The Ambrysus Stal (Heteroptera : Naucoridae) of Mexico : revision of Ambrysus (Syncollus) La Rivers and species groups of Ambrysus (Ambrysus)

Abstract

Aquatic insects in the family Naucoridae are commonly known as creeping water bugs or saucer bugs. The New World genus Ambrysus (Heteroptera: Naucoridae) includes two subgenera in Mexico: Ambrysus (Syncollus) La Rivers and Ambrysus (Ambrysus) Stal. Syncollus includes nine species with mostly Neotropical distributions. The subgenus Syncollus was reviewed and the status of the Mexican fauna was evaluated. Six species of this group are present in Mexico; three of them were described as new in this study. In the subgenus Ambrysus, the A. hybridus Montandon species complex was revised and includes nine species distributed in North America. One of the Mexican species was resurrected as a valid species and two other were considered the same as a third species that was not well known prior to this work. The Ambrysus guttatipennis Stal species complex also was revised and includes eleven species distributed in North America. Six species of this group from Mexico were described as new.