Belostoma costalimai De Carlo, 1938

Ribeiro, Josė Ricardo Inacio, 2007, A review of the species of Belostoma Latreille, 1807 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) from the four southeastern Brazilian states, Zootaxa 1477 (1), pp. 1-70 : 19-20

Belostoma costalimai De Carlo, 1938

( Figs 5A–H ; 17B ; 23A )

Belostoma costalimai De Carlo, 1938: 234 , plate VI (Fig. 72).

Belostoma truxali De Carlo, 1960: 47 . Syn. n.

Types.— Belostoma costalimai was described based on a male holotype (Rio de Janeiro) [not examined] and a female paratype (São Paulo) both deposited in MACN; a male paratype (Minas Gerais) deposited in FIOC according to De Carlo (1938: 235) but which is, however, deposited in MNRJ; and another paratype [?] [not examined] deposited in Dr. Aleixo de Vasconeclos’ sic [= Vasconcelos] collection (see Lauck 1964). Although Lauck (1964) indicates that the holotype of this species is deposited in MACN, Dr. Bachmann, curator at this Museum, informs me that this institution does not have the B. costalimai type.

Material examined.— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo — * 1 m / 2 f ( MNRJ 159 ): Linhares, Parque Sooretama , X.1959, (D. Zajclw), J. R. I. Ribeiro det. 1999. Minas Gerais — *1 f ( MNRJ 110 ): Barra de Paraopeba , [without date], ( V. Souza), J. A. de Carlo det. * 1 f ( MNRJ 111 ): same, [without date], ( V. Souza), J. C. M. Carvalho det. 1921. * 1 m ( MNRJ 113 ): same, [without date], ( V. Souza), J. A. de Carlo det., paratype . Pará — * 1 m / 2 f ( AMNH): Jacareacanga , VI.1970, (M. Alvarenga), J. R. I. Ribeiro det. 1999. Rio de Janeiro — * 4 m / 4 f (DZRJ-a 469): Macaé, Imboassica Lake , 04–05.VIII.1998, (J. R. I. Ribeiro, N. Ferreira-Jr., and A. M. Sanseverino), J. R. I. Ribeiro det. 1998. 1 m (DZRJ-a 470): same, Cabiúnas Lake , 18.VII.1998, (A. M. Sanseverino), J. R. I. Ribeiro det. 1998. Roraima — * 1 m ( AMNH): Boa Vista , 18.IX.1966, (M. Alvarenga), J. R. I. Ribeiro det. 1999. São Paulo — 1 m ( MACN 50456 ): Rio Claro , II.1943, (Pader P. [?]), J. A. de Carlo det. * 1 f ( MACN 39548 ): São Paulo [?], [without date and collector], J. A. de Carlo det., paratype . * 1 f ( MACN): Córrego Laguinha-BR 2121 [?], 03. V.1962, (Ichubart [?]), J. A. de Carlo det. 1 f ( MZSP): Itu, Pau d’Alho farm, 22.XI.1969, ([?] Martins), J. R. I. Ribeiro det. 1999.

Distribution.— BRAZIL: Espírito Santo ( Ribeiro 2005), Goiás ( Menke & Lauck 1962), Mato Grosso ( Lauck 1964), Minas Gerais ( Nieser & Melo 1997), Pará ( Ribeiro 2000), Rio de Janeiro ( De Carlo 1938), Roraima ( Ribeiro 2000), São Paulo ( De Carlo 1938), Tocantins ( Lauck 1964) [as Goiás-Ilha do Bananal]. COLOMBIA: 74 km E of Villavicencio ( Roback & Nieser 1974). SURINAM: Brokopondo ( Nieser 1975), Kabelstation ( De Carlo 1960), Marowijne ( Nieser 1975).

Description.—Measurements (m / f). Total length (from apex of head to apex of hemelytra at rest) 21.3– 25.6 / 22.4–27.5; largest width of body 11.0–13.0 / 11.0–14.3; median length of pronotum 2.90–3.70 / 3.20– 4.00; greatest pronotal width 6.40–8.05 / 7.00–8.88.

General coloration yellowish brown. Pronotum usually with two longitudinal and parallel yellowish brown stripes.

Body flattened and elliptical, extremities strongly acute. Length of anteoculus 0.87–1.03 times length of interoculus; length of rostral segment I 1.00–1.41 times length of segment II; anterior frontogenal suture equal to longer than posterior frontogenal suture; clypeus reaching ocular line or not (0–0.15 mm); vertex without longitudinal median carina; posterior interocular width 1.30–1.50 times length of anteoculus, and 1.34–1.50 times width of eye; eyes triangular. Pronotum without longitudinal median carina, or posterior part of pronotum with longitudinal median carina; greatest pronotal width 2.12 –2.24 times its length; scutellum not reaching nodal line (0.24–0.80 mm), with weakly longitudinal median carina; prosternal keel anteriorly curved, acute apically ( Fig. 5A ). Pilosity extending along genital operculum, covering entire margin of connexivum, and part of sternites.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 5C–E ).—Dorsal arms converged and rounded at apex, not narrowing gradually apically in dorsal view; ventral diverticulum without dorsal caudal protuberance in dorsal and lateral views, and with poorly developed ventroapical protuberance in lateral and ventral views; caudal lateral margins of ventral diverticulum convex, not sinuous in ventral view; width of ventral diverticulum about 1.2 times its length in ventral view.

Variation.—There is variability in prosternal keel, total length of body, pilosity, and phallus shape in this species. Forms with a more rounded and weakly anteriorly projected prosternal keel are found in the State of Rio de Janeiro ( Fig. 5B ), whereas shorter specimens tend to be found in the states of Espírito Santo, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. A specimen collected in the State of São Paulo lacked the pilosity extending along the genital operculum. Specimens collected in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Roraima had some phallic variation, dorsal arms being narrower and anterior portion of phallus slightly broader. In addition, in these specimens the ventral diverticulum was about 1.25 times wide as long in ventral view ( Fig. 5F–H ).

Comparative notes.—The considerable variation in total length of body and phallus shape in this species indicates that there is clinal variation in these characters: the specimens from northern Brazil show either incremental or continuous change with latitude. Specimens from northern Brazil are shorter than those from southern Brazil. In two species of the B. bergi group pilosity completely covers the connexiva: B. costalimai and B. truxali . In addition, Nieser (1975) argued that one specimen of B. truxali from Langatabbetje, Surinam, falls within the northern extreme of B. costalimai ’s range. According to De Carlo (1960), B. truxali can be distinguished from B. costalimai by the pilosity not covering the sternites. Yet B. truxali was described based on only one female holotype from Kabelstation, Surinam. Finally, Nieser observed that it does not differ structur- ally, including pilosity, from a male specimen of B. costalimai from the State of São Paulo identified by Lauck. Judging from its description, B. truxali is clearly the same species as B. costalimai . I could not borrow types, but I here synonymize B. truxali with B. costalimai .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Belostoma costalimai De Carlo, 1938 and B. anurum (Herrich-Schäffer, 1848). B. costalimai. 5A–B, Prosternal keel (lateral view) of the specimens from Rio de Janeiro: 5A, DZRJ-a 469. 5B, DZRJ-a 470. 5C–H, Phallus: 5C–E, Specimen from Minas Gerais (MNRJ 113). 5F–H, Specimen from Rio de Janeiro (DZRJ-a 469). B. anurum. 5I–J, Prosternal keel (lateral view) of specimens from São Paulo: 5I, MZSP. 5J, DZRJ 15. 5K–P, Phallus: 5K–M, Specimen from Rio de Janeiro (DZRJ-a 497). 5N–P, Specimen from Rio de Janeiro (AMNH). 5C, 5F, 5K and 5N, Dorsal views. 5D, 5G, 5L, and 5O, Ventral views. 5E, 5H, 5M, and 5P, Lateral views. Scale bar: 1.00 mm.

FIGURE 17. Dorsal habitus. 17A, Belostoma candidulum Montandon, 1903: specimen from State of São Paulo (SEMC). 17B, B. costalimai De Carlo, 1938: specimen from State of Roraima (AMNH). 17C, B. cummingsi De Carlo, 1935: specimen from State of São Paulo (MACN 37791). 17D, B. dallasi De Carlo, 1930: specimen from State of Ceará (DPIC). Scale bar: 5.00 mm.

FIGURE 23. Geographic distribution map of Belostoma species in southeastern Brazil. 23A, = B. costalimai, = B. cummingsi, = B. dallasi. 23B, = B. dentatum, = B. dilatatum, = B. discretum, = B. elongatum.