Great Basin Naturalist

Volume 36 | Number 2 Article 4

6-30-1976 Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera of the Grand Canyon (Insecta: ) John T. Polhemus University of Colorado, Boulder

Martin S. Polhemus Spokane, Washington

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Recommended Citation Polhemus, John T. and Polhemus, Martin S. (1976) "Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera of the Grand Canyon (Insecta: Hemiptera)," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 36 : No. 2 , Article 4. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol36/iss2/4

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. AQUATIC AND SEMIAQUATIC HETEROFrERA OF THE GRAND CANYON (INSECTA: HEMIPTERA)

John T. Polhemus^ and Martin S. Polhemus-

Abstract.— The aquatic and seniiaquatic Hemiptfia from 12 localities in Marble Canyon and

Grand Canyon are reported, along with those from I locality in the Escalante Canyon. Fourteen species are recorded and compared to the water-bug fauna of the southwestern Ignited States and western Mexico. Ochterus rotundas n. sp. is described from the Grand Canyon and the mountains of western Mexico.

The aquatic and seniiaquatic Heter- nent seep springs. The collection was optera of the Grand Canyon are not well made at the side of a small waterfall. The known. This fact, coupled with the dis- damp soil was overgrown with Aegetation covery that an undescribed ochterid in- which had to be pulled away to disturb habited both the Grand Canyon and the the soil clinging to cracks in the rock be- mountainous regions of western Mexico fore the bugs could be seen. There were prompted an expedition to sample this many trees, grasses, and other plants in fauna in late May and June 1972. Col- this canyon. October 2, 1972. lecting permits were granted by the U.S. CL545. Vasey's Paradise. Marble Canyon. Park Service, and we obtained the splen- This is a well-known spring leaping did cooperation of the late Dr. Aaron from a sheer wall. Adjacent to the spring Ross of Ogden, Utah, who provided raft are many seeps with abundant vegetation, transportation, advice on a variety of dif- and wet rock faces with and without ferent ecological situations that could be vegetation; the collections were taken sampled, and logistic support to help reach from these seep areas. May 28, 1972. collecting locations. In this paper, we treat Marble Canyon CL546. Buckfarm Canyon. Mile 41, Mar- and the Grand Canyon as one. The start- ble Canyon. ing point was Lee's Ferry and the stop- Buckfarm is dry at the Colorado River ping point was the pull-out north of confluence, but abundant seeps occur on Peach Springs, Arizona. Later in 1972 the a low wall about i^ mile upstream. A first author sampled a spring location in great deal of vegetation grows on this Davis Gulch on the Escalante and the wall, preventing the moist earth from data is included for comparison. eroding. May 28, 1972. The 13 collection locations are described CL547. Clear Creek. Mile 84. so that ecologists can make use of the data The permanent stream has swift, clear presented here. Following the species tab- water and a pebbly bottom without large ulations, a discussion of the affinities boulders. Collections were made along the of the fauna is given. All material is held stream and at pools near a waterfall in the collections of the University of about a mile from the mouth. May 30, Colorado Museum (CU) and the United 1972. States Museum of National History (USNM). CL548. Confluence of Colorado and Little In addition to those mentioned previous- Colorado. ly, we are indebted to Dr. Peter Robinson The latter river is milky blue since (CU) and Dr. Jon Herring (USNM) most of the flow originates in large springs for making available material for study. some distance upstream. The pebbles and rocks in the riffles are covered and stuck Description of Collection Locations together ^vith travertine; the fauna is depauperate. May 29, 1972. CL557. Lake Powell. Davis Gulch on the Escalante River. CL549. Shinomu Creek. Mile 109. This gulch has intermittent water in This is a good-sized stream with a the sandy stream bed, with some perma- stony and gravel bottom. The water is

'Department of Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology. University of Colorado, Boulder 80302 and Martin Marietta Corp.. Denver 80201. =E 1102 Plateau, Spokane, Washington 99203.

221 222 GREAT BASIN NATURALIST Vol. 36, No. 2 clear and warm. Collections were from these were largely sterile, some side pools long, deep pools, a waterfall near the had good growths of vegetation providing mouth, and a mile of stream above the habitats for aquatic . June 2, 1972. falls where the valley widens and trees, CL560. Lava Falls. grasses, and sandy banks are prevalent. On the south bank along these rapids May 31, 1972. there is a rather sizable saw-grass marsh. CL550. Elves Chasm. The spring water from the marsh has de- The very narrow canyon prevents sun- posited travertine on the steep banks of light from entering except for short the river which is overgrown with vegeta- periods, so this chasm is the coolest we tion in many places, being kept constantly visited. A series of grottos, falls, and seeps moist. Collections were made along these on the walls provide numerous habitats, steep to overhanging banks. June 3, but most species were still immature, in- 1972. late maturation at this localit}'. dicating List of Species Found The water is crystal clear, with abundant algae in the pools. May 31, 1972. Only the collection location numbers are given here. Refer to the location de- CL551. Stone Creek. Mile 132. scriptions for full data. This stream has a fairly wide valley in places where springs arise on benches Gerridae and feed small saw-grass marshes. Some Gerris remigis Say. CL546, 4 seeps occurred on rock walls. The main Id", 9 9 apterous, 2 nymphs; CL547, 1 apterous, stream has sandy banks, clear water, and cf 19 alate; CL549, 2 alate. a bottom of gravel and small stones. Col- IcT, d" cT lections were made for several miles up- stream from the mouth. May 31, 1972. Macroveliidae

Macrovelia hornii Uhler. CL552, 1 •> 1 CL552. Thunder Spring. d" brachypterous; CL557, 5 Thunder River issues in a torrent from 9, Id", 9 9, brachypterous. this spring, situated high on a cliff ab.out four miles from the Colorado. The stream Veliidae has an extremely steep gradient to its con- Microvelia beameri McKinstrv. CL547, 2 fluence with Tapeats Creek, so collecting alate; CL551, "id", 9 was restricted to the spring region where (^d, 39 9 29 alate; CL555, 1 apterous, 1 9 alate. the cold water encouraged a lush growth d" of watercress. June 1, 1972. Microvelia torquata Champion. CL545, 3

(S (S > 59 9 apterous; CL546, Gd'cT, 5 CL553. Deer Creek. 9 9 apterous; CL547, 3d" cT, 12 9 9 ap- Deer Creek is hidden in an ex- Lower terous, 29 9 alate; CL549, 3d"d", 4 9 9 tremely narrow deep gorge, so no collect- apterous, 49 9 alate; CL550, 2d" d* ap- possible. upper stream is ing was The terous; CL551, 4d"cr, l9 apterous; CL- swdft and clear, flowing through a rela- 552, 1 S

CL554. The Ledges. d', 3 9 9 apterous, 2d" d" alate; CL548, 1 Shelves of limestone adjacent to the cT, 39 9 apterous, 2d" d" alate; CL549, alate, river give this locality its name. Several 5d'd", 3 9 9 apterous, 4d" d* 4 |ji seeps and shallow spring pools provided nymphs; CL551, 3d'd', 5 9 9 apterous,,' limited collecting. .June 1, 1972. 1 9 alate, 3 nymphs.

CL555. Ilavasu Creek. Hebridae Compared to the other canyons visited, Havasu ranks as a large canyon. The Hehrus hubbordi Porter. CL557, 4d"d", 7 large, swift stream is milky blue, indicat- 9 9 alate; CL546, 79 9 alate; CL550, ing heav^ niiiierali/ation. Many traver- IcT alate; CL551, l9 alate; CL553, 19 tine dams form large })ools, and while alate; CL554, 29 9 alate. June 1976 POLHEMUS, POLHEMUS: GR. CANYON HETEROPTERA 223

Hehrus obscura Polhemus and Chapman. Frons brilliant green to blackish green. CL550, Icf, l9 micropterous. Structure: Ryes pronunent, slightly high- er than vertex in side view; even with Salclidae frons in top view (Fig. If). Frons rugose, faintly carinate on midline. Width of Saldula pexa Drake. CL549, cT, 2 $ $ 2d" ; eye/interocular space, 8/13 (viewed from CL550, IcfcT, 4$ CL553, 2 $; 2cfd', top). 9 $ ; CL555, 2crcf, 3 9 9. Pronotum with lateral tubercles on disc, Saldula pallipes (Fabricius). CL545, 3 lateral margins straight or very slightly cfcT, 19; CL546, ScTcT, 3 9 9; CL549, cuned; hind margin sinuate; postero- 1 CL550, 4cr cT, 9 ; 2 9 9; CL555, 299. lateral angles as in Fig. Id; length /width, 55/142. Ochteridae Hemelytra with membrane not promi- nent, cells indistinct. Scutellum length/ Ochtcrus harberi Schell. CL551, 3d"cr, 1 9. width, 47/76; somewhat tumid. Mesoxy- phus acute (Fig. le). Ochtcrus rotundus Polhemus and Polhe- Antennal formula L II: III: IV; 7: 9: mus, n.sp. CL546, 2

Gelastocoridae Measurements.— Male: Length 4.5 (Fabricius). CL557, mm, width 2.8 mm. Female: Length 5.5 \;

brown; dorsum covered with tiny golden 1 9 , Grand Canvon, Stone Creek, mile pubescence. With usual silvery grey spots 132, CL551 V-31-1972, J. T. and M. S. on pronotum and hemelytra; on pronotum Polhemus (JTP); 2d"d', 29 9, (5 at anterolateral angles next to collar, at nymphs, not paratypes), Marble Canyon, anterolateral angle of posterior lobe just Buckfarm Canvon, mile 41, seeps 1/2 ^ behind tubercle, and each side of center; from Colorado^ River, CL546 V-28-1972, on clavus scattered over basal half; on J. T. and M. S. Polhemus (JTP); l9, hemeh^ra, a large spot at base of mem- Grand Canyon (USNM). brane, five irregular spots along margin Also the following, not considered para-

plus a small spot at suture. types: MEXICO: Jalisco: 3 9 9 , S Misma- Underpart of thorax frosted with grey; loya, CL734, VL9-1975, J. T. Polhemus of abdomen, deep brown. Legs, rostrum, (JTP). Nayarit; 3 9 9, W Compostela, labrum, yellowish to yellow brown. CL730, VL8-1975, J. T. Polhemus (JTP). Vol. 36, No. 2 224 GREAT BASIN NATURALIST

in of b (b) (a) right male paramere. tip, seen as amnv Fig. 1 Ochturus rotundas n. sp.: pro.iotum. dorsal view; (e) mesoxyphus, (f) right male paramero; (c) male genital capsule; (d) head, dorsal view.

but rotundus has little in Discussion.— This species is quite dis- fnms Champ, with the latter. tiiict clue to its largo size, ovate sha[)e. and (onunon specimens collected by the authors greenish color. A specimen of roturulus The seeping rock faces at from the Grand Canyon (USMN) was were taken from western Mexico and determined by Schell (1943) as O. viridi- various localities in June 1976 POLHEMUS. POLHEMUS: GR. CANYON IIETEROPTERA 225

from vegetated areas on steep rock faces other cori.xids, other Gerris species (Ger- in the (rrand Canyon. ridae), Mesoiw/ia (Mesoveliidae) and ad- (htional species of Saldidae. Zoogeography Intensive collecting in locations having the diversity of habitat and topography When we began this expedition, we had encountered in the Grand (>anyon gorge no preview as to the affinities of the aqu- and the side canyons we explored would atic Heniiptera fauna of the Grand Can- substantially larger of yon gorge except one undescribed ochterid yield a number species elsewhere in Arizona at the same specimen (USNM) that tied the fauna to elevations. For instance, if a transect from the Sierra Madre of western Mexico. We Bisbee to Tucson further south was cho- had expected to find other evidence of a sen, a quick review of the species found northward extension of the Mexican in and around Sabino Canyon, the Santa fauna, as such evidence existed for sites Rita Mountains, and the Huachuca Moun- further south in Arizona (Polhemus tains on such a transect shows a faunal 1966), but this exj)ectation was not ful- list (not intended to be exhaustive) of filled. As can be seen in Table 1, 9 of the 1 1 families, 25 genera, and 44 species. 14 species taken on this expedition occur in western Mexico, but Ochtcrus rotundus The 7,00()-foot landmass seems to have is the only one of these species that is not effectively blocked the northward dispers- also widespread through the southwestern al of species such as Saldula dewsi, Hodg- United States. Notonecta lohata has its den, Xlartarega mexicana Truxal, and range centered in southern Arizona, being Velia summersi Drake, which occur uncommon elsewhere in the state, and can scarcely 80 miles south in Oak Creek be considered an isolate in the Grand Canyon. The first two species are typ- Canyon. Beyond these two species, the ically Mexican and may be rather recent fauna is typically southwestern but is invaders (see Menke and Truxal 1966). depauperate. There are two species, Abedus herberti Certain species and genera were ex- Hidalgo and Ambrysus woodburyi Us- pected but not found, including Buenoa inger, which should be found in side and other species of Notonecta (Notonecti- streams in the Grand Canyon as it bisects dae), Abedus (Belostomatidae), Velia (Ve- their ranges. They occur at Sedona to the liidae), Gelastocoris rotundatus Champion, south and in the Virgin River system to

Table 1. Distribution of species found in the Grand Canyon.

Collection ilities

.2 0) X

U 1* '^S 5c U u J2 ^ Z

^ t>> 'g •« oj o u) a, - . Species found in Grand Can3'on W > CQ U hJ OC W C/D H Q H ffi J c/D coi Gerris remigis X X X X X X X Macrovelia hornii X X X X Microvelia beameri X X XXX Microvelia torquata X X X X X X X X X XXX Rhagovelia distincta X X X X X X X X Hebrus hubbardi X X X X X X XXX Hebrus obscurus X X X Saldula pexa X X X XXX Saldula pallipes X X X X X X X X Ochterus barberi X X X X Ochterus rotundus X X X X Gelastocoris oculatus ? X X X X Graptocorixa serrulata X X X X Notonecta lobata X X X X NATURALIST Vol. 36, No. 2 226 GREAT BASIN

Abedus, including the first record of the latter has headwaters in the north; the genus Martarega in the United States. Contr. a few miles Hist. 106: the Hurricane Cliffs only Sci., Los Angeles, Co. Mus. Nat. from Tapeats Creek, the latter a feeder of 1-6. Hemiptera new to .T. T ,1966. Some the Colorado. POI.HEMUS. the United States. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 68(1):57. Cited (Hemip- Literature SCHELL, D.^. V... 1943. The Ochteridae Hemisphere. J. Kans. 1966. New tera) of the Western Menke, a. S., and F. S. Truxal. Ent. Soc. 16 (1-2): 29-47. distribution data for Martarega, Buenoa and