The discovery of an overseen pygmy backswimmer in Europe (Heteroptera, Nepomorpha, Pleidae)

The Pleidae, or pygmy backswimmers, is a family of aquatic bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Nepomorpha) containing four genera. Here, we describe Plea cryptica sp. nov. and redescribe its sister species, Plea minutissima Leach, 1817. Whereas the morphological distinction of these closely related species is only possible for males, molecular data clearly separate them. As part of our taxonomic study, we provide comprehensive molecular data including more than 200 DNA barcodes from all over Europe, complete nuclear ribosomal DNA, full mitochondrial genome data, and 3D scans for both species. Furthermore, the same molecular markers are also presented for Neoplea striola (Fieber, 1844). We used Maximum Likelihood (ML) analyses to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Pleidae and Notonectoidea based on available mitogenomic data. Our study represents a successful implementation of the proposed concept of taxonomics, using data from high-throughput sequencing technologies for integrative taxonomic studies, and allowing high confidence for both biodiversity and ecological research.