Altavelia quindiana Molano & Morales, 2019

Polhemus, Dan A., Molano, Fredy, Morales, Irina, Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo & Floriano, Carla Fernanda Burguez, 2019, Altavelia, a new genus of Neotropical Veliinae (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae), with a key to species and descriptions of four new species from Colombia, Zootaxa 4585 (2), pp. 295-314 : 308-311

Altavelia quindiana Molano & Morales , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2C , 5 )

Apterous female ( Fig. 2C ). Measurements (holotype / paratype): BL 7.40 / 7.50, HL 0.95 / 0.98, HW 0.89 / 0.91, ANT I 1.25 / 1.26, ANT II 0.95 / 0.95, ANT III 0.69 / 0.70, ANT IV 0.82 / 0.83, EYE 0.33 / 0.34, PL 2.04 / 2.07, PW 1.91 / 1.92; FORELEG: FEM 2.07 / 2.08, TIB 1.81 / 1.82, TAR I 0.10 / 0.11, TAR II 0.25 / 0.26, TAR III 0.42 / 0.44; MIDLEG: FEM 2.27 / 2.30, TIB 2.35 / 2.37, TAR I 0.10 / 0.12, TAR II 0.40 / 0.42, TAR III 0.50 / 0.52; HINDLEG: FEM 2.50 /, TIB 3.50 /, TAR I 0.12 / 0.14, TAR II 0.65 / 0.67, TAR III 0.50 / 0.51.

General color dark brown. Antennomeres I–II reddish brown with black stripe at apices, antennomeres III–IV dark brown. Labium with articles I–III reddish brown, article IV black. Margins of pronotum light yellow posterior to humeri ( Fig. 2C ). Coxae, trochanters, and femora reddish brown; tibiae reddish brown to dark brown towards apices; tarsi dark brown.

Head velvety, covered by golden setae, these more abundant adjacent to the mesal margin of eye, with two longer setae on frons. Antenna covered by short setae; antennomere I widest and curved laterally, II thinner than I, III–IV thinner than II. Ocular setae present. Pronotum with anterior lobe narrowed, covered by abundant golden pilosity on lateral margin up to slightly posterior to humeri; longitudinal median carina dark, reaching posterior angle; humeri broad, slightly elevated; posterior lobe with large foveae; posterior margin flat ( Fig. 2C ). Legs unarmed, covered by abundant pilosity. Dorsum of abdomen (including midline of mediotergites and lateral margins of laterotergites) covered by abundant short golden setae ( Fig. 2C ). Abdominal laterotergites elevated, not reflexed over abdomen, ending in thick spines almost as long as mediotergite VIII. Abdominal sterna with short golden setae; posterior margin of sternite VII straight.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE ♀ apterous ( UPTC MHN-ART-0065 ): ‘ Colombia, Quindío \ Calarcá, El Tunel , Campanario \ Alt. 3210 m \ pitfall, mayo 18 2014 \ Col. R. Silva’ . 1♀ apterous PARATYPE ( IAVH E- 168315 ): ‘ Colombia, Quindío \ Salento, Estrella de Agua , Frontino \ Alt. 3230 m, pitfall, mayo 25-2014 \ Col. R. Silva’ .

Distribution. This species is known from the municipalities of Calarcá and Salento (“Ecotono” high mountain forest area) of Quindío Department, Colombia, in altitudes between 3210 and 3230 m ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology. This species is named after the Colombian department of Quindío, where the types were collected.

Comments. Males of A. quindiana are unknown and the females are similar to A. columbiensis . For a detailed comparison between these two species, see the comments section under the latter.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Altavelia montana, male paratype, dorsal view. B. Altavelia montana, female paratype, dorsal view. C. Altavelia quindiana, female holotype, dorsal view.

FIGURE 5. Distribution of Altavelia altoandina, A. antioquia, A. montana, and A. quindiana.