Indonaucoris, Sites, 2022

Sites, Robert W., 2022, Phylogeny and revised classification of the saucer bugs (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 195, pp. 1245-1286 : 1279

INDONAUCORIS GEN. NOV.

FIGS 24 , 25

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: 1E965D6D-14C1-4AE0-9A6E-C7D19EE8E41E

Type species: Indonaucoris minutus sp. nov.

Description: Form nearly ovate; widest at middle, the embolia; moderately flattened for family.

Head broad, eyes and anterior margin evenly convex to anterolateral corners of pronotum. Anterior margin of head with sparse row of elongate, lightcoloured setae. Eyes convergent anteriorly, angle of convergence subtly becoming greater in anterior half; anteroventral margin concave; narrow band of cuticle lateral to eye. Labrum arising at front of head between inner margins of eyes; apex broadly rounded. Maxillary plates angled ventromedially, tips almost truncate, but broadly rounded, not exceeding apex of labrum. Rostrum with three visible segments, with segments 1 and part of 2 concealed behind labrum. Antennae four segmented with segment 1 short and inconspicuous, 2 widest, 2–4 subequal in length. Midventer of head with anterior half roundedly carinate, posterior half flat. Head and pronotum moderately convex transversely.

Pronotum with anterior margin straight or slightly concave between eyes, then concavity becoming more pronounced as margin contours around eyes; lateral margins convex and convergent anteriorly; posterior margin mostly straight, with slight concavities medially and midlaterally before rounded posterolateral corners; sparse long hairs near lateral margin. Scutellum large, triangular, slightly wider than long, evenly domed, heavily punctate. Hemelytra extending to tip of abdomen; embolium well defined with embolar suture, yellowish anteriorly, darker posteriorly; clavus well defined with claval and intraclaval sutures; corium, clavus and membrane punctate and with subtle mottling; sparse long hairs evident on scutellum, clavus and corium, hairs not evident on membrane; a single light spot at middle of corium/membrane interface. Hindwings macropterous.

Propleuron lateral to coxal cavity infuscated and setose; posterolaterally light coloured and glabrous; mesal margin roundedly triangular and deflexed at tip, suggesting that mesal margin would subduct beneath prosternellum in intact specimen. Probasisternum sharply carinate, carina widening posteriorly and apparently not continuous with midventral carina of head. Mesosternum on right side suggests at most a broad tumescence medially, left side missing. Metasternum missing entirely. Abdominal venter thickly covered with long hairs; laterosternites with paired, oval, glabrous depressions near spiracles. Wide glabrous lateral band.

Profemur inflated, anterior margin with ventral row of golden hairs beneath two rows of short, dark spines; dorsal row of golden hairs imperceptible. Protarsus single-segmented with single, fixed, minute pretarsal claw. Meso- and metafemora with posteroventral row of short spines; those on mesofemur densely packed such that adjacent spines are touching or nearly touching, but with occasional interruptions; those on metafemur less densely packed, spaced approximately one spine width apart. Meso- and metatibiae with numerous rows of long dark red spines. Long golden swimming hairs imperceptible on mesotibia and tarsus, profuse on metatibia and tarsus.

Aedeagus long and slender; parameres asymmetrical, criss-crossing; left paramere overlapping right, with pronounced lobe on left margin; right paramere with elongate sulcus in distal half.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology: The genus name references the Indian region in which this insect was collected and the genus Naucoris which it closely resembles. The prefix is derived from the Latin Indus, Indian.

Comments: The single male specimen was dissected so that thoracic musculature could be extracted and used for the molecular analyses. Thus, it has incurred significant meso- and metasternal damage. The connection between the prothorax and mesothorax has been substantially weakened. Nonetheless, most other structures, including the genital capsule, are intact and five legs are available. Because of the condition of the specimen, it is preserved in 80% etOH. It would not pin or point well, and if card-mounted, future removal from the card to examine ventral features would likely cause further damage to this fragile specimen.

Figures

Figure 24. Indonaucoris minutus gen. nov., sp. nov.: dorsal habitus (a), ventral habitus (b), genital capsule (c), genital capsule with terga IX and X removed (d), left and right parameres (e), dorsal and ventral views of mesothoracic leg (f), dorsal and ventral views of metathoracic leg (g). Sizes are not proportional among figures.

Figure 25. Tamhini stream, the presumed type locality of Indonaucoris minutus gen. nov., sp. nov., in December 2019. Photo courtesy of Shruti Paripatyadar.