Two new Peruvian species of Paravelia (Heteropera: Veliidae) from water-filled bamboo internodes, and distributional notes for other Paravelia species

Abstract

Two new species ofParavelia –P. loutoniandP. reclusa – are described from water-filled bamboo internodes in the forests of eastern Peru. Color dorsal habitus photographs of both species and line drawings of key male genitalic characters are provided, accompanied by a distribution map. Line drawings of the male genitalic structures ofP. myersiHungerford, the closest putative relative to these two new species, are also provided for comparison. Although Neotropical Veliidae have been previously reported from bromeliad phytotelmata, the current results from bamboo internodes are the first records for veliid utilization of this habitat in the Western Hemisphere, and indicate that further samples from such habitats are likely to result in the discovery of other heretofore undetected veliid species. New records are also provided for 12 other previously describedParaveliaspecies; the new records serve to clarify the geographic ranges and ecological preferences of these taxa.