Micronecta (Micronecta) sinuata, Tran, 2021

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 : 52-54

Micronecta (Micronecta) sinuata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:78EEDB2B-1576-42AE-95A5-424B0E821218

Figs 13E , 16

Diagnosis

Body length 2.0–2.2. Pronotum longer than median head length. Dorsum colour brown. Hemelytron punctate, generally brownish.

Males: fore femur with a pair of spines on middle third, one spine in distal third dorsally, and two spines distally; fore tibia without spine; palar claw moderately widened distally, apex rounded ( Fig. 16A ). Median lobe of sternite VII with angular, acute apex and four long setae ( Fig. 16C ). Free lobe short, distally widened, both angles nearly square, lateral with ca 25 long setae, mostly on lateral margin ( Fig. 16D ). Left paramere: shaft broad, flat, tapering towards a slightly swollen, rounded apex, and with a small process near apex; basal lobe longer than wide, sub-rectangular ( Fig. 16F ). Right paramere: distal part of shaft widened and folded into a gutter-like structure, with a lobe on one side, apex narrowly rounded; base with a distinct hump on mesial side, near base of shaft; pars stridens processus with ca 20 ridges ( Fig. 16E ).

Etymology

The species epithet refers to the sinuate and folded tip of the right paramere.

Material examined

Holotype

VIETNAM • ♂; Lao Cai Prov., Sa Pa, Ban Den, Ta Van , Muong Hoa stream; 24 Apr. 2011; N.H. Dinh et al. leg.; DNH11.13 ; ZVNU.

Paratypes

VIETNAM – Lao Cai Prov. • 18 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀; samle locality data as for holotype; ZVNU • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; Sa Pa, Hoang Lien N.P. , Cat Cat ; 1 Jun. 2003; A.D. Tran leg.; TAD0336 ; ZRC • 4 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀; Sa Pa, Cat Cat, Muong Hoa stream; 22 Apr. 2011; N.H. Dinh et al. leg.; DNH11.01 ; NHMW • 9 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀; Sa Pa, Su Pan, Cau May , Muong Hoa stream; 24 Apr. 2011; N.H. Dinh et al. leg.; DNH11.12 ; ZVNU • 30 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀; Sa Pa, km 110 Nat. Road #4D, Ngoi Duoi stream; 25 Apr. 2011; N.H. Dinh et al. leg.; DNH11.14 ; ZVNU • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Sa Pa, Nam Sai, Seo Nam Sai stream 1; 24 Oct. 2012; N.H. Dinh et al. leg.; DNH12.09 ; ZVNU • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Sa Pa, Sin Chai, Muong Hoa stream (Cat stream); 27 Oct. 2013; A.D. Tran et al. leg.; TAD1365 ; ZVNU • 1 ♂; Sa Pa, Cat Cat, Muong Hoa stream (Cat stream); 27 Oct. 2013; Q.H. Ngo et al. leg.; TAD1367 ; ZVNU .

Description

COLOUR ( Fig. 13E ). Dorsum generally sordid brown. Frons and vertex light yellowish, eyes dark brown. Pronotum sordid brown, with a yellowish longitudinal stripe on anterior part and two yellowish transverse stripes on posterior part, stripes usually indistinct. Hemelytron generally brownish, embolium hyaline, with brown mark along suture with corium. Membrane translucent. Venter of thorax and abdomen brownish yellow, legs pale greyish yellow.

Structural characteristics

MACROPTEROUS MALES. Body length 2.06–2.35 (holotype: 2.25), width 0.88–1.1 (holotype: 1.06). Head width 0.72–0.81 (holotype: 0.76). Pronotum about 2.4 times as wide as long (0.90: 0.38). Pronotum wider than head. Synthlipsis about 1.3 times as wide as posterior width of an eye (0.4: 0.3). Lengths of leg segments: fore leg: femur 0.27, tibia 0.2, pala 0.14; middle leg: femur 0.67, tibia 0.25, tarsus 0.38, claw 0.25; hind leg: femur 0.54, tibia 0.4, tarsus I 0.41, tarsus II 0.14, claw 0.08. Prestrigilar flap on segment V with prolonged apex ( Fig. 16B ). Strigil present. Median lobe of sternite VII, free lobe, and parameres as in diagnosis.

MACROPTEROUS FEMALES. Body length 2.1–2.22, width 0.94–1.0. Head width 0.77–0.83. Pronotum about 2.6 times as wide as long (0.93: 0.36). Pronotum wider than head. Synthlipsis about 1.6 times as wide as posterior width of an eye (0.41: 0.26). Lengths of leg segments: fore leg: femur 0.3, tibiotarsus 0.24; middle leg: femur 0.74, tibia 0.28, tarsus 0.33, claw 0.25; hind leg: femur 0.56, tibia 0.37, tarsus I 0.4, tarsus II 0.16, claw 0.05.

Distribution

Vietnam: Lao Cai.

Remarks

This new species appears most similar to M. prashadana Hutchinson, 1940 from Sri Lanka, in the general form of the parameres, the outline of palar claw, and the shape of the free lobe. In both species, the right paramere has a beak-like apical part, and the left paramere has a swollen, rounded apex. However, there are substantial differences between the two species. In M. sinuata sp. nov., the left paramere has its shaft gently tapering towards a slightly swollen, rounded apex; the basal lobe of the left paramere is well developed and sub-rectangular; the right paramere has a pre-apical lobe on the mesial side of the shaft, and the base of the right paramere has a distinct hump on its mesial side, near the base of shaft. In M. prashadana , the shaft of the left paramere is swollen on the basal part, and its apex more swollen and larger; the basal lobe of the left paramere is less developed, much narrower and subovate; the right paramere has a pre-apical lobe on the lateral side of shaft; and the base of the right paramere has no hump.

Among species of Micronecta occurring in Vietnam, M. sinuata sp. nov. has a rather unique structure of both parameres, with no other species having a similar structure.

Figures

Fig. 13. Habitus photos of species of Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897, ♂♂. A. M. ornitheia Nieser, Chen & Yang, 2005 (ZVNU). B. M. tuwanoni Nieser, Chen, Leksawasdi, Thanyakam & Duangsupa, 2004 (ZVNU). C–D. M. clavata sp. nov., two colour forms (ZVNU), C = holotype. E. M. sinuata sp. nov., holotype (ZVNU). F. M. undulata sp. nov., holotype (ZVNU). G–H. M. nieseri sp. nov., two colour forms (ZVNU), G = holotype. I–J. M. pingae sp. nov., two colour forms (ZVNU), I = holotype. K. M. haliploides Horváth, 1904 (ZVNU). All to the same scale.

Fig. 16. Morphological features of Micronecta sinuata sp. nov., ♂, paratype (ZVNU). A. Fore leg. B. Prestrigilar flap. C. Median lobe of sternite VII. D. Free lobe. E. Right paramere. F. Left paramere.