Mesovelia lillyae, Chandra, 2017

Chandra, Kailash, 2017, Three new species of Mesovelia Mulsant & Rey (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Mesoveliidae) from India, Zootaxa 4312 (2), pp. 368-380 : 376-379

Mesovelia lillyae sp. nov.

( Figs. 3A–K )

Material examined. Holotype (apterous male): INDIA, TAMIL NADU, Kanyakumari District, Unnamalaikadai , Pond , 48 m, 08°18’16.64’’ N, 077°14’05.50’’ E, 7.i.2016, Coll. E.E. Jehamalar, E. Issac & E. Hallings. Paratypes. 2 apt ♂, 1 apt . ♀, 1 nymph, same locality data as for holotype; 1 mac . ♂, 1 mac. ♀, Kuzhithurai, Thamiraparani River , 17 m, 08°18’47.16’’ N, 077°12’28.53’’ E, 8.vii.2014, Coll. E. E. Jehamalar & E. Hallings ; 1apt. ♂, Cherukole Village, Muttaikulam pond, 33 m, 08°18’30.40’’ N, 077°15’28.91’’ E, 1.i.2016, Coll. E.E. Jehamalar, E. Hallings & E. Mahil ; 2 apt. ♂, Nagercoil, Scott Christian College, Lotus Pond, 60 m, 08°10’58.2’’ N, 077°24’20.3’’ E, 4.i.2016, Coll. E.E. Jehamalar.

Repository. The type specimens are deposited in the CEL, ZSI, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Holotype Reg. No. 5682/H15 and Paratypes Reg. No. 5683/H15 to 5687/H15.

Etymology. Mesovelia lillyae sp. nov. is named after Mrs. C. Lilly Sarojini Bai, the mother of the first author, for her encouragements.

Diagnosis. Mesovelia lillyae sp. nov. can easily be identified by the absence of the spines on the basal half of the mid femur ( Fig. 3D ), the presence of a pair of brush-like spinal tufts in the centre of the eighth abdominal sternum in the males, laterally with a setal fringe ( Fig. 3E ) and the absence of the flap-like projection on the posterolateral region of the ninth abdominal segment (ab9) of females ( Figs. 3J–K ).

Description. Apterous male (holotype; range of five specimens given in parentheses for some characters): ( Figs. 3A, D, F, G ). Body length 2.19 (2.09–2.28); body width at metanotum 0.69 (0.61–0.69), body width at tergum V 0.57 (0.53–0.64).

Colour. Yellowish brown except intersegmental region and lateral margin of connexivum dark brown; dorsum of body covered with brown to black minute setae ( Fig. 3A ); claws, setose spines on appendages, pair of short spinal tufts on abdominal sternum VIII black ( Fig. 3E ); antennal segment IV medially with a membranous area with brown annulated or speckled marks (more evident in alcohol); frontoclypeal region dark brown to black; fourth rostral segment black, brown basally; abdominal sterna IV and V with orange tinge, except medially.

Structural characters. Frontoclypeal region without any characteristic setae; posterolateral region of eye with ocular seta; anterior pair of trichobothria in front of antenna, directed anteriorly, other two pairs directed posteriorly. Head length 0.37, head width across eyes 0.50, minimum interocular width 0.18, eye length 0.20, eye width 0.14. Antennal tubercle well developed, outer margin of first antennal segment with sub-apical setose spine. Length of anterior pair of trichobothria 0.05, length of antennal spine 0.04. Lengths of antennal segments I–IV 0.43, 0.33, 0.45, 0.42; rostrum reaching base of hind coxa.

Pronotal length 0.22, width 0.60; mesonotal length 0.27, width 0.66; metanotal length 0.12, width 0.70. Lengths of leg segments: foreleg: femur 0.64, tibia 0.51, tarsomeres I–III 0.03, 0.07, 0.11; mid leg: femur 0.84, tibia 0.83, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.14, 0.15; hind leg: femur 1.07, tibia 1.41, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.18, 0.16. Width of fore-, mid-, hind femora 0.11, 0.12, 0.13. Number of spines on flexor region: fore femur: medium sized spines 1–2 (1–2), small spines 2 (2–6); mid femur: medium sized spines 3–6 (2–6), small spines 4–7 (2–8) ( Fig. 3D ); lengths of large spines of fore femur: extensor region 0.04, flexor region 0.03; lengths of large spines of mid femur: extensor region 0.07, flexor region 0.04.

Lengths of abdominal tergum 1.18, terga I–VII 0.12, 0.13, 0.10, 0.11, 0.12, 0.14, 0.23, sterna IV–VII 0.10, 0.10, 0.12, 0.17, combined length of sternum IV to abdominal tip 0.88, combined length of abdominal sterna V– VII 0.38. Genitalia: Lengths of tergum VIII 0.22, sternum VIII 0.17, pygophore plus proctiger ventral 0.23, proctiger hardly visible dorsally, sternum VIII sub-basomedially with a pair of black brush-like spinal tufts, laterally with a fringe of setae ( Fig. 3E ), mid-laterally with a very small tubercle (more evident in alcohol), length of spinal tuft on sternum VIII 0.05, width 0.04, width between two tufts 0.02, length between posterior margin of abdominal sternum VII and anterior margin of setal tufts on abdominal sternum VIII 0.01; proctiger anterior part cup-shaped, posterior part bowl-shaped clothed with long setae posteriorly, mid-lateral process of proctiger short with obtuse to acute tip, ventral median excavation almost half circle-like and not reaching near apical plate of proctiger ( Figs. 3G, H ); dorsomedian process (dmp) of pygophore with blunt tip ( Fig. 3F ). Paramere broad basally, twisted at middle; apical part straight, beak-like, directed parallel to broad base ( Fig. 3I ); paramere when attached to pygophore directed laterad in lateral view ( Fig. 3F ) and anterad in dorsal view ( Fig. 3G ).

Macropterous male (paratype). ( Figs. 3C, E, H, I ). Body length 2.54 (including hemelytra); body width across humeral angle 0.73.

Colour. Yellowish brown (pale green when alive); fourth antennal segment medially pale, annulated (more evident in alcohol); anterior pronotal lobe with indistinct oblique brown mark; posterior pronotal lobe dark brown with indistinct pale median longitudinal yellow stripe; mesoscutellum with oblique brown stripe sublaterally; metanotal elevation laterally with brown stripe; hemelytra with basal part of first basal cell (bc-I) brown, apical half brownish white; basal part of second basal cell (bc-II) white, apical half dark brown except brownish white subapical spot; anal veinless part of hemelytra adjacent to bc-II brown except with elongated white mark at base; basal part of membrane white, apical part brown with white tinge except dark brown to black median longitudinal streak ( Fig. 3C ).

Structural characters. Head with a pair of small ocelli; frontoclypeal region without any characteristic setae, ocular setae present on posterolateral region of eye, anterior pair of trichobothria in front of antenna, directed anteriorly, other two pairs directed posteriorly, head below antennal tubercle with outwardly directed setae, head near anterior inner margin of eye with two pairs of short setae, between eye and ocelli with short seta, between anterior pair of trichobothria with few minute setae. Head length 0.44, head width across eyes 0.52; minimum interocular width 0.19; eye length 0.21, eye width 0.14. Antennal tubercle well developed, outer margin of first antennal segment with sub-apical setose spine. Lengths of antennal segments I–IV 0.44, 0.33, 0.46, 0.56.

Notum length 0.78, width 0.73; anterior pronotal lobe length 0.17, width 0.57; posterior pronotal lobe length 0.34, width 0.73; length of mesoscutellum 0.15; length of metanotal elevation 0.11; humeral angle sinuated. Lengths of leg segments: foreleg: femur 0.69, tibia 0.58, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.08, 0.10; mid leg: femur 0.93, tibia 0.93, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.19, 0.15; hind leg: femur 1.19, tibia 1.59, tarsomeres I–III 0.05, 0.26, 0.17; width of fore-, mid-, hind femora 0.10, 0.11, 0.11; femoral spines similar to apterous male; hemelytral length 1.67, width 0.52; hemelytra with three closed cells, basal two elongated, apical cell eye-shaped, small, enclosed by thick brown veins ( Fig. 3C ); dorsal abdominal length including hemelytra 1.34; lengths of sterna IV–IX 0.10, 0.11, 0.11, 0.15, 0.18, 0.25; combined length of abdominal sterna V–VII 0.37; width of sternum V 0.59. Structure of genitalia similar to apterous male.

Apterous female (paratype). ( Figs. 3B ). Colour: similar to apterous male. Body length 2.66; width across metanotum 0.82; width across tergum V 0.88; head length 0.35; head width 0.52; eye length 0.19; eye width 0.13; minimum interocular width 0.23; length of anterior pair of trichobothria 0.08; length of antennal spine 0.06; lengths of antennal segments I–IV, 0.43, 0.32, 0.47, 0.50; pronotal length 0.23, width 0.68, mesonotal length 0.28, width 0.76; metanotal length 0.14, width 0.84. Lengths of leg segments: foreleg: femur 0.70, tibia 0.61, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.09, 0.12; mid leg: femur 0.93, tibia 0.84, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.17, 0.15; hind leg: femur 1.21, tibia 1.52, tarsomeres I–III 0.04, 0.23, 0.17. Width of fore-, mid-, hind femora 0.11, 0.12, 0.13. Number of femoral spines on flexor region, fore leg: right leg 8 (3 large + 5 small), left leg 9 (3 large + 6 small), mid leg: right leg 13 (4 large + 9 small), left leg 13 (5 large + 8 small); lengths of large spines of fore femur: extensor region 0.06, flexor region 0.03; lengths of large spines of mid femur: extensor region 0.07, flexor region 0.04. Dorsal abdominal length 1.59, lengths of abdominal terga I–VIII 0.19, 0.20, 0.13, 0.14, 0.17, 0.20, 0.23, 0.22, lengths of sterna V–VII 0.14, 0.12, 0.22, 0.19, combined length of abdominal sterna V–VII 0.48. Genitalia as in macropterous female.

Macropterous female (paratype). ( Figs. 3J, K ) Body length 2.94, width at humeral angle 0.85, head length 0.41, width 0.56. Number of spines on flexor region: fore femur, right leg 8 (3 large + 5 small), left leg 7 (3 large + 4 small), mid femur, right leg 12 (5 large + 7 small), left leg 10 (5 large + 5 small). Genitalia: length of gonocoxae 0.19, ninth abdominal segment (ab9) without lateral process, length of ninth abdominal segment 0.19; gonoplac (gp) covered with short setae, gonoplac length 0.21, first gonapophyses (go1) and second gonapophyses (go2) crenulate laterally, go1 not reaching tip of go2, go2 pointed apically, proctiger (pr) posteriorly with long setae, proctiger length 0.12 ( Figs. 3J, K ). Other characters similar to macropterous male and apterous female.

Distribution. Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, India.

Comparative notes. Mesovelia lillyae sp. nov. is closely related to M. mulsanti White, 1879 by having a similar pattern of spinal tufts on abdominal sternum VIII, but differs by the absence of spines on the basal half of the male fore femur and the shape of male paramere.

Figures

FIGURES 3 A – K. Mesovelia lillyae sp. nov.: A, apterOuS male (hOlOtype), dOrSal view; B, apterOuS female, dOrSal view; C, macrOpterOuS male, dOrSal view; D, mid femur Of apterOuS male, ventral view, ShOwing armature; E, abdOminal tip Of macrOpterOuS male, ventral view; F, genital capSule Of apterOuS male, lateral view; G, genital capSule Of apterOuS male, dOrSal view; H, prOctiger Of macrOpterOuS male, ventral view; I, paramere Of macrOpterOuS male, lateral view; J, genitalia Of macrOpterOuS female, ventral view; K, genitalia Of macrOpterOuS female, lateral view (ab 9 — ninth abdOminal Segment; dmpdOrSOmedian prOjectiOn Of pygOphOre; gc 1 — firSt gOnOcOxae; gO 1 — firSt gOnapOphySeS; gO 2 — SecOnd gOnapOphySeS; gpgOnOplac; lp—lateral prOceSS; mex—median excavatiOn; pa—paramere; pr—prOctiger; py—pygOphOre).