Nemopterella cedrus Mansell & Abdalla, 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 : 12-14

Nemopterella cedrus Mansell & Abdalla sp. nov.

( Figs 12 , 15 , 19 , 32 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8D0B7A91-AF9F-4354-B0D6-EB01B8D20A54

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition from the Latin name Cedrus, a cedar tree, Widdringtonia cedarbergensis (the Clanwilliam or Cape cedar), for which the Cedarberg mountain range is named, and where the type specimens were collected.

Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province. Cedarberg, Sanddrift 32°29’16’’S 19°19’13’’E .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from its congeners by its small size, short antennae and the rounded apex of the forewings ( Figs 12 , 19 ).

Description. Size (mm). Male: body length 10.0 (9.5–10.4); forewing 22.5 (21–23.7); hind wing 50.3 (47.2– 53.5); antenna 16.3 (14.3–17.6). Female: body length 11.0 (9.7–12.9); forewing 23.0 (21.7–24.7); hind wing 45.8 (39–57.6); antenna 14.0 (13.2–15.8). Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 12 ): body length 9.7; forewing 22.8; hind wing 50.2; antenna 17.1. (N = 12).

Head. Yellow. Vertex reddish brown with longitudinal dark brown midline along epicranial suture. Pair of illdefined sub-triangular yellowish portions present lateral to epicranial suture on frons above antennae, their apices extended into torular area. In addition, a pair of yellow portions lateral to dark brown line. Frons below antennae tinged reddish brown. Genae cream coloured. Palpi blackish brown. Eyes small, widely separated.Antennae yellow proximally, dark brown distally with short black setae. Antennae short not reaching pterostigma. Apical segment blackish, ending in acute bare tooth.

Thorax. Yellow, slightly pruinose, with three distinct longitudinal dark brown mid and two lateral stripes, which extend onto the membranous area between pronotum and mesonotum ( Fig. 15 ). Midstripe extends backwards through prescutum, mesoscutellum and metanotum while lateral stripes are also visible along lateral sides of prescutum. Pronotum margins covered in erect, long black hairs more dense along fore margin, less dense along hind margin. Very fine somewhat long white hairs situated on disc between the two margins. Lateral sides of pronotum with long black hairs intermingled with long white hairs. Prescutum disc with robust, long dense black hairs while antero-lateral sides with long black hairs intermingled with sparse long white hairs. Sparse, stiff, short black hairs present on mesoscutum and mesoscutellum discs, being longer along hind margin of mesoscutellum. Mesoscutum posterior lateral sides with two groups of greyish hairs. A few very short black hairs present near base of each forewing. Sparse long white hairs admixed with black hairs present along hind margin and laterally on sides of mesoscutellum. Metanotum with two tufts of very long white hairs intermingled with long black hairs.

Forewings. Broad with broad rounded tip ( Figs 12 , 19 ). Venation blackish brown. Costa greyish brown. Subcosta brown proximally, light yellow to whitish distally towards pterostigma. Radius (R) brown. Other veins blackish brown. Subcostal and radial areas tinged with brown. Basal cells between the anal veins 1, 2 and 3 tinged dark brown. Proximal Cx near wing base shaded dark brown. Pterostigma white, short at base. Costal cells beyond pterostigma tinged with brown. Thirty Cx before pterostigma in right wing, 29 in left. Ten crossveins between R and Median (M) before origin of Radial sector (Rs) in right wing, 9 in left wing of the holotype. Twelve radial crossveins before pterostigma in both wings. Hind wings pale yellow proximally, whitish in the middle before the dark area. Longitudinal and crossveins pale yellow to creamy white near wing bases and whitish before the dark area, with brown membrane proximally and whitish distally towards the dark area. Dark area dark brown and approximately same length as white area. Whole wing clothed with black hairs even the white area except for areas near the bases of wings that have long white hairs. Legs yellow with short black setae and dark brown tips to femora.

Abdomen. Yellow, slightly pruinose. Dorsum with distinct broad, longitudinal, blackish brown mid and lateral stripes. Tergites with sparse, long white hairs, some long black hairs admixed with the white hairs on tergites 5–9. Venter yellow with sparse short black hairs. Apex yellow with dense, long black pubescence.

Variation. Some males have only white hairs on metanotum. In addition, the examined specimens differ in the number of costals as well as the number of radial crossveins.

Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province, Holotype ♂, NEUR12344 , Sanddrift, Cedarberg, 32°29’16’’S 19°19’13’’E, 840 m, 2.xii.2015, C.H.Scholtz, H.de Klerk. Paratypes: 2♂ 9♀, same data as holotype (All SANC) .

Distribution and habitat. This species is endemic to the Western Cape Province where it is known from only one locality within the Fynbos Biome ( Fig. 32 ). The collection site falls within the Cederberg Sandstone Fynbos vegetation unit in the Olifants Sandstone Fynbos Bioregion ( Mucina & Rutherford 2006). See the description of habitat in the unit under the distribution of N. africana .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Nemopterella cedrus Mansell & Abdalla sp. nov., male habitus Forewing length = 22.8 mm.

FIGURES 14–15. Nemopterella spp. Thorax. 14, Nemopterella africana; 15, Nemopterella cedrus

FIGURES 17–19. Nemopterella spp., male forewings. 17, N. africana; 18, N. kabas; 19, N. cedrus Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURES 32–33. Distributions of Nemopterella and Siccanda spp. 32, N. cedrus sp. nov and N. kabas sp.nov; 33, Siccanda arenaria (Tjeder).