Metrocoris josephi, Jehamalar & Dash, 2021

Jehamalar, E. Eyarin & Dash, Swetapadma, 2021, Three new species of Metrocoris Mayr, 1865 (Heteroptera: Gerridae) from India and establishment of species groups, Zootaxa 5082 (4), pp. 341-356 : 349-351

Metrocoris josephi sp. nov.

( Figs. 3A–O )

Material examined: Holotype (mac-da ♂): INDIA, MEGHALAYA, West Garo Hills District, Tura Peak, Rongkan River , 653 m, 25.50697° N, 90.23328° E, 12.vi.2016, Coll. E.E. Jehamalar. Paratypes. 1 mac. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, same locality data as for holotype, Coll. E.E. Jehamalar.

Repository. The type specimens are deposited in the CEL, ZSI, New Alipore , Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Holotype Reg. No. 11561/H15 and paratypes Reg. No. 11562/H15.

Etymology. Metrocoris josephi is named after the first author’s oldest brother Mr. E. Joseph Veera Singh, who accompanied the first author to Garo Hills, Meghalaya, for field work.

Diagnosis. The new species can easily be identified by the presence of medium-sized processes clothed with long setae on the coxa and the trochanter of the hind leg of the female ( Figs. 3C, J ); the coxal process is reached only up to the subbasal region of the trochanter; the subapicodorsal region of the male paramere with a shallow notch and laterally with two short narrow longitudinal depression ( Fig. 3N ).

Description. Macropterous dealated male (holotype): ( Figs. 3E–H, K–O ). Body length 5.07 (4.74–5.07, up to tip of hemelytra 6.26), body width at mesoacetabula 2.30 (2.18–2.30).

Colour. Dorsum of body black with yellowish-brown marks; broad black mark on head slightly wider posteriorly and not bifid posteriorly (in macropterous male and apterous female with three black spots ( Figs. 3A, C ), differ from holotype), posterosublaterally indistinctly connected with black mark near eyes; antenna and legs dark-brown to black; antennal tubercle black; base of first antennal segment yellowish-brown ( Fig. 3E ); rostrum dark-brown to black, except lateral region of first to third segments yellowish-brown; proacetabulum black; pronotum with Tshaped black mark, sublateral mark broad curved downwards, extended laterally and connected to lateral mark of posterior pronotal lobe ( Fig. 3E ); small area near anterolateral region of pronotum below eye yellowish-brown; fore femur dorsally and ventrally with broad black stripe connected to apical black ring, extensor region yellowish-brown; sublateral black marks of posterior lobe of pronotum connected to median black mark anteriorly (not or indistinctly connected in macropterous male, Fig. 3A ); mesopleural black mark not connected anteriorly and posteriorly with transverse black marks ( Fig. 3E ); mesopleural yellowish-brown mark reaches up to sublateral region of mesosternum medially, apex extended anteriorly and posteriorly; yellowish-brown mark on metacetabulum uninterrupted ( Fig. 3F ); pro-, meso- and metaacetabular regions with a stripe of silvery-white setae; area above base of metacetabular region with a small yellowish-brown mark; thoracic venter black, except mesosternal yellowish-brown mark on mediolateral region and yellow mark on omphalium surrounding area of metanotum; coxa and trochanter of all legs yellowish-brown; mid femur with long thin brown stripe; lateral and posterior margins of tergum VIII yellowishbrown ( Fig. 3F ); venter of abdomen black, except from apical half of sternum VI to apex yellowish-brown, except sternum VII basally and posterior region of pygophore dark-brown to black.

Structural characteristics. Eyes covering anterior 1/3 of propleura ( Fig. 3E ); antenna without any characteristic setae; sixth abdominal sternum to abdominal tip clothed with yellowish-brown setae ( Fig. 3G ); pygophore laterally with long yellowish-brown setae ( Fig. 3M ); head laterally with two long black setae in front of eyes; eye width less than posterior eye width. Pleural region of prothorax posteriorly with some long black setae; fore femur slender, basally with four long setae, almost medially with shallow notch; mid femur longer than hind femur; sternum VII distinctly longer than combined length of sterna V and VI; posterior margin of sternum VII concave ( Fig. 3G ). Terminalia: Tergum VIII large, slightly concaved posteriorly, fringed with small setae laterally and posteriorly with medium-sized brown setae and pronounced posterolaterally; basomedian region of sternum VIII smoothly raised and slightly depressed sublaterally; lateral margin of sternum VIII parallel-sided; sternum VIII distinctly longer than sternum VII; proctiger subovate ( Fig. 3L ), slightly visible from above ( Fig. 3F ); pygophore posteriorly convex with fringe of medium-sized setae, posterolaterally fringed with long setae ( Fig. 3M ); paramere falciform, apicodorsally with a shallow notch and laterally with two short narrow longitudinal depression, nearly middle slightly raised with few long and short setae, ( Fig. 3N ), slightly visible from outside of genital segments ( Fig. 3H ). Endosoma in lateral aspect: proximal region of dorsal sclerite inwardly curved, with short reflex angled process; dorsal sclerite concaved medially; accessory apical sclerite indistinct; accessory dorsal sclerite thin; lateral sclerite proximally slightly bend upwards, with blunt tip; ventral sclerite very long ( Fig. 3O ).

Measurements. Head length 0.70, width 1.38; eye length 0.59, width 0.33, posterior eye width 0.35; synthlipsis 0.57; lengths of antennomeres I–IV 2.03, 0.82, 0.76, 0.60. Pronotal lobe length 3.18, width at humeral angle 2.19; mesosternal length 2.00; metasternal length 0.13. Lengths of leg segments: foreleg: femur 2.06, tibia 1.77, tarsomeres I–II 0.12, 0.64; mid leg: femur 5.48, tibia 3.81, tarsomeres I–II 1.89, 0.36; hind leg: femur 5.44, tibia 2.57, tarsomeres I–II 0.27, 0.39; widths of fore, mid, hind femora 0.34, 0.26, 0.16. Length from pronotal lobe tip to abdominal tip 1.18; length of abdominal sternum 1.66; lengths of abdominal sterna II–VIII 0.09, 0.08, 0.09, 0.09, 0.10, 0.31, 0.48; pygophore length 0.43; combined length of abdominal sterna V–VI 0.18; width of abdominal tergum VIII 0.65.

Apterous female (paratype): ( Figs. 3C, D, I, J ). Body length 4.22, body width at mesoacetabula 2.19.

Colour. Appendages and venter of body similar to macropterous male. Dorsum of body yellowish-brown with black marks; interocular region with three black marks, anteromedian mark long and two small and circular lateral posterior marks ( Fig. 3C ), lateral marks indistinctly connected to black mark near eyes ( Fig. 3D ); proacetabulum black; pronotum with T-shaped black mark, sublateral mark medium-sized and not or indistinctly connected to lateral mark of mesonotum ( Fig. 3D ); small area near anterolateral region of pronotum below eye yellowish-brown; mesonotal longitudinal black marks narrower than adjacent yellowish-brown marks ( Fig. 3C ), lateral black marks thin, medial and lateral dark marks connected to horizontal black marks anteriorly and posteriorly, sublateral black mark of mesonotum not connected posteriorly to black mark between meso- and metanota, sublateral black mark anterior half narrow and abruptly widened posteriorly; mesopleural black mark anteriorly connected with transverse black mark between propleura and mesopleura, posteriorly not connected with black mark of mesoacetabulum ( Fig. 3D ); mesopleural yellowish-brown mark reaches up to sublateral region of mesosternum medially, apex extended anteriorly and posteriorly; yellowish-brown mark on metacetabulum uninterrupted; area above base of metacetabular region with a small yellowish-brown mark; dorsum of abdomen black, except two stripes on tergum I, connexival segment VII, posteromedian region of tergum VII and whole tergum VIII yellowish-brown.

Structural characteristics. Similar to macropterous male, except for the following characteristics: body clothed with small black adpressed setae; eyes covering anterior almost 1/2 of propleura ( Fig. 3D ); eye width less than posterior eye width; hind coxa and trochanter with medium-sized processes clothed with long setae, coxal process longer than process of trochanter; coxal process reached only up to subbasal region of trochanter ( Figs. 3C, J ); setae of coxal process curved; flexor region of hind femur basally with short setal fringe ( Fig. 3J ); genital segments completely concealed under sternum VII ( Figs. 3I, J ); sternum VII laterally constricted and posteriorly narrow ( Fig. 3I ); abdomen short, not surpassing apex of hind coxa ( Figs. 3C, I, J ).

Measurements. Head length 0.61, width 1.34; eye length 0.57, width 0.28, posterior eye width 0.33; synthlipsis 0.54; lengths of antennomeres I–IV 1.69, 0.78, 0.81, 0.65. Pronotal length 0.42, width 1.41; combined length of meso- and metanota 1.88; mesosternal length 1.85; metasternal length 0.12. Lengths of leg segments: foreleg: femur 1.89, tibia 1.62, tarsomeres I–II 0.15, 0.59; mid leg: femur 5.31, tibia 3.73, tarsomeres I–II 1.98, 0.30; hind leg: femur 5.29, tibia 2.76, tarsomeres I–II 0.29, 0.39; widths of fore, mid, hind femora 0.29, 0.23, 0.16; lateral length of hind coxal process 0.17; lateral length of hind trochanter process 0.09. Length of abdominal tergum 1.21; length of abdominal sternum 0.91; lengths of abdominal sterna II–VII 0.09, 0.07, 0.05, 0.05, 0.11, 0.54; combined length of abdominal sterna II–VI 0.37; combined length of abdominal sterna V–VI 0.16; length of tergum VII 0.11.

Distribution. Presently known only from West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India.

Comparative notes. See the comparative notes under M. issaci sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 3. Metrocoris josephi sp. nov.: A, macropterous male, dorsal view; B, same, ventral view; C, apterous female, dorsal view; D, apterous female, lateral view; E, macropterous membrane broken male (mac-da), lateral view; F, mac-da male, abdomen, dorsal view; G, mac-da male, abdominal tip, ventral view; H, same, lateral view; I, apterous female, abdomen, ventral view; J, apterous female, abdominal tip showing coxa and trochanter of hind leg, dorsal view; K, mac-da male, genital capsule, lateral view; L, mac-da male, proctiger, dorsal view; M, mac-da male, pygophore, dorsal view; N, mac-da male, paramere, lateral view; O, mac-da male, endosoma, lateral view.