Enithares ciliata (Fabricius)

Polhemus, Dan A., 2020, Nine new species of Enithares (Heteroptera: Notonectidae) from New Guinea, with distributional notes on other species and an updated world checklist, Zootaxa 4772 (1), pp. 132-182 : 173-174

Enithares ciliata (Fabricius)

Notonecta ciliata Fabricius 1798: 524 . Holotype from “Indiae aquis′′.

Anisops niveus: Kirkaldy 1898: 106 . Incorrectly assigns to Anisops as syn. of A. niveus (F.).

Enithares indica: Kirkaldy 1897: 393 . Proposed as type species of Enithares ; name preoccupied (see Appendix 3).

Notonecta abbreviata Kirby 1891: 126 . Syn. by Lansbury 1968: 356.

Enithares abbreviata: Kirkaldy 1900: 10 . Proposed as alternate type species for Enithares ; synonym.

Enithares paivana Distant 1910: 329 . Syn. by Hutchinson 1933: 394.

Enithares lactea Paiva 1919: 155 . Syn. by Hutchinson 1933: 394.

Enithares ciliata: Lundblad 1933: 146 .

Material examined. LAOS, Luang Prabang Prov.: 1 male, 1 female, Tad Thang waterfall area, small tributary stream in metamorphic rocks, 7 km. S. of Luang Prabang, 425 m ., 19°50′15′′N, 102°07′53′′E, water temp. 21° C., 8 December 2015, 09:00–10:45 hrs., CL 6032, D. A . Polhemus ( BPBM) . THAILAND, Chiang Mai Prov.: 3 males, 3 females, ponds at Fang Horticultural Station , 500 m ., 19°58′05′′N, 99°09′21′′E, 15 November 1985, CL 2301, D. A . & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM) . BURMA, Sagaing Division : 2 females, spring upslope of San Myaung Camp, Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary , 245 m ., 23°31′50′′N, 95°38′49′′E, water temp. 27.5° C., 5 October 1998, CL 4001, D. A . & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM) ; 4 males, 3 females, Chaung Gant Gaw headwater trib., Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary , 245 m ., 23°31′29′′N, 95°38′48′′E, water temp. 29° C., 8 October 1998, CL 4004, D. A . & J. T. Polhemus ( BPBM, USNM) . VIETNAM, Lai Châu Prov.: 4 males (1 dissected) , 2 females, Nam Na River and Nam Ceung stream trib., 15.5 km. N. of Lai Châu, 200 m ., 22°08′52′′N, 103°11′33′′E, water temp. 21.5° C. (trib.), 11 April 2000, 10:00–13:00 hrs., CL 4409, D. A . Polhemus, J. T. Polhemus and P. Nguyen ( USNM) . Dac Lac Prov.: 1 male (dissected) , 3 females, Yok Don National Park headquarters, ca. 2 km. SE of Ban Don, 100 m ., temporary ponds, 12°53′N, 107°48′E, 24–29 May 1997, L. Tuohy, ROM 973600 ( USNM) . Lao Cai Prov.: 1 female, small rocky stream 19 km. NE of Sa Pa on Lào Cai road, 595 m ., 22°25′39′′N, 103°55′00′′E, water temp. 20° C., 7 April 2000, 15:15–16:00 hrs., CL 4399, D. A . Polhemus, J. T. Polhemus and P. Nguyen ( USNM) . Lam Dong Prov.: 4 males, 1 female, 1 immature, stream below Quang Trung Reservoir, 5 km. S. of Dalat on Hwy. 20, 1400 m., 11°54′10′′N, 108°26′35′′E, water temp. 21° C., 10 May 1998, CL 3081, J. T. Polhemus ( USNM) . Gia Lai Prov.: 1 male, river with two branches N. of Kanat , 485 m ., 14°10′44′′N, 108°34′31′′E, water temp. 22 °C., 10 March 2001, CL 4286, J. T. Polhemus and P. Nguyen ( USNM) . Binh Dinh Prov.: 1 male, spring fed stream on E. side of An Khe Pass, 15.5 km. E. of An Khe on Hwy. 19, 365 m ., 13°57′53′′N, 108°45′48′′E, water temp. 22 °C., 14 March 2001, CL 4293, J. T. Polhemus and P. Nguyen ( USNM) . MALAYSIA, Borneo , Sabah: 3 males, 2 females, bog E. of Crocker Range summit, nr. Km. 56 on Keningau Hwy. , montane forest, ~ 1460 m., vic. 5°47′15′′N, 116°20′25′′E, 6 August 1985, CL 2037, D. A . & J. T. Polhemus ( BPBM, USNM) . INDONESIA, Java, Jawa Barat Prov.: 2 males, 2 females, Cipanas , abandoned hotel swimming pool, 1025 m., [vic. 6°42′27′′S, 107°02′02′′E], 4 November 1985, CL 2187, D. A . & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM) . Sumatra, Bengkulu Prov.: 1 male, small rock walled reservoir, 42 km. SE of Muaraaman along Curup road, 850 m ., 3°21′44′′S, 102°27′40′′E, 8 September 1991, CL 2586, D. A . & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM) .

Discussion. This species has a characteristic coloration in life, consisting of a blue-black body with a pale chevron mark on the posterior scutellum. The degree of expression of the angular process distally on the male hind femur, a diagnostic character for the species, is intraspecifically variable.

The complicated nomenclatural history of this species is reviewed in detail by Lansbury (1968) and is not repeated here.

Ecological notes. Enithares ciliata is an adaptable and widespread species that in addition to stream pools will also utilize artificial habitats, such as reservoirs and abandoned swimming pools. The recorded distribution of this taxon extends from Mauritius, Ceylon, India and Bhutan eastward through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra ( Lansbury 1968, D. Polhemus 2017). Nieser et al. (2008) provided extensive additional records for this species in Thailand, and the material listed above includes new records for Laos, Burma, Java and Borneo.