Eotrechus kalidasa Kirkaldy

Vitheepradit, Akekawat & Sites, Robert W., 2007, A review of Eotrechus Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) of Thailand with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 1478, pp. 1-19 : 18-19

Eotrechus kalidasa Kirkaldy

Eotrechus kalidasa Kirkaldy 1902: 137

Eotrechus kalidasa: Andersen, 1982a: 8 –9 (supplemental description). Eotrechus kalidasa: Tran and Zettel, 2006b: 46 –48 (supplemental description).

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the elongate posterolateral projections of the pygophore in males, whereas all other known Thai congeners lack these posterolateral projections. Females of E. kalidasa can be recognized by the length of the mesosternum less than twice as long as the metasternum ( Andersen 1982a), whereas in all other known Thai congeners the mesosternum is at least twice as long as the metasternum.

Discussion. This species was previously known only from India and Myanmar; thus this is the first record of E. kalidasa from Thailand and the easternmost record of this species. A single, winged male specimen was collected from a malaise trap set over a small creek in a densely forested area in Phu Hin Rongkla NP. We sampled the creek four times in the last five years, but no specimens of Eotrechus were collected. Presumably, the specimen flew into the trap from a nearby unfavorable habitat, as it has been reported that several tropical species of Gerridae disperse throughout the year from unfavorable habitats to new habitats ( Fernando 1963, Andersen 1982b).

Material examined. THAILAND: Loei Prov.: 1 winged male, Phu Hin Rongkla NP, Man Daeng Noi at trail, 16°57'N 101°03'E, 1600 m, 21-IX- 21-X-2002, CMU team.