ARTÍCULOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN / RESEARCH PAPERS

 

New records of aquatic Heteroptera (Hemiptera) from the Andean foothills of the Amazonia (Putumayo, Colombia)

 

Nuevos registros de Heteroptera acuáticos (Hemiptera) del piedemonte Andino de la Amazonia (Putumayo, Colombia)

 

 

Dora Nancy Padilla-gil

Ph. D. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Nariño. Ciudad Universitaria Torobajo. San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia. dnpadilla@udenar.edu.co

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

Four new records of species of aquatic heteropterous are added to the entomofauna of Colombia and, distributional limits are extended for all species collected. New data is reported for the distribution of 18 species, of which two belong to the infraorder Nepomorpha: Corixidae: Heterocorixa and Notonectidae: Martarega; 16 belong to Gerromorpha: of which 12 belong to the family Gerridae: Metrobates, Tachygerris, Limnogonus (two species), Brachymetra, Neogerris, Potamobates, Trepobates (three species), Telmatometra, Rheumatobates; three belong to the family Veliidae: Rhagovelia, Microvelia (two species), and one to Mesoveliidae: Mesovelia.

Key words: Aquatic insects; Corixidae; Notonectidae; Gerridae; Veliidae.

---

RESUMEN

Se adicionan cuatro nuevos registros de especies de heterópteros acuáticos a la entomofauna de Colombia y se extiende el área de distribución para todas las especies colectadas. Un total de 18 especies son tratadas en este trabajo, de las cuales dos pertenecen al infraorden Nepomorpha: Corixidae: Heterocorixa y Notonectidae: Martarega; 16 pertenecen a Gerromorpha: de las cuales 12 pertenecen a la familia Gerridae: Metrobates, Tachygerris, Limnogonus (dos especies), Brachymetra, Neogerris, Potamobates, Trepobates (tres especies), Telmatometra, Rheumatobates; tres pertenecen a la familia Veliidae: Rhagovelia, Microvelia (dos especies), y una a Mesoveliidae: Mesovelia.

Palabras clave: Insectos acuáticos; Corixidae; Notonectidae; Gerridae; Veliidae.

---

 

 

Introduction

During the last years, the knowledge about aquatic heteropterous have widely increased, mainly with the description of new species of genera Rhagovelia, Paravelia, Tachygerris, Potamobates, Buenoa, and Martarega (Padilla-Gil 2009a, b; 2010, 2011a, b, c; 2012a, b, c; 2013a; Padilla-Gil and Nieser 2003; Padilla-Gil and Damgaard 2011; Padilla-Gil and Moreira 2011), most of species from south-western Colombia (Padilla-Gil and Arcos 2010; 2011; Padilla-Gil, 2012c, d), but information on several aspects of the biology of the species (Padilla-Gil 2013b), as their distribution (Padilla-Gil, 2013c; Padilla-Gil and Moreira 2013) among others, is still incomplete.

Some faunal and taxonomic studies of aquatic heteropterous had been done in the Amazon region of Brazil such as Nieser (1970a, b, c, d), Estévez and Polhemus (2007), Moreira et al. (2008, 2009, 2011), and Barbosa et al. (2010).

The Colombian Amazon region begins on the eastern slope of the Cordillera Oriental and according to Mittermeier et al. (1999) that is the most biologically diverse "hot spot" in the world. However, in the region of Putumayo there are a few works about aquatic heteropterous, three species previously described with this type locality: two species of Buenoa (Notonectidae) (Padilla-Gil 2003) and one gerrid species, Potamobates sumaco Cognato, 1998.

This present study basically reports new information on the distribution of the aquatic heteropterous inhabiting freshwater bodies from the western Andean foothills of the Amazon, a region located in transition zone between the Colombian Amazon lowlands and the Andes. Given its aquatic biodiversity, fish resources, and fresh water ecosystems, this region is considered of the utmost importance for conservation strategies, potential management options, and increase environmental sustainability (Porro et al. 2008).

 

Material and methods

Specimens were obtained during field trips carried out in the localities showed in the map (Fig. 1) in the Colombian Putumayo River basin. Insects were collected with entomological hand nets sweeping the water column, edges and bottom of the water. The species were identified following Heckman (2011); the specimens collected were preserved in alcohol 70%, and deposited in the entomological collection of the Universidad de Nariño (PSO-CZ). The following abbreviations are used: apterous (apt) and macropterous (macr).

 

Results

Taxonomic list

* first record for Colombia.

Infraorder Nepomorpha

Corixidae

Heterocorixinae

Heterocorixa White, 1879

Heterocorixa westermanni Lundblad, 1928

Known distribution. Brazil and Colombia*.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, Quebrada Brisas de Hong Kong, 1º29'35.9"N 76º30'16.3"W, 246 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂. Puerto Asis, pond, 1º29'18.4"N 76º30'25.1"W, 240 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 3♂.

Comments: Heterocorixa is represented by two species in Colombia H. hesperia venezuelana Hungerford, 1948 and H. westermanni. The first is found in the Meta department (Roback and Nieser, 1974) and the second in the Amazon basin.

Notonectidae

Martarega

Martarega brasiliensis Truxal, 1949

Known distribution. Surinam, Brazil, Peru, and Colombia*.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Caicedo, Río Putumayo and Río San Juan. 0º41'0.8"N 76º36.7'29"W, 225 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 6♂ apt, 6♀ apt.

Comments: After the present study, the genus Martarega is represented by six species in Colombia: M. chinai Hynes, 1948, M. membranacea White, 1879, M. pacifica Manzano, Nieser & Caicedo, 1995, M. lofoides Padilla-Gil, 2010, M. awa Padilla-Gil, 2010 (Padilla-Gil 2010) and M. brasilensis, which according to Truxal (1949) is associated with the Amazon basin.

Gerromorpha

Gerridae

Metrobates fugientis Drake & Harris, 1945

Known distribution. Bolivia, Colombia*, and Peru.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond, 0º35'30"N 76º33.8'28"W, 721 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 1♀ apt. Puerto Caicedo, Río Putumayo and Río San Juan, 0º41'0.8"N 76º36.7'29"W, 225 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 2♀ apt.

Comments: M. amblydonti Nieser, 1993, other species of Metrobates from Colombia was reported by Posso and González (2008) in Valle del Cauca.

Tachygerris celosis (Drake & Harris, 1930)

Known distribution. Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, drain, 1º29'1.0"N 76º30'37.5"W, 262 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ macr.

Limnogonus aduncus Drake & Harris, 1933

Known distribution. Panama, Trinidad, Colombia, Venezuela, Guayana, Surinam, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, 1º28'49.9"N 76º30'40.5"W, 220 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 2♀ apt. Puerto Asis, Quebrada Brisas de Hong Kong, 1º29'35.9"N 76º30'16.3"W, 246 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 4♀ apt. Puerto Asis, pond, 1º29'18.4"N 76º30'25.1"W, 240 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 13♂ apt, 8♀apt. Puerto Asis, Santana, en el Puente, 0º35.7'59"N 76º33.6'50"W, 220 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 2♀ apt.

Limnogonus ignotus Drake & Harris, 1934

Known distribution. Colombia, French Guiana, Guayana, Surinam, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond. 0º35'30"N 76º33,8'28"W, 721 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col. 1♀ apt.

Brachymetra unca Shaw, 1933

Known distribution. Trinidad, Colombia, French Guiana, Surinam, Bolivia, and Brazil.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Caicedo, Río Putumayo and Río San Juan. 0º41'0,8"N 76º36,7'29"W, 225 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 3♀ apt.

Neogerris lubricus (White, 1879)

Known distribution. West Indies, COLOMBIA. Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Guyana, Surinam, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond. 0º35'30"N 76º33,8'28"W, 721 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 3♂ apt, 2♀ apt. Puerto Asis, Quebrada Brisas de Hong Kong, 1º29'35,9"N 76º30'16,3"W, 246 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt.

Potamobates anchicaya Polhemus & Polhemus, 1995

Known distribution. Panama, Colombia and Ecuador.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Mocoa, Río Mocoa, 1º08.7'51"N 76º38,5'27"W, 550 m, 7 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt. Mocoa, Río Rumiyaco, 1º07'36,4"N 76º39'0,82"W, 550 m, 7 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 2♀ apt.

Comments: According to Padilla-Gil and Damgaard (2011) P. anchicaya is distributed along the Pacific region, this is the first record from the Colombian Amazon region.

Trepobates panamensis Drake & Hottes, 1952

Known distribution. Mexico, Central America, and Colombia.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, drain, 1º29'1,0"N 76º30'37,5"W, 262 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ apt.

Trepobates taylori (Kirkaldy, 1899)

Known distribution. North and Central America, West Indies, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Argentina.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Mocoa, Río Mocoa, 1º08,7'51"N 76º38,5'27"W, 550m, 7 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ apt. Mocoa, Río Rumiyaco, 1º07'36,4"N 76º39'0,82"W, 550m, 7 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 7♂ apt, 11♀ apt. Mocoa, Río Mulato, 1º08'28,4"N 76º38'38,4"W, 595m, 8 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 18♂ apt, 16♀ apt, 1♀ macr. Puerto Asis, drain, 1º29'1,0"N 76º30'37,5"W, 262m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀apt.

Trepobates trepidus Drake & Harris, 1928

Known distribution. North and Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond. 1º29'18,4"N 76º30'25,1"W, 240 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 5♂ apt, 1♂macr, 3♀apt, 2♀ macr. Puerto Asis, Quebrada Brisas de Hong Kong, 1º29'35,9"N 76º30'16,3"W, 246 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ apt.

Telmatometra panamensis Drake & Hottes, 1952

Known distribution. Mexico, Central America, and Colombia.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, drain, 1º29'1,0"N 76º30'37,5"W, 262 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 2♂ apt, 1♀apt. Puerto Asis, Quebrada Brisas de Hong Kong, 1º29'35,9"N 76º30'16,3"W, 246 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ apt.

Rheumatobates imitator (Uhler, 1894)

Known distribution. Western Indies, Venezuela, and Colombia.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Caicedo, Río Putumayo and Río San Juan. 0º41'0,8"N 76º36,7'29"W, 225 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ apt.

Veliidae

Rhagovelia williamsi Gould, 1931

Known distribution. Colombia* and Ecuador.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Caicedo, Río Putumayo and Río San Juan. 0º41'0,8"N 76º36,7'29"W, 225 m, 9 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt.

Comments: According to Polhemus (1997) the distribution of R. williamsi in Ecuador and Colombia is associated with the Amazon basin. On the other hand, it belongs to the robusta group, represented by a total of ten species: R. zeteki Drake, 1953, R. victoria Padilla-Gil, 2012, R. rubra Polhemus, 1997, R. cachipai Padilla-Gil, 2011, R. sinuata Gould, 1931, R. venezuelana Polhemus, 1997, R. narinensis Padilla-Gil, 2011, R. nicolai Padilla-Gil, 2011, R. imperatrix Padilla-Gil, 2011 (see Padilla-Gil 2012 d, Padilla-Gil and Moreira 2013), and R. williamsi. After Brazil, Colombia is the second place in diversity of the robusta group in the Americas.

Microvelia longipes Uhler, 1894

Known distribution. West Indies, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Guyana, Paraguay, and Argentina.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond. 1º29'18,4"N 76º30'25,1"W. 240 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ macr, 1♀ macr.

Microvelia pulchella Westwood, 1834

Known distribution. North America, West Indies, South America except Chile.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond, 1º29'18,4"N 76º30'25,1"W, 240 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ macr.

Mesoveliidae

Mesovelia mulsanti White, 1879

Known distribution. North and Central America, West Indies, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Guyana, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Putumayo. Puerto Asis, pond. 1º29'18,4"N 76º30'25,1"W, 240 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♂ apt, 1♀ apt, 2♂macr, 1♀ macr. Puerto Asis, Quebrada Brisas de Hong Kong, 1º29'35,9"N 76º30'16,3"W, 246 m, 10 Feb 2012, O. Arcos col., 1♀ apt.

 

Acknowledgements

To Luis Eduardo Arcos and Osvaldo Arcos for the collection of specimens. To the Universidad de Nariño.

 

Literature cited

BARBOSA, J. F.; NESSIMIAN, J. L.; FERREIRA-KEPPLER, R. L. 2010. Two new species of Buenoa Kirkaldy, 1904 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Notonectidae) from the States of Amazonas and Roraima, Brazil. Zootaxa 2565: 49-54.         [ Links ]

ESTÉVEZ, A. L.; POLHEMUS, J. T. 2007. The small species of Belostoma (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae): Revision of plebejun group. Revista de Biología Tropical 55 (1): 147-155.         [ Links ]

HECKMAN, C. W. 2011. Encyclopedia of South American Aquatic Insects: Hemiptera-Heteroptera. Spinger, Olympia, WA, USA.         [ Links ]

MITTERMEIER, R. A.; MYERS, N.; ROBLES GIL, P.; MITTERMEIER, C. G. 1999. Hotspots: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecorregions. Cimex, Mexico.         [ Links ]

MOREIRA, F. F. F.; RIBEIRO, J. R. I.; NESSIMIAN, J. L. 2008. A synopsis of the species of Mesovelia (Insecta: Heteroptera: Mesoveliidae) occurring in the floodplain of Amazon River, Brazil, with description of Mesovelia mulsanti White and M. zeteki Harris and Drake. Acta Amazonica 38 (3): 539-550.         [ Links ]

MOREIRA, F. F. F.; RIBEIRO, J. R. I.; NESSIMIAN, J. L. 2009. A synopsis of the Hydrometra (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Hydrometridae) from the Amazon River floodplain of Amazon River, Brazil, with description of Hydrometra argentina Berg. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 53 (1): 69-73.         [ Links ]

MOREIRA, F. F. F.; BARBOSA, J. F.; NESSIMIAN, J. L. 2011. Description of Microvelia urucara sp. nov. and new distributional data on veliids (Insecta: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from the Amazon River floodplain, Brazil. Zoologia 28 (5): 658-662.         [ Links ]

NIESER, N. 1970a. Gerridae of Suriname and the Amazon with additional records of other neotropical species. Studies on the Fauna of Suriname and other Guayanas 12 (47): 94-138.         [ Links ]

NIESER, N. 1970b. Hydrometridae of Suriname and the Amazon, with additional records of other Neotropical species (Hemiptera - Heteroptera). Studies on the Fauna of Suriname and other Guayanas 48: 139-151.         [ Links ]

NIESER, N. 1970c. Corixidae of Suriname and the Amazon, with additional records of other Neotropical species (Hemiptera - Heteroptera). Studies on the Fauna of Suriname and other Guayanas 45: 43-70.         [ Links ]

NIESER, N. 1970d. Records of South American Notonectidae mainly from the Amazon region. Studies on the Fauna of Suriname 12 (46): 71-93.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N.; NIESER, N. 2003. Nueva especie de Tachygerris y nuevos registros de colecta de las Gerridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) de Colombia. Actualidades Biológicas 25 (78): 39-49.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2003. Dos nuevas especies de Buenoa (Heteroptera: Notonectidae) de Colombia. Agronomía Colombiana 21 (1-2): 49-53.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2009a. Three new species of Rhagovelia in the R. armata group (Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia. Aquatic Insects 31 (3): 199-211.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2009b. Five new species of Rhagovelia in the cali group from Colombia (Heteroptera: Veliidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 152: 291-301.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2010. Two new species of Martarega (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Notonectidae) and a new species of Tachygerris (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) from Colombia. Zootaxa 2560: 61-68.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N.; ARCOS, O. 2010. Estudios y variación temporal de Eurygerris fuscinervis (Heteróptera: Gerridae) en los Andes de Colombia. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 36 (2): 350-353.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N.; ARCOS, O. 2011. Hemiptera acuáticos asociados a los estuarios de la Costa Pacífica Colombiana. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 37 (2): 350-353.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N.; DAMGAARD, J. 2011. A new species of Potamobates Champion from Colombia with a re-analysis of phylogenetic relationships (Hemiptera: Gerridae). Zootaxa 2879: 41-49.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N.; MOREIRA, F. F. F. 2011. A new species of Paravelia Breddin, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia, with a key to Colombian Paravelia species. Zootaxa 3065: 14-26.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2011a. Four new species of Rhagovelia in the robusta group from Colombia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae). Zootaxa 2975: 35-46.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2011b. A new Rhagovelia in the armata group from Colombia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae). Zootaxa 2784: 33-38.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2011c. Ten new species of Rhagovelia in the R. angustipes complex from Colombia (Heteroptera: Veliidae). Aquatic Insects 33: 203-231.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2012a. Two new species of Rhagovelia from Colombia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) with revised keys to the Colombian species in the torquata and robusta groups. Zootaxa 2975: 35-46.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2012b Two new species of Buenoa (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Notonectidae) from Colombia, with a key to the species in Colombia. Zootaxa 3316: 50-56.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2012c. Los hemípteros acuáticos del municipio de Tumaco (Nariño, Colombia) Guía ilustrada. Editorial Universidad de Nariño. San Juan de Pasto. Nariño Colombia.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2012d. Las Veliidae (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) de Colombia, lista de chequeo y distribución geográfica y altitudinal pp.1-20. In: Memorias 39 Congreso Sociedad Colombiana de Entomología Socolen. Ibagué, Colombia.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2013a. Two new species of Paravelia Breddin, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia, with a key to Colombian Paravelia species. Zootaxa 3693 (4): 491-502.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2013b. Immature stages of five species of Gerridae (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) from the Eastern Tropical Pacific. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 33 (2): 91-98.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N. 2013c. A review of the species of Hydrometra Latreille occurring in Colombia, with a key to species and distribution map (Hemiptera: Hydrometridae). Zootaxa 3686 (5): 534-542.         [ Links ]

PADILLA-GIL, D. N.; MOREIRA, F. F. F. 2013. Checklist, taxonomy and distribution of the Rhagovelia Mayrs, 1865 (Hemiptera: Veliidae) of the Americas. Zootaxa 3640 (3): 409-424.         [ Links ]

POLHEMUS, D. A. 1997. Systematics of the Genus Rhagovelia Mayr (Heteroptera:Veliidae) in the Western Hemisphere (exclusive of the angustipes complex). Entomological Society of America. Lanham, Maryland, USA.         [ Links ]

PORRO, R.; BÖRNER, J.; JARVIS, A. (Eds.). 1997. Challenges to Managing Ecosystems Sustainably for Poverty Alleviation: Sercuring Well-Being in the Andes/Amazon.Situation Analysis prepared for the ESPA Program.Amazon Initiative Consortium, Belém, Brazil, 120 p.         [ Links ]

POSSO, C. E.; GONZÁLEZ, R. 2008. Gerridae (Hemiptera: Hetroptera) del Museo Entomológico de la Universidad del Valle. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 34 (2): 230-238.         [ Links ]

ROBACK, S. S.; NIESER, N. 1974. Aquatic Hemiptera (Heteroptera) from the LLanos of Colombia. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 126 (4): 29-49.         [ Links ]

TRUXAL, F. S. 1949. A study of genus Martarega. Journal Kansas Entomology Society 22: 1-24.         [ Links ]

 

 

Received:10-Aug-2012
Accepted: 3-Sep-2014