Content uploaded by Sundar S
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Sundar S on Feb 24, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
Accepted by D. Rider: 11 May 2011; published: 14 Jun. 2011
ZOOTAXA
ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)
ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)
Copyright © 2011 · Magnolia Press
Zootaxa 2916: 35–40 (2011)
www.mapress.com/zootaxa/Article
35
A new species of Aphelocheirus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aphelocheiridae)
from southern India
ROBERT W. SITES1, M. ARUNACHALAM2 & S. SUNDAR2
1Enns Entomology Museum, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA.
E-mail: sitesr@missouri.edu
2Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Environmental Sciences, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi-627412, Tamilnadu,
India
Abstract
A new species of Aphelocheirus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aphelocheiridae) inhabiting riffles of a stream in Kerala state
in southern India is described. Aphelocheirus kaygieyess n. sp. is diagnosed by widely separated hemelytra and the pattern
of dark maculation on the vertex. This species is compared to other Indian species of Aphelocheirus. Seven species of
Aphelocheirus are known now from India.
Key words: Aphelocheirus, Aphelocheiridae, Nepomorpha, Heteroptera, new species, lotic, India
Introduction
Aphelocheiridae is a family of predominantly tropical aquatic bugs that is restricted to the Old World. With 89
described species, the family achieves its greatest diversity in Southeast Asia and the number of species in tropical
areas further westward is dramatically fewer. For example, 15 species are known from Thailand (Sites 2006),
whereas only 6 species are known from India (Thirumalai 2007, 2008) and 5 from mainland Africa (La Rivers
1971).
The known Indian fauna of Aphelocheirus includes four species of the nominate subgenus, Aphelocheirus, and
two of the subgenus Micraphelocheirus. Characteristics of the known species in India were summarized and com-
pared in the recent excellent treatment by Thirumalai (2008). Presented here is the description of the seventh spe-
cies in the genus from India.
Material and methods
Photographs of the type locality identified as L-1139 are available in a Locality Image Database via a link from the
internet site of the Enns Entomology Museum, University of Missouri. All measurements are given in millimeters.
Length of the body is measured from the anterior margin of the head to the posterior margin of the abdomen, width
across abdominal segment III. Abdominal segment numbers are expressed as Roman numerals.
Systematics
Aphelocheirus kaygieyess n. sp.
Figs. 1–6
Description. Brachypterous male. Size (n=1): Length, 7.84 mm. Width, 5.20 mm. Maximum width across abdom-
inal segment III. Overall appearance ovate (Fig. 1), flattened. Dorsally, mostly dark brown with highly contrasting
yellow meso- and metanota and areas on head. Ventrally, mostly yellowish.
SITES ET AL.
36 · Zootaxa 2916 © 2011 Magnolia Press
Head. Yellow with broad, dark brown V-shaped marking extending from vertex to anterior margin; arms of V
broadening anteriorly. Head coarsely tuberculate; greatest width at anterolateral corners of eyes, 2.08 mm; with
sparse, very short setae and group of slightly longer setae near posteromedial corner of eye. Head length 1.80 mm.
Eyes black, divergent anteriorly, lateral margins subtly sinuate with concavity in anterolateral 1/3. Interocular dis-
tance between anteromedial corners of eyes 1.44 mm, between posteromedial corners of eyes 1.00 mm. Eye length
1.14 mm. Head extends anteriorly in front of eyes 0.38 mm. Ventrally, yellowish. Antennae pale, 4-segmented.
Ratio of antennal segment lengths: 5-10-13-19. Beak yellowish in basal quarter, orange-brown distad, shining,
attaining middle of mesocoxae (not including protruding stylets). Three visible beak segment lengths: 0.12, 2.08,
0.76 mm.
Thorax. Pronotum dark brown with narrow yellow lateral band; coarsely tuberculate; sparse, very short setae
throughout; posterior margin nearly straight, with pronounced notch 1/5 distance from lateral margin to midline;
pronotum width 4.12 mm, length 1.12 mm. Scutellum shallowly triangular; yellow; slight dark infuscation later-
ally; coarsely tuberculate; anterior margin straight, posterior apex broadly rounded; length 0.84 mm, width 2.84
mm. Wings tuberculate with longitudinal rugosity near anteromedial margin, dark brown, lighter at embolar mar-
gin; posterolateral corners produced; evenly rounded posteriorly; widely separated medially; distance of separation
2.20 mm; wing width 1.60 mm, length 1.44 mm (width measured at lateral production). Prosternum carinate at
midline. Propleuron yellow brown; inner margin with notch ~90 degrees; posteromedial corner sharply acuminate,
directed ventromedially. Mesepimeron and mesosternum yellowish, sparsely covered with recumbent setae.
Mesosternum with large, well-developed mid-ventral tumescence. Posterior surface of tumescence oriented in dor-
soventral plane, with longitudinal carina; surface of tumescence sparsely covered with recumbent setae. Metepis-
ternum mostly pruinose with scattered recumbent setae. Metaxyphus yellow, posterolateral margins concave,
posterior apex acuminate. Legs yellowish. Mesal surface of all coxae and trochanters with short setae; lateral sur-
face shining. Coxae with dense row of stout elongate setae on mesoapical margin. Claws paired, dark yellow, gen-
tly curved, tips orange-brown, with distinct basal tooth. Lengths of profemur, protibia, tarsomeres 1–3: 2.00, 1.68,
0.12, 0.28, 0.40 mm. Arolium of propretarsus ¾ length of claws, of mesopretarsus ½, of metapretarsus short. Pro-
and mesotrochanter through tarsus with thick brush of light yellow setae on mesal faces. Mesotibia with stout peg-
like setae on outer margin and apex with comb of 4–5 stout setae. Lengths of mesofemur, mesotibia, tarsomeres 1–
3: 2.00, 1.68, 0.16, 0.32, 0.40 mm. Meso- and metafemora with scattered, stout setae throughout. Metafemur with
sparse swimming hairs on distal half of posterior margin. Metatibia with stout erect setae on anteroventral and pos-
teroventral margins, apex with circlet of stout spines, scattered stout spines elsewhere on outer margin, long
brushes of pale swimming hairs on posteroventral and posterodorsal margins. Metatarsal segments with both series
of swimming hairs continuing from metatibia, hairs dark basally on segment 2, mostly pale on segment 3, scattered
stout setae on outer margin. Tarsal segment 1 inconspicuous. Lengths of metafemur, metatibia, tarsomeres 1–3:
2.52, 2.92, 0.12, 1.48, 0.88 mm.
Abdomen. Dark brown with narrow yellow lateral strip on terga II–V, yellow more pronounced in posterolat-
eral corner of all visible segments; paired yellow areas medially on terga IV and V. Terga tuberculate, with scat-
tered erect setae throughout. Abdominal scent gland openings evident as concave inflections of posterior margin of
tergum III, 1/4-distance to lateral margin from midline. Posterolateral corner of segment II squared; III–V acumi-
nate with progressively larger, broadly triangular spines; VI–VII produced and bluntly pointed. Ventrally, medium
yellowish-brown with dark infuscation laterally, with scattered recumbent setae throughout. Sterna generally pruin-
ose throughout. Hydrostatic sensory organ 4/5 distance from midline of sternum II to lateral margin. Spiracular
rosettes on sterna II–VII 3/4 distance from midline to lateral margin; those on VI–VII reduced. Sternum III with
small posteromedial protuberance. Peglike setae absent from abdominal sternal midline. Posterior margins of ster-
num V asymmetrical, deeply concave to left of midline; sternum VI with pronounced rounded lobe slightly to left
of midline; sternum VII broadly produced at midline; sternum VIII slightly concave. Genital capsule light yellow,
apex broadly pointed.
Genitalia. Pygophore with apical processes between parameres asymmetrical, with apex of left process
oblique, mesal surface excavate beneath to accommodate right apical process; right apical process shorter, gently
rounded apically, lateral margin straight (Fig. 3). Left paramere with mesal surface acetabular to accommodate left
apical process of pygophore. Right paramere lanceolate (in dorsal view), apex pointed, with brush of brown setae
on lateral surface. Phallotheca of aedeagus broad basally (concealed behind apical processes of pygophore), distal
visible part slender, curved to right (Fig. 3), endosoma expanded, lightly sclerotized, rastate.
Zootaxa 2916 © 2011 Magnolia Press · 37
NEW SPECIES OF APHELOCHEIRUS FROM INDIA
FIGURES 1–2. Habitus of Aphelocheirus kaygieyess n. sp. (1) male, (2) female.
FIGURES 3–4. Aphelocheirus kaygieyess n. sp. (3) male genital capsule with aedeagus and parameres, (4) ventral aspect of
posterior abdominal segments of female.
SITES ET AL.
38 · Zootaxa 2916 © 2011 Magnolia Press
FIGURE 5. Kallar River, the type locality of Aphelocheirus kaygieyess n. sp.
Brachypterous female. Size (n=1): Length, 8.16 mm. Width, 5.44 mm. Coloration and setation generally
same as for male, except abdominal paired yellowish areas on either side of the midline on terga IV–VI (Fig. 2).
Yellow lateral and posterolateral areas of abdominal segments more pronounced. Subgenital plate yellow basally,
Zootaxa 2916 © 2011 Magnolia Press · 39
NEW SPECIES OF APHELOCHEIRUS FROM INDIA
brown distally; broadly triangular; sides shallowly concave, gradually converging to broadly-rounded point (Fig.
4); width 1.38 mm, length 1.10 mm; with lateral trichobothria 1/4 distance from externally visible base to apex;
recumbent setae throughout; group of long, stout setae just basad of apex on either side of midline. Sternum III
without posteromedial protuberance. Posterior margins of sterna IV–V deeply concave and VI straight to slightly
concave in middle third (Fig. 4).
Macropterous form. Unknown.
Type material. Holotype, male, and paratype, female: INDIA: Kerala St., Kallar River, N 08o 42.700, E 77 o
07.383, elev 115 m, 15 March 2010, L-1139, riffles of rocky stream, M. Arunachalam, S. Sundar, M. Muralidharan,
P. Sivakumar, C. Selvakumar, T. Sivaruban.
Repository. The holotype and paratype are deposited in the Zoological Survey of India.
Etymology. This handsome species is dedicated in honor of Professor Kumbakonam G. Sivaramakrishnan who
is known to colleagues and other friends as KGS. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and a phonetic repre-
sentation of the initials KGS.
Habitat description. The specimens were collected from shallow riffles (ca. 0.3 m maximum depth) in a clear,
swiftly-flowing stream (Fig. 5) with a substratum of loose large rocks and cobble in a sand and gravel matrix (Fig.
6). The type locality was immediately downstream from the Kallar bridge. Runs, pools, erosional areas, and other
reaches of the stream were substantially deeper. In the vicinity of the type locality, the stream meanders through
forest and open areas, and the canopy was open at the type locality. Goats used the stream at this area.
FIGURE 6. Substrate of Kallar River where Aphelocheirus kaygieyess n. sp. was collected.
Diagnosis and comparative notes. This new species clearly is a member of the subgenus Aphelocheirus, and
in comparison to species of the subgenus Micraphelocheirus [A. (M.) pygmaeus La Rivers and A. (M.) signatus
Zettel], it is substantially larger and the abdominal scent glands are closer to the midline than to the lateral margin.
Because only a single male specimen was available and the species is easily recognized by other features, the
parameres were not removed from the genital capsule for separate illustrations. Maculation of the head easily dis-
tinguishes A. kaygieyess n. sp. from its described congeners in India. Specifically, the broadly-based, dark, V-
shaped marking on the vertex has the arms widening anteriorly to the margin. The dark marking on the vertex of
SITES ET AL.
40 · Zootaxa 2916 © 2011 Magnolia Press
the other described species consists of a single posterior dark area, sometimes continuing anteriorly only along the
midline. Also, the hemelytra are the most widely separated of any species of Aphelocheirus s.str. currently known
from India. Of the four Indian consubgeners, A. boukali Zettel, A. pradhanae Zettel, A. nathani La Rivers, and A.
narmadaensis Thirumalai, only the latter two have hemelytra that are widely separated. Of these two species, the
posterolateral corners of the pronotum are similar in shape between A. nathani and A. kaygieyess n. sp. Whereas, in
A. narmadaensis, the posterolateral corners are sharp and without posterior emargination. Thus, A. kaygieyess n.
sp. might be most closely related to A. nathani of the known Indian fauna.
Acknowledgments
We thank K. G. Sivaramakrishnan for facilitating our collaboration and for assistance in the field. We also thank M.
Muralidharan, C. Selvakumar, P. Sivakumar, and T. Sivaruban (Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Environmental Sci-
ences at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University) for collegiality and assistance in the field. Herbert Zettel (Natural
History Museum—Vienna) graciously provided a critical review of this manuscript. We thank Matthew Gordon
(University of Missouri) for advice on phonetic appellation of the specific epithet.
References
La Rivers, I. (1971) Studies of Naucoridae (Hemiptera). Biological Society of Nevada Memoir, 2, iii + 120 pp.
Sites, R.W. (2006 [2005]) New species of Aphelocheirus (Heteroptera: Aphelocheiridae) from Thailand. Natural History Bulle-
tin of the Siam Society, 53(2), 215–235.
Thirumalai, G. (2007) A synoptic list of Nepomorpha (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from India. Records of the Zoological Survey of
India Occasional Papers, 273, 1–84.
Thirumalai, G. (2008) Aphelocheirus (Aphelocheirus) narmadaensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha: Aphelocheiridae) from
Madhya Pradesh, India. Zootaxa, 1923, 55–61.
