Xantholeon kakadu Miller and Stange, 2012

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 36-37

Xantholeon kakadu Miller and Stange , new species

( Figures 46, 47, 87, 88)

Holotype male, Kakadu National Park , Northern Territory, 13.IX.2005, R. Miller & L. Stange (reared) ( ANIC).

Diagnosis. Adult: forefemoral sense hair more than five times as long as diameter of femur. forewing without conspicuous dark brown spots; female posterior gonapophysis at least twice as long as greatest diameter; hind basitarsus shorter than distal tarsomere; sternite VIII with many setae.

Description. Holotype male: length of body 23 mm; forewing 29 mm; hindwing 29 mm. Coloration: general coloration pale brown; face pale brown except broad band below antennae; vertex with elongate anterior transverse band anteriorly interrupted medially, complete transverse dark band at middle which is the most prominent vertex mark, and with subbasal spot posteriorly; antenna pale brown ventrally, mostly light brown dorsally, except dark brown club, and dark basally; pronotum pale brown with many dark brown dots between submedial stripe which runs laterally at anterior margin and sublateral stripe which fades anteriorly but runs laterally at posterior margin; lateral margin mostly dark brown; mesoscutellum and metascutellum similar in coloration with broad sublateral bands at middle, pale anteriorly and posteriorly; mesopleuron and metapleuron about equal in coloration with narrow dark brown margin anteriorly; forewing without conspicuous dark brown spots; legs nearly all pale brown with faint dark brown apically on femur and tibia; abdomen mostly pale brown, tergite I nearly completely so, tergite II with median stripe at middle transected by lark brown stripe; tergite III with medial stripe before anterior margin. Chaetotaxy: forefemoral sense hair about five times as long as diameter of femur; midfemoral sense hair about three times as long as femur diameter; most setae dark brown including leg setae and abdominal setae; sternite VIII with many setae. Structure: antenna long, more than 40 flagellomeres, most flagellomeres longer than wide; labial palpus not inflated; pronotum about as long as wide; scutelli mostly flat; hind basitarsus shorter than distal tarsomere; forewing costal area narrow with cells longer than high.

Female: posterior gonapophysis about 2.5 times as long as greatest diameter.

Larva: mandible dark brown, longer than head capsule; dorsal head capsule with prominent submedian marks extending posteriorly from central head capsule; mesothoracic spiracle borne on long stalk.

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA. Northern Territory: Bardedjilidji Walk, Kakadu National Park, 13.IX.2005, Miller & Stange (5m, 2 f, FSCA).

Discussion.: This species appears most similar to X. pentlandensis but lacks the conspicuous dark brown spot in the forewing of X. pentlandensis . Also, the posterior gonapophysis of X. kakadu is at least twice as long as greatest diameter which contrasts with X. pentlandensis where the posterior gonapophysis is about as long as wide. These two species differ from other known Xantholeon by having the forefemoral sense hair more than five times as long as diameter of femur in combination in having the hind basitarsus over one-half the length of the distal tarsomere

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality. This name is treated as a noun in apposition.