Paravelia daza, Padilla-Gil, Dora Nancy & Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo, 2011

Padilla-Gil, Dora Nancy & Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo, 2011, A new species of Paravelia Breddin, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia, with a key to Colombian Paravelia species, Zootaxa 3065, pp. 14-26 : 15-22

Paravelia daza sp. n.

( Figs. 1–20 )

Type material. Holotype, apt 3, allotype apt Ƥ: COLOMBIA, Departamento Nariño, Municipio Pasto, Daza , 30.VI.2009, leg. D.N. Padilla & O. Arcos ( ICN). Paratypes, same data as holotype, 10 apt 3, 10 apt Ƥ ( ICN), 15 apt 3, 15 apt Ƥ (PSO-CZ), 4 apt 3, 5 apt Ƥ (CP). Nariño, Tangua, Las Piedras, 24.VI.2009, leg. D.N. Padilla 1 apt 3, 1 apt Ƥ (PSO-CZ).

Additional material. COLOMBIA, Departamento Nariño, Municipio Pasto, Daza , 12.X.2009, 20 apt 3, 16 apt Ƥ. Nariño, Pasto, Corregimiento Mocondino, Vereda Dolores, 18.XI.2009, 2 apt 3, 2 apt Ƥ. Nariño, Tangua, Las Piedras, 16.XI.2009, 7 apt 3, 10 apt Ƥ, all leg. D.N. Padilla & O. Arcos (PSO-CZ).

Apterous form ( Figs. 1–2 ). General color dark brown. Rostrum, first antennomere, head, anterior lobe and posterior margin of pronotum, and femora of all legs pale brown to yellowish-brown; some specimens with abdominal tergites reddish-brown. Venter of body brown-yellow. Venter of head, mesosternum and metasternum dark brown. Dorsum covered by short, recumbent black setae. Venter covered by short, recumbent yellow setae. Legs hairy. Cephalic trichobothria quite long, the posterior pair inserted at the margin of the basal constriction of the head capsule, the two anterior pairs inserted close together at the level of the frons, near eyes.

Apterous male ( Fig. 2 ). Length 9.2, maximum width 2.16. Head longer than wide (L/W: 1.44/1.16), bearing impressed median longitudinal line flanked by 2 (1+1) oblique rows of small lateral impressions ( Fig. 3 MI). Eyes prominent, bearing in adults and nymphs a short ocular seta inserted between the ommatidia on the posterior part of each eye ( Figs. 3–6 ). Ocelli absent. Head bearing a pair of dorsal pits, near the corner of each eye ( Fig. 3 , DI). Antenniferous tubercles well-defined ( Fig. 4 ). Anteclypeus and ventral lobes of head prominent ( Fig. 3 , AC, VL).

Antenna subflagelliform, the two basal segments relatively long and the two apical segments rather slender, bearing numerous erect hairs. Length of antennomeres I–IV: 1.30, 1.08, 0.88, 1.08. Rostrum 4-segmented, relatively long, reaching mesosternum; third article about 4 times longer than I–II combined ( Fig. 4 ). Ventral region of head with a pair of distinct longitudinal ridges ( Fig. 5 , r); the posterior margin bearing two short and slender apodemes on each side ( Fig. 4 , OA).

Anterior portion of prothorax with a distinct collar. Pronotal lobe ( Fig. 7 , PL) large, arched in the middle and posteriorly extended, covering mesonotum and most of metanotum ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum (L/W: 1.92/1.96), bearing a longitudinal medial carina; anterior margin with a line of punctuations behind head vertex, prolonged on sides and venter of prothorax. Pronotal surface uneven and foveate, these foveae deep and scarce on anterior lobe, shallow and more numerous on posterior lobe. Meso- and metathoracic spiracles evident ( Fig. 7 , SpII, SpIII). Intersegmental suture between meso and metathorax laterally distinct ( Fig.7 ). Metepisternal process (Ep) reduced. Pair of slen- der grooves (Ev) visible, leading to metasternal scent orifices ( Fig. 7 , so). Metasternal scent channels obliquely curving backwards from midpoint ( Fig. 8 ). Mesosternum with distinct rostral groove ( Fig. 8 , RG). Middle and hind coxae placed laterally ( Fig. 8 ); intersegmental suture between mesosternum and metasternum with a shallow channel ( Fig. 8 ). Mesosternum and metasternum lacking tubercles ( Fig. 8 ).

Median length of abdominal tergites as follows: I: 0.24, II–III: 0.52, IV–VI and VIII: 0.60, VII: 0.84. Abdominal mediotergites I–III with wide and glabrous channels. Connexiva angled upward at 40º, with margins of segments II–VI thickened. Connexival margins straight and evenly convergent posteriorly ( Fig. 2 ). Apical margin of ventrite VI slightly concave centrally ( Fig. 9). Ventrite VIII strongly depressed at the midline. Genital segments large and distinctly protruding from the end of the pregenital abdomen. Proctiger with two lateral, conspicuous and divergent prolongations in dorsal basal half ( Fig. 10). Genital capsule as in Fig. 11; pygophore ( Fig. 12 ); claspers symmetrical, relatively large, with oval tip ( Figs. 11, 13 ).

Hind legs distinctly longer than others ( Fig. 2 ). Male grasping comb extending for about three-fifths of fore tibia ( Fig. 14 ). Middle and hind coxae slightly longer than fore coxae and inserted laterally to body center ( Fig. 8 ). Femora slightly incrassate, lacking spines or spinose setae. Tibiae slender, straight, with grooming structures at apex ( Fig. 15 ). Tarsi three-segmented; with first segments small, and subtriangular, and claws subterminal.

Length of leg segments as follows: fore femur / tibia / tarsal 1 / tarsal 2 / tarsal 3: 2.0/2.16/0.12/0.28/0.5; middle femur / tibia / tarsal 1 / tarsal 2 / tarsal 3: 2.48/2.92/0.16/0.5/0.58; hind femur / tibia / tarsal 1 / tarsal 2 / tarsal 3: 3.46/5.20/0.18/0.80/0.70.

Apterous female ( Fig. 1 ). Length 9.8, maximum width 2.6; distinctly larger than male. Length of antennomeres I–IV: 1.30, 1.20, 0.88, 0.70. Abdomen with 8 mediotergites and 6 laterotergites ( Fig. 1 ). Median length of abdominal tergites as follows: I: 0.24, II: 0.64, III: 0.60, IV: 0.88, V: 0.72, VI: 0.76, VII: 0.80, VIII: 0.4. Margins of connexival segments I–IV subparallel; margins of connexival segments V–VI caudally convergent; last laterotergite infolded and almost completely covering abdominal tergites VII and VIII ( Fig. 1 ); connexiva ending in short spines ( Fig. 16 ).

Venter of body lightly convex. Ventral apodeme of abdomen arising from anterior margin of sternum VII and extending forward to sternum V. Proctiger horizontal in relation to body ( Fig. 16 ). First gonocoxae large and hairy at apex ( Fig. 17 ); second gonocoxae as in Fig. 18 ; second gonapophyses with feathered outgrowths ( Fig. 19 ). Gynatrial sac trapezoidal ( Fig. 20 , GS) with numerous thin gland ductules projecting from the external surface of the sac ( Fig. 20 ); spermathecal tube ( Fig. 20 , ST) arising from ventral side of gynatrial sac; fecundation canal ( Fig. 20 , FC) short, with a pair of small apodemes basally ( Fig. 20 , ap), and a pair of flattened, slightly sclerotized small strips apically; basal thickening ( Fig. 20 , BT) weakly sclerotized and curved. Grasping comb very short, extending for about 1/13 of fore tibia. Tibiae slender, straight, with grooming structures at apex.

Macropterous form unknown.

Type locality. Daza , road to Villamoreno, Pasto, Nariño, Colombia ( Fig. 21).

Ecological notes. Paravelia daza sp. n. is found under stones at the erosional margins of streams. Nymphs ( Fig. 6 ) are occasionally found on the surface film at the borders of temporary pools. When discovered under stones, specimens remain still and camouflaged with the substrate. They can remain hidden, or stride on the superficial film very rapidly, and do not move like other veliids or gerrids. Individuals can move easily on the ground, walking or running; and it is probable that the subterminal position of their claws is a secondary adaptation towards a semi-terrestrial way of life, as Andersen (1982) suggests for other species of veliids.

Etymology. The name “ daza ” refers to type locality.

Comparative notes. Paravelia daza sp. n. is a large (9.2–9.8), brown species. It may be recognized by the length of the head three times the length of an eye ( Fig. 3 ); the male connexiva angled upward at 40º, with parallel margins ( Fig. 2 ); and the oval flat side of the apex of the paramere ( Fig. 12 ). The female connexiva are infolded, covering abdominal tergites VI–VIII ( Fig. 1 ), and the female genital structures are as described in Figs. 16–20 . Males and the females bear a grasping comb on fore tibia ( Fig. 14 ), and all tibiae have grooming structures ( Fig. 15 ).

Paravelia daza sp. n. is similar to P. inveruglas (Kirkaldy, 1899) from Ecuador, but the latter is smaller (length of male 7.25 mm), and different in morphometric measurements, and in the shape of the male parameres (compare Figs. 13 , 22 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. P. d a z a, dorsal habitus. 1, female, 2, male. Scale 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. P. d a z a. Head capsule in anterodorsal view, antennae removed. Scale 0.025 mm. (AC: Anteclypeus, Ct: cephalic trichobothrium, DI: dorsal indentation of head, MI: median impressed line of head, VL: ventral lobe of head).

FIGURES 4 – 6. P. d a z a. 4 – 5. Head capsule, 4, lateral view (OA: occipital apodeme); 5, ventral view; labium removed (r: ventral ridge); 6, first instar nymph, dorsal view with appendages removed. Scale 0.025 mm.

FIGURE 7. P. d az a. Thorax, female, lateral view, legs removed. Scale 0.05 mm. (Ep: metepisternal process, Ev: lateral evaporatorium of scent apparatus, PL: pronotal lobe, SO: metasternal scent orifice, SpII, SpIII, meso-and metathoracic spiracles, TI: prothorax).

FIGURE 8. P. d az a. Thorax, female, ventral view, legs of left side removed. Scale 0.025 mm. (Ev: evaporative channel of scent apparatus, RG: rostral groove, SIII: metasternum, S 2: abdominal sterna).

FIGURE 12. P. daza, male genitalia, dorsal view, phallus deflated, proctiger removed. Scale 0.025 mm.

FIGURE 13. P. daza, male paramere, flat side of left paramere (left), apex in posterior view (right). Scale 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 14. P. d a z a, fore leg of male with grasping comb, dorsal view, and fore tibia with grooming structure, ventral view. Scale 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 15. P. d a z a, left middle tarsus, only marginal hairs shown. Scale 0.01 mm. (Ca: campaniform sensillum, DA: dorsal arolium, g: grooming structures, h: bristlelike hair, Pe: parempodium).

FIGURES 16 – 17. P. d az a, female. 16, abdominal apex, lateral view. Scale 0.025 mm; 17, first gonapophysis. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURES 18 – 19. P. d az a, female. 18, second gonocoxae. Scale 0.05 mm; 19, second gonapophyses. Scale 0.01 mm.

FIGURE 20. P. d a z a, female gynatrial complex. Scale 0.1 mm. (ap: apodeme, BT: basal thickening, FC: fecundation canal, GS, gynatrial sac, Mu, muscles).

FIGURE 22. P. inveruglas, male paramere; flat side of left paramere (left); apex in posterior view (right) (based on Hungerford 1930, figure not to scale).