Cataractocoris macrocephalus (Montandon)

Sites, Robert W., Reynoso-Velasco, Daniel & Novelo-Gutiérrez, Rodolfo, 2013, Revision of the Mesoamerican Genus Cataractocoris Usinger (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae), Zootaxa 3682 (3), pp. 475-484 : 477-478

Cataractocoris macrocephalus (Montandon)

Figs. 1–5 , 15 a

Cryphocricus macrocephalus Montandon 1897 : Bull. Mus. d’Hist. Nat. Paris 4: 125. Cataractocoris macrocephalus: Usinger 1941 , Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 34: 12.

Discussion. This species was described by Montandon (1897) from a collection at Haut Verapaz by Bocourt in 1866. The label reads "Hte-Vera Paz," meaning Upper Verapaz, or Alta Verapaz in Spanish. Although there is a town named Verapaz in Chiapas, Mexico, there is no Alta or Baja designation. However, in Guatemala there is an Alta Verapaz Department in the north-central part of the country. We have specimens of this species collected from the adjacent Baja Verapaz Department. Therefore, we consider Alta Verapaz, Guatemala the type locality for C. macrocephalus . The date of collection of the type specimen actually reads "188-6.6", which Montandon interpreted as 1866. This species was distinguished by Usinger (1941) from C. marginiventris by concave lateral margins of the pronotum, longer and proportionately narrower profemora, concolorous connexiva, and a narrow glabrous band surrounding the venter. For each species of Cataractocoris, we have found sufficient intraspecific variation in some of these characters that reliance on any one character can lead to misidentification. In particular for C. macrocephalus , the concolorous connexivum is unreliable to the extent that it should not be included as a diagnostic attribute. The remaining characteristics together along with others reported here serve to distinguish this species. The meso-and metathoracic pretarsal claws of C. macrocephalus tend to be substantially larger than those of its congeners, although the degree of difference varies among populations.

Usinger and Hinton collected several hundred adults and nymphs on moss and algae-covered rocks beneath 40-foot waterfalls near Real de Arriba (central Mexico) in June 1933, but did not find them in more placid water ( Usinger 1941). In his memoires, he recalled the waterfalls to be only 20 feet ( Usinger 1972). We have collected this species from large rocks in fast current and from rock walls of waterfalls.

Diagnosis. The narrow, yellow, glabrous marginal band on the venter is diagnostic. Its width at the widest point on the propleuron ranged from 0.40 to 0.52 mm (mean 0.44 ± 0.01). The female subgenital plate tends to be approximately as long as wide and with a dense band of deflexed hairs of consistent length along the posterior margin ( Fig. 3 ). Ventral laterotergite VII of females is shallowly incised apically ( Fig. 3 ), lies flat in the same plane as the body, and has a distinct posteromedial - anterolateral tumescence. Most specimens have the lateral margin of the pronotum distinctly concave ( Fig. 1 ), although some congeneric individuals also have this appearance.

Distribution. We have collected this species on both sides of the Central Mexican Plateau from Jalisco and Veracruz south to Chiapas, and we have examined specimens from Guatemala (including the type) and El Salvador ( Fig. 15 a). We report the first records of this species from the Mexican states of Chiapas, Jalisco, Morelos, and Veracruz.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: [ GUATEMALA]: Museum Paris, Hte-Vera Paz, Bocourt 188-6.6 / Type / Cryphocricus macrocephalus Montand. type 1897 (Ƥ, MNHN).

Other material examined. EL SALVADOR: La Majadita, CL1257, XII-21-1969, J.T. Polhemus / Cataractocoris macrocephalus Mont. Det. J.T. Polhemus (23, SEMC). GUATEMALA: Baja Verapaz Dept., Rt CA-14, 5.3 km S of La Cumbre, waterway under road, N 15 o 00.742' W 90o 14.684', 14 Sept 2009, R.S. Zack collr. (13, 1Ƥ, 2 nymphs, WSUC); Baja Verapaz, 0.3 km S La Cumbre, 12 VI 2001, 4180 ft / unnamed stream, W.D. Shepard (13, 1Ƥ, UMC); unnamed creek at Hwy 17, ca. 3 km S. La Cumbre and Jct Hwy, CA 14, 15o00’34”N 90o13’51”W, 4180 ft, 12 July 2001, D.E. Baumgardner (1Ƥ, TAMU); Fnc. Cabañas, 23-III-1991, M.E. González (1Ƥ, UVG). [Chimaltenango Dept.]: Sta Emilia, Pachuta [misspelled Pochuta?], 8.IV.31, Gtaeh? (illegible) / J. R. de la Torre Bueno Collection K. U. / Cryphocricos macrocephalus Mont. J.R.T.B. det. 1933 (13, SEMC); S. PedroAcat., Chimal. Guat., HDalmat, US 181664, 12-' 48 ' 49-1670#2 (13, 2Ƥ, USNM); same data but #4 / Cryphocricus macrocephalus Mont R.I.S. (label folded) (1Ƥ, USNM); Yepocapa, Chimalt. Guat. C.A. VII-1951, H. T. Dalmat (23, 1Ƥ, SEMC). Suchitepéquez Dept.: Fca. Moca, 12 Jun 1966, Flint & Ortiz (23, USNM). MÉXICO: Chiapas: 3 mi N Tapilula, 27 V 1974, M.E. and P.D. Perkins (13, 1Ƥ, EMEC); Tapachula, Puente Colorado, 31-VIII-85, H. Velasco / Colección del Instituto de Biologia, UNAM, México D.F. (13, UNAM); 1 km S of Finca Prusia, Prusia River, 15º 43' 23.3'' N, 92º 47' 46.5'' W, 1010 m, 18 May 2012, D. Reynoso-Velasco, L- 1345 (53, 3Ƥ, UMC); Velo de Novia Waterfall, 15º 55' 11.3'' N, 93º 29' 45.9'' W, 144 m, near Las Hermanas bridge, 21 May 2012, D. Reynoso-Velasco, L-1359 (73, 3Ƥ UMC). Jalisco: 2.4 km SE Purificacíon, 8 I 2005, 1280', Rio Purificacíon / W. D. Shepard, leg. (23, EMEC). [State of México]: Temescaltepec, VI-5-33, H.E. Hinton, R.L. Usinger (33, 2Ƥ, EMEC); same data but J. R. de la Torre Bueno Collection K. U. / Cataractocoris macrocephalus (Montd.) Det. by R. L. Usinger (13, SEMC); same locality, VII 1934, H.E. Hinton (53, EMEC); Temescaltepec, Tejupilco, VII- 1934, H.E. Hinton (13, EMEC). [Morelos]: Cuernavaca, 1934, H.E. Hinton (43, 2Ƥ, 1-5th instar, EMEC); same data but VI 1934 (1Ƥ, EMEC). Veracruz: Altotonga, Reserva Ecológica Pancho Poza, N 19o 44.593, W 97o 14.896, 1927 m, 7 November 2009, Sites, Cervantes, & Novelo, L-1118 (13, UMC); same locality, 19° 44.602' N, 97° 14.898' W, 1989 m, 5 April 2011, Sites, Shepard, Amaya, Novelo, L-1294 (43, 1Ƥ, 6 nymphs, UMC); Rio Tomata at Puente Tomata, N19° 55.335', W97° 13.385', 500 m, 6 April 2011, colls: Sites, Shepard, Amaya, Novelo, L-1296, emergent boulders (63, 1Ƥ, 4 nymphs, UMC).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Distribution records of (a) Cataractocoris macrocephalus (b) Cataractocoris marginiventris, (c) Cataractocoris shepardi n. sp.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Cataractocoris macrocephalus (1) habitus; (2) ventral aspect of prothorax; (3) terminal abdominal sterna of female, SGP = subgenital plate, VL 7 = ventral laterotergite VII; (4) pseudoparameres of male tergum VIII; (5) male genital capsule including aedeagus and parameres. Sizes are not proportionate among figures.