Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905

Tinerella, Paul P., 2008, Taxonomic revision and systematics of New Guinea and Oceania pygmy water boatmen (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Corixoidea: Micronectidae), Zootaxa 1797 (1), pp. 1-66 : 29-34

Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905

( Figs. 16a–b , 17–19 )

Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, 1905a: 57 .

Micronecta ludibunda: Breddin, 1905b: 157 . [redescription]

Micronecta thelxinoe Kirkaldy, 1905: 262 . [status unknown; listed by Wróblewski, (1968: 775) as? (possible) synonym of M. ludibunda Breddin ]

Micronecta lucina Distant, 1910: 345 . [synonymy Wróblewski, 1968: 775; also listed as synonym of M. albifrons (Motschulsky) by Bergroth 1921: 109.]

Micronecta graphiptera Horváth, 1918: 146 . [synonymy Wróblewski, 1962b: 323]

Micronecta graphiptera: Lundblad, 1933: 76 . [list]

Micronecta ludibunda: Lundblad, 1933: 95 . [redescription; key]

Micronecta inconspicua Lundblad, 1933: 96 . [synonymy Chen, 1960: 115]

Micronecta striatella Lundblad, 1933: 98 . [synonymy, Chen, 1960: 115]

Micronecta ludibunda: Chen, 1960: 115 . [synonymical notes]

Micronecta ludibunda: Wróblewski, 1962b: 323 . [redescription]

Micronecta albifrons: Leong, 1966: 86 . [nec Motschulsky 1863; misidentification]

Micronecta malayana Leong, 1966: 86 .

Micronecta ludibunda: Wróblewski 1968: 765 . [redescription; list]

Micronecta ludibunda graphiptera: Wróblewski, 1968: 775 . [subspecies status] [NEW SYNONYMY]

Micronecta ludibunda langkana Wróblewski, 1968: 775 . [NEW SYNONYMY]

Micronecta ludibunda langkana: Wróblewski, 1972a: 41 . [additional description; faunistics]

Micronecta ludibunda malayana: Wróblewski, 1968: 775 . [subspecies status]

Micronecta ludibunda: Wróblewski, 1972a: 41 . [distribution]

Micronecta ludibunda: Fernando and Cheng, 1974: 39 . [faunistics]

Micronecta ludibunda malayana: Nieser, 1999b: 287 . [key]

Micronecta ludibunda ludibunda: Nieser, 1999b: 287 . [key]

Micronecta ludibunda: Nieser and Chen, 1999: 80 . [faunistics; key]

Micronecta ludibunda: Nieser, 2002b: 268 . [notes; key]

Micronecta malayana: Nieser, 2002b: 269 . [revised species status]

Micronecta ludibunda: Tinerella and Polhemus, 2005: 187 . [key]

Micronecta ludibunda: Chen et al., 2005: 420 . [list]

Diagnosis: Small, compact, ovoid micronectids ( Figs. 16a–b ). Readily distinguished by the small size, narrow interocular space, and distinct longitudinal color patterning. Male parameres ( Figs. 18a–d ) are diagnostic for the species. The macropterous and brachypterous forms are similar, differing only in size (length) and relative proportions (length and width) of the pronotum.

Size: ( Table 7). Macropterous form: 2.14–2.36; brachypterous form: 1.86–2.23.

Derivation of specific epithet: From the Latin ludibundus, meaning playful, frolicsome.

Notes on type material: Holotype not designated by Breddin. One syntype listed by Weidner (1972) in ZMUH. I was unable to examine any type material of this species.

Description: Based on brachypterous and macropterous forms (differences noted). Measurements. Length: male 1.96–2.24; female 1.86–2.36; Width: male 1.02–1.17; female 1.00–1.22; Width of head: male 0.67–0.85; female 0.68–0.87; Synthlipsis: male 0.15–0.30; female 0.24–0.28; Width of eye: male 0.21–0.29; female 0.23–0.31; Width of pronotum: male 0.68–0.87; female 0.68–0.92; Length of pronotum: male 0.17– 0.25; female 0.15–0.26.

Color. Ground color yellowish-brown ( Figs. 16a–b ). Head same color, eyes reddish-brown. Vertex, frons, clypeus same color. Labium darker brown. Clypeogenal area paler laterally. Antennae pale. Pronotum light brown, apical margin darkened along length. Clavus with widened basal pale diagonal area, apical portion same brownish color as corium and membrane with single broad, dark, longitudinal line medially. Lateral claval margins with narrowed pale band along entire length. Corium with darkened, somewhat incomplete longitudinal markings running nearly entire length. Scutellum paler apicomedially. Pre-nodal embolar area lacking pruinosity. Post-nodal area short, laterally infuscated. Left membrane in males subhyaline, that of females hyaline and pale, lateral membrane margins in both sexes with darkened outline, right membrane coriaceous, brown. Venter pale, legs same color, metatarsal natatorial setae darker brown.

L= length, LP= length of pronotum, W= body width, WH= width of head, S= synthlipsis, WE= width of eye, WP= width of pronotum, L:W= ratio body length to width, S:E= ratio of synthlipsis to eye width, OcI= ocular index.

Structural characteristics. Ratio of body length/width: males 1.99; females 1.97. Pronotum slightly wider than head, interocular space subequal to width of eye, (synthlipsis/width of eye = 0.96). Ocular index: males 0.97; females 1.00. General facies of head (vertex, frons, labium) evenly proportionate. Antennae densely pilose, segments one and two very short, segment three longer, broadly ovate. Pronotum short, convex medially, narrowed laterally, nearly five times as wide as long (W/L males 1.08/0.21; females 1.09/0.23) in both wing forms. Prothoracic lobe short, wide, anterior margin subquadrate, posterior margin broadly rounded ( Fig. 17a ). Hemelytra with fine, wavy transverse microsculpturing. Short, minute setae sparsely distributed over corium. Metathoracic wings well developed, nearly reaching apices of hemelytra. Metathoracic wing venation in macropters fully developed, reduced in brachypters. Lateral spines and setae on abdominal segments IV–VIII: IV: one stout, short spine, two long, thin setae; V: two short, stout spines, one long, stout spine, one long, thin seta; VI: two short, stout spines, one long, stout spine, and two thin, long setae; VII: two short, stout spines, one long, stout spine, one thin long seta; VIII: five stout, short spines, one long, stout spine, one thin, long seta. Metaxyphus of both sexes a short, broadly rounded lobe, setae dispersed throughout ( Fig. 17b ).

Male foreleg ( Fig. 17c ): femur with two short, stout spines on basal third near ventral surface, and two spines subapically near dorsal surface. Tibia with three large setae dorsally, one in middle portion and two subapical. Pala with four setae dorsally of varying lengths, palmar area with about nine setae in dorsal row and 11–12 setae in lower row, lower row setae slightly more pronounced than those of dorsal row. Apex of pala with single thickened seta. Palar claw ( Fig. 17d ) narrow, tapered proximad, upper margin narrowly rounded, lower portion nearly straight. Female foreleg with same general setal arrangement as male.

Lateral lobes of abdominal tergum IV broadly rounded, right lobe longer than left. Apical margin of right lobe with 17 evenly spaced setae, left lobe with 16 setae. Prestrigilar flap of abdominal tergum V relatively narrow, longer than wide ( Fig. 17e ). Strigil small, narrow, appearing as a cylindrical disk. Median lobe of abdominal sternum VII ( Fig. 17f ) long, sharply acuminate, setae confined basally with one or two longer setae among field of shorter setae. Free lobe of abdominal tergite VIII ( Fig. 17g ) subquadrate, outer angle nearly square, inner angle slightly produced. Short setae distributed throughout medial portion of lobe, apex of lobe with about 14 long setae. Pars stridens processus cleaner ridges of abdominal segment VIII appearing as a fine-ridged mat. Left paramere ( Figs. 18a–d ) slightly shorter, shaft very thin along length; tip with pronounced quadrate lobe, base broad, with produced anterior angle. Right paramere ( Figs. 18a–d ) long, shaft very thin along length, somewhat twisted; tip flattened, its apex slightly curved. Base of right paramere rounded ( Figs. 18d–e ) with more than 50 plectral ribs spanning medial to caudal portion. Aedeagus narrowed, as in Figures 18a–b, d .

Distribution and habitat: ( Fig. 19 ). This is a widespread species, recorded from India, throughout southeast Asia, east to the Solomon Islands. It inhabits a wide variety of habitats and has been taken at lights. Recent collections from the Solomon Islands were from the shallowest water near the banks of streams (D. A. Polhemus, personal communication).

Discussion: Micronecta ludibunda graphiptera Horváth and M. ludibunda langkana Wróblewski are synonymized here with the nominate species, M. ludibunda Breddin. Great variation is seen in this species over its entire geographical range. Confounding this further is the incidence of brachyptery and macroptery in this species. The two forms appear very similar, but the size difference between the two and variation in hemelytral patterning, have caused most of the confusion. Wróblewski (1968) proposed subspecific status for the above forms, citing primary differences in pronotal coloration, the ‘spur’ at the base of the male right paramere, variation in the number of ridges of the pars stridens processus (plectral ribs of Wróblewski), and the mesotarsal claws. Later, Wróblewski (1972a) made no mention of the right paramere spur but cited differences in the relative lengths of the leg segments as further basis for subspecific status.

Recently, Nieser (2002b) restored the specific rank of M. malayana Leong based on the absence of intermediates (from two samples) between M. ludibunda and M. malayana and citing differences in hemelytral patterning and the apices of the left paramere. I have not examined M. malayana .

Specimens of M. ludibunda from this research were compared with conspecifics over the entire range, including specimens from India, southeast Asia, Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. All differences noted among the geographical specimens are regarded as intraspecific variation. Moreover, little overall variation was noted among male genitalia of the specimens, which at present provide the best diagnostic character for positive identification.

Specimens Examined: INDONESIA: Irian Jaya Prov. [= Papua Prov.]: Airitiba River, 3 km NW of Krooy, NW of Kaimana , 15m, CL-2640. 13-X-1991. D. A. & J. T . Polhemus. (2♂♂, 2♀♀). [ JTPC] ; Irian Jaya Prov. [= Papua Prov.]: Rainforest Stream E of Siwa, 60 m. 11-IV-1998. D. A. Polhemus. (1♂, 2♀♀). [ USNM] ; PAPUA NEW GUINEA: New Britain: Gazelle Pen, Kerawat, 60m. 11-IX-1955. J. L. Gressitt. (1♀). [ BPBM]; NE: Ambunti Sepile River , 150 m. 4-V-1963. Light Trap. R . Straatman. (1♂, 3♀♀) [ BPBM]; NE: Ambunti Sepile River , 200 m. 5-V-1963. Light Trap. R . Straatman. (1♂, 1♀). [ BPBM]; same data: 6-V-1963. Light Trap. R . Straatman. (2♀♀). [ BPBM]; same data. 9-V-1963. Light Trap. R . Straatman. (1♀). [ BPBM] ; SOLOMON ISLANDS: Guadalcanal: Lunga River, nr. Mt. Austen , 30m. 28-VII-2005. D. A. Polhemus. (8♂♂, 10♀♀). [ USNM] .

Figures

FIGURE 16. Dorsal habitus of Micronecta species. a–b. M. ludibunda Breddin, male and female. c–d. Micronecta jenniferae Tinerella, male and female. e–f. M. quadristrigata Breddin, male and female. g–h. M. queenslandica Chen, male and female. i–j. M. carbonaria Horvath, male and female. k–l. M. virgata Hale, male and female. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 17. Micronecta ludibunda Breddin. a. Prothoracic lobe, female. b. Metaxyphus. c. Left male foreleg, posterior aspect. d. Left male pala (tarsus), anterior aspect, palar claw folded in. e. Prestrigilar flap of abdominal segment V. f. Sternal process of abdominal segment VII. g. Free lobe of abdominal tergite VIII. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Micronecta ludibunda Breddin, male genitalia. a. Left paramere, lateral aspect, right paramere, dorsal aspect. b. Left paramere, dorsolateral aspect, right paramere, dorsolateral aspect. c. Left paramere, tip, right paramere, tip. d. Left paramere, lateral aspect, right paramere dorsolateral aspect. e. Pars stridens processus, base of right paramere. f. Right paramere, base of shaft.

FIGURE 19. New Guinea distribution of Micronecta ludibunda Breddin.