior half part of middle trochanter, entire hind trochanter, fore femur except for distal apex and basal third of hind femur whitish; abdomen black with limited patches of silvery hairs on mediotergites. Structural characteristics: body length 1.51–1.54 (holotype: 1.53), body width 0.86–0.88 (holotype: 0.88), body length 1.74 times body width, small sized, tear-shaped, mainly with short, gray or silvery, appressed pubescence; head shorter than wide, head width: 0.61–0.62, head length: 0.17–0.18, head width about 3.58 times head length, eyes globose and relatively large, antennae relatively slender, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.13, 0.16, 0.25, 0.22, antennal segment II slightly longer than segment I; thoracic dorsum clearly raised above abdominal tergites, pronotum rather short, pronotum width: 0.71–0.73, pronotum length: 0.08–0.09, about 7.89 times as wide as long, suture between pronotum and mesonotum distinct, prosternum medially along the basal part of coxae with some scattered black peg-like spiculae, metanotum completely fused with the mesonotum; fore tibiae unmodified, only with dense, short spine-like hairs, middle femora very long, with short, appressed hairs, middle tarsal segment I longer than segment II, hind femora slightly thicker than fore and middle femora, hind tarsal segment I shorter than segment II, lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.38, 0.33 and 0.13 (0.03 + 0.10), middle leg: 0.76, 0.60 and 0.46 (0.28 + 0.18), hind leg: 0.46, 0.40 and 0.18 (0.08 + 0.10); abdomen relatively broad at base, distinctly tapering posteriorly, mediotergites with very short, silvery, appressed pubescence, mediotergites II–III slightly depressed, mediotergite VII shining black, connexiva raised vertically; FIGURES. 6–12. Habitus of Strongylovelia spp. (males, legs omitted). 6. S. formosa Esaki, 1924 ; 7. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006 ; 8. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 9. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 10. S. hainanensis sp. n.; 11. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006 , macropterous form; 12. S. balteiformis sp. n., macropterous form. Scale 1.0 mm.

relatively long, posteriorly-directed bristle-like hairs present on connexivum VII in lateral view ( Fig. 15 ). Genital segments with proctiger well developed, slanting nearly vertically, covering apex of abdomen.

Apterous male (Fig. 8). Colour as in female, mesonotum with band-shaped whitish mark (Fig. 8), Body relatively small, body length 1.18–1.21, body width 0.71–0.73, body length 1.64 times body width, structure of head including antennae as in female, head width: 0.54–0.56, head length: 0.13–0.15, head width about 3.73 times head length, antennae about 0.53 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.12, 0.13, 0.20, 0.19; pronotum width: 0.59–0.61, pronotum length: 0.07–0.08, about 7.5 times as wide as long, hind femora distinctly stouter than in female, lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.31, 0.30 and 0.13 (0.03 + 0.10), middle leg: 0.65, 0.53 and 0.43 (0.24 + 0.19), hind leg: 0.46, 0.32 and 0.13 (0.05 + 0.08); mediotergite VII large, hind margin with some relatively long, posteriorly-directed hairs. Genital segments with segment VIII about 1.28 times as long as wide, cylindrical, with anterior margin strongly depressed ventrally, posterior margin with distinctly band-shaped, infusicated zone ( Fig. 20 ), pygophore oval ( Fig. 31 ), proctiger simple, paramere stout and curved, blade of apex of each paramere relatively acute ( Figs. 32, 33, 34 ).

Macropterous male (Fig. 12). Ground colour as in apterous morph. Body length 2.13 (including forewing length); structure of head including antennae as in female, head width: 0.57, head length: 0.15, head width about 3.8 times head length, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.12, 0.14, 0.22, 0.20; pronotum pentagonal in outline, with characteristically shaped large whitish mark (Fig. 12), pronotum width: 0.82, pronotum length: 0.55, about 1.49 times as wide as long; lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.30, 0.30 and 0.13 (0.03 + 0.13), middle leg: 0.78, 0.55 and 0.43 (0.26 + 0.17), hind leg: 0.50, 0.39 and 0.14 (0.04 + 0.10); forewings almost blackish, surpassing posterior tip of body. Other characters as in apterous male.

Macropterous female: unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin balteiformis (meaning band-shaped), referring to posterior margin of male abdominal segment VIII with its distinctly band-shaped, infusicated zone as seen in ventral view.

Distribution. China (Yunnan) ( Fig. 43 ).

Strongylovelia fasciaria sp. n.

( Figs. 4 , 9, 16, 21, 35, 36, 37, 38, 43)

Material examined. Holotype: apterous female, CHINA, Guizhou Prov., Libo county, Maolan town, Maolan Nature Reserve, Yaogu (25°19'N, 107°57'E), 3 August 2013, Zhen Ye leg. ( NKUM). Paratype: 1 apterous male, same data as holotype ( NKUM).

Diagnosis. Strongylovelia fasciaria sp. n. seems to be closely related to S. formosa , with both of these two species having similar body size and a prominent, posteriorly-directed tuft of long bristles caudally. However, S. fasciaria sp. n. can be distinguished by the strip-shaped, whitish mark on the mesonotum (compare Figs. 4 , 9 with Figs. 1 , 6); by the presence of small whitish markings on the female mesopleura ( Fig. 16 ); and by having the male paramere much more slender in external and internal view ( Figs. 36, 37 ).

Description. Apterous female ( Fig. 4 ). Colour: head almost black, inner margin of eyes with distinct yellow brown marking, clypeus blackish brown, rostrum dark brown with black apex, antennae shining black except antennal segment I whitish; pronotum black; prosternum anteriorly along hind margin of eyes with a pairs of small, whitish patches; mesonotum with characteristically shaped, relatively small whitish mark ( Fig. 4 ), mesosternum whitish with infuscated acetabula, confluent with small whitish markings on mesopleura ( Fig. 16 ); metanotum black, completely fused with the mesonotum; legs mainly black, except middle and hind trochanter, fore femur except for distal apex, and basal half of hind femur whitish; abdomen black with limited patches of silvery hairs on mediotergites. Structural characteristics: body length 1.64, body width 1.01, body length 1.62 times body width, small sized, tear-shaped, bearing short, gray or silvery, appressed pubescence; head shorter than wide, head width: 0.66, head length: 0.18, head width about 3.67 times head length, eyes globose and relatively large, antennae relatively slender, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.19, 0.20, 0.40, 0.27; thoracic dorsum clearly raised above abdominal tergites, pronotum rather short, pronotum width: 0.77, pronotum length: 0.10, about 7.7 times as wide as long, suture between pronotum and mesonotum distinct, metanotum completely fused with the mesonotum; fore tibiae unmodified, only with dense, short spine-like hairs, middle femora very long, with short, appressed hairs, middle tarsi segment I longer than segment II, hind tarsi segment I shorter than segment II, lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.41, 0.40 and 0.17 (0.07 + 0.10), middle leg: 1.00, 0.80 and 0.55 (0.34 + 0.21), hind leg: 0.61, 0.50 and 0.19 (0.07 + 0.12); abdomen relatively broad at base, distinctly tapering posteriorly, mediotergites with very short, silvery, appressed pubescence, mediotergites II–III slightly depressed, mediotergite VII shining black, connexiva raised vertically, connexiva on segments VI–VII folded medially, with a thin but prominent, posteriorly-directed tuft of long bristles caudally, best seen in lateral view ( Fig. 16 ). Genital segments: proctiger well developed, slanting nearly vertically, covering the apex of abdomen.

Apterous male (Fig. 9). Colour as in female, with semicircular-shaped whitish mark on mesonotum (Fig. 9), Body relatively small, body length 1.38, body width 0.80, body length 1.73 times body width, structure of head including antennae as in female, head width: 0.60, head length: 0.20, head width about 3 times head length, antennae about 0.72 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.18, 0.19, 0.38, 0.25; pronotum width: 0.62, pronotum length: 0.10, about 6.2 times as wide as long, hind femora slightly stouter than in female, lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.33, 0.37 and 0.14 (0.05 + 0.09), middle leg: 0.90, 0.70 and 0.51 (0.31 + 0.20), hind leg: 0.50, 0.46 and 0.17 (0.07 + 0.10); mediotergite VII large, hind margin with some relatively long, posteriorly-directed hairs. Genital segments with segment VIII about 1.15 times as long as wide, cylindrical, with anterior margin ventrally depressed, posterior margin infuscated ( Fig. 21 ), pygophore subrectangular ( Fig. 35 ), proctiger simple, paramere slender and curved, blade of apex of each paramere slightly blunt ( Figs. 36, 37, 38 ).

Macropterous female and male: unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin fasciarius (meaning strip-shaped), referring to the strip-shaped, whitish mark on the female mesonotum.

Distribution. China (Guizhou) ( Fig. 43 ).

Strongylovelia hainanensis sp. n.

( Figs. 5 , 10, 17, 22, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)

Material examined. Holotype: apterous female, CHINA, Hainan Prov., Baisha county, Yinggeling Nature Reserve, Nankai substation, Yutou River (19°03'N, 109°27'E), 20 July 2013, Yanhui Wang leg. ( NKUM). Paratype: 1 apterous female, 2 apterous males, same data as holotype ( NKUM).

Diagnosis. Stronglylovelia hainanensis sp. n. is closely related to S. formosa and S. fasciaria sp. n., with these three species possessing a prominent, posteriorly-directed tuft of long bristles caudally ( Figs. 13, 16, 17 ). However S. hainanensis sp. n. can be distinguished by its much smaller body, with the body length 0.89–0.91 in the female (in the females of S. formosa and S. fasciaria sp. n., by contrast, the body lengths are 1.70–1.74 and 1.64 respectively); by mesonotum with a large, characteristically shaped whitish mark ( Fig. 5 ); and by female mesopleura bearing a large, characteristically shaped whitish mark, as well as two pairs of small whitish spots laterally ( Fig.17 ).

Description. Apterous female ( Fig. 5 ). Colour: head almost black, inner margin of eyes bearing a distinct yellow brown mark, clypeus blackish-brown, rostrum black, antennae shining black except antennal segment I whitish; pronotum black, prosternum anteriorly along hind margin of eyes with a pair of whitish patches; mesonotum with characteristically shaped, large whitishmark ( Fig. 5 ), mesosternum whitish with acetabula infuscated, extending onto the largely whitish mesopleura ( Fig. 17 ), two additional pairs of small whitish spots present laterally, one just dorsal of metacetabula and one on the first abdominal laterotergite ( Fig. 17 ); metanotum black, completely fused with the mesonotum; legs mainly black, except middle and hind trochanter, fore femur except for distal apex and basal half of hind femur whitish; abdomen black with a few silvery hairs on mediotergites. Structural characteristics: body length 1.49–1.51 (holotype: 1.51), body width 0.89–0.91 (holotype: 0.90), body length 1.68 times body width, small sized, tear-shaped, bearing short, gray or silvery, appressed pubescence; head shorter than wide, head width: 0.63–0.65, head length: 0.19–0.21, head width about 3.2 times head length, eyes globose and relatively large, antennae relatively slender, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.15, 0.20, 0.35, 0.21, antennal segment II slightly longer than segment I, segment III longest; thoracic dorsum clearly raised above abdominal tergites, pronotum rather short, pronotum width: 0.69–0.71, pronotum length: 0.09–0.10, about 7 times as wide as long, suture between pronotum and mesonotum distinct, metanotum completely fused with the mesonotum, posterolateral corner of meso-metanotum with moderately long bristle-like hairs; fore tibiae unmodified, only with dense, short spine-like hairs, middle femora very long, with short, appressed hairs, middle tarsi of segment I longer than segment II, hind femora slightly thicker than fore and middle femora, hind tarsal segment I shorter than segment II, lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.34, 0.40 and 0.16 (0.03 + 0.13), middle leg: 0.89, 0.71 and 0.55 (0.35 + 0.20), hind leg: 0.49, 0.50 and 0.16 (0.07 + 0.09); abdomen relatively broad at base, distinctly tapering posteriorly, mediotergites with very short, silvery, appressed pubescence, mediotergites II–III slightly depressed, mediotergite VII shining black, connexiva raised vertically, with a thin but prominent, posteriorly-directed tuft of long bristles caudally, best seen in lateral view ( Fig. 17 ). Genital segments with proctiger well developed, slanting nearly vertically, covering the apex of abdomen.

Apterous male (Fig. 10). Colour as in female, with band-shaped whitish mark on mesonotum, Body relatively small, body length 1.19–1.21, body width 0.67–0.68, body length 1.76 times body width, structure of head including antennae as in female, head width: 0.54–0.56, head length: 0.17–0.18, head width about 3.06 times head length, antennae about 0.67 times as long as body, lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.14, 0.16, 0.28, 0.22; pronotum width: 0.63–0.65, pronotum length: 0.09–0.10, about 6.4 times as wide as long, hind femora distinctly stouter than female, lengths of leg segments (femora, tibiae and tarsi): fore leg: 0.31, 0.32 and 0.12 (0.02 + 0.10), middle leg: 0.80, 0.60 and 0.48 (0.28 + 0.20), hind leg: 0.50, 0.40 and 0.15 (0.07 + 0.08); mediotergite VII large, hind margin with some relatively long, posteriorly-directed hairs. Genital segments with segment VIII about 1.28 times as long as wide, cylindrical with anterior margin ventrally depressed, posterior margin infuscated ( Fig. 22 ), pygophore sub-rectangular ( Fig. 39 ), proctiger simple, paramere relatively slender and curved in lateral view, blade of apex of each paramere slightly pointed, tapered towards narrow apex ( Figs. 40, 41, 42 ).

Macropterous female and male: unknown.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the name of type locality, Hainan Province, China. Distribution. China (Hainan) ( Fig. 43 ).

Figures

FIGURE 43. Geographical distribution of Strongylovelia species in China.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Habitus of Strongylovelia spp. (females). 1. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 2. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 3. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 4. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 5. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 17. Lateral view of Strongylovelia spp. (females). 13. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 14. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 15. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 16. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 17. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 18 – 22. Abdominal segment VIII of Strongylovelia spp., ventral view (male). 18. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 19. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 20. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 21. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 22. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 23 – 42. Pygophore of Strongylovelia spp., ventral view (males). 23. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 27. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 31. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 35. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 39. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 0.1 mm. Paramere of Strongylovelia spp., external view (male). 24. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 28. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 32. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 36. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 40. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 0.05 mm. Paramere of Strongylovelia spp., internal view (male). 25. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 29. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 33. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 37. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 41. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 0.05 mm. Paramere of Strongylovelia spp., view perpendicular to distal part (male). 26. S. formosa Esaki, 1924; 30. S. paitooni Chen, Nieser & Sangpradub, 2006; 34. S. balteiformis sp. n.; 38. S. fasciaria sp. n.; 42. S. hainanensis sp. n.. Scale 0.1 mm.