Cheirochela grossa, Xie, Tong-Yin & Liu, Guo-Qing, 2015

Xie, Tong-Yin & Liu, Guo-Qing, 2015, The creeping water bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Naucoridae) of China, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3911 (4), pp. 571-580 : 573-577

Cheirochela grossa sp. nov.

( Figs. 3, 4 , 19–25 )

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA: Tongbiguan (N24.61°, E97.66°), Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, alt. 1350 m, 20.V. 2009, Bo CAI leg. Paratypes: 2♀, same date as holotype; 1♂ 1♀, same date as holotype, 18.V. 2009, Min LI leg.

Description. Brachypterous male. Of moderate size for genus, general body rotund, widest across abdomen, basic colouration light yellow or black, hemelytra with basal embolium and claval suture dark yellow, membrane dark brown.

Head. Pale light yellow, with dark brown longitudinal markings medially and along inner eye margins; a pair of long, irregular, longitudinal brown lines present on each side of midline on vertex; posterior margin broadly dark with an orange spot medially; eyes dark brown, shining, lateral margins weakly sinuate, tapering anteriorly; rostrum dark brown, second segment thickened, distal segments slender; antennae set in cavity, not extending to lateral margin of head, with all segments thickened, segments II, III and IV each about half the length of I. Ventral surface of head yellowish, bearing thick hydrofuge setae.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Fig. 3 ), yellowish brown, mottled with darker brown; slightly depressed medially behind vertex, lateral margins narrowly, medially granular, anterolateral corners sharply angular, lateral corners produced; posterior margin nearly straight, posterolateral angles slightly produced, set off from remainder of pronotum by transverse sulcus. Scutellum yellow, medially orange-brown, surface sculptured, rugose, lateral margins sinuate, anterior margin nearly straight. Base of embolium and claval suture dark yellow, surface coarsely rugose, bearing fine, pale, granular microstructure, pertains to compound eye, shining, without setae; clavus and corium defined; membrane dark brown, highly reduced, obscure; tips of hemelytra rounded; embolium demarcated by deep narrow sinuate furrow along inner margin, with a thick fringe of long soft setae arising from outer margin. Mesosternum medialy bearing thick hydrofuge setae.

Abdomen. Lateral portions of segments II–VII exposed when viewed dorsally; all visible tergites dull brown, light yellow laterally, posterolateral angles of tergite II symmetrical and truncate, of tergites III–VI produced into spines. Ventral surface of abdomen yellowish, bearing thick hydrofuge setae; ventral keel of head with tooth at anterior terminus small, barely formed; typical static sense organ cupped into anterolateral angle of prothorax; propleura moderately reflexed posteriorly, barely covering basal portions of mesosternal plate.

Legs. Yellowish brown, shining; fore coxa anterior face raised, with gold setae; fore trochanter with a stout ventral tuft of stout setae; fore femur bearing a thick pad of gold setae along anterior margin and fringe of long gold setae along posterior margin; fore tibia slender, gently curving, grooved along inner face; middle and hind coxae each bearing a single glabrous tubercle distally and fringe of long gold setae; middle and hind trochanters unarmed, posteriorly set with thick recumbent pile; hind femur distally with a row of short dark spinules running along posterior margin, and a few short dark spinules scattered along anterior margin; middle tibia beneath with a thick pad of golden setae on distal half, and a few scattered, stout reddish spines; hind tibia beneath with a longitudinal pad of golden setae along anterior edge, widening distally to cover entire surface; hind tarsus beneath with longitudinal pad of golden setae along anterior edge; claws curved, golden, with tips dark red.

Genitalia. Both parameres bearing a weakly developed basal lobe, distal arm possessing only a weak subapical notch ( Figs. 19–21 ); aedeagus with tip expanded ( Figs. 22–23 ); dorsomedial process of male genital capsule in the form of elongate triangle, apex truncated ( Fig. 24 ).

Female. Colour and vestiture generally as in male. Female subgenital plate triangular, slightly convex basally, lateral margins straight, apex round ( Fig 25 ).

Distribution. Currently known only from China (Yunnan Province).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin grossa , refers to the thick fore femur of this species.

Discussion. Easily recognised among the currently known suite of Cheirochela by its small size ( Figs. 1–4 ). The new species is morphologically similar to Cheirochela feana , it can be separated from other Cheirochela by parameres in the male genitalia ( Figs. 19–21 ) and dorsomedial process of male genital capsule ( Fig. 24 ). The new species male parameres also has a basal lobe that is much smaller and less well developed than that seen in Ch. assamensis , Ch. feana and Ch. tonkina . The tip of male paramere in Cheirochela grossa like a bird’ head, while in Ch. thailandana tip of male paramere bears a prominent cove. The new species lateral margin of pronotum slightly concave ( Figs. 3, 4 ), fore-lateral margin of pronotum with a pointed end, the shape of the head anterior margin, lateral margins and posterolateral angles of pronotum ( Figs. 3–4 ) are also different from Ch. tonkina and Ch. feana ( Figs. 1, 2 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Dorsal habitus photographs of Naucoridae of China. 1: Cheirochela feana Montandon (♂); 2: Cheirochela tonkina Polhemus et al. (♂); 3: Cheirochela grossa sp. nov. (♂); 4: Cheirochela grossa sp. nov. (♀); 5: Gestroiella limnocoroides Montandon (Brachypterous ♂); 6: G. limnocoroides Montandon (Brachypterous ♀); 7: G. limnocoroides Montandon (Macropterous ♂); 8: G. limnocoroides Montandon (Macropterous ♀); 9: Heleocoris breviceps Montandon (♂).

FIGURE 19 – 25. Cheirochela grossa sp. nov. 19 – 21: right paramere in different views; 22 – 23: aedeagus in different views; 24: dorsomedial process of male genital capsule; 25: Ventral view of posterior abdominal segments of female. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.