Rhagovelia imperatrix, Padilla-Gil, Dora N., 2011

Padilla-Gil, Dora N., 2011, Four new species of Rhagovelia in the robusta group from Colombia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae), Zootaxa 2975, pp. 35-46 : 43-44

Rhagovelia imperatrix sp. n.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, apt 3, allotype apt Ƥ: COLOMBIA, Nariño, Barbacoas, Altaquer, Ñambi, 1100−1200 m, 25 April 2008, leg. O. Arcos, ( ICN). PARATYPES, same data as holotype, of these the following have been distributed: 1 apt 3, 1 apt Ƥ (PSO-CZ).

Apterous Male. Length 5.86, maximum width (across pronotum) 1.72. General dorsal coloration uniform orange-brown, with anterior band of pronotum yellowish-brown. All margins (dorsal and ventral) of segments dark brown. Dorsal body covered with short, recumbent light yellow setae intermixed with scattered, erect, slender, and black setae.

Head orange-brown, frons and vertex bearing stiff brown setae, with the 4 longest setae in the inner lateral margin of eye; segments I and II of antennae yellowish, segments III and IV orange-brown, all segments covered with very short, semi-recumbent dark pubescence, segment I bearing ~10 long stiff, erect, black setae, 2 setae of this type also present near middle of segment II; lengths of segments I −IV, 1.36, 0.80, 0.40, 0.54.

Pronotum yellow-orange, anterior 1/5 yellowish, this area of paler coloration extending downward across pleural region; pronotal surface and posterolateral margins of prosternum and metasternum with shallow foveae, pronotal surface covered with fine, short, black setae, lateral and posterior margins and adjacent mesopleural area bearing many long, erect, black setae; length/width: 1.18/1.72, completely covering mesonotum, but leaving additional border at midline of 0.10; length of exposed metanotum at midline 0.14. Metanotum and abdominal tergites I −IV, separated by bright yellow glabrous toothed channels (0.04) along sutures.

Abdomen, tergites I and IV subequal in length (0.30), tergite II longer (0.38) than tergites III, V, VI (0.34, 0.32, 0.36 respectively), tergite VII shorter than VIII (0.44, 0.46); tergite VII posterior margin with numerous long, semirecumbent brown setae.

Legs yellowish to orange-brown ventrally, brown dorsally, with distal portions dorsal of hind femur and terminal tarsal segments of middle and hind legs becoming blackish distally; all segments thickly covered with short, erect slender black setae, fore and middle trochanters unarmed, posterior trochanter bearing 3 small, subequal brown peg-like teeth; fore, middle, and hind trochanters, femora, and tibiae bearing numerous long, erect, black setae; fore tibia weakly expanded and concave ventrally on distal 1/5, with small black grasping pad apically on posterior margin; middle femur and tibia slender, cylindrical; hind femur greatly incrassate (length/width: 2.44/ 0.72), dorsal longitudinal row containing 6 black teeth: 1 small tooth on third basal, followed by a gap, then 5 teeth on distal half, with a large, forward-curving tooth followed by 3 teeth of progressively decreasing size distally, then another triangular black tooth near center of apex femur; organized ventral spine row missing, ventral surface with ~40 irregular small black asperities ( Fig. 18 ); hind tibia weakly sinuate and dorsoventrally flattened, serrated upper margin; ventral surface with 2 parallel longitudinal rows, along posterior margin, each one with 20 black peg-like teeth, distal 2/3 with largest black tooth; with moderate length, conical, black, apical spur.

Proportions of male legs as follows: fore femur/tibia/tarsal 1/tarsal 2: 1.44/1.40/0.08/0.44; middle femur/tibia/ tarsal 1/tarsal 2/tarsal 3: 2.40/1.72/0.10/0.62/1.08; hind femur/ tibia/ tarsal 1/tarsal 2/tarsal 3: 2.44/2.40/0.08/0.20/ 0.46.

Venter triangular, yellow to orange, covered with large light yellow setae; laterotergite of ventrite I bearing rounded small pruinose area; abdominal ventrites I −V bearing longitudinal median carina; this carina more pronounced and very depressed on either side of carina on segments I and II; Ventrite VII slightly depressed, posterolateral margins lacking black denticles on each side bordering genital cavity; ventrite VIII depressed basally; parameres symmetrical, stout basally, tips expanded, shape as show in Fig. 19 ; proctiger ( Fig. 20 ).

Apterous female. Length 5.46; maximum width (across pronotum) 1.93. Similar to wingless male in general structure and coloration with the following exceptions: lengths of antennal segments I −IV, 0.92, 0.68, 0.68, and 0.72. Abdomen, tergites I and IV equal in length (0.32), tergites II, III and VIII equal in length (0.34), tergites V and VI equal in length (0.38), tergite VII (0.4); margins of connexival segments I −III subparallel, margins of connexival segments IV −VI slightly convergent, margins of segments VII and VIII slightly divergent, connexiva tapering gradually and evenly to apex of abdomen, connexival margins weakly bowed, of even width throughout their length; abdominal tergites IV −VIII lacking long, slender, erect, black setae; abdominal ventrites I and II with longitudinal medial carina; proctiger lying in horizontal position, tip rounded ( Fig. 21 ); hind femur moderately incrassate ( Fig. 22 ), ventral surface with 2 irregular longitudinal rows of spines, 1 moderate-length, black tooth on third basal followed by a gap, then 7 teeth on distal half, with a large, forward-curving tooth following by 6 teeth of progressively decreasing size distally, ventral row, on 2/3 posterior with 2 smaller subequal-sized black teeth; hind tibia, straight and without distal 2/3 black largest tooth.

Macropterous form: unknown

Ecological notes. R. imperatrix was found along small shaded streamlets, on calm pools.

Comparative notes. R. imperatrix is characterized by the distinctively shaped male paramere ( Fig. 19 ) and proctiger ( Fig. 20 ), and the armature of the male hind leg ( Fig. 18 ).

Figures

FIGURES 18 − 25. 18 − 22, Structural details of Rhagovelia imperatrix sp. n. 18 − 20 male. 18, hind femur, ventral view. Scale 0.25 mm; 19, paramere (setae omitted). Scale 0.05 mm; 20, proctiger. Scale 0.05 mm; 21 − 22. Female, 21 abdomen, lateral view. Scale 0.1 mm; 22, hind femur. Scale 0.25 mm. 23 − 25, Male parameres of species in the robusta group from Colombia (after Polhemus 1997, setae omitted). 23 R. zeteki, 24 R. sinuata, 25 R. venezuelana. Figures not to scale.