A new species of Belostoma Latreille (Insecta: Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) from Brazil long-housed at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “ Bernardino Rivadavia ”

Belostoma utiaritiensis Stefanello sp. nov. (Insecta: Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) is described and illustrated based on a specimen long-housed at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”. The specimen was collected in Mato Grosso, central-western Brazil in 1966.

This new species is diagnosed by an elevated prosternal keel with apex pointed, article II of labium shorter than III, abdominal pubescence entirely covering the connexiva and mediosternites, dorsal arms of the phallosoma convergent at the apex, and the diverticulum folded at the apex forming an apicoventral protuberance. The new species is assigned to the Belostoma fittkaui species group and compared with its congeners.

Additionally, a key to the species of the group is provided. Thus, the number of species of Belostoma recorded from Brazil increases from 49 to 50, from 18 to 19 in the state of Mato Grosso, and from three to four within the B. fittkaui group.