Microvelia piedrancha, Padilla-Gil & Moreira, 2013

Padilla-Gil, Dora N. & Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo, 2013, Two new species of Microvelia Westwood, 1834 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia, with a key to Colombian species, Zootaxa 3745 (5), pp. 587-595 : 591

Microvelia piedrancha sp. n.

( Figs. 10–19 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE, ♂ macr: COLOMBIA, Nariño Department, Piedrancha Municipality , 27.IV.2010, D.N. Padilla, leg. ( ICN) . PARATYPES, same data as holotype, 3 macr ♀ , 2 macr ♂, ( PSO-CZ), 2 macr ♀ , 2 macr ♂ ( ICN) .

Color and pilosity. Head dorsally and ventrally dark brown. Antennae pale brown, with segment I dark yellow on basal 1/4; rostrum yellow, except segment IV dark brown. Eyes red. Anterior 1/3 of pronotum yellow. Connexiva and legs yellow. Prosternum yellow. Venter of abdomen dark brown.

Macropterous male ( Fig. 10–18 ) BL: 2.48; HL: 0.32; HW: 0.50; ANT I–IV: 0.16, 0.18, 0.22, 0.30; INT: 0.26; EYE: 0.14; PL: 0.72; PW: 0.90; FORELEG: FEM: 0.48, TIB: 0.38, TAR I: 0.26; MIDLEG: FEM: 0.52, TIB: 0.48, TAR I: 0.12, TAR II: 0.20; HINDLEG: FEM: 0.70, TIB: 0.74, TAR I: 0.14, TAR II: 0.20.

Antennomere I thickest, curved outward, II widening to apex, III cylindrical, IV fusiform. Pronotum completely covering meso- and metanotum; anterior part with centrally interrupted transversal row of punctuations near anterior margin; distinctly foveate, with pits more numerous on posterior 2/3; without longitudinal median carina ( Fig. 10 ); humeral angles prominent and truncate, apex produced to a broadly rounded angle. Prosternum scattered foveate ( Fig. 11 ).

Connexival segments angled upward at 45º. Last abdominal tergite subquadrate, with posterior margin slightly concave ( Fig. 12 ). Genital segment I projecting onto posterolateral angles with apex triangular ( Fig. 12 ). Posterior margin of last abdominal sternite broadly concave ( Fig. 13 ). Venter of genital segment I projecting onto posterolateral angles and with apex rounded ( Fig. 13 ). Parameres asymmetrical, elongate, strongly curved ( Figs. 14, 15 ).

Wings surpassing genital segments, bearing seven irregular whitish maculae ( Fig. 16 ). All tibiae with grooming structures at apices ( Figs. 17, 18 ). Fore tibia with slightly prolonged apical lobe ( Fig. 17a ) and bearing a row of short, stout setae similar to spines near outer margin of apex, visible only at 400X ( Fig. 17b ); lacking grasping comb. Middle tibia with seven fine, long, pale setae on apical 1/3. ( Fig. 18 ).

Macropterous female. BL: 2.16; HL: 0.30; HW: 0.48; ANT I–IV: 0.18, 0.18, 0.22, 0.34; INT: 0.26; EYE: 0.12; PL: 0.70; PW: 0.86; FORELEG: FEM: 0.42, TIB: 0.32, TAR I: 0.20; MIDLEG: FEM: 0.52, TIB: 0.44, TAR I: 0.10, TAR II: 0.18; HINDLEG: FEM: 0.60, TIB: 0.70, TAR I: 0.14, TAR II: 0.20.

Smaller and thinner than male. Structures of legs similar to male, except fore tibia without prolonged apical lobe ( Fig. 17b ). Margins of connexival segments I– III subparallel, margins of connexival segments IV–VII angled upward at 60º and convergent caudad. Posterior margin of last abdominal sternite straight ( Fig. 19 ). Venter of genital segment I projecting onto posterolateral angles and bearing one oval, shining black macula on anterior margin ( Fig. 19 ).

Comparative notes. Microvelia piedrancha sp. n. is structurally similar to Microvelia timida Drake & Roze, 1958 , from Venezuela. However, the latter is smaller, possesses a fore tibial grasping comb in both males and females; and has segment I of the antenna longer than segment II.

Habitat. Collected on the surface of slow flowing water covered by abundant floating vegetation.

Figures

FIGURES 10–15. 10. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, pronotum, dorsal view. Scale 0.05 mm. 11. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, prosternum, ventral view. Scale 0.05 mm. 12. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, apex of abdomen, dorsal view. Scale 0.10 mm. 13. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, apex of abdomen, ventral view. Scale 0.10 mm. 14. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, right paramere. a, lateroventral view; b, lateral view. Scale 0.025 mm. 15. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, left paramere. a, lateroventral view; b, lateral view. Scale 0.025 mm.

FIGURES 16–19. 16. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous male, fore wing. Scale 0.25 mm. 17. Microvelia piedrancha, 17a. Macropterous male, fore tibia, 17b. Macropterous female, fore femur and tibia, arrow shows setae. Scale 0.025 mm. 18. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous female, middle tibia. Scale 0.025 mm. 19. Microvelia piedrancha, macropterous female, apex of abdomen, ventral view. Scale 0.10 mm.