Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira, 2021

Rodrigues, Juliana Mourão Dos Santos, Crumière, Antonin Jean Johan, Mondragón-F, Silvia Patricia, Morales, Irina, Khila, Abderrahman & Moreira, Felipe Ferraz Figueiredo, 2021, Description of a new species and new records of Gerromorpha (Insecta: Hemiptera Heteroptera) from Panama and Colombia, Zootaxa 4958 (1), pp. 226-251 : 228-233

Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira , sp. nov.

( Figs 2–22 )

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE. PANAMA • Apterous male; Colón, Pipeline Road, Seda River ; 9.15329° N, - 79.73663° W; 6 May 2015; A.J.J. Crumière leg.; CEIOC 79939 . ALLOTYPE. PANAMA • apterous female; same data as holotype; CEIOC 79941 . PARATYPES. PANAMA • 7 apterous males, 2 macropterous males, 11 apterous females, 1 macropterous female; same data as holotype; CEIOC 79941 • 2 apterous males, 5 apterous females, 1 macropterous female; Colón, PR, Folijes River ; 9.15244° N, - 79.73739° W / 9.15282° N, -79.73351° W, 7 May 2015, A.J.J. Crumière leg.; CEIOC 79942 .

Apterous male. Holotype ( Figs 2–3 ) / Paratypes. BL 2.55 / 2.40–2.55, HL 0.27 / 0.20–0.30, HW 0.67 / 0.70, ANT I 0.56 / 0.50–0.65, ANT II 0.32 /0.30–0.35, ANT III 0.32 / 0.32–0.38, ANT IV 0.38 / 0.37–0.42, EYE 0.20 / 0.20, PL 0.17 / 0.15–0.20, FORELEG: 0,75/ 0.70–0.80, TIB 0.75 / 0.65–0.80, TAR I 0.04 / 0.02–0.04, TAR II 0.02 / 0.02–0.03, TAR III 0.20 / 0.18; MIDLEG: FEM 1.30 / 1.20–1.30, TIB 0.90 / 0.80–0.92, TAR I 0.06 / 0.06–0.08, TAR II 0.36 / 0.34–0.42, TAR III 0.64 / 0.56–0.66; HINDLEG: FEM 1.00 /0.90–1.10, TIB 1.05 /1.00–1.10, TAR I 0.04/ 0.04, TAR II 0.08 / 0.08, TAR III 0.24 / 0.22–0.26.

Head black. Eye reddish to brown. Antenniferous tubercle dark brown. Proximal half of antennomere I yellow; rest of antenna black. Clypeus brown, buccula and jugum yellowish to brown. Labium yellowish to brown, darker at apex. Pronotum black with a yellowish transverse band on anterior half. Meso- and metanota black. Proepisternum yellowish brown. Venter of thorax bluish gray. Acetabula yellow. Coxae yellow; mid coxa slightly darker. Fore and hind trochanters light yellow; mid trochanter black. Fore femur yellow on basal third, black towards apex. Mid femur black. Hind femur black, ventrally brown at base. Tibiae and tarsi black. Abdominal medio- and laterotergites black. Abdominal mediotergite V with a small shining black spot at center, VI –VIII with larger shining black spots. Abdominal sterna bluish gray; VII orange to brown centrally. Abdominal segment VIII black dorsally, orange to brown ventrally. Pygophore and proctiger dark brown to black.

Head short, with long black setae anterior to eye and adjacent to mesal eye margin; midline impressed; a pair of oblique indentations on base. Antenna covered by short brown setae; antennomeres I–II with longer, thicker, black setae. Antennomeres I– III cylindrical; I curved; IV fusiform. Labium thick, reaching middle of mesosternum. Thorax dorsally covered by short shining setae, with longer setae on margins. Pronotum short, one third the length of mesonotum; posterior margin concave. Proepisternum, thoracic and abdominal sterna, and mesal area of proacetabulum with black denticles ( Fig. 10 ).

Meso- and metacetabula without black denticles. Legs covered by shining setae, more densely on trochanters, femora, and tibiae; femora and tibiae also with rows of longer, thicker, darker setae. Trochanters without spines. Fore tibia slightly widened distally, weakly concave near apex. Hind femur slightly surpassing the apex of body, slightly incrassate, anterior margin straight, posterior margin slightly sinuous; ventrally with a row of 1 long spine and 3–5 short to medium spines ( Fig. 12 ). Hind tibia straight, with short and long setae; tuft of short setae at the apex; without spinules or apical spur. Dorsum of abdomen covered by short shining setae. Abdominal laterotergites not elevated, gently tapering toward apex. Abdominal sterna with dense median band of moderately long setae; very short setae surrounding midline; longer setae on sides and on sterna VI –VII; sternum VII with a pair of depressions adjacent to midline. Proctiger rounded at apex, densely covered by long setae; basal half with moderately long bristles on sides, smooth on the center ( Fig. 20 ). Parameres short, with apical process slightly tapering; shape as in Fig. 21 .

Macropterous male ( Figs 6–7 ). BL 2.50–2.55, HL 0.30; HW 0.70–0.75; ANT I 0.62–0.64; ANT II 0.35–0.36; ANT III 0.35; ANT IV 0.40; EYE 0.22–0.25; PL 1.10–1.15; FORELEG: FEM 0.75–0.80; TIB 0.80–0.85; TAR I 0.02; TAR II 0.02–0.03; TAR III 0.18–0.20; MIDLEG: FEM 1.30–1.40; TIB 0.85–0.90; TAR I 0.06; TAR II 0.40–0.44; TAR III 0.62–0.66; HINDLEG, FEM 1.05–1.15; TIB 1.05–1.15; TAR I 0.04; TAR II 0.06–1.00; TAR III 0.24–0.28.

Coloration and structure similar to apterous male. Pronotum long, completely covering meso- and metanota; posterior margin rounded. Forewings dark brown, with veins dark brown to black and a small yellowish spot at middle; exceeding tip of abdomen and bearing 3 closed cells. Hind femur ventrally with a row of 1 long spine plus 3–6 short to medium spines ( Fig. 13 ).

Apterous female ( Figs 4–5 ). BL 2.70–2.90, HL 0.25–0.30; HW 0.70–0.80; ANT I 0.55–0.80; ANT II 0.30– 0.35; ANT III 0.30–0.35; ANT IV 0.35–0.40; EYE 0.20–0.30; PL 0.15–0.20; FORELEG: FEM 0.70–0.72; TIB 0.70–0.75; TAR I 0.20; TAR II 0.02; 0.18–0.20; MIDLEG: FEM 1.25–1.35; TIB 0.65–0.90; TAR I 0.04–0.08; TAR II 0.34–0.40; TAR III 0.56–0.68; HINDLEG, FEM 1.00–1.07; TIB 0.90–1.10; TAR I 0.04–0.06; TAR II 0.08–0.10; TAR III 0.24–0.26.

Coloration and structure similar to apterous male. Abdominal mediotergite V with small shining black spot at middle (absent in some specimens), VI –VIII with larger shining black spots. Hind femur almost reaching apex of body; ventrally with a row of 1 long spine plus 3–5 short to medium spines ( Fig. 14 ). Abdominal laterotergites slightly elevated, tapering toward apex. Abdominal sterna II–IV with median band of moderately long setae (absent in some specimens); longer setae on sides and on sterna VI –VII; sternum VII without pair of depressions adjacent to midline.

Macropterous female ( Figs 8–9 ). BL 2.80–2.95; HL 0.30; HW 0.75–0.80; ANT I 0.55–0.70; ANT II 0.35; ANT III 0.35; ANT IV 0.40; EYE 0.25–0.30; PL 1.10–1.15; FORELEG: FEM 0.70–0.75; TIB 0.75–0.80; TAR I 0.03; TAR II 0.02; TAR III 0.18; MID LEG: FEM 1.20–1.35; TIB 0.85; TAR I 0.08; TAR II 0.42; TAR III 0.64; HIND LEG, FEM 1.00–1.10; TIB 1.10; TAR I 0.04; TAR II 0.10; TAR III 0.20.

Coloration and structure similar to macropterous male, except for the following: hind femur ventrally with a row of 1 long spine plus 2–5 short to medium spines ( Fig. 15 ).

Remarks. Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira , sp. nov. is part of the angustipes complex of species, based on the pronotum of the apterous form shorter on the midline than the dorsal length of the eye, with the posterior margin concave ( Polhemus 1997). It can be distinguished from similar species by the abundant black denticles present on the venter of the body ( Figs 10–11 ), which are usual in some of the other complexes of American Rhagovelia , but not in the angustipes complex.

The new species can also be diagnosed by the following combination of characters: body short (2.40–2.95 mm, including both sexes and wing morphs); acetabula yellow ( Figs. 3 , 10 ); coxae yellow, mid coxa slightly darker ( Figs. 3 , 10 ); fore and hind trochanters light yellow, mid trochanter black ( Fig. 3 ); abdominal mediotergite V with a small shining black spot at middle, VI–VIII with larger shining black spots ( Fig. 2 ); males with hind femur slightly surpassing the apex of body, ventrally with a row of 1 long spine plus 3–6 short to medium spines ( Figs 12–13 ); hind tibia straight, without spinules or apical spur; females with hind femur almost reaching apex of body, ventrally with a row of 1 long spine plus 3–5 short to medium spines ( Figs 14–15 ); and abdominal laterotergites in both sexes slightly elevated, tapering toward apex ( Figs 2, 4 ).

Rhagovelia tantilla Drake & Harris, 1933 is most similar to R. joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira , sp. nov., but the former is larger (2.86–3.66 mm, including both sexes and wing morphs), lacks black denticles on the venter of the body, usually has shining black areas only on abdominal mediotergites VII–VIII (rarely V–VIII in the female), and has completely different parameres ( Bacon 1956: Fig. 16 ).

Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira , sp. nov. was collected together with one congener, R. elegans , and four other species of Gerromorpha in the Seda River, namely Microvelia albonotata , Potamobates anchicaya , Brachymetra albinervus and Tachygerris opacus . This creek is shadowed and mostly covered by trees; M. albonotata was collected close to the margins and the gerrids were mostly on calm water, sometimes accompanied by the Rhagovelia . In the Folijes River, the new species co-occurred with another congener, R. rosensis , plus Metrobates laudatus , Telmatometra ujhelyii and P. anchicaya . This calm creek is composed of alternate sunny and shadowed patches; Rhagovelia were usually caught close to the margin, while the gerrids were located on open water.

Etymology. The specific epithet is given in honor of Prof. Dr. Jocélia Grazia, Brazilian entomologist, in recognition of her important contributions to the knowledge of Neotropical Heteroptera .

Figures

FIGURES 2–5. Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira, sp. nov. 2–3, Holotype, apterous male. 2, Dorsal view. 3, Ventral view. 4–5, Paratype, apterous female. 4, Dorsal view. 5, Ventral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 6–9. Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira, sp. nov. 6–7, Paratype, macropterous male. 6, Dorsal view. 7, Ventral view. 8–9, Paratype, macropterous female. 8, Dorsal view. 9, Ventral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 10–15. Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira, sp. nov. 10–11, Ventral view, part of labium, thoracic and abdominal sterna, acetabulae and coxae. 10, Holotype male. 11, Paratype female. 12–15, Hind femur with a row of one long spine and several short to medium spines. 12, Holotype, apterous male; 13, Paratype, macropterous male; 14, paratype, apterous female; 15, paratype, macropterous female. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 16–21. Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira, sp. nov.; male terminalia. 16–20, Genital capsule. 16, Ventral view. 17, Dorsal view. 18, Lateral view. 19, Pygophore and parameres, dorsal view. 20, Proctiger, dorsal view. 21, Pygophore and paramere, lateral view. (pa, paramere; pr, proctiger; py, pygophore). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (16–19), 0.1 mm (20–21).

FIGURE 22. Distribution of Rhagovelia joceliae Rodrigues & Moreira, sp. nov. in Panama indicated by yellow circles.