Steinovelia stagnalis ( Burmeister, 1835 )

Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo, Floriano, Carla Fernanda Burguez, Rodrigues, Higor D. D. & Sites, Robert W., 2020, Revision of the American genus Steinovelia Polhemus & Polhemus, 1993 (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae), Zootaxa 4729 (1), pp. 77-91 : 80-82

Steinovelia stagnalis ( Burmeister, 1835)

( Figs. 2 , 6 )

Velia stagnalis Burmeister, 1835: 212 (original description);

Velia watsoni Drake, 1919: 1–2 (synonymized by Polhemus 1976: 511–512);

Velia paulineae Wilson, 1953: 27–29 (synonymized by Polhemus 1976: 511–512);

Paravelia stagnalis: Polhemus 1976: 513 (new combination);

Steinovelia stagnalis: Polhemus & Polhemus 1993: 397 (new combination).

Apterous male ( Figs. 2 C–D) (n=5). BL 4.05–4.44; HL 0.62–0.72; HW 0.58–0.74; ANT I 0.75–0.92, ANT II 0.57– 0.68, ANT III 0.55–0.70, ANT IV 0.57–0.62; EYE 0.16–0.20; PL 1.08–1.30; PW 0.89–1.04; FORELEG: FEM 1.00–1.16, TIB 0.79–1.02, TAR I 0.06–0.08, TAR II 0.09–0.10, TAR III 0.26–0.30; MIDLEG: FEM 1.43–1.70, TIB 1.37–1.68, TAR I 0.06–0.08, TAR II 0.25–0.30, TAR III 0.32–0.34; HINDLEG: FEM 1.49–1.78, TIB 1.42–1.72, TAR I 0.06–0.08, TAR II 0.22–0.26, TAR III 0.28–0.34.

Head brown, with long darker brown setae generally distributed over dorsum of head from frons to posterior margin. Antenna concolorous medium brown, setose. Eyes shining, dark red. Jugum with patch of silvery setae. Buccula yellow. Labium yellowish; distal portion of article III and entire IV brown. Pronotum brown, with elongated dark brown spot laterally on anterior lobe ( Fig. 2C ); patches of silvery setae laterally lacking on anterior lobe. Humeri brown. Episterna brown and epimera dark brown above acetabula; lateral surfaces of acetabula yellowish. Patches of silvery setae on pleuron above acetabula ( Fig. 2G ). All thoracic sterna dark brown. Ventral surfaces of acetabula yellow. Coxae and trochanters yellow. Femora yellow on basal halves, then brown to dark brown with a preapical yellow band ( Figs. 2 C–D). Tibiae brown to dark brown with a subbasal and a median yellow band ( Figs. 2 C–D, G). Tarsi mostly brown dorsally, tarsomere III yellow in proximal half; yellow ventrally. Abdominal mediotergites brown, darker on lateral margins, faint anteromedian yellowish spots on VI and VII. Laterotergites brown, with yellow spots on anterolateral angles more pronounced on posterior segments. Abdominal sterna dark brown to black becoming lighter laterally; pronounced longitudinal stripe of silvery setae laterally on abdominal sterna II–III lacking, although generally distributed light-colored setae present laterally on all sterna ( Fig. 2G ).

Posterior margin of eye nearly touching anterior margin of pronotum; distant from it by up to 15% of dorsal eye length. Antennomere I thickest, curved laterally; II slightly curved mesally; III–IV straight or nearly so. Buccula lacking punctations. Labium reaching middle of mesosternum. Pronotum convex; margin slightly thickened on collar; humeri projecting; punctations deep, more numerous on posterior lobe. Mesopleuron with a row of punctations; a few punctations on lateral surface of metacetabulum. Metasternum with a pair (1+1) of inconspicuous tubercles laterally underneath middle coxae. Wings absent. Legs covered by decumbent and long, erect setae. Inner surfaces of fore tibia, middle femur, and hind femur and tibia each with rows of black spinules. Hind femur slightly incrassate, about 1.1 times as wide as middle femur. Hind tibia straight. Abdominal medio- and laterotergites covered by short shining setae, with sparsely distributed long setae. Posterior margin of abdominal mediotergite VIII rounded, without central notch. Abdominal sternum VII with posterior margin widely concave and posterolateral angles rounded ( Fig. 2D ). Parameres symmetrical, long, fusiform, widest at middle, arcuate, with rounded apex ( Fig. 2G ).

Apterous female ( Figs. 2 E–F) (n=5). BL 4.43–4.60; HL 0.70–0.76; HW 0.64–0.74; ANT I 0.83–0.92, ANT II 0.58–0.70, ANT III 0.62–0.68, ANT IV 0.53–0.62, EYE 0.17–0.20; PL 1.19–1.42; PW 0.94–1.20; FORELEG: FEM 1.04–1.20, TIB 0.87–1.02, TAR I 0.06–0.09, TAR II 0.08–0.10, TAR III 0.26–0.28; MIDLEG: FEM 1.60–1.82, TIB 1.47–1.70, TAR I 0.06–0.09, TAR II 0.26–0.30, TAR III 0.30–0.36; HINDLEG: FEM 1.70–1.84, TIB 1.60–1.72, TAR I 0.08–0.10, TAR II 0.24–0.26, TAR III 0.28–0.36.

Macropterous female (n=4). BL 4.44–4.56; HL 0.64–0.72; HW 0.66–0.68; ANT I 0.88–0.96, ANT II 0.64–0.70, ANT III 0.62–0.66, ANT IV 0.60–0.66, EYE 0.16–0.20; PL 1.30–1.52; PW 1.10–1.42; FORELEG: FEM 1.16–1.20, TIB 0.90–1.04, TAR I 0.06–0.08, TAR II 0.06–0.10, TAR III 0.24–0.30; MIDLEG: FEM 1.66–1.78, TIB 1.58–1.66, TAR I 0.06–0.08, TAR II 0.28–0.32, TAR III 0.30–0.34; HINDLEG: FEM 1.78–1.80, TIB 1.58–1.72, TAR I 0.08, TAR II 0.24–0.26, TAR III 0.32–0.36.

Discussion. Steinovelia stagnalis differs from S. permista and S. vinnula mainly by possessing a hind femur which is not incrassate and about as wide as the middle femur ( Figs. 2D, 2F ), whereas it is 1.5 times as wide as the middle femur in the other two species ( Figs. 1B, 1D , 3C ). Steinovelia stagnalis shares with S. virgata a similar body size, color pattern, and the narrow hind femur, which makes separating them based only on the external morphology difficult. The main difference between these two species is that male abdominal sternum VII has the posterolateral angles weakly projecting in S. stagnalis ( Fig. 2D ), whereas the posterolateral angles are more strongly projecting in S. virgata ( Figs. 4E , 5B ). Morphological and molecular studies of populations are needed to test the specific status of these two species.

Distribution ( Fig. 6 ). Canada: Ontario ( Scudder 2000); United States: New York ( Bobb 1974), Illinois ( Taylor 1996, McPherson & Taylor 2006, present study), Pennsylvania ( Burmeister 1835), Ohio ( Drake 1919), New Jersey ( Torre-Bueno 1925, Chapman 1959, Polhemus 1976), Missouri ( Froeschner 1962, Harp et al. 2008, Damgaard 2008, present study), Maryland ( Drake 1951a), District of Columbia ( Torre-Bueno 1916, McAtee 1918, present study), Kansas ( Hoffman 1925, Polhemus 1976), Virginia ( Drake 1951a), Oklahoma ( Schaefer & Drew 1968), Arkansas ( Harp & Robison 2006), North Carolina ( Torre-Bueno & Brimley 1907, Sanderson 1982), Texas ( Polhemus 1976, Damgaard et al. 2005), Mississippi ( Wilson 1953, 1958), Alabama ( Polhemus 1976), Georgia ( Drake 1951a), Louisiana ( Ellis 1952, Polhemus 1976, Gosselink & Cordes 1979), Florida ( Drake 1919, Blatchley 1926, Herring 1950, Polhemus 1976, Epler 2006, present study); Cuba ( Alayo 1967, Nieser 1977, Muñoz et al. 2010, Olivares- Calzado et al. 2012).

As indicated by Champion (1898), S. stagnalis was recorded from the island of Grenada by Uhler (1894a) based on misidentified specimens of Platyvelia brachialis (Stål, 1860) . This is probably also the case of the individuals recorded from Baja California, Mexico ( Uhler 1894b). Later, S. stagnalis was recorded from Chiapas, Mexico ( Bond et al. 2014). We consider this an error because the genus has no reliable records from the country and their specimens were identified based on Epler’s (2006) manual to the aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera of Florida, the fauna of which is significantly different from that of the Pacific coast of Mexico.

Material examined. 9♂ apterous and macropterous ( NMNH), Washington DC 26.x.21, Champ Barber Not- man, sifting, H G Barber colln 1950 . 1♀ apterous ( NMNH), Washington DC, eastern brach near Bennings , Jan. 1.14., H G Barber Coll 1950 . 1♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Pine Hills , Union County, Illinois, 6 July 1984 , collec- tors J.E. McPherson, R. J. Packauskas, T.E. Vogt . 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, May 25 1984 . 1♂ brachyp- terous ( UMC), same data, May 12 1984 . 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, 6 September 1984 . 1♀ brachypter- ous ( UMC), same data, 2 IX 1984 . 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, 11 October 1984 . 1♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, 18 October 1984 . 2♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Moberly MO ([Missouri], May 13, 1972 , T.J. Riley . 1♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), 1 mi. E. Moberly MO [ Missouri ], Randolph County, July 8 1972 , coll. T.J. Riley . 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Dent County, Little Scotia Pond, 23 June 1978, coll. E.G. Riley. 2♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Wildlife Area, 17 July 1977, coll. E.G. Riley. 1♂ brachyp- terous ( UMC), same locality, March 14 1977, coll. C.N. McKinnon. 2♂ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, April 18 1977 . 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Wildlife Area, October 10 1977, coll. Paul Gross. 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), MO [Missouri], Boone County, Ashland Wildlife Area , VIII 17 1982 , coll. R.L. Blinn . 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Wildlife Area, 38º45’12”N, 92º11’56”W, 13 September 2013 , J. Warwick, aquatic riparian debris. 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Wildlife Management Area, 7 September 1991, coll. M. Lange. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Columbia Cosmo Park, 9 June 1991, coll. C. Ecale , pond. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Co- lumbia, 10 September 1983, coll. S.L. Briesacher , near H2O. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Baskett Research & Education Center, 13 September 2013 , coll. R.W. Sites . 2♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Mis- souri, Boone County, T.A. Baskett Wildlife Area , 6 miles E Ashland on Y, 12 July 1992, coll. B.J. Nichols. 1♂ bra- chypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, T.A. Baskett Wildlife Area, 5 miles E Ashland, 10 September 1992, coll. Sites & Simpson. 2♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Lake, 24 September 2003, coll. O.P. Pinzon , sweeping in lake. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Baskett Research Center, near boat ramp, 19 September 2009 , coll. R.W. Sites . 2♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Lake, 23 August 2003, coll. K. Kirawanich. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, 0.2 miles N of end of ABC Lane ( ABC labs), VII 11 1999 , coll. T. Leak , in pond . 1♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Saline County, Marshall , Junction C.A., pond 65, 4 April 1999, coll. Landwer & Whiteman , margin, Cyperaceae B. 1 5th instar, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Lake, 3 miles E of Ashland on Route Y, 7 September 2014 , coll. R.W. Sites . 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Ashland Lake, 4 miles E of Ashland, 21 April 2001, coll. E. Oleson. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Boone County, Baskett Wildlife Area, 18 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 76, Rush A. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, but Poaceae B . 2♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Audrain County, Robert M White Conservation Area, 24 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 79, Poaceae A. 3♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Howard County, Davisdale Conservation Area, 30 September 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 42, Cyperaceae sp. D. 1♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Callaway County, Reform Conservation Area, 19 June 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 104, Cyperaceae C. 1♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), same locality, 16 September 1998 , pond 24, Salix sp. B. 2♀ bra- chypterous ( UMC), same data, pond 104, Salix sp. D . 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Henry County, Chapel View Prairie, 3 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 60, Juncus sp. A. 3♂, 5♀ brachypterous, 1♀ macropterous ( UMC), Missouri , Holt County, Riverbreaks Conservation Area, 15 June 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 97, marginal vegetation A. 1♂, 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), same locality, pond 98, Polygonum sp. A . 1♂, 1♀ brachyp- terous, 3♀ macropterous ( UMC), Missouri , Pettis County, J.N. Turkey Kearn Memorial Conservation Area, 13 June 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 93, Typha sp. A. 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Linn County, Muscle Fork Conservation Area, 11 September 1998 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 13, Salix sp. roots C. 1♂, 1♀ brachypterous, 1 5th instar ( UMC), Missouri , Carroll County, W.L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area, 16 June 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 100, Salix sp. A. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Lafayette County, Baltimore Bend Conservation Area, 9 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 66, marginal vegetation B. 2♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Adair County, Big Creek Conservation Area, 5 September 1998 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 2, Salix sp. roots C. 1♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Monroe County, 0.5 miles E of junction country roads 900 & 915, 1 July 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 113, Poaceae C. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Cedar County, Monegaw Prairie, 3 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 61, marginal Poaceae D. 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Montgomery County, Danville Conservation Area, 7 September 1998 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 11, Typha sp. B. 1♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Lincoln County, William R. Logan Wildlife Area, 2 July 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 117, Cyperaceae A. 1♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Lincoln County, Vonaventure Conservation Area, 25 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 81, Poaceae A. 2♂ brachypterous ( UMC), Missouri , Lewis County, Deer Ridge Conservation Area, 25 April 1999 , Landwer & Whiteman, pond 82, Polygonum sp. B. 1♂ brachypterous ( UMC), same data, Cyperaceae A . 2♂ brachypterous ( UMC), same locality, 6 September 1998 , pond 6, Salix sp. C. 2♂, 2♀ brachypterous ( UMC), Florida , Orange County, 2.3 miles S of Christ- mas, 24 November 1992 , in swamp by road to Toxahatchee Reserve , coll. R. W. Sites .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Steinovelia permista. (A) Apterous male holotype, dorsal view; (B) Apterous male holotype, ventral view, arrow indicates slightly incrassate hind femur; (C) Apterous female, dorsal view; (D); Apterous female, ventral view; (E) Apterous male holotype, lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Steinovelia stagnalis. (A) Macropterous male, dorsal view; (B) Macropterous male, dorsal view; (C) Apterous male, dorsal view; (D) Apterous male, ventral view; (E) Apterous female, dorsal view (S. watsoni, paratype); (F) Apterous female, ventral view (S. watsoni, paratype); (G) Apterous male, lateral view (S. watsoni, paratype).

FIGURE 3. Steinovelia vinnula. (A) Macropterous female holotype, dorsal view; (B) Macropterous female holotype, lateral view; (C) Macropterous female holotype, hind leg, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Steinovelia virgata. (A) Macropterous male, dorsal view; (B) Macropterous male, dorsal view; (C) Macropterous female, dorsal view; (D) Macropterous female syntype, dorsal view; (E) Macropterous male, ventral view; (F) Macropterous female, dorsal view; (G) Macropterous male, lateral view. Figure 4D reproduced from http://www.flickr.com/photos/perth_museum_and_art_gallery.

FIGURE 5. Steinovelia placida (junior synonym of S. virgata). (A) Macropterous male holotype, dorsal view; (B) Macropterous male holotype, ventral view; (C) Macropterous female paratype, dorsal view; (D) Macropterous female paratype, ventral view; (E) Macropterous male holotype, lateral view.

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Steinovelia permista and S. stagnalis. Question marks indicate imprecise records