Dendroleon Brauer, 1866

Stange, Lionel A., 2008, A new species of the genus Dendroleon Brauer from Mexico (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (54), pp. 1-9 : 2-4

Dendroleon Brauer

Dendroleon Brauer 1866: 42 . Type species: Myrmeleon pantherinus Fabricius , by original designation.

= Neglurus Navás 1912: 171 (after Stange 1976: 292). Type species Neglurus vitripennis Navás , by original designation and monotypy.

= Borbon Navás 1914: 111 (after Stange 1976: 292). Type species: Borbon regius Navás , by original designation and monotypy.

= Pantheroleon Yang 1986: 431 (after Stange 2004: 83). Type species: Pantheroleon longicruris Yang , by original designation.

Key to species. World ( Esben-Petersen 1923: 86); Nearctic ( Banks 1927: 6); Australia ( New 1985: 59); Japan ( Kuwayama 1962: 382).

Taxonomy. Steinmann 1963: 213 ( Glenurus = Dendroleon ); Stange 1976: 293 ( Mossega = Dendroleon ); New 1985: 59 ( Mossega good genus).

Further description. Hagen 1873: 393; Esben-Petersen 1915: 70; 1923: 86; Banks 1899: 69; 1927: 6; New 1985: 59; Stange and Wang 1998: 218-221, figures 96 (color photo of adult), 97 (color photo of larva).

Distribution. Asia; Australia; Europe; Japan; Java; North America.

Diagnosis. Adult: Distal palpomere of labius weakly swollen; antenna long and slender with inconspicuous setae; vertex not conically produced; pronotum longer than wide; legs long and slender; pretarsal claws well developed, not capable of closing against ventral surface of distal tarsomere; femoral sense hair less than twice as long as femur diameter at point of origin; tibial spurs longer than fore coxa, of equal length on all legs; fore wing costal area narrow to moderately high, greatest height less than height of prefork and posterior areas together, simple or when biareoleate the two series of cellules regular throughout; fore wing not excavated nor with posterior margin sinuate near middle; hind wing with apex not much more acute than that of fore wing; fore wing vein CuP runs short distance before coalescing with 1A; pilula axillaris present; male sternite IX subdivided, paramere plate-like; female terminalia with anterior gonapophysis digitiform, posterior gonapophysis strongly curved.

Larva: Mandible strongly upturned, with three equally distant teeth, middle tooth longer than mandibular width at that point; mesoscutum with patch of elongate setae at middle for holding detritus ball; distal palpomere elongate, much longer than base of mandible; mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle; anterior scolus of mesothorax about 3 times longer than diameter; tergum IX longer than median width.

Discussion. This is the only genus of Myrmeleontidae except for the cosmopolitan Myrmeleon Linnaeus , which has extant representatives in both the Eastern Hemisphere (all continents) and the Western Hemisphere (North America). Significant plesiomorphic characters of this genus are the basal origins of the radial sector in both the fore wing and hind wing, origin of fore wing CuP at or near the basal cross vein, the relatively unmodified fore wing vein 2A, the female terminalia (anterior gonapophysis lobe-like), and the presence of a pilula axillaris. Structurally the adults are similar to those of Gatzara Navás but the larvae are very different in structure and habitat. The larvae of Gatzara live on bare rock and live a sessile condition. They lack the specialized patch of setae on the middle of the mesonotum and the mandible has small, secondary teeth in addition to the usual three well-developed teeth. The larva of Dendroleon has typical mandibular dentition and the mandible is upturned, elongate tergum IX, elongate labial palps, and lacks dolichogasters. The presence of a patch of elongate setae on the thoracic dorsum for holding a detritus ball is shared by some other members of the tribe and is probably an adaptation for living in tree holes or under rock overhangs. Larvae of the European species, D. pantherinus , as well as the two species from the U.S.A. are sometimes found in buildings and appear to be the only “urban” species of antlion. A fossil species, Dendroleon septemmontanus Statz 1936 , was described from the mid-

Figure 1-3. Adult Dendroleon females, full dorsal view. 1) D. speciosus . 2) D. obsoletus . 3) D. porteri , holotype.

Tertiary (about 15 million years ago) from Europe. Esben-Petersen (1923: 86) reviewed the world fauna. There are about 19 extant species in the world with 2 species from North America, 4 species in Australia, 1 species in Europe, 1 species in Madagascar, 1 species in Japan, 1 species in Taiwan, 1 species in Java, and the rest in the Oriental area. Australian species show considerable diversity of structure and need to be re-evaluated generically.