Micronecta (Dichaetonecta) ludibunda Breddin, 1905

Figs 1G, 4A–C

Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905a: 57 (type locality: Bogor, Indonesia).

(For an extensive synonymy list, see Tinerella 2008.)

Diagnosis

Body length 1.9–2.4. Pronotum slightly longer than median head length. Pronotum: with a pair of dark oval rings, somtimes fragmented, reduced to streaks and spots, or absent. Hemelytron (Fig. 1G): corium with four longitudinal brown stripes; embolium with three brown marks.

Males: fore femur with two spines on proximal third and a pair of spines on distal third; fore tibia without spine; palar claw moderately widened, apex truncate. Median lobe of sternite VII with one or two long setae (sometimes absent) and a pointed apex (see Tinerella 2013: fig. 21f). Free lobe large, distally slightly broadened, posterior margin slightly concave, lateral angle with ca 10–15 long setae (Fig. 4A). Left paramere: shaft slender, constricted pre-apically; apex flattened, broadened and subovate; basal lobe large, tongue-shaped (Fig. 4C). Right paramere: shaft evenly curved, from distal fourth tapering towards narrowly rounded apex (Fig. 4B).

Material examined

VIETNAM – Lao Cai Prov. • 1 ♂; Sa Pa, Cat Cat, Muong Hoa stream; 22 Apr. 2011; N.H. Dinh et al. leg.; DNH11.01; ZVNU . – Vinh Phuc Prov. • 1 ♀; Tam Dao N.P., Ho Xanh (Green Lake); 17 Jun. 2003; A.D. Tran leg.; TAD0353; ZRC . – Hanoi • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Lotus pond 1 near West Lake Water Park (left); 17 Mar. 2010; T.M. Pham leg.; HN01; ZVNU • 26 ♂♂, 37 ♀♀; Lotus pond 2 near West Lake Water Park (right); 17 Mar. 2010; A.D. Tran leg.; ZVNU • 3 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀; Lotus pond 2 near West Lake Water Park (right); 20 Mar. 2010; A.D. Tran leg.; ZVNU • 8 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Lotus pond 2 near West Lake Water Park (right); 30 Mar. 2010; A.D. Tran leg.; ZVNU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; West Lake; 17 Mar. 2010; T.M. Pham leg.; HN03; ZVNU • 21 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀; Thanh Xuan District, Thanh Huong Lake (used for recreational fishing), near Khuat Duy Tien road; 29 Mar. 2010; T.M. Pham leg.; HN04; ZVNU • 11 ♂♂, 30 ♀♀; Lotus pond 1 near West Lake Water Park (left); 18 Aug. 2010; A.D. Tran leg.; ZVNU • 1 ♂; Nhue River; 18 Aug. 2010; A.D. Tran leg.; TAD1016; ZVNU • 43 ♂♂, 42 ♀♀; Nhue River, in Lien Mac area; 19 Jun. 2019; T.N. Ha leg.; NHHN19.01; ZVNU • 1 ♀; Ba Vi N.P., Minh Quang, Cai stream; 65 m a.s.l.; 26 Apr. 2012; Q.H. Ngo et al. leg.; TAD1207; ZVNU . – Dong Nai Prov. • 1 ♀; Cat Tien N.P.; 13 May 2003; A.D. Tran leg.; night collecting; TAD0302; ZRC • 1 ♂; Vinh Cuu, Ma Da, Bo Hao Lake, east side, near forest ranger station; 10 Apr. 2009; A.D. Tran leg.; TAD0906; ZVNU • 1 ♀; Cat Tien N.P., Bau Sau ( Crocodile Lake); 6 Nov. 2009; A.D. Tran leg.; TAD0929; ZVNU • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Vinh Cuu, Ma Da stream, near Rang Rang Forest ranger station (near bridge); 13 Apr. 2010; T.D. Pham leg.; PTD1006; ZVNU • 4 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; Vinh Cuu, Ma Da stream, near Rang Rang Forest ranger station, ca 400 m downstream from bridge; 13 Apr. 2010; T.D. Pham leg.; PTD1007; ZVNU • 5 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Vinh Cuu, Nua stream (tributary of Ma Da stream); 14 Apr. 2010; T.D. Pham leg.; PTD1008; ZVNU • 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; Vinh Cuu, Ma Da, Bo Hao Lake, east side, near forest ranger station; 15 Apr. 2009; T.D. Pham leg.; PTD1009; ZVNU • 3 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀; Tri An Lake (Chien Khu D bridge); 15 Apr. 2010; T.D. Pham leg.; PTD1011; ZVNU • 3 ♀♀; Vinh Cuu, Ma Da, Bo Hao Lake, east side, near forest ranger station; 16 Apr. 2010; A.D. Tran leg.; PTD1012; ZVNU . – Ho Chi Minh City • 28 ♂♂, 19 ♀♀; District 7, Nguyen Van Linh Street, Tan My Lake; 27 Apr. 2019; T.N. Ha leg.; NHSG19.01; ZVNU • 1 ♀; District 2, Cao Duc Lan Street, Hai Ho Park, small lake; 1 May 2019; T.N. Ha leg.; NHSG19.03; ZVNU • 19 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀; District 2, Cao Duc Lan Street, Hai Ho Park, large lake; 1 May 2019; T.N. Ha leg.; NHSG19.04; ZVNU. – Ba Ria- Vung Tau Prov . • 1 ♀; Con Dao, Dam Trau area, Ong Ta stream; 13 Apr. 2010; A.D. Tran et al. leg.; TAD1009; ZVNU . – Ca Mau Prov. • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Tran Hoi commune, Vo Doi hamlet, Doi 1; 16 Apr. 2018; T.A.N. Nguyen leg.; CM1814; ZVNU • 1 ♂; Tran Hoi commune, Vo Doi hamlet, Doi 1; 16 Apr. 2018; T.A.N. Nguyen leg.; CM1817; ZVNU • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; U Minh District, Khanh An commune, hamlet #14; 17 Apr. 2018; T.A.N. Nguyen leg.; CM1821; ZVNU . – Kien Giang Prov. • 1 ♀; Phu Quoc Island, Tranh stream (at lower section); 30 Nov. 2010; A.D. Tran et a l. leg.; TAD1021; ZVNU .

Distribution

Vietnam: Hanoi (Wróblewski 1967); first records for Lao Cai, Vinh Phuc, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang (Phu Quoc Island).. Other countries: widespread from India, Sri Lanka (Hutchinson 1940; Wróblewski 1972a), Thailand (Wróblewski 1968), Cambodia (Zettel et al. 2017), Indonesia (Nieser & Chen 1999), Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore (Nieser 2002b) to Solomon Islands (Tinerella 2013).

Remarks

Besides structural characteristics, M. ludibunda can usually be recognised by a pair of dark oval marks on the pronotum. This characteristic, however, is variable. In some specimens of M. ludibunda, the dark oval marks on the pronotum are fragmented, less distinct, or even absent. Micronecta ludibunda is also considered related to M. malayana Leong, 1966, from Peninsular Malaysia, in both the colour pattern of the pronotum and the general form of the left paramere (Nieser 2002b). The characteristics for separating these two species are the apical part of the left paramere, which is broader in M. malayana, and the pattern of hemelytra, which is more reticulate, without distinct stripes in M. malayana . Also see Remarks under M. sahlbergi .