Cryphocricos willigi, Sites, 2021

Sites, Robert W., 2021, A review of Cryphocricos Signoret, 1850 (Naucoridae: Cryphocricinae) with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4958 (1), pp. 72-94 : 89-91

Cryphocricos willigi new species

( Figs 39–45 )

Holotype. Brachypterous ♀ ( MIZA): VENEZUELA: Portuguesa state, Río Guanare , W of Guanare, 9°02.544’N, 69°48.972’W, 186 m, 14 July 2009, coll: Sites, Shepard, Short, Camacho, Garcia, Gustafson, L-1078.

Paratypes: same data as holotype (3♂ brachypterous, 3♀ brachypterous MIZA; 5♂ brachypterous, 5♀ brachypterous NHMW; 5♂ brachypterous, 5♀ brachypterous SEMC; 5♂ brachypterous, 5♀ brachypterous USNM; 30♂ brachypterous, 41♀ brachypterous, 9♂ macropterous, 4♀ macropterous UMC); Portuguesa St. Aparicion, Rio Are , 9°22’54.0012”N, 69°23’9.168”W, 220 m, 22 Jan 2012, Short & Gustafson, VZ 12-0122-02B (1♀ brachypterous, 7 nymphs UMC) .

Etymology: This species is named in honor of my colleague Professor Michael R. Willig of the University of Connecticut. Professor Willig’s selfless collaboration on investigations of saucer bug microhabitat partitioning in the South Llano River in central Texas early in my career was instrumental in establishing studies of Naucoridae and other aquatic Heteroptera as my primary research path.

Description. Brachypterous female. HOLOTYPE, length 10.08; maximum width 5.04. Paratypes (n = 10), length 9.68–10.64 (mean = 10.06); maximum width 4.80–5.28 (mean = 5.00). General shape elongate, suboval, attenuated anteriorly, dorsoventrally flattened, widest at embolia and abdominal segment III, approximately half as wide as long ( Fig. 39 ). Overall dorsal coloration reddish-brown; hemelytra dark brown. Dorsal surface tuberculate except scutellum and abdomen. Ventral coloration lighter reddish-brown, legs and abdominal mediosternites lighter ( Fig. 40 ).

Head. Head length 1.52, maximum width 1.88, inserted over twice as far into pronotum behind eyes as length in front of eyes to base of labrum, 16:: 7. Dark reddish-brown, coarsely tuberculate, tubercles more profuse and larger anteriorly. Eyes convergent anteriorly, synthlipsis 0.88; thin band of cuticle along posterolateral margin of eye ending at anterolateral corner of pronotum; vertex raised above level of eyes. Anterior margin above labrum slightly convex, posterior margin between eyes deeply convex. Labrum width 1.4× length, evenly rounded, with transverse sulcus at base, spatulate setae covering dorsal surface beyond basal sulus. Labium with three visible orange-brown segments, basal segment barely visible beyond head capsule, extending 0.60 not including extruded stylets. Antennal proportions 4:6:2:13, length 0.50, extending to lateral margin of eye.

Thorax. Pronotum tuberculate; disk abruptly elevated laterally and posteriorly and extending over most of surface, one poorly defined depression in middle of disk on each side of midline; lateral margins convergent, evenly convex, coarsely crenulate throughout, each with about 16 rounded crenulations on each side which become less distinct at ends; posterior margin straight; anterior margin deeply concave between eyes to embrace convex posterior margin of head; posterolateral corners rounded and produced posteriorly to meet humeral angle of hemelytra; width 2.15× length; length at midline 1.80; maximum width at posterolateral corners 3.88. Prothorax ventrally transversely rugose; prosternellum pentagonal with distinctly thickened margins, anterolateral and posterior margins more profound, central carina well defined and continuous from posterior margin to probasisternal tubercle at posterior end of probasisternal carina; median probasisternum carina extending from prosternellum to ventral carina of head; propleuron darkly colored at lateral crenulations. Scutellum triangular, granular, sparsely tuberculate, 1.09× longer than hemelytral commissure. Hemelytra with apical margin straight to slightly convex in medial half, broadly rounded in lateral half as it continues as broadly rounded posterolateral corner, lateral margin straight to very slightly convex, anterolateral corner rounded. Hemelytra heavily tuberculate, dark-brown, width 1.2× length measured from humeral articulation posteriorly and parallel with long axis of body, width 2.68, length 3.20. Clavus lacking. Hemelytral commissure 0.68. Embolium marked by abrupt, shelf-like depression of lateral margin extending 75% of length of hemelytron, greatest width 0.40, ventrally with transverse striations. Mesosternum depressed, with median carina poorly developed. Metaxyphus acetabular, posterior margin broadly rounded and deflexed.

Legs. Prothoracic legs reddish-brown, meso- and metathoracic legs yellowish-brown ( Fig. 40 ). Profemur width subequal to head length; anterior margin with dense pad of setae without associated spines; scattered tubercles over dorsal and ventral surfaces, posteroventral row of large orange tubercles; midventral irregular, double row of dark tubercles; posterodorsal margin with row of dark, regularly spaced tubercles and row of elongate hairs. Protibia and -tarsus with occlusal inner surface flattened and with spatulate setae, protibia with elongate ridge on anterodorsal and anteroventral margins; tarsus immovable, one-segmented; pretarsal claw single, minute, triangular. Procoxa coarsely tuberculate, with rows of large tubercles on posteromesal and posterolateral margins. Meso- and metacoxae partially recessed into thorax. Meso- and metafemora ventral surface with scattered small, orange tubercles, posteroventral and posterodorsal margins each with distinct row of tubercles. Meso- and metatibiae each with ventromesal row of small spines and three apical comb rows of spines. Meso- and metatibiae and -tarsi with long swimming hairs; hairs more profuse on metatibia and -tarsus. Meso- and metapretarsi with paired, evenly curved claws, with basal tooth. Leg measurements as follows: foreleg, femur 3.24, tibia 2.68, tarsus 0.46; middle leg, femur 3.12, tibia 2.68, tarsomeres 1–3, 0.22, 0.44, 0.66; hind leg, femur 3.48, tibia 4.20, tarsomeres 1–3 0.30, 0.56, 0.76.

Abdomen. Dorsally with hemelytra extending to middle of tergum III ( Fig. 39 ). Terga granular, but not tuberculate. Middle half of terga VI and VII transversely rugose. Group of light colored trichobothria near posterolateral corners of III–VIII. Posterolateral corners of segments II–V blunt, VI and VII strongly spinose, VII curved and hook-like. Ventrally pruinose throughout, laterosternites reddish-brown, mediosternites lighter anteriorly, darkening posteriorly ( Fig. 40 ). Golden colored sense organs near lateral margin, slightly anterolateral to spiracles. Mediosternite VII (subgenital plate) transversely rugose, posterior margin straight medially, posterolateral corners broadly rounded and slightly extended posteriorly, lateral margins straight and convergent posteriorly ( Fig. 43 ); width 1.18× length; length at midline; 0.98 maximum width 1.16.

Brachypterous male. Paratypes (n = 10), length 8.80–9.60 (mean = 9.27); maximum width 4.48–4.88 (mean = 4.66). Same as brachypterous female, but with following differences: Abdominal terga 5–7 fused; posterior half of fusion transversely rugose; tubercles lacking on abdominal terga ( Fig. 41 ). Posterolateral corners of V–VIII spine-like and strongly-hooked, resembling a saw blade. Abdominal mediosternite V with posterior margin concave asymmetrically to left side; mediosternites VI, VII also skewed; VIII concave posteriorly; IX mostly covered with spatulate setae. Pygophore convex medially; phallosoma narrow basally, widening apically, apical margin angled; vesica elongate and coiled ( Fig. 44 ).

Macropterous female. Paratypes (n = 4), length 10.24–10.72 (mean = 10.52); maximum width 5.20–5.36 (mean = 5.28). Same as brachypterous female, but with following differences: Pronotum with disk abruptly elevated only laterally; posteriorly with deep sulcus creating transverse band in posterior fourth; lateral margins straight, with ca. 18–20 crenulations (see Fig. 42 ). Hemelytra with well-developed clavus with claval and intraclaval sutures; claval commissure 0.90. Embolium well-developed, widening posteriorly to tapered end, lateral margins with slight concavity, maximum width 0.60; embolar suture distinct. Hemelytron length (chord measurement) 7.52. Hindwing macropterous.

Macropterous male. Paratypes (n = 7), length 9.44–10.56 (mean = 9.87); maximum width 4.88–5.20 (mean = 4.99). Same features as brachypterous male and macropterous female.

Diagnosis: This species resembles C. fittkaui in having strongly hooked and spinose posterolateral spines of abdominal segments V–VIII (males) and VI–VII (females); however, it differs most obviously in that the posterior margin of the female subgenital plate of C. willigi is straight medially with broadly rounded posterolateral lobes that are slightly extended posteriorly ( Fig. 43 ); whereas in C. fittkaui , the subgenital plate is dramatically trilobate with acuminate lobes.

Discussion. This species was collected by kicking large rocks in very fast current near the margins of Río Guanare, which was a large river even in the dry season ( Fig. 45 ). Alluvial rock deposits along the margins suggest this is a torrentially fast stream during seasonal rains.

Figures

FIGURES 39–42. Cryphocricos willigi n.sp. (39) holotype, dorsal, (40) holotype, ventral, (41) brachypterous male paratype, (42) macropterous male paratype.

FIGURES 43–45. Cryphocricos willigi n.sp. (43) terminal abdominal sterna with female subgenital plate, (44) male genital capsule with phallosoma and coiled vesica, (45) Río Guanare, the type locality.