Micronecta (Basileonecta) scutellaris ( Stål, 1858 )

Ha, Tuyet Ngan & Tran, Anh Duc, 2021, Taxonomy of Micronectidae (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) from Vietnam, with descriptions of 11 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 756, pp. 1-82 : 12-13

Micronecta (Basileonecta) scutellaris ( Stål, 1858)

Figs 1A , 2A–D

Sigara scutellaris Stål, 1858: 319 (type locality: Namibia).

(For extensive synonymy list, see Jansson 1995.)

Diagnosis

Body length 3.6–4.4; only macropterous form known. Pronotum distinctly longer than median head length. Hemelytron ( Fig. 1A ): corium with three longitudinal brown stripes, sometimes in broken pattern or indistinct; embolium with a set of four short brown stripes, sometimes confluent into a long unbroken stripe.

Males: fore femur with three spines on proximal third ventrally, one spine on middle third and three spines on distal margin; fore tibia with two spines on distal third; palar claw slender, slightly sinuate ( Fig. 2A ). Free lobe sub-rectangular, posterior margin concave, lateral angle produced, with ca 30 long setae ( Fig. 2B ). Left paramere: shaft stout, tapering distally, apical part slightly bent and twisted ( Fig. 2D ). Right paramere: shaft bent and slightly enlarged at distal third, then tapering towards narrowly rounded apex; basal lobe sub-rectangular ( Fig. 2C ).

Material examined

VIETNAM – Phu Tho Prov. • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Xuan Son N.P., Coi stream, site 2, near concrete bridge; 21°09.130′ N, 104°56.761′ E; 27 Aug. 2015; T.S. Nguyen leg.; TS8518 ; ZVNU . – Hanoi • 7 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀; Thanh Xuan District, Me Tri area, Anh Duong Lake (used for recreational fishing); 20 Apr. 2010; T.M. Pham leg.; HN06 ; ZVNU • 1 ♀; Nhue River, in Lien Mac area ; 19 Jun. 2019; T.N. Ha leg.; NHHN19.01 ; ZVNU . – Dong Nai Prov. • 6 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀; Bien Hoa City, Bien Hung Lake ; 9 May 2003; A.D. Tran leg.; TAD0314 ; ZRC .

Distribution

Vietnam: Hanoi and Ha Tinh ( Wróblewski 1962, 1967); Phu Tho, Dong Nai (first records). Other countries: from Africa through Arabia, Palestine, southern Asia to Southeast Asia and southern China ( Wróblewski 1968; Nieser 2002b; Zettel et al. 2017).

Remarks

This is the largest species of Micronecta occurring in Vietnam. It has some similarities with M. sedula Horváth, 1905 and M. siva (Kirkaldy, 1897) in the structures of the male genitalia, but can easily be recognised by its larger body (also see Remarks under M. siva ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus photos of species of MicronectaKirkaldy, 1897. A. M. scutellaris (Stål,1858), ♂ (ZVNU). B. M. sedula Horváth, 1905, ♂ (ZVNU). C. M. siva (Kirkaldy, 1897), ♀ (ZVNU). D. M. jaczewskii Wróblewski, 1962, ♂ (ZVNU). E. M. decorata Lundblad, 1933, ♂ (ZRC). F. M. desertana Distant, 1920, ♂ (ZVNU). G. M. ludibunda Breddin, 1905, ♂ (ZVNU). All to the same scale.

Fig. 2. Morphological features of species of Micronecta Kirkaldy, 1897, ♂♂. A–D. M. scutellaris (Stål, 1858) (ZVNU). E–G. M. sedula Horváth, 1905 (ZVNU). H–K. M. jaczewskii Wróblewski, 1962 (ZVNU). A, H = fore leg; B, E, I = free lobe; C, F, J = right paramere; D, G, K = left paramere.