Ceraeochrysa fairchildi (Banks)

Sosa, Francisco & Freitas, Sergio De, 2011, A new synonym, a new male description and new geographical records for three Ceraeochrysa species (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), Zootaxa 2913, pp. 47-58 : 48-51

Ceraeochrysa fairchildi (Banks)

Figures 1–16 .

Chrysopa fairchildi Banks, 1946: 155 .

Ceraeochrysa fairchildi (Banks) : Adams, 1982: 72; Brooks & Barnard, 1990: 269; Freitas et al., 2009: 548, fig. 25. Ceraeochrysa acutipuppis Adams & Penny, 1985: 448 , figs. 143–146 (new synonym); Brooks & Barnard, 1990: 269; Freitas et al., 2009: 516, fig. 4.

Diagnosis. Externally, Ceraeochrysa fairchildi adults are recognized by its green pale body, unusual scape without stripes or lateral patch, and the orangish yellow strip laterally on the pronotum. The apodeme of the sternite 9 + ectoproct is strongly sclerotized and branched dorsally and ventrally at the callus cerci level. This character is shared with C. acmon Penny 1997 , which may be distinguished from C. fairchildi by its black flagellum and lateral brown patch on the scape. The most distinguishing trait in females is the C-shaped spermatheca.

Description. Head. Frons and vertex green unmarked; maxillary and labial palpi green pale; scape and pedicel green immaculate; flagellum pale with black bristles. Thorax. Pronotum green with lateral- median stripe orangish yellow; meso- and metanotum green ( Figs. 1–4 ); pleura green pale; legs green; tarsi clear. Forewing with longitudinal veins green; crossveins: costal crossveins 4–10; bsx, Rs + Ma and radial crossveins dark green. Hindwing with green veins ( Figs. 5–6 ). Abdomen. Green. Male characters. Apodeme of tergite 9 + ectoproct strongly sclerotized and branched dorsally and ventrally at the callus cerci level; apex of sternite 8 + 9 with long setae on chalazae ( Fig. 7 ). Gonarcal arc broad and curved; lateral arms narrow, with an inverted comma-shape; gonocornua flattened, square-shaped ( Figs. 8–9 ); arcessus with apex pointing ventrally and laterally lobulated ( Figs. 10–11 ); lateral processes with two divergent horn-like lobes ( Figs. 10–11 ); gonossacus prominent with numerous scamiform gonocristae, gonosetae at the lower region on papillae. Gonapsis elongated, apex bifurcated ( Fig. 12 ). Female characters. According to Adams & Penny (1985) for C. acutipuppis : abdomen green; apex of 7th sternite with long setae originating from chalazae; spermatheca C-shaped, with anterior extremity flattened; ventral impression superficial; spermathecal duct short, laterally originating from the anterior extremity; subgenitale triangular, dorsally lobulated ( Figs. 13–16 ).

Male mean measurements (mm), n = 5. Head: width 1.8 (range 1.6–1.9). Pronotum: length 0.8; width 1.4 (range 1.3–1.4). Forewing: length 13.7 (range 13.4–13.9), width 4.5 (range 4.4–4.7), ratio = 3.0 (range 2.9–3.1); 2– 4 inner and 6–7 outer gradates. Hindwing: length 12.3 (range 12.0–12.6), width 3.8 (range 3.7–4.0), ratio = 3.2 (range 3.2–3.3); 2–3 inner and 6–7 outer gradates. Female mean measurements (mm), n = 4. Head: width 1.8 (range 1.7–1.9). Pronotum: length 0.8 (range 0.7–0.9), width 1.4 (range 1.3–1.4). Forewing: length 13.9 (range 13.3–14.4), width 4.6 (range 4.4–4.7), ratio = 3.0 (range 3.0–3.1). 2–3 inner and 6–8 outer gradates. Hindwing: length 12.4 (range 11.9–12.7), width 3.9 (range 3.6–4.0), ratio = 3.2 (range 3.2–3.3). 2–3 inner and 6–7 outer gradates.

Remarks. According to previous publications, the female genitalia of this species was unknown, and the male of C. acutipuppis was unknown. Our collecting in Venezuela and Roraima, Brazil, the type locality of C.

acutipuppis , resulted in a pattern of sympatry and seasonal synchrony of the male of C. fairchildi and the female of C. acutipuppis . After a careful examination of these two species, we recognized that the male C. fairchildi and the female C. acutipuppis shared the same external morphological characters with each other. The similarities we observed between these two species are unique and not found in other Ceraeochrysa species. Furthermore, the descriptions by Banks (1946), Adams & Penny (1985) and Freitas et al. (2009) are analogous.

Banks (1946) described this species from a single female specimen (holotype). Adams & Penny (1985) described C. acutipuppis based on a female specimen and provided detailed descriptions and illustrations of the subgenitale, spermatheca, and 7th sternite. Freitas et al. (2009) redescribed C. fairchildi based on the male genitalia; however, they did not consider the female genitalia corresponding to the holotype.

On the basis above, we recognize C. acutipuppis is the same species as C. fairchildi , hence we assign C. acutipuppis Adams & Penny (1985) as a junior synonym of C. fairchildi ( Banks, 1946) . In a clarifying note, Sosa & Freitas (2010) cited Adams & Penny (1985) with a wrong year, 1987.

Material examined. VENEZUELA: Lara: Barquisimeto, Pampero (10º 12’ N, 69o 17’ W, 645 m), 14.vii.2007, J. Torres, 13, 3Ƥ ( UCOB); Cabudare, Tarabana (10º 01’ N, 69º 16’W, 515 m), 13.vii.2007, F. Sosa & J. Torres, 13, 1Ƥ ( UCOB); Idem, 31.vii.2007, F. Sosa & M. Roa, 13 ( UCOB); Idem, 08.vii.2007, F. Sosa & J. Torres, 13, ( UCOB); Falcón: Chichiriviche (10o 56’N, 68o 17’W, 4 m), 10.ii.2010, F. Sosa, 1Ƥ ( UCOB); Aragua: La Morita, 11.iv.2001, 13, 1Ƥ, ( MIZA), on Croton sp.; BRAZIL: Roraima: Boa Vista, Bonfim [3º 21’N, 59º 50’W, 89 m], vi.2008, Massaro A., 43 ( SFC); Idem, i.2008, Massaro A., 13, N o 1902 alcohol ( SFC); Idem, ii.2008, 13, Massaro A., N o 1903 alcohol ( SFC); Idem, III2008, 13, Massaro A., N o 1904, alcohol ( SFC); Idem, 9.vi.2009, Massaro A., 13, 1Ƥ ( SFC); Idem, v.2008, Massaro A., 1Ƥ, N o 1119, absolute alcohol ( SFC).

Geographical distribution. PANAMA, TRINIDAD, BRAZIL, and VENEZUELA (new record).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Ceraeochrysa fairchildi (El Pampero, Lara, Venezuela). 1) Female, head, frontal view; 2) Female, head and thorax, dorsal view (Figs. 1 – 2 shown as C. acutipuppis); 3) Male, head, frontal view; 4) Male, head and thorax, dorsal view; 5) Female wings (shown as of C. acutipuppis); 6) Male wings.

FIGURES 7 – 16. Ceraeochrysa fairchildi, genitalia structures (Barquisimeto, El Pampero, Lara, Venezuela). 7 – 12): Male. 7) Sternite 9 + ectoproct with apodeme projecting dorsally behind and ventrally below the callus cerci; 8) Dorsocaudal view, see detail of gonocornua and lateral processes; 9) Dorsal view; 10) lateral view; 11) Detail of gonocornu, lateral processes, arcessus and mediuncus, lateral view; 12) Gonapsis; 13 – 16) Female, (Barquisimeto, El Pampero, Lara, Venezuela). 13) Subgenitale; 14) Spermatheca, lateral view showing shallow ventral impression; 15 – 16) Spermatheca, latero-frontal view showing the anterior extremity flattened (shown as of female C. acutipuppis). ap = apodeme; cc = callus cerci; dbr = apodeme dorsal branch; go = gonarcus; gcr = gonocristae; gco = gonocornu; gst = gonosetae; la = gonarcus lateral arm; lp = lateral process; mu = mediuncus; vbr = ventral branch of apodeme; vi = ventral impression.