Eurymetra papaceki, Zettel, 2020

Zettel, Herbert, 2020, New water strider species of Eurymetra from Madagascar (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 60 (1), pp. 15-22 : 21

Eurymetra papaceki sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 , 8, 9, 12)

Type material (all in NHMW). HOLOTYPE: (apterous), NHMW #5303), “ Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana, 6–10.I.1998, leg. P. Pacholátko”. ALLOTYPE: ♀ (apterous), NHMW #5306, same locality as holotype. PARATYPES: 7 6 ♀♀ (apterous), NHMW #5298–5302, 5304, 5305, 5307–5312, same locality as holotype.

Description. Male. Measurements of holotype: BL 4.7; BW 3.17; HW 1.62; IO 0.56; PW 1.41; PHI 87; TiL 2.00; TaL 0.78; TTI 39. Antenna: A1–A4, 1.90, 1.01, 0.88, 0.64. Fore leg: Fe 2.07, Ti 2.00, Ta 0.13 + 0.65. Middle leg: Fe 6.08, Ti 3.87, Ta 1.60 + 0.22. Hind leg: Fe 6.37, Ti 3.24, Ta 0.33 + 0.30. Measurements of paratypes (n = 7): BL 4.60–4.80; BW 3.15–3.32; HW 1.63–1.67; IO 0.54–0.59; PW 1.42–1.48; PHI 86–90; TiL 2.01–2.12; TaL 0.72–0.79; TTI 36–38.

Structural characteristics. Eyes moderately large, posteriorly just reaching base of mesopleuron; their minimum distance on average larger than in other species. Antennomere 1 with row of ca. 4–8 short oblique setae ( Fig. 1 ). Pronotum moderately small, in dorsal view of specimen, longer than half of head length along midline. Apical process of protibia comparatively long, acute, moderately curved. Shiny areas of dorsum strongly expanded, but not on head, extreme sides of thoracic nota, tergite 7 and segment 8, and some narrow zones along sutures laterally. Paramere comparatively broad near its base, from there evenly curved and narrowed towards tip ( Fig. 12 ).

Colour. Yellow marks comparatively large (Fig. 8). Head anteriorly with a pair of large yellow marks, usually separated in the middle. Paired marks on pronotum comparatively wide, in most specimens reaching anterior half medially. Paired marks on metanotum strongly transverse, their distance hardly larger than that of marks on mesonotum. Metapleuron above spiracle usually without a yellow spot, or in some specimens present as a minute dot. On abdomen, small yellow marks on tergites 6–7; marks on laterotergites variably developed, from 6–7 to 3–7. Body ventrally entirely yellow.

Female. Measurements of allotype: BL 4.7; BW 3.35; HW 1.67; IO 0.57; PW 1.48; PHI 89; TiL 1.77; TaL 0.67; TTI 38. Measurements of paratypes (n = 6): BL 4.60–4.70; BW 3.30–3.40; HW 1.60–1.65; IO 0.54–0.57; PW 1.41–1.46; PHI 85–89; TiL 1.76–1.84; TaL 0.68–0.76; TTI 39–42.

Structural characteristics. Similar to male. Apical process of protibia slender and less curved. Shiny areas as expanded as in male, except for the velvety patch ( Fig. 2 ).

Colour. As in male (Fig. 9). On abdomen, yellow marks on tergites 6–8; marks on laterotergites variably developed, from 5–7 to 3–7. Body ventrally yellow, mesosternum posteriorly with triangular brown mark that is anteriorly faded; metasternum black ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology. This new species in named in the memory of Miroslav (“Mirek”) Papáček, a reliable colleague in research projects, a gentle person, and a good friend.

Figures

Figs 1–3. Diagnostic characters of the Eurymetra madagascariensis species group (images of E. papaceki sp. nov.): 1 – first antennomere of left antenna of a male, illustrating the sparsely distributed setae; 2 – abdomen of a female in slightly oblique dorsal view, illustrating the velvety patch; 3 – thorax (in part) and abdomen of a female in ventral view, illustrating the roundish elevation of metasternal scent gland opening and exposed gonocoxae 1. Abbreviations: mtn – metanotum; t1–t8 – tergites 1–8; vp – velvety patch.

Figs 10–12. Left paramere (lateral aspect): 10 – Eurymetra madagascariensis Poisson, 1945; 11 – E. santamariae sp. nov.; 12 – E. papaceki sp. nov.