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Photo#1921369
Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta
Copyright © 2020 Shane Sater

Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta
Sevenmile Creek, 8 kilometers northwest of Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
December 3, 2020
Size: 13 mm
Notonectid with whitish hemelytra, a bit smaller than the suspected Notonecta kirbyi seen at the same time and previously identified in the same water. Found several of these paler notonectids by sweeping a net among an active notonectid community in a hole in the ice of one of several small ponds. Well-vegetated area of water with substantial algal structure. Elevation ca 4000 feet. Disturbed, shrubby riparian corridor on stream restoration site within a patchwork of native and non-native grassland.

Images of this individual: tag all
Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta Pale Notonecta kirbyi? - Notonecta
Contributed by Shane Sater on 4 December, 2020 - 12:15am
Last updated 23 July, 2023 - 9:45pm

Moved
Moved from Notonecta undulata.
… Matthew Pintar, 23 July, 2023 - 9:45pm

Moved
Moved from Notonecta.

Although I believed when I first examined this specimen that the fourth visible sternite had a bare central patch on the keel, which in Montana would indicate N. kirbyi, I now suspect from reviewing my photos that I confused myself by looking too hard with a dissecting needle; in my photo it appears ambiguous whether there is truly a bare area or whether the hairs have simply been pushed aside. In the definite N. kirbyii I have seen, this bare patch is obvious without manipulation. I looked at the description of N. kirbyii in Hungerford 1933 and was able to establish that this individual is definitely NOT of that species; it is on the small side of the known length range, but more importantly N. kirbyii has golden hairs on the coria, lacking on this specimen, and has much of the membrane and distal corium black. Tried keying again in Slater & Baranowski 1978, and got to N. undulata, which is known to at times be mostly pale. Not N. lunata or N. unifasciata due to the rounded angle of the mesotrochanter.
… Shane Sater, 2 December, 2021 - 11:24pm

Moved
Moved from Backswimmers.
… Matthew Pintar, 21 February, 2021 - 7:15am

Moved
Moved from Notonecta.
… Shane Sater, 4 December, 2020 - 12:16am

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