Coniopterygidae (Neuroptera) from Southern and Eastern Africa
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Coniopterygidae (Neuroptera) from southern and eastern Africa M. Meinander ri~zr~isllMzlseunz of Natural History, U11iorrsity c$Ilulsii~ki,P.O. Box 27, I-fclsiizki, Fin-00014, Fil~larld Records of 32 species of Coniopterygidae from southern and eastern Africa are listed. Thirteen new species are described: Alrur~pt~ryxIloclzeli, A. irarzs~~aalcrisis,A. dorsalis, A. multispirlo~n,A. ohmi, A. /7scudocapcnsis, Cyptoscr~i~enfaizzanine, Hrtc~rocoliistnrlzaniae, Ninlboa hifilrcatu, N. rrlarzs~~lli,Colzioptnvyx (Xerororliopteryx) botszciarln, C. (X.) sest~rtiaand C. (Coi~iop- teyx) sclcrotica. Variation in the male genitalia is described in N. btfurcata, N. ca;~uzsisTjeder and C. (C.) ~nadagascari~l~sis(Meinander). The taxonomy of the subgenus Xeuocorliopteryx. in sub-Saharan Africa, and the genus Sci~~idalisin southern and eastern Africa, is revised. New synonyms are: Nimlmn capt~i~sisTjeder (= N. rintaler~sisTjeder and hT.tvansvaalt>~zsi.s Meinander) and S~ilzidnlisnieridiorlalis Kimmins (= S. bifiifa Kimmins). Key words: dusty lacewings, systematics, new species, Afrotropical Region. INTRODUCTION Meinander (1983)summarized current knowledge San Francisco (CASC); Natal Museum, Pieter- of the Coniopterygidae of southern Africa and the maritzburg (NMSA); Collection of W.R.B. Hynd, adjacent Indian Ocean islands. He recorded 34 Frensham Grove, Frensham Vale, Lower Bourne, species, including two that were known only from Farnham, Surrey, GUlO 3HT, U.K (WRHC) (to be females. Since then, Tjeder (1987) described donated to BMNH); Collection of P. Ohm, Coniopteryx (Xeroconiopteryx) namibica from Westring 337, D-24118, Kiel, Germany (POCG) Namibia, and 13 new species from southern Africa (typesare in SANC); National Collection of Insects, are described here. Two species of Nimboa Navas Pretoria (SANC); National Museum of Natural and one of Sernidalis Enderleir~are synonymized in History, Washington, D.C. (USNM); Zoological the present paper. The total number of species Museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History, now known from southern Africa and the adjacent Helsinki (UZMH). Indian Ocean islands is 45, including C. alhostriata The format of the descriptions and terminology Tjeder and Sctrzidalis britzcki Tjeder, both of which follow Meinander (1972). Only characters with were described from females and are probably diagnostic value for comparing the new species conspecific with two of the species of which only with described taxa are used here. The illustra- males are known. tions of genitalia should suffice to identify Information on the Coniopterygidae of sub- the species. Nomenclature follows Meinander Saharan Africa was augmented by Monserrat and (1990). Diaz-Aranda's (1988) and Monserrat's (1989) Abbreviations used in the figures are: Wing studies in Equatorial Guinea, and Sziraki's (1990, ~ienrrtion:Cul = anterior branch of cubitus; Cu2 = 1994) descriptions of new species from Tanzania posterior branch of cubitus; M = median, which in and Ghana. The records of Cryptoscenea Enderlein the forewings of all genera except Coniocompsn and Hetcroconis Enderlein from Equatorial Guinea Enderlein forks into branches MI+z and M3+4; RI = are of particular significance. Both genera were radius; Rs = radial sector, which generally previously known only from the Australian branches from the radius near the middle of the Region and southeast Asia. Material available for wing. Rs forks into branches R2+3 and R4+s in the the present study includes an additional species of forewings of all genera except Nirnboa Navas. Hetcroconis from South Africa and Tanzania, and a Ternlir~izlsqynzerlfs: apo IX = apophysis of sternite Cryptoscencn from Tanzania. 9; epr = ectoproct; gs = gonarcus; hy = hypan- This contribution is based on specimens in the drium; IX = ninth sternite; p = penis; pa = following institutions: The Natural History Museum, paramere; pd = processus dorsalis of paramere; London (BMNH); California Academy of Sciences, pl = processus lateralis of hypandrium; pro IX = Afr~canEntomology 6(1): 1 17-1 46 (1998) 118 African Entomology Vol. 6, No. 1, 1998 Fig. 1. Aleuropteryx hoelzeli, male. A, internal genitalia, caudal; B, same, lateral; C,same, ventral; D, same, dorsal; E, wings. processus of IX sternite; pt = processus terminalis apically; no spine on pedicel; scape about twice as of hypandrium; sty = stylus; tp = transverse plate. long as width apically, pedicel about one-and-a- half times as long as broad, median flagellar seg- Genus Aleuropteryx Low, 1885 ments slightly longer than broad, basal and apical segments about as long as broad. Palps Aleuropteryx hoelzeli sp. n., Fig. 1A-E concolorous with scape. Thorax. Sclerites light-greyish with large dark Diagnosis of male 'shoulder spots'. Legs: concolorous with palps. Forewing Cuz bifurcate; wing membrane Wings (Fig. 1E).Length of forewing 1.9 mm, hind rather heavily shaded along margin between wing 1.6 mm. In forewing R4+5 and M1+2 coalesce veins. Ring of sternite 9 laterally narrow; no for a considerable distance, Cu2 distally bifurcate; appendages on sternite 9 between ring and the membrane light-greyish with shading along process; process of sternite 9 protruding caudally, margin between veins. In right hind-wing (Fig. 1E) terminating in a scaly transverse plate. radial crossvein joins Rs on branch R2+3 as in the tribe Fontenelleini, but in left wing the normal Description of male condition is manifest, with radial crossvein joining Head. Dark-brown, head height 0.42 mm, eye stem of Rs, albeit close to bifurcation. diameter 0.23 mm; an egg-shaped, unsclerotized Genitalia (Fig. 1A-D). Ectoproct unsclerotized; area, which is smaller than an antenna1 socket ring of sternite 9 narrow laterally, forming a small occurs frontally between toruli. Antennae: length horizontal plate dorsally, process of sternite 9 1.1 mm; 25-segmented, scape and pedicel dark- large, protruding caudally, ending in transverse brown, flagellum light-greyish-brown, darkening scaly plate; transverse plate bilobed, the main Meinander: Southern and eastern African Coniopterigidae Fig. 2. Aleuropteryx transvaalensis, male genitalia. A, apex of abdomen, lateral; 6, G, internal genitalia, caudal; C, H, same, ventral; D, same, lateral; E, penis and dorsal sclerite, lateral; F, sternite 9 and transverse plate, lateral; A-D, holotype, Satara Rest Camp, Kruger National Park; E-H. paratype, Pretoria. part forming an almost closed ring that opens A. fzircocubitnlis H. Aspock & U. Aspock (Mongolia) caudally; apophyses of sternite 9 long, narrow. and A. ressli Rausch, H. Aspock & Ohm (Iran), Penis with two apophyses posteriorly, dorsal all of which belong to the A. rninutn Meinander apophysis longest. group. Renzarlcs. Aleuroyferyxhoelzeli and A. transzlnalensis Efyrnolo~y.The species is named in honour of sp. n. belong to the A. loewii Klapalek group, which Mr Herbert Holzel, the well-known Austrian occurs mainly in the Palaearctic Region and in neuropterist, who collected the type specimen western North America. In the European species during the Fourth International Symposium on there is a distinct dorsal appendage on sternite 9 Neuropterology, held in South Africa in 1988. between the ring of sternite 9 and its process. The Type material examined. Holotype d, SOUTH only species of the group hitherto recorded from AFRICA: Kruger National Park, Satara Rest Camp, sub-Saharan Africa is A. feleki Sziriki, from 24.25s 31.46E, 350m, 5.ii.1988, H.Hblze1, P.Ohm Tanzania. These three African species, together (SANC). with A. felix Meinander from Yemen, form a cohesive group and conspecificity is possible. Aleuropteryx transvaalensis sp. n., Fig. 2A-H The protruding process of sternite 9, which has Aleuropteryx transzlnalensis Meinander, 1996: caudal scales, is typical of A. hoelzeli. Alel4rclptery.x 189. Nomen nudum. lioelzeli also differs from the abovementioned species in the forked Cuz. Other species with a Diagnosis ofmale forked Cuz in the forewings are A. n~nbicaMeinan- Forewing Cu2 unforked; membrane very dark, der (Saudi Arabia), A. cr~lcintnSziraki (Tanzania), except along distal parts of veins, but without well- African Entomology Vol. 6, No. 1, 1998 Fig. 3. Aleuroptetyx dorsalis, male genitalia. A, apex of abdomen, lateral; B, penis, ventral; C, same, lateral; D, hypandrium and styli, ventrocaudal; E, same, lateral; F, same, ventral. defined dark spots. Sternite 9 forms a folded roof broader ventrally in paratype than in holotype. In above penis; no appendages of sternite 9 present the paratype the sclerites which, in the holotype, between ring and processes; a bilobed transverse are considered spines of the process of sternite 9 plate present dorsal to the process of sternite 9. seem to be two separate paired curved sclerites, which have some hairs. Penis long caudally, an Description of male additional longitudinal sclerite occurs dorsal to The holotype is in poor condition, its measure- penis. ments (mm) are in brackets. Remarks. Aleuropteryx tvansvaalensis belongs to Head. Light-brown, dark-brown in paratype, the A. loewii group. For comparisons see A. hoelzeli. height of head 0.32-0.40 mm (0.32), diameter of The paratype from Pretoria is much larger and eye 0.16-0.22 mm (0.16). Antennae: length 0.75- darker than the holotype. 1.50 mm (0.75); 23-25-segmented (23); scape and Etymology. The name of the species refers to the pedicel pale-brown, flagellum pale; scape and former Transvaal Province of South Africa where pedicel of holotype slightly longer than broad, the type specimen was recorded. about twice as long as broad in paratype; pedlcel Type mnterinl exnmined. Holotype 6, SOUTH with distal spine; median flagellar segments about AFRICA: Kruger National Park, Satara Rest Camp, half as long as broad. 24.25s 31.46E, 350n1, 5.ii.1988, H.Holzel, P. Ohm Wzngs. Length of forewing 1.7-2.5 mm (1 7)' hind (SANC). Paratype: Id, Pretoria, Gardens of Union wing 1.4-2.1 mm (1.4). Wings of holotype hyaline, Buildings, 25.45s 28.12B, 27.xi.1992, H.Holze1, partly destroyed, very dark in paratype, paler P.Ohm (POCG). along distal parts of veins. Forewing I415 and Ml+z coalesce for a considerable distance. Aleuropteryx dorsalis sp. n., Fig.