Purenleon cavei Miller and Stange, 2014

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2014, A revision of the genus Purenleon Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Nemoleontini), Insecta Mundi 2014 (384), pp. 1-67 : 34-36

Purenleon cavei Miller and Stange , new species

Figures 68–72 , 148–151

Holotype male, Playa Perú, Atlantida, Honduras, V.4.1993, R. Miller & L. Stange ( FSCA).

Diagnosis. Pronotum without elongate white bristles at lateral margin, sometimes shorter, often black bristles present which are much shorter than those on forecoxa with some white bristles longer than coxal diameter, restricted to posterior margin; scutum without elongate, white bristles; forefemur without long setae on exterior face; hindtibia with some elongate black bristles longer than tibial spurs; hindtibial spurs reach beyond tarsomere II; midfemoral sense hair about same length as forefemoral sense hair.

Holotype male. Length of body to tergite IX 22 mm, forewing and hindwing about 25 mm. Coloration: head with vertex scars (two rows of four scars each) dark brown; no defined epicranial mark; broad dark brown interantennal band which extends slightly below; frons and clypeus pale brown; postgena dark brown; mouthparts pale brown except dark brown cardo and darker sensorial area on distal labial palpomere; antenna with scape and pedicel dark brown basally, laterally and mesally, light brown apically; flagellomeres with basal half dark brown medially, rest light brown; clava mostly dark brown; pronotum ( Fig. 68 ) mostly dark brown, with light brown median line anteriorly, light brown area sublaterally and at anterior lateral margin; mesonotum and metanotum mostly dark brown with pale brown mostly at trans-scutal suture and somewhat laterally on mesonotum; metanotum with reddish scars submedially near middle; scutelli mostly dark brown with pale brown line medially, some pale brown sublaterally and subapically; legs as in Fig. 69 , forecoxa mostly pale brown; abdominal tergites mostly dark brown,with prominent pale brown spot submedially at basal one-fourth of tergites II–VIII; sternites mostly pale brown with elongate dark brown stripe submedially; ectoproct mostly pale brown. Chaetotaxy: head with fine setae mostly, prominent, mostly pale setae on frons, clypeus and labrum; pronotum with some elongate white bristles at lateral margin, often with dark brown setae laterally and posteriorly; mesonotum with curved row of about 12 outstanding white bristles near middle; mesoscutellum with small dark brown setae posterior and submedial white setae; thoracic pleura with many long white setae but not distally swollen; abdomen with very small setae except posteriorly with many light brown setae; forefemur without long setae on exterior face; forecoxa with elongate white setae restricted to posterior margin; femora and tibiae with mostly dark brown bristles; forefemur and midfemur with white bristles anteriorly; midfemoral sense hair about one half as long as forefemoral sense hair, about three fourths as long as femur; hindtibia with some elongate black bristles longer than tibial spurs. Structure: antenna with about 33 flagellomeres, flagellomere I longer than broad, rest broader than long; distal palpomere of labius weakly swollen; pronotum broader than long measured along midline; hind basitarsus about four times longer than median diameter, hindtibial spurs reach beyond tarsomere II; foreleg basitarsus about 2.5 times longer than median diameter, tibial spurs reach tarsomere IV; forewing and hindwing same length, hindwing narrower; forewing costal area expands gradually from base, without interconnected crossveins except rarely toward stigma; CuP + lA of forewing runs obliquely to hind margin along posterior fork of CuA at a point near origin of radial sector; male genitalia ( Fig. 71 ) with strongly arched gonarcus, no mediuncus; paramere divided into two dark brown sclerites densely covered with small wart-like bumps; sclerite most medial curves strongly from gonarcus to near articulation with other sclerite, shape complex, broadest toward other sclerite; other sclerite much larger than medial sclerite, pear-shaped with area near gonarcus narrow about twice as wide as long, lower extension expanded two to four times toward lower end.

Female ( Fig. 72 ): about as described for male except for terminalia with ectoproct with short postventral which has very long setae apically; posterior gonapophyses well separated, about four times longer than median diameter, longest setae near middle of exterior face; gonapophyseal plate elongate; lateral gonapophyses well separated, about three times longer than greatest diameter; spermatheca elongate (at least 12 times longer than diameter), strongly bent apically.

Variation. Length of body ranges between 18 to 24 mm, that of forewing and hindwing 22 to 29 mm.

Larva. Fig. 148–151 . Ventral surface of head capsule with sublateral dark brown spot near middle; distance between teeth 1 and 3 longer than that between base and tooth 1, dorsal surface covered with small dolichasters; dorsal surface of head capsule with many large dolichasters, including submedial row posterior to lateral tentorial suture; mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle about twice as long as wide abdominal spiracles on large (usually longer than basal width) papilliform tubercles beset with short dolichasters; dorsal surface of abdomen with many bead-like setae.

Biology. The larvae of this species are associated with rock overhangs with loose soil beneath and protected against moisture. This is a leg anchoring species.

Types. 5 males, 11 females. 3 larvae. December to May.

HONDURAS. Atlantida: Playa Perú. V.4.1993, reared, Miller and Stange (3 larvae, 5m, 6f, FSCA) . La Ceiba: El Sauce, 7.III.1987, R. Cave (3f, FSCA) ; La Ceiba, 1500’, 3. V.1993, Miller and Stange (1f, FSCA) ; Posta 2.XII.1988 (2f, FSCA) .

Discussion. This species is similar to two others that occur in Honduras, P. debilis and P. iniquus , in having the paramere divided into two, strongly sclerotized sclerites densely covered with small wartlike bumps and also in having many erect bristles on the pronotum and mesonotum.

Etymology. This species is named for Rodney D. Cave who has contributed much to our knowledge of the Honduran entomofauna.

Figures

Figures 68–72. Purenleon cavei Miller and Stange, adult. 68) head and thorax; 69) lateral view; 70) wings; 71) male genitalia; 72) female terminalia, ventral view.

Figures 148–151. Purenleon cavei Miller and Stange, larva. 148) dorsal view; 149) ventral view; 150) dorsal view of head; 151) ventral view of head. Figures 152–155. Purenleon clavatus (Navás), larva. 152) dorsal view; 153) ventral view; 154) dorsal view of head; 155) ventral view of head.