Afroptera lanata ( Tjeder, 1967 ) Abdalla & Mansell & Sole, 2019

Abdalla, Ishtiag H., Mansell, Mervyn W. & Sole, Catherine L., 2019, Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species, Zootaxa 4635 (1), pp. 1-89 : 47

Afroptera lanata ( Tjeder, 1967) comb. nov.

( Figs 127 , 135 , 155 )

Synonymy

Nemopterella lanata Tjeder, 1967: 485 .

Etymology. Unknown, probably from the Latin word lanata (woolly) for its hairy thorax.

Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province. Riversdale Mountains , 34°00’S 21°15’E .

Type depository. SAMC .

Diagnosis. A large species, easily distinguished from its congeners by the markedly broad forewings ( Figs 127 , 135 ) and very hairy thorax.

Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. Holotype ♂, SAM–NEU–A001258, Riversdale Mountains [34°00’S 21°15’E], (white printed label) / Holotypus ♂, Nemopterella lanata Tjed, Bo Tjeder 1966 (red handwritten label). ( SAMC) .

Distribution and habitat. This species is known only from Riversdale Mountains in the Western Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 155 ) where it was collected in the Mossel Bay Shale Renosterveld vegetation type in the Fynbos Biome ( Mucina & Rutherford 2006). In general, this habitat comprises undulating hills together with flat lands rich in thicket elements, Renosterbos and succulent plants are also present. The area is characterised by high annual precipitation with an average of 270–620 mm per year.

Remarks. The species is known only by its male holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 127–128. Holotypes of Afroptera spp and their associated labels. 127, A. lanata (Tjeder) ♂; 128, A. papio (Tjeder) ♂. Photos: Simon van Noort (SAMC).

FIGURES 133–140. Afroptera spp. Male holotypes: forewings. 133, A. dyscrita (Tjeder); 134, A. exigua (Tjeder); 135, A. lanata (Tjeder); 136, A. obtusa (Tjeder); 137, A. papio (Tjeder); 138, A. segregata (Tjeder); 139, A. peringueyi (Tjeder); 140, A. pilosa (Tjeder).

FIGURES 155–156. Distribution maps of Afroptera spp.