Micronecta fugitans Breddin, 1905

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 : 73

Micronecta fugitans Breddin, 1905

Figs 21F , 25A–D

Micronecta fugitans Breddin, 1905a: 57 (type locality: Buitenzorg (Bogor), Indonesia).

Micronecta fugitans – Breddin 1905b: 157, fig. 20 (description). — Lundblad 1933b: 91–93, fig. 28, pl. XIX fig. 4 (redescription, record Java, Sumatra). — Wróblewski 1960: 304–306 (descriptive notes); 1968: 761–762, 775, figs 21–22 (descriptive notes, checklist). — Nieser 2002b: 267 (diagnosis, distribution).

Diagnosis

Body length 1.8–2.2. Pronotum longer than median head length. Dorsum generally light brown. Hemelytron with four broken longitudinal stripes, usually confluent posteriorly; embolium with three brown patches, usually fused into a longitudinal stripe ( Fig. 21F ).

Males: palar claw parallel sided, broadly curved, with a notch before apex; apex pointed ( Fig. 25A ). Median lobe of sternite VII triangular with rounded apex and one long setae. Free lobe widened distally, mesial angle obtuse, posterior margin convex, lateral angle nearly square, with ca 10 long setae on lateral side ( Fig. 25B ). Left paramere: shaft styliform, relatively stout, with distal part dark brown, apex blunt; basal lobe short and subovate ( Fig. 25D ). Right paramere: shaft with proximal part parallel sided and nearly straight, distal third evenly curved and tapering towards pointed apex ( Fig. 25C ).

Material examined

VIETNAM – Binh Thuan Prov. • 14 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀; Phan Thiet City , Huynh Thuc Khang street , Suoi Tien stream ; 11 May 2019; T.N. Ha leg.; NHPT19.01 ; ZVNU . – Dong Nai Prov. • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Cat Tien N.P. , Dak-Lua stream (near Dak-Lua station ); 9 Apr. 2010; A.D. Tran and T.D. Pham leg.; PTD1001 ; ZVNU .

Distribution

First records for Vietnam (Binh Thuan, Dong Nai). Other countries: Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi ( Nieser 2002b).

Remarks

The illustration of the parameres of M. fugitans from Peninsular Malaysia by Wróblewski (1968) appears different from those of M. fugitans illustrated by Lundblad (1933b). Wróblewski (1968) also noted these differences. We think that the specimens studied by Wróblewski (1968) may belong to another species, not M. fugitans . Our samples from Vietnam perfectly match the illustration of M. fugitans by Lundblad (1933b). The dark distal part of the shaft of the left paramere, and the shape of the palar claw are important diagnostic characterstics for determining this species. Note that the shape of its right paramere is very similar to that of M. tarsalis , but this is the only similarity between the two species.

Figures

Fig. 21. Habitus photos of species of Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897 and Synaptonecta Lundblad, 1933, ♂♂. A. M. quadristrigata Breddin, 1905 (ZVNU). B. M. altera Wróblewski, 1972 (ZVNU). C. M. polhemusi Nieser, 2000 (ZRC). D. M. melanochroa Nieser, Chen & Yang, 2005 (ZVNU). E. M. caperata sp. nov., holotype (ZVNU). F. M. fugitans Breddin, 1905 (ZVNU). G. M. tarsalis Chen, 1960 (ZVNU). H. S. issa (Distant, 1910) (ZVNU). All to the same scale.

Fig. 25. Morphological features of species of Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897, ♂♂. A–D. M. fugitans Breddin, 1905 (ZVNU). E–H. M. tarsalis Chen, 1960 (ZVNU). A, E = fore leg; B, F = free lobe; C, G = right paramere; D, H = left paramere.