Micronecta tarsalis Chen, 1960

Ha, Tuyet Ngan & Tran, Anh Duc, 2021, Taxonomy of Micronectidae (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) from Vietnam, with descriptions of 11 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 756, pp. 1-82 : 73-75

Micronecta tarsalis Chen, 1960

Figs 21G , 25E–H

Micronecta tarsalis Chen, 1960: 114 , figs 1–5, 12–13 (type locality: Sri Lanka).

Micronecta tarsalis – Fernando 1964: 608–609, figs 28, 43 (diagnosis). — Wróblewski 1967: 231, 238–239 (record Vietnam); 1968: 776 (checklist); 1972a: 40, 50, figs 46, 53 (descriptive notes, key). — Nieser & Chen 1999: 79, 81–82, fig. 16 (remarks, distribution). — Nieser 2000: 287, fig. 43 (key); 2002b: 266, 270, fig. 15 (key, diagnosis).

Diagnosis

Body length 1.8–2.1. Pronotum longer than median head length. Dorsum generally yellowish brown. Pronotum with an indistinct dark brown stripe. Hemelytron with four broken longitudinal brown stripes, sometimes indistinct; embolium with four dark spots ( Fig. 21G ).

Males: palar claw parallel sided, proximally straight, with a pointed pre-apical tooth, apex hooked ( Fig. 25E ). Median lobe of sternite VII with short, angular apex and two long setae. Free lobe: both angles angularly obtuse, posterior margin straight, lateral side strongly expanded, convex with ca 14 long setae ( Fig. 25F ). Left paramere: shaft slender, pre-apically curved and slightly twisted, apex narrowly rounded; basal lobe short and subovate ( Fig. 25H ). Right paramere: shaft evenly curved, distal fourth tapering towards pointed apex ( Fig. 25G ).

Material examined

VIETNAM – Quang Nam Prov. • 1 ♂; Duy Xuyen District, My Son temple complex; 15°44.885′ N, 108°07.351′ E; Apr. 2017; T.D. Chu leg.; MS1706 ; ZVNU • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Duy Xuyen District, My Son temple complex; 15°46.228′ N, 108°07.155′ E; Apr. 2017; T.D. Chu leg.; MS1723 ; ZVNU .

Distribution

Vietnam: Ninh Binh, Ha Tinh ( Wróblewski 1967); first record for Quang Nam. The record by Tran et al. (2011) from Hanoi was a misidentification, those specimens belong to M. jaczewskii . Other countries: Sri Lanka, southern India, Sulawesi ( Nieser 2002b).

Remarks

Micronecta tarsalis is the only species in this genus that has the palar claw modified with a distinct apical hook and a pointed pre-apical tooth. This character state in this species does not match that in any known subgenus of Micronecta . The shape of the free lobe is also unique for this species. The left paramere of M. tarsalis is somewhat similar to that of M. polhemusi . The right paramere of this species is similar to that of M. fugitans .

Figures

Fig. 21. Habitus photos of species of Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897 and Synaptonecta Lundblad, 1933, ♂♂. A. M. quadristrigata Breddin, 1905 (ZVNU). B. M. altera Wróblewski, 1972 (ZVNU). C. M. polhemusi Nieser, 2000 (ZRC). D. M. melanochroa Nieser, Chen & Yang, 2005 (ZVNU). E. M. caperata sp. nov., holotype (ZVNU). F. M. fugitans Breddin, 1905 (ZVNU). G. M. tarsalis Chen, 1960 (ZVNU). H. S. issa (Distant, 1910) (ZVNU). All to the same scale.

Fig. 25. Morphological features of species of Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897, ♂♂. A–D. M. fugitans Breddin, 1905 (ZVNU). E–H. M. tarsalis Chen, 1960 (ZVNU). A, E = fore leg; B, F = free lobe; C, G = right paramere; D, H = left paramere.