Altavelia montana Molano & Morales, 2019

Polhemus, Dan A., Molano, Fredy, Morales, Irina, Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo & Floriano, Carla Fernanda Burguez, 2019, Altavelia, a new genus of Neotropical Veliinae (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae), with a key to species and descriptions of four new species from Colombia, Zootaxa 4585 (2), pp. 295-314 : 307-308

Altavelia montana Molano & Morales , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 A–B, 3A, 4E, 4K, 5)

Apterous male ( Figs. 2A , 4E, 4K ). Measurements (holotype / paratype): BL 6.60 / 7.00, HL 0.89 / 0.94, HW 0.69 / 0.73, ANT I 1.19 / 124, ANT II 0.84 / 0.86, ANT III 0.79 / 0.82, ANT IV 0.93 / 0.96, EYE 0.29 / 0.32, PL 1.58 / 1.63, PW 1.68 / 1.75, FORELEG: FEM 0.19 / 2.10, TIB 1.89 / 1.93, TAR I 0.07 / 0.09, TAR II 0.28 / 0.31, TAR III 0.50 / 0.54, MIDLEG: FEM 2.29 / 2.34, TIB 2.30 / 2.40, TAR I 0.13 / 0.17, TAR II 0.48 / 0.60, TAR III 0.59 / 0.63, HINDLEG: FEM 2.69 / 2.73, TIB 3.53 / 3.60, TAR I 0.14 / 0.15, TAR II 0.73 / 0.76, TAR III 0.62 / 0.67.

General color dark reddish brown. Antennomere II with a transverse, black stripe at apex, antennomeres III–IV dark brown. Labium with articles I–IV dark brown. Pronotum reddish brown, concolorous with head, lighter than abdominal terga. Coxae, trochanters, femora, and tibiae brown to dark brown towards apices; tarsi dark brown. Dorsum of abdomen, including terminalia, dark brown. Abdominal sterna dark brown.

Head velvety, with two longer setae on frons. Antenna covered by short setae; antennomere I widest and curved laterally, II thinner than I, III–IV thinner than II, with abundant short setae. Ocular setae present. Pronotum with thick golden pilosity. Humeri broad, slightly elevated. Posterior pronotal lobe with large foveae; posterior margin rounded. Legs unarmed, covered by abundant pilosity. Fore tibia with grasping comb occupying approximately 2/3 of is length. Abdomen dorsally covered by thick golden setae. Abdominal laterotergites elevated about 25°, ending in spines with about half the length of abdominal mediotergite VIII. Abdominal sterna with golden setae; sternum VII flat at middle. Dorsum of male proctiger with two elongated, narrow projections ( Fig. 4E ). Paramere elongated, flat, slightly curved mesally, with curved apex slightly flattened, with a row of setae on base of ventral surface ( Fig. 4K ).

Apterous female ( Fig. 2B ). Measurements (paratypes; n = 2): BL 7.68–7.90, HL 0.73–0.76, HW 0.73–0.76, ANT I 1.08–1.30, ANT II 0.89–1.30, ANT III 0.83–0.99, ANT IV 0.95–1.02, EYE 0.33–0.36, PL 1.68–1.73, PW 1.69–1.73; FORELEG: FEM 1.88–1.91, TIB 1.88–1.90, TAR I 0.06–0.09, TAR II 0.32–0.35, TAR III 0.44–0.48; MIDLEG: FEM 2.20–2.50, TIB 2.40–2.60, TAR I 0.13–0.16. TAR II 0.48–0.54, TAR III 0.53–0.60, HINDLEG: FEM 2.48–2.60, TIB 3.60–3.80, TAR I 0.13–0.16, TAR II 0.79–0.83, TAR III 0.84–0.93.

Color as in apterous male. Body structure similar to male, except abdominal laterotergites more elevated, sinuous, reflected over posterior abdominal segments; last laterotergite produced into long, thick spines (as long as mediotergite VII) ( Fig. 2B ).

Type material examined. All specimens apterous. HOLOTYPE ♂ ( IAVH E-175688 ): ‘ Colombia, Norte de Santander \ PNN Tama, Sector Orocué \ Bosque alto andino secundario, 7.25 N 72.26 W \ 2750 m, Interceptación de vuelo \ 28.vi.1999 \ E. González & D. Dávila’ . 1♀ PARATYPE ( IAVH E-175661 ) , 1♂, 1♀ PARATYPES ( UPTC MHN-ART-0077 , MHN-ART-0078 ): same data as holotype .

Distribution. This species is known from Parque Nacional Natural Tama (2750 m), a high mountain forest area of Norte de Santander Department, Colombia ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology. The species’ name “ montana ” comes from the Spanish word “montaña” (= mountain).

Comments. Altavelia montana is similar to A. daza in body color, but can be distinguished from it by the smaller size (6.60–7.90 mm), the dorsum of the male proctiger with two elongated, narrow projections ( Fig. 4E ), the shape of parameres (compare Figs. 4K and Fig. 4I ), and the long, thick posterior spines on the female last abdominal laterotergite ( Fig. 2B ). Altavelia daza is 9.20–9.80 mm long, has larger posterolateral projections on the dorsum of the male proctiger, and much shorter and narrower spines on the last female abdominal laterotergite.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Altavelia montana, male paratype, dorsal view. B. Altavelia montana, female paratype, dorsal view. C. Altavelia quindiana, female holotype, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. A. Altavelia altoandina, male proctiger, dorsal view. B. Altavelia antioquia, male proctiger, dorsal view. C. Altavelia columbiensis, male proctiger, dorsal view. D. Altavelia flavomarginata, male proctiger, dorsal view. E. Altavelia montana, male proctiger, dorsal view. F. Altavelia altoandina, paramere. G. Altavelia antioquia, paramere. H. Altavelia columbiensis, paramere. I. Altavelia daza, paramere. J. Altavelia flavomarginata, paramere. K. Altavelia montana, paramere. L. Altavelia inveruglas, male proctiger, dorsal view. M. Altavelia inveruglas, paramere. N. Altavelia osborniana, male proctiger, dorsal view. O. Altavelia osborniana, paramere.

FIGURE 5. Distribution of Altavelia altoandina, A. antioquia, A. montana, and A. quindiana.