Neoliomopterum picturatum Riek, 1976

Aristov, D. S., Prevec, R. & Mostovski, M. B., 2009, New and poorly known grylloblattids (Insecta: Grylloblattida) from the Lopingian of the Lebombo Basin, South Africa, African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 279-279 : 284-285

Neoliomopterum picturatum Riek, 1976

Figs 2C, 2D

Neoliomopterum picturatum: Riek 1976 b: 763 , pl. 1, fig. 7; Carpenter 1992: 111; Storozhenko 1998: 188. Redescription: Forewing length approx. 7 mm, width approx. 3.5 mm. R with one simple anterior branch. Stems of RS, MA and MP thickened basally and near wing midlength, abruptly thinning out in distal quarter, RS and MA simple, MP with 2 branches. Branches of CuA thickened. Crossveins simple and forming double row of cell in inter-radial field. Colour pattern in form of spots in intermedial and medial fields.

Holotype: NMSA 910 (Type no. 1972), impression of well-preserved brachypterous forewing without anal field. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Emakwezini Railway Station nr Empangeni; Permian , Lopingian , Beaufort Group , Emakwezini Formation.

Remarks: N. picturatum had originally been described as a forewing fragment of a representative of the family Liomopteridae (Riek 1976 b) . It remained in this family until some time ago ( Carpenter 1992), but later was transferred to Grylloblattida incertae sedis on the basis of its incomplete preservation ( Storozhenko 1998). Re-examination of the holotype illustrated by a photograph in the original description has shown that the preservation of the wing is almost complete. This species is characterized by a shortened wing, which is twice as long as it is broad (wings of the majority of grylloblattids are three times as long as broad), and by the stems of RS, MA, MP and CuA thickened basally and at the wing midlength. Such characters are typical of shortened wings, which can be divided into brachypterous and micropterous forms. In brachypterous individuals, the wing is longer than half of a fully developed wing, and does not have considerably modified venation. In micropterous individuals, the wing is shorter than half of a normal wing, and both its shape and venation are heavily modified ( Sinitshenkova 1987). Shortened wings are recorded in some grylloblattids. Micropterous wings are known in Protoblattiniella minutissima Meinier, 1912 from the Upper Carbo-

niferous locality of Commentry in France and Sylvamicropteron harpax Aristov, 2004 from the Kungurian locality of Tshekarda in Russia. The genus Protoblattiniella belongs to the family Protoperlidae (Storozhenko 2002) , and Sylvamicropteron has been described as Grylloblattida incertae sedis (Aristov 2004 a). Despite the unusual proportions of the wing, N. picturatum still displays venation typical of grylloblattids, suggesting that we are dealing with a brachypterous wing. A rather wide costal space that is traversed by simple branches of SC, and a simple CuA 1 are features typical of two grylloblattid families, viz. Liomopteridae and Chaulioditidae . The latter family is characterized by M being divided into MA and MP beyond the RS stem (Aristov 2004 b). This character is missing in Neoliomopterum , which favours its assignment to the Liomopteridae . N. picturatum differs from other liomopterids in having both a long SC, which reaches the wing apex, and oligomerized venation of RS, MA, MP and CuA 1. These differences are possibly caused by changed proportions of the wing, but the comparison with other known liomopterids does not offer an opportunity to synonymise this genus.

Figures

Fig. 2. New and poorly known grylloblattids: (A, B) Iphikozulu kwayayaensis Aristov & Mostovski, gen. et sp. n., holotype, forewing impression (A) and details of its venation (B); (C, D) Neoliomopterum picturatum Riek, 1976, holotype NMSA 910, forewing impression (C) and details of its venation (D). Scale bars 5 mm in Figs 2A, 2B, and 2 mm in Figs 2C, 2D.