The genus Microvelia Westwood in Australia (Hemiptera : Heteroptera : Veliidae)

Abstract

Water striders and their allies (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha) are familiar inhabitants of water surfaces throughout the world. One of the most species-rich groups is the subfamily Microveliinae (Veliidae) and, in particular, the genus Microvelia Westwood, 1834. This genus comprises small or very small bugs inhabiting the nearshore areas of stagnant or slow-flowing fresh water. Accumulation of material during the past 30 years has shown that the Australian fauna of Microvelia is much richer and more diverse than previously recognised. In the present paper we discuss the subgeneric classification of the genus Microvelia based on the results of a phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony, describe three new subgenera and redescribe all previously known Australian species of the genus. The new taxa are: Microvelia (Austromicrovelia), subgen. nov. (type species: Microvelia mjobergi Hale, 1925) with the species Microvelia (Austromicrovelia) spurgeon, M. hypipamee, M. margaretae, M.�monteithi, M. tuberculata, M. myorensis, M. woodwardi, M. carnarvon, M. annemarieae, M. mossman, spp. nov. (all from Queensland), M. eborensis and M. milleri, spp. nov. (New South Wales), M. queenslandiae, M.�ventrospinosa, spp. nov. (New South Wales, Queensland), M. angelesi, M. alisonae, M. odontogaster, spp. nov. (Northern Territory), M. apunctata, sp. nov. (Northern Territory, Queensland), M. pennicilla, sp. nov. (Northern Territory, Western Australia), M. herberti, M. malipatili, M. torresiana, and M. australiensis, spp. nov. (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia), Microvelia (Barbivelia), subgen. nov. (type species: Microvelia barbifer, sp. nov.) with the species Microvelia (Barbivelia) barbifer, sp. nov. (Queensland) and M. falcifer, sp. nov. (Northern Territory); Microvelia (Pacificovelia), subgen. nov. (type species: Microvelia oceanica Distant, 1914) with the species M. tasmaniensis, sp. nov. (Tasmania), M. lilliput, and M. kakadu, spp. nov. (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia). We further recognise the subgenus Microvelia (Picaultia), stat. nov. (type species: Picaultia pronotalis Distant, 1913), and describe the following new species: Microvelia (Picaultia) justi and M. paramega, spp. nov. (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia), and M. cassisi, sp. nov. (New South Wales). Finally, Microvelia fluvialis weiri Malipatil, 1980, is synonymised with Microvelia fluvialis Malipatil, 1980. Keys to adults of all species are provided and their distributions mapped.

Phylogenetic reclassification and genitalic morphology of the small water strider genus Nesidovelia Andersen & Weir and allied Microveliinae (Hemiptera:Veliidae)

“…These pale in comparison to the diversity of abdominal structures found in Veliidae, with species of the subfamily Microveliinae exhibiting exaggerated pregenital and postgenital structures in both sexes (e.g. Polhemus & Polhemus , , ; Sehnal ; Andersen & Weir , , ), which suggest similar selective pressures. However, despite documentation of these structures, their functional significance has never been tested, and there is little understanding of their phylogenetic distribution or significance.…”

“…Andersen and Weir (, ) codified characters for Australian Microveliines, with a limited sample (17 characters), which included only a few characters that have reproductive significance. These included single male (SVIII modification) and female (connexival reflexion) pregenital abdominal characters, as well as two male genital (genital capsule and parameres), two postgenital (male and female proctiger) and tibial grasping (fore and mid legs) characters.…”

“…The subfamily now comprises 39 genera and 350+ species (Polhemus & Polhemus ; Zoological Record). Major contributions on microveliines over the past 20+ years have focused on the New Guinean and Australian faunas, which have been treated independently by Polhemus and Polhemus (, , ) and Andersen and Weir (, , ), respectively. Many of the new microveliine genera are characterised by few included species and monotypy (e.g.…”

“… Abstract Phylogenetic analyses of the Australasian Microveliinae is given, including a reanalysis of Andersen and Weir () dataset and an analysis of a new dataset of 46 morphological characters and 42 taxa. Analyses focused on pregenital, genital and postgenital structures of males and females, including putative male grasping and female anti‐grasping structures.…”

First record of the genusGeoveliaZimmermann 1984 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from China, with description of a new species

“…Andersen (1989) used 12 morphological characters for constructing a character matrix of Old World genera of Microveliinae, from which a combination of diagnostic characters of Geovelia can be extracted. Andersen & Weir (2001, 2003 summarized 14 best characters for analysing Microveliinae, which amplifi ed upon the work of Andersen (1989). Zettel (2011) described one more species, G. orientalis Zettel 2011 from Myanmar, representing the fi rst known winged morph of the genus.…”