A New Species of Gerris F. from Yukon and Alaska (Hemiptera: Gerridae)

• Published in: The Canadian Entomologist
• Main Author: Kelton, Leonard A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1961
• Subjects: Alaska; Yukon
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent93663-8; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X00081323

Two species that formerly were confused in the literature with Gerris rufoscutellatus Latreille are G. notabilis Drake and Hottes (1925) from western North America, and G. dissortis Drake and Harris (1930) from eastern North America. Drake and Harris (1934) concluded that Palaearctic rufoscutellatus did not occur in America. The species described herewith as Gerris nearcticus n. sp. is similar to notabilis, dissortis and rufoscutellatus in general appearance and coloration. However, the males are readily separated from notabilis and dissortis by the prominent median keel on the first genital segment (Figs. 1, 2). Another Nearctic species with a similar median keel is G. conformis (Uhl.), but it has a very long first antennal segment, which is longer than segments two and three together. The first antennal segment of nearcticus is much shorter than segments two and three together.