Ptilomera (P.) assamensis Hungerford & Matsuda, 1965

Jehamalar, E. Eyarin, Chandra, Kailash, Basu, Srimoyee & Selvakumar, C., 2018, Review of Ptilomera (Ptilomera) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) from India, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4370 (5), pp. 501-518 : 504-505

Ptilomera (P.) assamensis Hungerford & Matsuda, 1965

( Figs. 2A–J )

Ptilomera assamensis Hungerford & Matsuda, 1965 . Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 45: 421 (type locality: Assam, India) .

Material examined. INDIA, MEGHALAYA, East Khasi Hills District, 3 apt. ♂, 4 apt. ♀, Badapani , Haria Nala , 1453 m, 25.65442 N, 91.90517 E, 26.ii.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 2 apt. ♀, Mawkynrew, Waiong Stream, 1489 m, 25.42489 N, 92.00619 E, 28.ii.2016; 5 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, Pongtung Village , Wahpongtung Stream, 1017 m, 25.24842 N, 91.94494 E, 29.iii.2016; 1 apt. ♀, Siatbakon Village , Wahtyrsaw Stream, 1207 m, 25.29983 N, 91.92028 E, 29.ii.2016; 1 apt. ♀, Lyngiong Village , Maria Stream, 1647 m, 25.41639 N, 91.68353 E, 7.iii.2016; West Jaintia Hills District , 2 apt. ♂, Laskein Village , Myntang River , 893 m, 25.56131 N, 92.43803 E, 13.iii.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, Raliang Village , Yalip Stream, 1205 m, 25.48786 N, 92.37564 E, 13.iii.2016; 1 apt. ♂, Thadmuthlong Village , Thwailangwiang Stream, 1324 m, 25.4705 N, 92.30992 E, 13.iii.2016; 1 apt. ♂, Wahiajer Village , 1198 m, 25.56003 N, 92.18247 E, 14.iii.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 3 apt. ♀, Wahiajer Village , Umpawai Stream, 1183 m, 25.55831 N, 92.18322 E, 14.iii.2016; East Jaintia Hills District , 1 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, Narpuh WLS, Jamchera Village , Stream, 234 m, 25.09222 N, 92.36086 E, 11.iii.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 2 mac. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, 2 mac. ♀, 8 nymphs, Narpuh WLS, Umkiang Village , Wah Apha Stream, 19 m, 25.06997 N, 92.3785 E, 11.iii.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 8 apt. ♀, 1 nymph, Narpuh WLS, Kuliang, Stream, 93 m, 25.07506 N, 92.37133 E, 11.iii.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, Thongsang, 960 m, 25.13789 N, 92.36906 E, 11.iii.2016; 1 apt. ♂, Narpuh WLS, Umkiang Village , Umkiang Stream, 112 m, 25.06347 N, 92.38858 E, 11.iii.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 3 apt. ♀, Umpung Stream, 1010 m, 25.30767 N, 92.63658 E, 12.iii.2016. East Garo Hills District , 4 apt. ♂, 10 apt. ♀, 2 nymphs, Samanda R.F., Khera Vill, Ningsik River , 280 m, 25.56969 N, 90.56685 E, 19.vi.2016; 6 apt. ♂, 14 apt. ♀, 7 nymphs, Dawa-Nengkatokgre, Rombi River , 258 m, 25.51509 N, 90.63474 E, 19.vi.2016; 8 apt. ♂, 1 mac-da ♂, 8 apt. ♀, 1 mac-da ♀, 2 mac. ♀, 10 nymphs, Simsang river , 308 m, 25.57546 N, 90.48131 E, 20.vi.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 1 nymph, Bansa Away Village , Stream, 324 m, 25.57994 N, 90.48708 E, 20.vi.2016; 1 mac. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, 2 nymphs, Samanda, Nongalpara, Kalsnang River , 279 m, 25.57855 N, 90.51316 E, 20.vi.2016; 5 apt. ♂, 4 apt. ♀, 1 mac. ♀, 1 nymph, Jimnanggre Vill., Kamphil River , 294 m, 25.57163 N, 90.49218 E, 20.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 5 nymphs, Bansamggre Village , Stream, 314 m, 25.57072 N, 90.46041 E, 20.vi.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 2 apt. ♀, 3 nymphs, Samanda Megapgre, Ronga River , 283 m, 25.58389 N, 90.51859 E, 20.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♂, Rongmal Village , Chochalja River , 322 m, 25.73626 N, 90.81219 E, 22.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, 10 nymphs, Rongjeng R.F., Rongan River , 330 m, 25.67699 N, 90.81118 E, 22.vi.2016; 3 apt. ♂, 5 apt. ♀, 1 mac. ♀, 17 nymphs, Rongmil Village , Stream, 324 m, 25.73793 N, 90.81947 E, 23.vi.2016. West Garo Hills District , 2 apt. ♂, 5 apt. ♀, 5 nymphs, 7th Mile, Dalne River 135 m, 25.46014 N, 90.2199 E, 11.vi.2016; 5 apt. ♂, 1 mac. ♂, 1 mac-da ♂, 3 mac-da ♀, 5 apt. ♀, 2 nymphs, Tura Peak, Rongkan River , 653 m, 25.50697 N, 90.23328 E, 12.vi.2016; 6 apt. ♂, 1 mac. ♂, 2 mac-da ♂, 2 mac-da ♀, 10 apt. ♀, 13 nymphs, Nokrek National Park, Daribokre Vill., Simsang River , 875 m, 25.49056 N, 90.33024 E, 13.vi.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 4 apt. ♀, 6 nymphs, Sadopara Village , Thanek Stream, 233 m, 25.65202 N, 90.12226 E, 17.vi.2016; 1 mac-da ♂, 2 mac-da ♀, 2 nymphs, Dadenggre, Tebongre Stream, 505 m, 25.60968 N, 90.23759 E, 17.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♀, Dadenggre, Bimbri River , 192 m, 25.71953 N, 90.10813 E, 18.vi.2016. North Garo Hills District , 1 apt. ♂, 3 nymphs, Risupakra Village , Stream, 142 m, 25.90618 N, 90.58649 E, 24.vi.2016; 2 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, 1 mac. ♀, 6 nymphs, Malchapara, Narangkol, Stream, 149 m, 25.90164 N, 90.54883 E, 24.vi.2016; 11 apt. ♂, 13 apt. ♀, 1 mac-da ♀, Rajasimla, Rashnare falls , 183 m, 25.88698 N, 90.93000 E, 25.vi.2016; 4 apt. ♂, 3 apt. ♀, 1 mac. ♀, 4 nymphs, Badaka Village , Ildek River , 80 m, 25.87027 N, 90.96128 E, 25.vi.2016; 4 apt. ♀, 2 nymphs, Wattre Gittim Village , Oira Nala, 114 m, 25.88613 N, 90.87072 E, 26.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, Wattre Gittim Village , Stream, 233 m, 25.86779 N, 90.86041 E, 26.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, Upper Rongbu Village , 101 m, 25.91615 N, 90.83157 E, 26.vi.2016; 1 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, 1 nymph, Chiliki Village , Stream, 263 m, 25.85204 N, 90.85092 E, 28.vi.2016. All the materials were collected by E. Eyarin Jehamalar and Reg. No. 5305/H15 to 5346/H15.

Repository. The specimens are deposited in the National Zoological Collection, Hemiptera Section , Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal , India.

Diagnosis. Body length of male 10.75–13.98, female 10.72–12.56. Males of Ptilomera assamensis can be identified by the short, sparse yellowish brown setal tuft on the anterolateral region of the lateral process of the pygophore ( Figs. 2C, D ); however, sometimes macropterous males have a long setal tuft, the proctiger is convex posteromedially with the base of the convexity slightly angulated ( Fig. 2I ), and the basal 1/3 of the flexor region of the mid femur is bare ( Fig. 2G ). Females can be identified by the connexival process reaching upto two thirds of the length of the lateral process of abdominal sternum VII and never reaching the apex of the lateral process ( Figs. 2E, F, H ).

Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya * and Mizoram ( Thirumalai 2002; Bal & Basu 2004, 2007) (*first record), see Fig. 6B . Elsewhere: Myanmar and China (Yunnan) ( Polhemus 2001).

Remarks. The species was given as Ptilomera laticaudata from Meghalaya by Paiva (1919b), Bal & Basu (1998) and Lyngdoh (2011, 2013), but their records must be considered as P. assamensis . We have collected and studied specimens from the majority of the localities mentioned in the literature and determined that the species of Ptilomera from Meghalaya is P. assamensis . In our intensive survey we have not encountered P. laticaudata .

Figures

FIGURES 2A–J. Ptilomera assamensis Hungerford & Matsuda (A, C, D, G, I, J: apterous male; B, E, F, H: apterous female): A, B, habitus, dorsal view; C & E, abdominal apex, dorsal view; D & F, same, ventral view; H, same, lateral view; G, mid femur, ventrolateral view; I, proctiger, dorsal view; J, paramere, lateral view.

FIGURES 6A–B. Distribution in India of: A, P.agriodes Schmidt; B, P.assamensis Hungerford & Matsuda (Yellow triangles denote locality details from literature; red squares denote locality details of materials examined in the present study).