VK Khandelwal

Baptista Distant, 1903 is an important genus of family Vellidae 1843. It is represented by a species Baptista gestroi Distant, 1903. The genus was first described by Distant in the fauna of British India with the type species Baptista gestroi Distant, 1903. The description was incomplete due to absence of Copulatory complex. Identification and description of Copulatory complex is firstly described with complete illustrations.
 The Vellidae are best known of all aquatic hemiptera of the world and are extremely common in Indian waters. The members of the family are easily differentiated from the related family Gerridae based on hind leg not surpassing beyond the tip of abdomen and the presence of median longitudinal groove on vertex. The Genus Baptista Distant, 1903 are easily recognized from the members of other genera due to anterior femora which is strongly curved in female and antennae with 3^rd and 4^th joints slender.
Genus: Baptista Distant, 1903
Type species: Baptista gestroi Distant, 1903
Type: British Museum, London
 

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