Saldula palustris

Saldula palustris (Douglas, 1874) (Fig. 13) Salda palustris Douglas, 1874: 10. Acanthia palustris Reuter, 1891: 155. Saldula palustris: Stichel (1934: 302); Cobben, 1960: 258; Chen & Zheng, 1987: 395; Vinokurov, 1988: 755; Péricart, 1990: 178; Chen & Lindskog, 1994: 408; Lindskog, 1995: 131; Vinokurov et al., 2012: 59; Vinokurov & Kment, 2015: 378; Vinokurov et al., 2018: 135. Chinese common name. īãø. Material examined. CHINA: Inner Mongolia: 3 males, 3 females, E’erduosi city, Honghaizi Wetland Park, 39.5647°N, 109.7969°E, 1249, 21 July 2023, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM); 2 males, Bayannao’er city, Wuliangsuhai Lake, 40.8256°N, 108.7657°E, 989 m, 13 July 2023, Chen Liu leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Xinba’erhu Zuoqi Banner, Xinba’erhu Zuoqi Wetland Park, 48.2102°N, 118.2691°E, 619 m, 13 July 2021, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM); 1 male, Xinba’erhu Zuoqi Banner, Hulun town, 49.3792°N, 117.1203°E, 662 m, 15 July 2021, Mu Qiao leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Hulunbei’er city, Hulunhu Nature Reserve, Wulanao’er Lake, 48.4153°N, 117.5628°E, 560 m, 15 July 2021, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM). Hebei: 1 male, Baoding city, Laiyuanhu Lake, 39.3401°N, 114.7251°E, 782 m, 23 July 2023, Zhen Ye leg. (NKUM). Shanxi: 1 male, Ningwu county, Luyashan Nature Reserve, 1800 m, 20 July 2011, Guijiang Yang leg. (NKUM). Ningxia: 3 males, 3 females, Zhongwei city, Tenggeli Lake, light-trapped, 37.5228°N, 105.1172°E, 1206 m, 19 July 2023, Chen Liu leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Zhongwei city, Xiangshanhu National Wetland Park, 34.4919°N, 105.1998°E, 1187 m, 19 July 2023, Huanyu Chen leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Zhongwei city, Shapotou Nature Reserve, 37.5312°N, 105.0538°E, 1214 m, 1 August 2021, Zezhong Jin leg. (NKUM). Gansu: 3 males, 3 females, Jiuquan city, Jindinghu Lake, 40.3539°N, 99.6163°E, 1107 m, 17 July 2023, Yuqi Zai leg. (NKUM); 2 males, 3 females, Jiuquan city, Jinta county, Yongsheng village, 1107 m, 16 July 2023, Chen Liu leg. (NKUM). Xinjiang: 1 male, 3 females, Bayinguoleng Prefecture, Bohu county, Bositenghu Lake, 41.8640°N, 86.7330°E, 1050 m, 13 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 1 male, 3 females, Altai Prefecture, Habahe county, E’erqisihe River, 47.9920°N, 85.7741°E, 371 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Bayinguoleng Prefecture, G218 National Highway, Kaiduhe River, 41.9625°N, 86.6333°E, 982 m, 13 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Bo’ertala Prefecture, Jinghe county, Jinghezhong Bridge, 44.6934°N, 82.8337°E, 119 m, 20 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Hami city, Tuoputale village, 42.6373°N, 93.4699°E, 537 m, 10 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Altai Prefecture, Buerjin county, Dulaiti village, 47.4269°N, 87.0816°E, 503 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Tacheng Prefecture, Yumin county, 46.4209°N, 82.9138°E, 426 m, 21 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Ili Prefecture, Huocheng county, X123 County Road, 44.1064°N, 80.6427°E, 636 m, 18 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 3 females, Altai Prefecture, Jimunai county, Hongshan Reservoir, 47.3862°N, 85.8677°E, 1018 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 2 females, Altai Prefecture, Habahe county, Baishahu Lake, 48.0074°N, 85.8731°E, 366 m, 23 July 2023, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM). Xizang: 3 males, 3 females, Rikaze city, Dingri county, Jiacuo village, 28.9208°N, 87.4345°E, 5106 m, 13 August 2024, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM); 3 males, 1 female, Rikaze city, Dingjie county, Qiongzi village, 28.1762°N, 87.8641°E, 4279 m, 8 August 2024, Zihe Li leg. (NKUM). Diagnosis. Body oblong, dorsum with dense, short pubescence (Fig. 13a). Head short and wide, antennomere II mainly blackish, with yellowish apex, longer than antennomeres III+IV; mandibular plates black, maxillary plates and anteclypeus yellowish, labiomeres III+IV mainly black to blackish-brown, preocellar spots nearly circular. Pronotum short and wide, lateral margin shallowly convex, hemelytra with distinct variation, corium mainly dull yellowish-white in pale individuals, basal part of corium black, lateral margin of exocorium with two black spots, dark individuals with complex black-white pigmentation (Fig. 13b–e); legs mainly yellowish, femora with black stripe on ventral side and dark spots on lateral side, tibiae with a dark spot on apex, dorsal side of foretibia and middle tibia with complete black stripe, apical half of tarsomere III of each leg infuscate. Male parameres with a tuft of short hair on processus sensualis (Fig. 13f–h), parandria with blunt apex, inner half sclerotized weaker (Fig. 13i), median endosomal sclerite distinctly slender, U-shape. Female subgenital plate nearly triangular, with a blunt apex, apical half pale. Comparative notes. See comparative notes under Saldula pallipes. Habitats. Contrasting with its perception as a halophilic species in Europe (Lindskog 1975), it demonstrates a remarkable adaptability in China, occupying both salt lakes and freshwater habitats. This species exhibits a preference for semi-arid regions, yet it seldom extends into semi-humid regions within China. Distribution in China. Saldula palustris is among the most common and widely distributed species in China, including Xinjiang (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2012, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Gansu (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Hebei (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Liu & Bu 2009, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Ningxia (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Inner Mongolia (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Wang & Li 2012, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Shanxi (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Heilongjiang (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Henan (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Sichuan (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Qinghai (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018), Xizang (Chen & Lindskog 1994, Vinokurov et al. 2018). General distribution. Widely distributed across Afrotropical, Oriental, Palearctic, Saharo-Arabian and Sino-Japanese regions (Schuh et al. 1987, Larivière & Larochelle 2018).