GERRIDAE AND NEPIDAE (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA) COLLECTED IN VIETNAM BY THE BELARUSIAN-VIETNAMESE EXPEDITION

Abstract

The study of the entomofauna of Vietnam, which belongs to one of the 36 world biodiversity hotspots, during joint Belarusian-Vietnamese expeditions in specially protected natural areas: Ba Be National Park (North Vietnam, Bac Can Province), Phia Oak National Park (North Vietnam, Cao Bang Province), Pu Mat National Park (Central Vietnam, Nghe An Province), U Minh Thuong National Park (South Vietnam, Kien Giang Province), Xuan Lien Nature Reserve (Central Vietnam, Than Hoa Province) and the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve (Central Vietnam, Nghe An Province) have allowed us to make a number of finds of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the families Gerridae and Nepidae of faunal interest. The article is based on the authorsʼ observations of various water bodies (natural watercourses of different sizes and durations, flooded rice paddies, and canals) in April—June 2021 and April—May 2025. A total of 18 species of true bugs were identified, including 16 species from 8 genera and 4 subfamilies of epineustine water striders sensu stricto of the Gerridae family, and 2 species from 2 genera and 2 subfamilies of benthic water scorpions in the Nepidae family. Two species of water striders, Gerris latiabdominis Miyamoto, 1958 and Metrocoris ciliates den Boer, 1965, have been confirmed for the fauna of Vietnam. Most of the collected species have not been previously recorded in the areas under consideration. Recorded for the first time in Bac Kan Province (Northern Vietnam) — 6 species, Ba Be National Park — 6 species; Cao Bang Province (Northern Vietnam) — 1 species, Phi Oak National Park — 2 species; Thanh Hoa Province (Central Vietnam) — 2 species, Xuan Lien Nature Reserve — 2 species; Nghe An Province (Central Vietnam) — 9 species, Pu Mat National Park — 4 species and Pu Hoat Nature Reserve — 8 species; for Kien Giang Province (Southern Vietnam) — 1 species, U Minh Thuong National Park — 1 species.