Taxonomic composition and distribution of creeping water bugs (Heteroptera: Naucoroidea) of Tanzania

Naucorids are predacious aquatic insects and the principal arthropod predators of biting fly larvae. As such, they exert natural control of mosquito larvae and are important beneficial insects with respect to malaria in Tanzania. However, naucorids have recently been documented to harbor the mycobacterium responsible for Buruli ulcer in Africa, although transmission has not been shown. Therefore, to provide a sound foundation for future biological, ecological, and epidemiological investigations, a faunistic survey to document the taxonomic composition and distribution of the species of Naucoridae of Tanzania was conducted in July and August, 2010. Habitats sampled included streams, rivers, waterfalls, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, swamps, and cold and hot springs. Lotic habitats included 1st through 4th order streams. Previously, four genera and seven species were known from Tanzania. All taxa previously recorded from Tanzania were re-collected, with the exception of one species. We added two genera (Ctenipocoris and Laccocoris) and five species to the naucorid fauna of Tanzania; thus, the known fauna now includes 6 genera and 12 species. Our collections included one widespread, cryptic species which, except for male genitalia, is indistinguishable from Neomacrocoris handlirschi (Montandon). A species recorded from the Usambara Mountains, Neomacrocoris karimii (Poisson), was not found in our sampling despite intensive effort at the type locality. Distribution maps and diagnostic information are presented.