Micronecta, Kirkaldy, 1897

Rajabian, Mona & Hosseini, Reza, 2023, The Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Micronectidae) of Iran, with four new records and an illustrated key to the species, Zootaxa 5330 (4), pp. 492-508 : 505

Key to the subgenera and species of Micronecta occurring in Iran (based on males)

1. Median lobe of sternum VII without long and thick setae; free lobe of tergum VIII sigmoid-shaped; left paramere with sickleshaped apex.......................... subgenus Sigmonecta Wróblewski, 1962 : M. (S.) quadristrigata Breddin, 1905

- Median lobe of sternum VII with long setae; free lobe of tergum VIII and left paramere not as above.................. 2

2. Median lobe of sternum VII with two long setae ( Fig. 3A ); shaft of left paramere variable but not plate-like...... subgenus Dichaetonecta Hutchison, 1940 ......................................................................... 3

- Median lobe of sternum VII with three to six (usually four) long setae; shaft of left paramere usually plate-like... subgenus Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897 ............................................................................. 4

3. Pronotum length shorter than median head length ( Fig. 2A ); free lobe of tergum VIII posteriorly strongly broadened ( Fig. 3B ); apical part of left paramere slightly twisted and sinuate ( Fig. 3C, D ).................... M. (D.) pusilla ( Horváth, 1895)

- Pronotum about as long as median head length; free lobe of tergum VIII sub-rectangular; apical part of left paramere not twisted and not sinuate.............................................................. M. (D.) desertana Distant, 1920

4. Shaft of right paramere slender, mostly parallel sided and strongly bent at distal part ( Figs. 5E , 7E ).................... 5

- Shaft of right paramere clearly broad, thicker and more gently curved at distal part ( Figs. 9E , 10F ).................... 6

5. Body elongate, more than twice as long as broad ( Fig. 4A ); left paramere with a notch along lateral margin near base ( Fig. 5D ); prestrigilar flap on segment V as in Fig. 5B..................................... M . (M.) anatolica Lindberg, 1922

- Body oval, 1.9 times as long as broad ( Fig. 6A, B ); left paramere without a notch along lateral margin near base ( Fig. 7D ); prestrigilar flap on segment V as in Fig. 7B.................................. M . (M.) carpatica Wróblewski, 1958

6. Median lobe of sternum VII with more than four setae; left paramere narrow apically ( Fig. 10E ); right paramere with truncate apex............................................................................................... 7

- Median lobe of sternum VII with four long setae; left and right parameres not as above............................. 8

7. Hemelytra without dark pattern; right paramere finely dentate, base without a distinct hump on mesial side........................................................................................ M. (M.) mesmini Poisson, 1939

- Hemelytra with dark pattern; right paramere smooth, base with a distinct hump on mesial side ( Fig. 10F )................................................................................... M. (M.) poweri ( Douglas & Scott, 1869)

8. Hemelytra without distinct dark pattern; left paramere with digitate process before apex....... M. (M.) wui Lundblad, 1933

- Hemelytra with distinct dark pattern; left paramere with saddle-shaped process at apex ( Fig. 9D )................................................................................................. M. (M.) griseola Horváth, 1899

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus photographs of Micronecta pusilla (Horváth, 1895), male, A. dorsal view, B. ventral view (arrow: metaxyphus). Scale= 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Morphological features of Micronecta pusilla (Horváth, 1895), male, A. median lobe of sternum VII, B. free lobe of tergum VIII, C. left paramere, D. apical part of left paramere, E. right paramere. Scale= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Habitus photographs of Micronecta anatolica Lindberg, 1922, male, A. dorsal view, B. ventral view (arrow: metaxyphus). Scale= 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Morphological features of Micronecta anatolica Lindberg, 1922, male,A. median lobe of sternum VII, B. prestrigilar flap, C. free lobe of tergum VIII, D. left paramere, E. right paramere. Scale= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Habitus photographs of Micronecta carpatica Wróblewski, 1958, male, A–B dorsal view, two colour forms, C. ventral view (arrow: metaxyphus). Scale= 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 7. Morphological features of Micronecta carpatica Wróblewski, 1958, male, A. median lobe of sternum VII, B. prestrigilar flap, C. free lobe of tergum VIII, D. left paramere, E. right paramere. Scale= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Morphological features of Micronecta griseola Horváth, 1899, male, A. median lobe of sternum VII, B. prestrigilar flap, C. free lobe of tergum VIII, D. left paramere, E. right paramere. Scale= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Habitus and morphological features of Micronecta poweri (Douglas & Scott, 1869), male, A. dorsal view, B. median lobe of sternum VII, C. prestrigilar flap, D. free lobe of tergum VIII, E. left paramere, F. right paramere. Scale for A= 0.5 mm, B–F= 0.1 mm.