Microvelia (Picaultia) popovi Brown, 1951

Kment, Petr & Carapezza, Attilio, 2022, Heteroptera (Hemiptera) of the Socotra Archipelago I: Introduction, Nepomorpha, Gerromorpha and Leptopodomorpha, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (2), pp. 475-519 : 495-496

Microvelia (Picaultia) popovi Brown, 1951

( Figs 38–39 )

Microvelia popovi Brown, 1951: 231–233 , figs 6a–d, 7a–i (original description). Holotype:♂, SaudiArabia : Hejaz, Wadi Dama (BMNH).

Microvelia (Picaultia) popovi : ANDERSEN & WEIR (2003): 339 (subgeneric placement).

Microvelia priesneri Hoberlandt, 1951b: 271–275 (original description, key). Holotype:♂ (apterous), Egypt: Alexandria (NMPC – see KMENT & KOLíNOVÁ 2014: 846). Synonymized by LINNAVUORI (1986a: 38).

Published record. WRANIK (2000, 2003): Socotra (no exact locality).

Material examined. SOCOTRA: Al Haghier [= Hagher] Mts., Scant [= Skand] Mt. env. (12°34.6′N 54°01.5′E), open helocrene in montane evergreen forest, 1450 m a.s.l., 12.–13.xi.2010, 6 ♂♂ 6 ♀♀ (ap) 1 L, J. Hájek lgt. ( NMPC, MMBC, NHMW); Dixam plateau, Firmihin, small brook under Firmihin (12°28′36ʺN 54°01′06ʺE), 490 m a.s.l., 14.–15.vi.2012, 11 ♂♂ 14 ♀♀ (ap) 2 L, Socotra expedition 2012: J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. ( ACPI, NMPC, MMBC, NHMW); Firmihin, [ca. 390–760 m a.s.l.], iii.1999, 25 ♂♂ 26♀♀ (ap) 2 L, W.Wranik lgt., R.Linnavuori det., P.Kment revid. ( WWRG → NMPC, MMBC, NHMW); Noged, Deiqub [= Deiqab, 115 m a.s.l.], 16.ii.2000, 19 ♂♂ 16 ♀♀ 4 L, W. Wranik lgt. ( WWRG → NMPC, NHMW). – SUDAN: KASSALA PROVINCE: Erkowit, 26.vi.1962, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (ap), R. Remane lgt., L. Hoberlandt det., P. Kment revid. ( NMPC).

Identification. BROWN (1951) (description, figures); HOBERLANDT (1951b, as M. priesneri ) (key, description, figures); PRIESNER & WAGNER (1961, as M. priesneri ) (description of macropterous form, figure); WRANIK (2003) (habitus photo); SALEH AHMED & GADALLA (2005a) (key, diagnosis, figures).

Habitat. In Socotra collected at three sites in coastal to high-montane zone (115–1450 m a.s.l.). It was found in a shaded pool on a small brook under Firmihin (490 m a.s.l.) and on a small open helocrene surrounded by dense montane evergreen forest at Skand Mt. (1450 m a.s.l.; Fig. 51 ). In Egypt, the species was collected among floating green algae in small artificial brackish water pools for watering goats ( LINNAVUORI 1964). One macropterous specimen was collected at light in Jordan ( CARAPEZZA 2002).

Distribution. Afrotropical Region: Sudan ( HEISS et al. 2022; this paper). Palaearctic Region: North Africa: Egypt ( HOBERLANDT 1951b, PRIESNER & ALFIERI 1953, LINNAVUORI 1960, PRIESNER & WAGNER 1961, all as M. priesneri ; SALEH AHMED & GADALLA 2005a,b). Near East: Egypt: Sinai ( SALEH AHMED & GADALLA 2005a), Jordan ( CARAPEZZA 2002), Saudi Arabia ( LINNAVUORI 1986a), and Socotra ( WRANIK 2000, 2003).

Figures

Figs 32–39. 32–35 – Microvelia gracillima Reuter, 1882: 32–33 – apterous morph from Skand Mt.: 32 – ♂ (body length 1.76 mm), 33 – ♀ (1.86 mm); 34–35 – macropterous morph from Tudhen: 34 – ♂ (1.76 mm), 35 – ♀ (1.96 mm). 36–37 – M. macani Brown, 1953, apterous morph from Homhil, Ain Tsahrin: 36 – ♂ (1.57 mm), 37 – ♀ (1.76 mm). 38–39 – M. popovi Brown, 1951, apterous morph from Firmihin: 37 – ♂ (1.37 mm), 38 – ♀ (1.96). (Orig. P. Kment).

Figs 49–53.49 –Arher,a spring near the sea coast (5 m a.s.l.), habitat of Ochterus papaceki Kment & Carapezza,2020,Anisops debilis socotrensis Brown, 1956, Mesovelia vittigera Horváth,1895,Hebrus kanyukovae sp.nov.,Microvelia macani Brown,1953,Rhagovelia infernalis socotrensis Brown,1956 and Micracanthia ornatula (Reuter,1881).50– Wadi Madar (1,170 ma.s.l.), habitat of Anisops d.socotrensis, A.varius Fieber,1851,Mesovelia vittigera, Microvelia macani, and Rhagovelia i. socotrensis. 51 –Skand Mt.,helocreneunder the top (1,450 ma.s.l.), habitatof Microvelia gracillima Reuter,1882 andSaldula niveolimbata (Reuter, 1900). 52 – Tudhen, helocrene (1,135 m a.s.l.), habitat of Mesovelia vittigera, Hebrus sp., and Microvelia gracillima Reuter, 1882. 53 –Wadi Zerig with a large pool (655 m a.s.l.), habitat of Micronecta eupompe Hutchinson, 1930, Sigara hoggarica Poisson,1929,Anisops d.socotrensis, A.varius, Hebrus kanyukovae sp.nov.,Limnogonus cereiventris (Signoret,1862), andMicracanthia ornatula. (Orig.P.Kment:Figs 49–52;J.Hájek:Fig.53).