Neuroleon lapidarius Michel & Akoudjin

Michel, Bruno & Akoudjin, Massouroudini, 2012, Review of Neuroleon Navás of West Africa with descriptions of four new species (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae), Zootaxa 3519, pp. 32-52 : 37-39

Neuroleon lapidarius Michel & Akoudjin , nov. sp.

( Figs. 15–21 )

Diagnosis. Medium sized species ( Fig. 15 ). General coloration reddish brown. Abdomen with a large yellowish dot on each side of tergites III to VIII ( Fig. 18 ). Longitudinal veins with black striations more dense and regular on subcosta ( Fig. 16 ).

Description. Head. Labrum and clypeus yellowish. Face yellow to reddish. Two arched markings under scapes separated or united medially. Vertex yellowish with rows of brown markings variably fused. Scape generally with dark marking ventrally. Last joint of labial palp dilated, pointed at apex. Thorax. Pronotum pattern as in figure 17. Legs. Fore coxae with one to three stout white setae. Femora yellowish, darker dorsally. Tibiae brown basally and apically with brown ring at basal 1/3. Tarsomeres brown apically ( Fig. 17 ). Femora and tibiae with stout black or white bristles. Sensory seta short. Spurs of fore and middle legs as long as tarsomeres 1–2. Spurs of hind legs as long as tarsomere 1. Wings ( Figs 15, 16 ). Fore wing 3 18–20 mm, ♀ 20–23 mm. Hind wing 3 17–18 mm, ♀ 19–22 mm. Forewing. Wide, pointed apically, with three to six crossveins in apical field. Membrane hyaline. Longitudinal veins with white and brown dotted lines, more regular on SC. Some crossveins between R and RS bordered with brown. Rhegmal and cubital marks small. Pterostigma small, more marked in female. Hind wing. Moderately falcate. Longitudinal veins light yellow, dark at junctions with some crossveins ( Fig. 16 ). Abdomen. As long as forewing in male (18–19 mm), shorter than forewing in female (15–16 mm). Tergites reddish brown with two lateral yellowish dots ( Fig. 18 ). Male. Ectoprocts ovoid ( Fig. 19 ). Parameres slender, without setae. Seven to eight long gonosetae ( Figs 19, 20 ). Female. Gonapophyseal plate sinuate ( Fig. 21 ).

Type material examined. Holotype 3 MALI Natiékoura (about 20 km from Sikasso [11°20’N – 05°51’W] road to Bougouni ) 02.II.1998, between 16:00–17:00 (Coll. CIRAD-CBGP) . Paratypes (4 3, 5 ♀♀) MALI Natiékoura 13 22.II.1997 ; 1♀ 24.II.1997, between 16:00–17:00 ; 1♀ 25.II.1997, about 17:00 ; 13 27.II.1997, 17:00 ; 13 1♀ 04.III.1998, about 17:00 ; 1♀ 18.III.1996 ; 13 25.III.1997 . Sikasso about 11 km North of the city [11°26’33’’N – 05°39’33’’W], 1♀ 20.III.1998, 17:30, grass savanna along the track to Longorola on the shaded side of a rock (All in coll. CIRAD-CBGP).

Etymology. Referring to the behavior of resting on stones (Adjective derived from the Latin name lapis, lapidus = stone)

Ecology. Occurs in grass and tree savannas. Adults emerge during the dry season, in February–March. Males and females rest on the shaded side of lateritic stone. Their color similar to that of the stones is probably a cryptic protection against predators. It is interesting to note that this homochromy is shared by some other species of Myrmeleontidae and Ascalaphidae living in the same environment during the dry season and resting also on lateritic stones.

Distribution. Known only from two localities of southern Mali which are 25 km apart.

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 21. Neuroleon lapidarius, sp. nov. 15 — Habitus of male. 16. Fore body and left wings of female. 17 — Vertex and thorax. 18 — Abdomen. 19 — Right view of male ectoproct and genitalia. 20 — Ventral view of male genitalia. 21 — Female terminalia.