Neoplea maculosa ( Berg, 1879 )

Mazzucconi, Silvia Ana, Reyes, Cristina Armúa De & Estévez, Ana Lía, 2022, Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) from Iberá Natural Reserve (Corrientes Province, Argentina), Zootaxa 5104 (4), pp. 451-505 : 492

Neoplea maculosa ( Berg, 1879)

Plea maculosa Berg, 1879 : Hemipt. Argentina, 199–200.

Neoplea maculosa: Bachmann, 1968 : Revta. Soc. Ent. Arg., 122, 125.

Material examined. San Ignacio RS: 1 ♀, Camping Monterrey, Aguará pedestrian path, long walkway, marshes, 27°52’14.58’’S, 56°52’59.76’’W, 18.xi.2018. Yahaveré RS: 1 ♂, Medina Lagoon, 13.xii.2014; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Concepción de Yaguareté Corá, house for researchers, swimming pool, 28°23’25.7”S, 57°53’15.9”W, 8.xi.2015.

General distribution. Colombia, Suriname, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina ( Moreira et al. 2011b).

Habitat. Neoplea maculosa has been found in densely vegetated lagoons, lakes, ponds, pools, swamps, marshlands, marshy ponds without aquatic vegetation and little plant debris, and urban rain pools without aquatic vegetation ( Nieser 1975; Fontanarrosa et al. 2004, 2013; Fernández & López Ruf 2006; Torres et al. 2007). This species has also been found in rivers and streams ( Bachmann 1968; Poi de Neiff 1990; Bachmann & López Ruf 1994; Vianna & Melo 2003; Poi de Neiff & Neiff 2006). It seems to prefer clear waters with dense submerged vegetation ( Bachmann 1962c).

At the INR, specimens were collected from the margins of the Iberá Lagoon in shallow waters with emergent and floating vegetation (Estévez et al. 2003) and in association with Egeria najas , Leersia hexandra , Ludwigia peploides , Pontederia azurea and Potamogeton sp. ( Poi de Neiff 1993, 2003). During the present study, it was collected from unshaded margins with dense floating, emergent and submerged vegetation (mainly Salvinia biloba ) in marshes and in the Medina Lagoon. Two specimens were collected in a swimming pool in Concepción de Yaguareté Corá.

Remarks. Neoplea maculosa was found together with N. argentina .