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© RUSSIAN ENTOMOLOGICAL JOURNAL, 2006
Russian Entomol. J. 15(2): 181–186
A new genus and two new species
of Microveliinae from Fiji
(Heteroptera: Veliidae)
Íîâûé ðîä è äâà íîâûõ âèäà Microveliinae ñ Ôèäæè
(Heteroptera: Veliidae)
John T. Polhemus1 & Dan A. Polhemus2
Äæ. Ò. Ïîëõåìóñ1, Ä.À. Ïîëõåìóñ2
1 Colorado Entomological Institute, 3115 South York Street, Englewood, Colorado, USA 80113. E-mail; jtpolhemus@msn.com
1 Экономический институт Колорадо, 3115 ул. Южный Йорк, Инглвуд, Колорадо, США 80113.
2 Dept. of Natural Sciences, Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817. E-mail; bugman@bishopmuseum.org
2 Музей Бишопа,Отдел естественных наук, 1525 ул. Бернис, Гонолулу, HI 96817
KEY WORDS. Heteroptera, Veliidae, Microveliinae, new genus, new species.
КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА. Heteroptera, Veliidae, Microveliinae, новый род, новый вид.
All measurements are given in millimeters. CL num-
bers following certain localities refer to a coding system
used by the authors to cross-reference specimens, hab-
itat photographs, and collection metadata.
Most of the material upon which this study is based
was collected by the authors, with the notable excep-
tion of specimens collected by Alan Gillogly and donat-
ed to the J. T. Polhemus Collection (JTPC); these latter
will eventually be placed in the U. S. National Museum
of Natural History (USNM). Specimens deriving from
the Fiji National Insect Collection (FNIC), Suva, as part
of the NSF-funded Fiji Arthropod Survey will be re-
turned there, with duplicate exemplars placed in the B.
P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu (BPBM), JTPC, and
USNM.
Systematic Part
Fijivelia Polhemus & Polhemus gen.n.
Figs 1–10.
Type-species: Fijivelia kerzhneri Polhemus & Polhemus sp.n.
DESCRIPTION. Size. Apterous form, length of males
2.05–2.71 mm, females 2.08–2.94 mm; general body charac-
teristics and size not sexually dimorphic, males narrower
than females. Macropterous form unknown.
Color. Ground color orange brown, with blackish brown
markings often overlain with bluish pruinose; head mostly
orange brown; pronotum anteriorly with a broad orange brown
transverse stripe behind vertex of head; connexiva mostly
orange brown; abdominal tergites II–III, often VI–VII, marked
with bluish pruinose; venter mostly black.
Structural characters. Apterous forms with body shape
narrow-elongate (Figs 1, 3). Eyes globose, exserted but not
beyond anterolateral pronotal angles, separated by more than
twice the width of an eye, appressed to anterior pronotal
margin, with moderate length ocular setae. Head declivant
anteriorly, posterior margin sloping caudo-dorsally, extend-
ABSTRACT. The new genus Fijivelia gen.n. is de-
scribed from the Fiji Islands to include two new species,
Fijivelia kerzhneri sp.n. from Viti Levu (type species),
and Fijivelia kadavu sp.n. from Kadavu Island. Illustra-
tions are provided of the dorsal and lateral body shapes
for females of both species, along with ventral and
lateral views of the male terminal abdomen, and photo-
graphs of the type locality habitats.
РЕЗЮМЕ. С островов Фиджи описан новый род
Fijivelia gen.n., с двумя новыми видами, Fijivelia
kerzhneri sp.n. с острова Вити Леву (типовой вид
рода) и Fijivelia kadavu sp.n. с острова Кадаву. При-
ведены рисунки общего вида самок сбоку и сверху,
конца брюшка самцов сбоку и снизу и фотографии
биотопов типовой местности.
Introduction
Only one species of Microveliinae has been previ-
ously described from the Fiji Islands, Microvelia paci-
fica Kirkaldy [1908], which conforms to the strict defini-
tion of the genus Microvelia according to the most
recent generic revisions of the subfamily [Andersen &
Weir, 2001; Polhemus & Polhemus, 2005]. The new
genus described here does not fit into any of the genera
of Microveliinae treated in the regional studies cited
above, or into any other described genus of the sub-
family, nearly all of which are represented in the J.T.
Polhemus Collection (JTPC).
The terminology used here follows Andersen &
Weir [2001] and Polhemus & Polhemus [2005] as far as
practical, to facilitate comparison between the taxa de-
scribed here and those previously described from Aus-
tralia, New Guinea, and the southwest Pacific region.
182 J.T. Polhemus & D.A. Polhemus
ing behind eyes (Figs 1–4), with usual three pairs of facial
trichobothria plus numerous short setae; vertex with promi-
nent median sulcus, black glabrous pseudocellar spots; gular
region short, plainly visible, rostral cavity closed posterior-
ly. Rostrum reaching to middle of mesosternum, segment I
short, enclosed in rostral cavity, segment IV about twice the
length of I, almost four times longer than II, segment III more
than 7 times as long as II. Antennae slender, segments III and
IV very long, fourth segment not fusiform, total length about
0.6 x body length.
Pronotum very slightly raised medially, without median
carina; collar weakly raised, set off by a demarcating line of
coarse foveae; anterior and posterior lobes set off by a trans-
verse row of deep foveae, evanescent medially; entire dorsum
densely set with moderate length decumbent golden setae;
posterior lobe with numerous large dark foveae, humeri not
prominent, almost straight posteriorly, not modified, cover-
ing mesonotum and most of metanotum. Thoracic venter not
diagnostic, with weakly formed tubercles on either side of
mesosternal midline on posterior margin opposing an unmod-
ified metasternum. Metasternal scent gland opening (ompha-
lium) in male marked by a tubercle, in female not visible;
scent channels prominent, curving slightly anterad to base of
metacetabulae, marked there by tuft of long slender setae.
Wing pads not visible.
Abdomen narrow, with a row of small glabrous foveae in
deep suture demarcating tergites I and II; without longitudi-
nal carinae on tergites; tergites III–VI subequal in length, II
longer, I longest. Abdominal sternites set off from lateroster-
nites by hair-free glabrous oval and round lacunae; male
ventrites V–VI with median longitudinal sulcus, ventrite VII
with median depression flanked by ventrally directed tufts of
setae.
Legs long, hind legs longer than others; posterior femur of
males and females as stout or stouter than anterior femur;
anterior femur set beneath with short to long light setae,
unmodified in males; anterior tibia of male with an apically
curved, J-shaped grasping comb of minute black setae occu-
pying 1/4 to 2/5 of tibial length (Fig. 8); middle and hind
femora set ventrally with short slender setae; all tarsi of
Figs 1–2. Fijivelia kerzhneri, sp.n.: 1 — female, dorsal view; 2 — female, lateral view of body.
Ðèñ. 1–2 Fijivelia kerzhneri, sp.n.: 1 — ñàìêà, ñâåðõó; 2 — ñàìêà, ñáîêó.
1
2
183
A new genus and two new species of Microveliinae from Fiji
moderate length (Figs 1, 7), claws short, slender; both up-
and down curving arolia short, slender.
Male ventrite VII modified, genital segments small, ven-
trite VIII not modified; pygophore unmodified; parameres
small, slender, symmetrical, hidden; proctiger not modified;
tergite IX rounded, not protruding. Female with tergite VIII
basally on same plane as VII, angled ventrad, truncate poste-
riorly; proctiger forming an anal plate or lid, convex, bent
ventrad, concealing gonocoxae and genital opening; anal cone
not visible.
ETYMOLOGY. The generic name Fijivelia is derived
from Fiji, the islands of origin, and Velia, the nominate genus
of the family. Gender feminine.
COMPARATIVE NOTES. Fijivelia keys to Microvelia
in both Andersen and Weir [2001] and in Polhemus and
Polhemus [2005], but clearly does not belong there because
the female abdominal tergites VII–VIII are deflected ventrally
forming an anal plate. Fijivelia differs from all other microv-
eliine genera by the following combination of characters: head
posteriorly prolonged behind the eyes; glabrous areas present
on the female meso- and metapleura to facilitate phoresy;
female connexiva convergent over tergite IV, modified poste-
riorly; male fore tibia with a prominent grasping comb re-
curved distally, formed by a row of tiny pegs, in the shape of
a shepard’s crook (seen also in Tarsovelia Polhemus and
Polhemus). Fijivelia also seems to be unique among Microv-
eliinae in possessing large deep glabrous pseudocellar spots
on the vertex of the head.
Fijivelia kerzhneri Polhemus & Polhemus sp.n.
Figs 1–2, 9–10, 12.
MATERIAL. Holotype, apterous $, Fiji, Viti Levu, Tavua
Distr., 2 mi. (3.2 km.) E. Nadarivatu, 12-XII-1970, A.Gillogly
(USNM). Paratypes as follows, all apterous: Fiji, Viti Levu,
Tavua Distr., 3 #, 2 $, same data as holotype (JTPC, USNM);
Tavua Distr., 4#, 5 $, Governor’s Pool, on slopes of Mt.
Lomalagi, nr. Nadarivatu, 790 m., 17°33’43"S, 177°57’49"E,
water temp. 19° C., 10 August 2005, 12:00–13:30 hrs., CL 7436,
D.A. Polhemus, J.T. Polhemus (FNIC, JTPC, BPBM); Suva Distr.,
11 #, 3$, headwaters of Veisari River, W. of Suva, first
streamlet on road to Waivudawa, 260 m., 18°04’27"S.
178°21’50"E, water temp. 24° C., 23 January 2005, CL 7356, D.
A. Polhemus (FNIC, JTPC, USNM).
DESCRIPTION. Size. Apterous male, length 2.05–2.38
mm ( x = 2.25, n = 6); width 0.72–0.83 mm ( x = 0.76, n = 6).
Apterous female, length 2.08–2.66 mm (x = 2.40, n = 6);
width 0.72–0.83 mm, ( x = 0.80, n = 6).
Color. Apterous male: ground color orange brown marked
with bright bluish pruinose; head, anterior pronotum, con-
nexiva, abdominal tergites orange brown; tergites II–III with
pruinose wedges laterally, tergite VI and often tergite VII
with pruinose triangles medially; pleural regions mostly black-
ish, lighter caudad; venter mostly blackish. Head with lower
part above eyes sometimes darkened. Pronotum orange brown;
posterior lobe thickly set with contrasting black foveae.
Wing pads absent. Abdomen mostly orange brown, tergites
darker laterally and between tergites; connexiva broadly or-
ange brown, darker on dorsal margin. Legs leucine to orange
brown.
Structural characters. Apterous male: head of moderate
length, declivant anteriorly; length 0.43, width 0.54; width of
eye/interocular space, 0.13/0.29. Pronotum long, posterior
margin evenly curving, not angulate, humeri obscure, sides
almost parallel; length (midline): width, 0.51 : 0.76.
Abdominal venter bearing short, fine, pale setae; ven-
trites V–VI deeply sulcate longitudinally (Fig. 9); ventrite
VII excavated anteromedially, concave, curving to posterior
thickened carina, flanked caudally on each side by a tuft of
long brownish setae (Figs 9, 10); first genital segment (seg-
ment VIII), proctiger unmodified.
Legs clothed with numerous short, appressed, pale set-
ae, intermixed on ventral surface of fore femur with longer,
erect, pale, setae; posterior femora as stout as anterior
femora; all legs unarmed, lacking setal tufts or other modifi-
cations. Antennal segment I with 2, segment II with 1 long
erect dark setae; segments II–III set with numerous moder-
ate length recumbent setae; all segments with short recum-
bent setae.
Antennal formula I : II : III : IV; 0.36 : 0.27 : 0.43 : 0.58.
Proportions of legs as follows: Femur, tibia, tarsal 1,
tarsal 2 of fore leg, 0.68 : 0.54 : 0.29 : 0.0; of middle leg, 0.93
: 0.90 : 0.25 : 0.25; of hind leg, 1.04 : 1.19 : 0.21 : 0.25.
Grasping comb about 0.40x length of fore tibia.
Paramere small, triangular, hidden; proctiger not modified.
Apterous female: Similar to male in general structure
(except connexiva) and coloration, but larger, abdominal terg-
ites VI–VII without pruinose markings. Lateral margins of
pronotum, metanotum and first abdominal segment thickly
set with stiff dark erect setae. Connexiva vertical basally,
abruptly incurved over tergite III, appressed over tergites
IV–VI and dorsal margins parallel but separated (Fig. 1);
dorsal margin of connexival segment VII flattened, hair free,
terminating caudally in a tuft of stiff black erect setae; ab-
dominal venter unmodified.
ETYMOLOGY. The patronymic kerzhneri honors Izya
Kerzhner for his enormous positive influence on the study of
Heteroptera, and his cheerful assistance to many other work-
ers worldwide.
COMPARATIVE NOTES. Easily recognized by the
strongly depressed female abdomen (Fig. 2) and the small but
deep concavity on the male ventral abdomen (Fig. 9). For
additional diagnostic comments see discussion under F. ka-
davu sp.n. below.
BIOLOGICAL NOTES. This species appears to prefer
wet bedrock exposures along the margins of sheltered stream
pools in upland settings (Fig. 12). For instance, the speci-
mens from the upper Veisari River locality were taken by
splashing a heavily shaded bedrock wall along the margin of a
small, shaded plunge pool at the base of a small cascade
descending over rounded stream boulders.
DISTRIBUTION. Apparently endemic to Viti Levu, the
largest and oldest of the Fijian islands.
Fijivelia kadavu Polhemus & Polhemus sp.n.
Figs 3–8, 11
MATERIAL. Holotype, apterous $, Fiji, Kadavu, Vunisea
Dist., Vodavoda Creek from road crossing to water supply
intake, 4 km. NE of Vunisea, 80–100 m., 19°00’51"S,
178°10’49"E, water temp. 22° C., 18.VIII.2005, 14:00–16:00
hrs., CL 7449, D.A. Polhemus, J.T. Polhemus (FNIC). Paratypes
as follows, all apterous: Fiji, Kadavu, Vunisea Distr., 31#, 28$,
same data as holotype (FNIC, JTPC, BPBM, USNM); Vunisea
Distr., 2$, upper Waikana Creek and tribs., 5 km. SW of
Vunisea on road to Tavuki, 135 m., 19°04’08"S, 178°08’17"E,
water temp. 22° C., 17.VIII.2005, 15:30–16:30 hrs., CL 7446,
D.A. Polhemus, J.T. Polhemus (USNM) (FNIC); Vunisea
Distr., 4#, 3$, Tirigaloa Creek at waterfall, 3 km. S. of
Ravitaki, 15–40 m., 19°07’56"S, 178°07’02"E, water temp.
22.5° C., 18.VIII.2005, 10:00–11:30 hrs., CL 7447, D.A.
Polhemus, J.T. Polhemus (FNIC, USNM).
DESCRIPTION. Size. Apterous male, length 2.48–2.71
mm ( x = 2.57, n = 6); width 0.72–0.83 mm ( x = 0.76, n = 6).
Apterous female, length 2.77–2.94 mm (x = 2.89, n = 6);
width 0.83–0.89 mm, ( x = 0.85, n = 6).
184 J.T. Polhemus & D.A. Polhemus
Color. Apterous male: ground color orange brown marked
with bright bluish pruinose, head, anterior pronotum, con-
nexiva, abdominal tergites orange brown, tergites II–III with
pruinose wedges laterally, tergite VI and often tergite VII
with pruinose triangles medially; pleural regions mostly black-
ish, extreme caudal end lighter; venter mostly blackish. Head
with lower part above eyes sometimes darkened. Pronotum
orange brown; posterior lobe tinged with brown, thickly set
with contrasting black foveae. Wing pads absent. Abdomen
mostly orange brown, tergites darker laterally and between
tergites; connexiva broadly orange brown, darker on dorsal
margin. Legs leucine to orange brown, tinged with darker
brown distally.
Structural characters. Apterous male: head of moderate
length, declivant anteriorly; length 0.43, width 0.54; width of
eye/interocular space, 0.09/0.36. Pronotum long, posterior
margin evenly curving, not angulate, humeri obscure, sides
almost parallel; length (midline): width, 0.54 : 0.79.
Abdominal venter bearing short, fine, pale setae; ven-
trites V–VI shallowly sulcate longitudinally (Fig. 5); ventrite
VII shallowly excavated anteromedially, sloping posteriorly
to slightly raised posterior margin, flanked caudally on each
side by a tuft of long pale setae (Fig. 6); first genital segment
(segment VIII), proctiger unmodified.
Legs clothed with numerous short, appressed, pale setae,
intermixed on ventral surface of all femora with longer erect
pale setae, longest on anterior femur, shortest on posterior
femur; posterior femora as stout as anterior femora; all legs
unarmed, lacking setal tufts or other modifications. Antennal
segment I with 2, segment II with 1 long erect dark setae;
segments II–III set with numerous long recumbent setae,
with length about twice the width of segment; all segments
with short recumbent setae.
Antennal formula I : II : III : IV; 0.32 : 0.32 : 0.43 : 0.51.
Proportions of legs as follows: Femur, tibia, tarsal 1,
tarsal 2 of fore leg, 0.76 : 0.54 : 0.27 : 0.0; of middle leg, 0.97
Figs 3–10. Fijivelia spp.: 3–8 — F. kadavu sp.n.; 9–10 — F. kerzhneri sp.n. 3 — female, dorsal view; 4 — female, lateral view
of body; 5, 9 — male, ventral view of terminal abdomen; 6, 10 — male, left lateral view of terminal abdomen; 7 — male foreleg,
ventral view; 8 — male foreleg, oblique view of tibia showing shape of grasping comb.
Ðèñ. 3–10. Fijivelia spp.: Fijivelia kadavu sp.n. 9–10 — F. kerzhneri sp.n.; 3 — ñàìêà, ñâåðõó; 4 — ñàìêà, ñáîêó; 5, 9 — êîíåö
áðþøêà ñàìöà, ñíèçó; 6, 10 — êîíåö áðþøêà ñàìöà, ñëåâà; 7 — ïåðåäíÿÿ íîãà ñàìöà, ñíèçó; 8 — ïåðåäíÿÿ íîãà ñàìöà, ïîêàçàíà
ôîðìà õâàòàòåëüíîãî ãðåáíÿ.
10
3
4
5
6
7 98
185
A new genus and two new species of Microveliinae from Fiji
: 0.86 : 0.18 : 0.25; of hind leg, 1.04 : 1.15 : 0.18 : 0.25.
Grasping comb about 0.25–0.27x length of fore tibia.
Paramere small, triangular, hidden; proctiger not modi-
fied.
Apterous female. Similar to male in general structure
(except connexiva) and coloration, but larger, abdominal terg-
ites II–III mostly pruinose, abdominal tergites VI–VIII with
distinct medial pruinose triangles. Lateral margins of prono-
tum, mesonotum, metanotum and sides of first three abdom-
inal segments below connexiva thickly set with stiff dark
erect setae. Connexiva almost vertical (Figs 3, 4), sinuate,
incurved to tergite IV, then curving outward to tergite VII
(Fig. 3); dorsal margin of connexival segment VII not flat-
tened nor hair free, without compact caudal tuft of setae,
instead with a caudal brush of randomly directed setae; ab-
dominal venter unmodified.
ETYMOLOGY. The name kadavu is a noun in apposi-
tion, named for the Fijian island of origin, Kadavu (pro-
nounced in English “kan-davu”).
COMPARATIVE NOTES. Fijivelia kadavu sp.n. is
easily separated from F. kerzhneri sp.n., the only other
known species of the genus, by female characters, particu-
larly the form of the connexiva, which are vertical along
abdominal tergites IV–VII in F. kadavu sp.n. (Figs 3, 4), but
infolded over abdominal tergites IV–VII in F. kerzhneri
sp.n. (Figs 1, 2); in addition, the central portions of the
connexival margins of F. kadavu sp.n. are deflected inward,
giving the abdomen an “hourglass” shape when viewed from
above (Fig. 3). Additional differences in the females of these
species include the presence of bright blue pruinosity on
tergites VI–VII in F. kadavu sp.n., which are absent in F.
kerzhneri sp.n., and the presence of a flattened hair free
region dorsally on connexival segment VII in F. kerzhneri
sp.n., which is also absent in F. kadavu sp.n.. In addition,
F. kadavu sp.n. is somewhat larger, and the males have a
longer but shallower ventromedial abdominal sulcus, and a
smaller concavity on sternite VII than seen in F. kerzhneri
sp.n. (compare Figs 5 and 9).
BIOLOGICAL NOTES. Taken from the quiet edges of
shaded pools along rainforest streams. At the Vodavoda
Creek type locality (Fig. 11) this species was extremely
abundant on still pools amid boulders away from the main
stream channel, while along upper Waikana Creek only a few
individuals were taken, all being found in dark recesses be-
neath undercut, vegetated banks.
DISTRIBUTION. Apparently endemic to Kadavu, the
most southerly of the large Fijian islands.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. We wish to thank David
Olson and Moala Tokota’a for logistical assistance and field
support on Viti Levu and Kadavu, and Alan Gillogly for the
donation of specimens long ago. This project was support-
ed by grant DEB 0425970 from the National Science Foun-
dation, Washington, DC, and the Schlinger Foundation; and
by the Smithsonian Institution’s Drake Fund. In addition,
JTP completed this research as an adjunct faculty member
in the Bioagricultural Sciences Department at Colorado State
University. We thank all of the above organizations for
Fig. 11. Vodavoda Creek, Kadavu Is., Fiji, type locality for Fijivelia kadavu sp.n. The type series was taken from shaded pools
in bedrock above the cascade.
Ðèñ. 11. Áóõòà Âîäàâîäà, îñòðîâ Êàäàâó, Ôèäæè — òèïîâàÿ ìåñòíîñòü Fijivelia kadavu sp.n. Òèïîâàÿ ñåðèÿ áûëà ñîáðàíà
íàä âîäîïàäîì, íà îáðàçîâàííûõ â êîðåííîé ïîðîäå çàòåíåííûõ ïðóäàõ.
186 J.T. Polhemus & D.A. Polhemus
their continuing support of research involving the system-
atics and biogeography of aquatic Heteroptera. This repre-
sents contribution No. 2006-001 to the NSF-Fiji Arthro-
pod Survey.
References
Andersen N.M. & Weir T.A. 2001. New genera of Veliidae
(Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from Australia, with notes on
the generic classification of the subfamily Microveliinae //
Invertebrate Taxonomy. Vol.15. P.217–258.
Kirkaldy G.W. 1908. A catalogue of the Hemiptera of Fiji //
Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales. Vol.33. P.345–391.
Polhemus D.A. & Polhemus J.T. 2005. Two new genera and
thirty new species of Microveliinae (Heteroptera: Veliidae)
from the East Papua Composite Terrane, far eastern New
Guinea // Tijdschr. Entomol. Vol.147. P.113–189.
Fig. 12. Headwater streamlet tributary to the upper Veisari
River, Viti Levu Is., Fiji, type locality for Fijivelia kerzhneri sp.n.
The type series was taken from shaded bedrock faces bordering
small pools.
Ðèñ. 12. Ïðèòîê â âåðõîâüå ðåêè Âåðõíÿÿ Âåèñàðè,
îñòðîâ Âèòè Ëåâó, Ôèäæè — òèïîâàÿ ìåñòíîñòü Fijivelia
kerzhneri sp.n. Òèïîâàÿ ñåðèÿ áûëà ñîáðàíà â òåíè, íà
ïîâåðõíîñòè êîðåííîé ïîðîäû ó êðîìêè íåáîëüøèõ ïðóäîâ.
