Neomacrocoris bondelaufa Sites, 2012

Mbogho, Aaron Y. & Sites, Robert W., 2013, Naucoridae Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Tanzania, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 513-513 : 531-533

Neomacrocoris bondelaufa Sites, 2012

Figs 12 , 26 , 30

Neomacrocoris bondelaufa: Sites in Sites & Mbogho 2012: 6–9 .

Diagnosis: Among similar sized congeners in Tanzania, N. bondelaufa is nearly indistinguishable superficially from N. handlirschi and N. parviceps without examination of the male phallosoma and pseudostrigil. However, fresh specimens of N. parviceps are brownish red on the abdominal sternum (more evident with immersion in ethanol), whereas N. bondelaufa and N. handlirschi are brown. N. handlirschi generally has sparse, thick hairs on the embolium, corium, clavus, membrane and scutellum, whereas the other two species have the short, thick hairs restricted to the embolium and adjacent areas of the corium. Beyond these diagnostic characters, females must be associated with males for identification. Specifically, the phallosoma has a strong gibbosity to the right and ventrally in N. bondelaufa ( Fig. 12 ) and directly to the right in N. handlirschi , whereas it has an elongate flange to the right in N. parviceps . Further, the left side of the shaft of the phallosoma beyond the gibbosity is arcuate and the left side of the apex appears flattened in dorsal view in N. bondelaufa , whereas the shaft is straight and the flattening is on the distal margin in N. handlirschi . The apex appears flattened on the left side in dorsal view in N. parviceps .

Holotype (examined): TANZANIA: Rukwa Region: Sau River at Kasunga , 8°03.444'S 31°30.112'E, 1795m, 2.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, marginal dense veget. in cattle pool of stream, L-1200 ( UMC; ♂).

Paratypes (examined): same data as holotype ( NHMW, NMSA, RMCA, UMC, USNM; 18♂, 21♀) . Rukwa Region: Kapipula stream, 93 km N of Mpanda, 5°42.233'S 30°41.563'E, 1326 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, stream wetland with dense emergent grasses, L-1186 ( UMC; 5♂, 8♀) . Kigoma Region: Kazuramimba , 5°00.155'S 30°00.971'E, 1082 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, muddy pools of small stream with marginal vegetation, L-1182 ( UMC; 4♂) .

Material examined: TANZANIA: Kagera Region: Karenge , 3°07.936'S 31°04.530'E, 1234 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shallow pools with heavy vegetation and cattle use, L-1157 ( UMC; 1♂, 3♀) . Kigoma Region: W of Kibondo, Mpemvyi River , 3°44.028'S 30°41.945'E, 1225 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites

& A. Mbogho , pooled areas of slow stream, L-1160 ( UMC; 1♀) ; Luchugi River, 4°31.733'S 30°09.699'E, 1217 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, small stream, L-1162 ( UMC; 1♂, 2♀) ; tributary to Kalembela River, 4°40.743'S 30°03.994'E, 1244 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, irrigation canal, L-1163 ( UMC; 4♂, 1♀, 1 nymph) ; Kalembela River, 4°40.813'S 30°03.964'E, 1249 m, 27.vii.2010, marginal vegetation in slow current, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, L-1164 ( UMC; 2♂) . Mara Region: Ushashi , ca 5 km N of Nyiendo, 2°00.540'S 33°55.241'E, 1344 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, vegetated pond margins, L-1147 ( UMC; 1♀) . Mbeya Region: 1 km N of Nyenjele, Muwawa River, 8°55.289'S 32°21.583'E, 1448 m, 3.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, pool with overhanging grasses, L-1206 ( UMC; 2♂) . Rukwa Region: 110 km N of Mpanda , 5°37.745'S 30°36.039'E, 1295 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shallow creek with muddy bottom and marginal grasses, L-1185 ( UMC; 1♀) ; 57 km N of Mpanda , stream between Masito & Ogala, 5°56.742'S 30°57.812'E, 1144 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, slow stream, coarse roots at margin, L-1187 ( UMC; 1♂, 1♀) ; 20 km SW of Sumbawanga, Katuka River at Katuka , 8°06.641'S 31°31.786'E, 1858 m, 2.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, pools of stream and narrow channel with dense vegetation, L-1201 ( UMC; 1♂, 1♀) ; Msanzi River at Msanzi , 8°11.411'S 31°31.295'E, 1778 m, 2.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, rocks, mud, gravel, sand, marginal grasses, L-1202 ( UMC; 1♂, 1♀) ; Kamawe River at Puwi , 8°21.029'S 31°50.054'E, 1598 m, 3.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, clear stream, marginal vegetation, some rocks, L-1205 ( UMC; 2♂, 1♀) .

Extralimital material examined: [ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO]: Musée du Congo Belge, Elisabethville, 12-VI-1920 (J. Sporcq.) / R. Poisson det., 1945, Neomacrocoris parviceps Mont. / R. Det 5305 L ( RMCA; 1♂) ; same data, 10-VI-1920 ( RMCA; 1♀) ; Musée du Congo , Dilolo, -VIII-IX-1931, G.F. DeWitte / Poisson det., 1945, Neomacrocoris parviceps Mont. / R. Det 5305 L ( RMCA; 1♂) . SOUTH AFRICA: Swaziland , Malolotja , Res. Dam at Camp, 7-4-97 / 26°09'S 31°08'E, 1800 m.a.s.l. (PRC; 1♂) .

Distribution: This species is known only from streams along the Rift Valley of western Tanzania and southern Democratic Republic of Congo, and from South Africa.

Discussion: Prior to our revision, N. bondelaufa was unrecognized as distinct from other superficially similar species. It was described from streams of the Rift Valley of western Tanzania and collected syntopically with the congeners N. handlirschi at L-1202 and N. parviceps at L-1157, 1164, 1182, and 1202.

Figures

Figs 9–14. Male genitalia: (9) Macrocoris flavicollis, (10) Naucoris obscuratus, (11) Neomacrocoris karimii, (12) Neomacrocoris bondelaufa, (13) Neomacrocoris parviceps, (14) Neomacrocoris vuga. Abbreviations: LP – left paramere, RP – right paramere, ph – phallosoma, ve – vesica. (Figs 11–14 are reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)

Figs 23–29. (23) Neomacrocoris parviceps parviceps, (24) Neomacrocoris parviceps ocellatus, (25) Neomacrocoris usambaricus, (26) Neomacrocoris bondelaufa, (27) Neomacrocoris vuga, (28) Neomacrocoris handlirschi, (29)Neomacrocoris karimii.Sizes areproportionate among figures.(Figs 24–30 reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)

Fig.30.Distribution maps of13 speciesof Naucoridae known from Tanzania.Notincluded is Neomacrocoris usambaricus, which was recorded from West Usambara. (Map for N. bondelaufa and N. vuga is reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)