A taxonomic revision of the oriental water strider genus ventidius distant (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha, Gerridae)

Abstract

The Oriental water strider genus Ventidius Distant is redescribed and revised. The morphological characters of Ventidiopsis Miyamoto and EsakiaLundblad and their relationships with Ventidius re discussed. Ventidiopsis Miyamoto is ranked as a subgenus of Ventidius (stat. n.). Six species are described as new: Ventidius (s. str.) longitarsus sp. n. from Viet Nam, V (s. str.) pilosus sp. n. from Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara Timur, Nusa Tenggara Barat), V (s. str.) polhemorum sp. n. from Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak), V. (Ventidioides) heissi sp. n. from Malaysia (Sarawak), V (Ventidioides) nieserisp. n. from Brunei, Malaysia (Sarawak) and Indonesia (Kalimantan), and V (Ventidiopsis) yangae sp. n. from Malaysia (Sabah). The following species are redescribed: Ventidius (s. str.) aquarius Distant, V (s. str.) usingeri Hungerford & Matsuda, V. (s. str.) harrisoni Cheng, V (s. str.) malayensis Hungerford & Matsuda, V (s. str.) henryi Esaki, V. (s. str.) hungerfordi Cheng, V (s. str.) werneri Hungerford & Matsuda, V (s. str.) modulatus Lundblad, V (Ventidioides) kuiterti Hungerford & Matsuda, V (Ventidioides) karen Lansbury, V. (Ventidioides) pulai Cheng, V (Ventidioides) lundbladi Miyamoto, V (Ventidioides) xiphibion Chen & Nieser, V (Ventidioides) xyeleChen & Nieser. V (Ventidioides) kurtokalami Chen & Nieser, and V (Ventidiopsis) imadatei Miyamoto. Type specimens of most species were re-examined, except those of V (s. str.) distanti Paiva, V (s. str.) sushmae Gupta, and V lundbladi which were unavailable. The following taxa are considered as synonyms (junior synonyms in brackets): Ventidius (s. str.) hungerfordi Cheng (= Ventidius wallacei Lansbury, syn. n.), V (s. str.) modulatus Lundblad (= V. pubescens Cheng, syn. n., = V. chinai Hungerford & Matsuda, syn. n.). V sushmae Gupta is regarded as a nomen inquirendum. One new combination is established: Ventidius (Ventidiopsis) imadatei Miyamoto, comb. n. The identity of V distanti is discussed. A lectotype of V modulatus Lundblad is designated. The species are arranged in three subgenera and five species groups: Ventidius (s. str.): V. aquarius-group, V modulatus-group; Ventidius (Ventidioides): V kuiterti-group, V xiphibion-group; Ventidius (Ventidiopsis): V imadatei-group. Descriptive notes and illustrations of pertinent characters are presented for all species. Tables of measurements and an identification key for apterous males of all described species are presented.