Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) crenata, Sziráki, György, 2020

Sziráki, György, 2020, A Contribution To Knowledge Of The Genus Coniopteryx (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) In Madagascar, With Descriptions Of 18 New Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 66 (3), pp. 203-246 : 213-217

Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) crenata sp. n.

( Figs 24–29)

Examined material – Holotype: male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Ampasidava, Forêt d’Ambilanivy , 3.9 km S of Ambaliha, 13°47’55” S, 48°09’42” E, 600 m a.s.l., 4–9. III. 2001, rain forest, Malaise trap, leg.: F,G et al.; deposited in the collection of CAS; CASTYPE number: 20014. Paratypes: 3 males, Madagascar, Antananarivo Province, 3 km NE of Andranomay, 11.5 km of Anjororobe , 18°28’ 24” S, 47°57’36” E, 1300 m a.s.l., 5–13. XII. 2000, mountain rain forest, Malaise trap, leg. F, G et al. Two of the paratypes deposited in the collection of CAS , while one is housed in HNHM.

Description: Length of the body 1.4–1.6 mm. Head capsule light brown, palpi pale ochreous. Anterior edge of vertex with a prominent, laterally flattened projection between the antennae. Eyes moderately large, black. Antennae yellowish brown, 0.9–1.2 mm, 28–31 segmented. Scape slightly wider than long, pedicel somewhat longer than wide. Flagellar segments 1–2 and 11–18 about two times as wide as long, segments 6–7 three or four times as wide as long, while the segments 21–26 about as long as wide. Pedicel has a small, while the first flagellar segment a highly elongated, well separated outgrowth subapically, with relatively short setae ( Fig. 24). The regular setae of flagellum moderately long. Besides, this type of setae of the first flagellar segment has a prominent base, separated from the long outgrowth. Ordinary hairs are in two rather irregular rings on pedicel and on flagellar segments. Scale-like hairs are dispersed sparsely on large part of pedicel, and situated in a dense, broad whorl apically on the flagellar segments.

Thorax, legs and pregenital part of abdomen pale ochreous. Shoulder spots light brown, thoracal sutures and apodemes mostly light or medium brown. Length of the fore wing 1.8–2.2 mm, of hind wing 1.3–1.5 mm. Longitudinal veins light yellowish brown, wing membrane hyaline or light brown.

Male terminalia ( Figs 25–29) normally sclerotized, light or medium brown. Ventral apodeme of gonarcus and anterior apodeme of hypandrium medium brown. Hypandrium longer than high in lateral view. Processus terminalis very narrow and acute in lateral view, and with tapering subtriangular endings in ventral view. Median incision narrow u-shaped and deep, with a small subapical inner outgrowth, and with a hyaline median edge. Processus lateralis elongated caudally; its several caudal setae have extraordinarily large bases, giving a crenated appearance to this sclerite. Otherwise, setae of processus lateralis are rather short. Ventral part of the anterior apodeme of the hypandrium moderately broad and slightly bent backward, while its lateral parts narrow. Ventral apodeme of gonarcus thin. Stylus forked; its outer branch distinctly curved forwards. The two – basally very broad – inner branches forming a distinct ventral bridge below the parameres. Paramere moderately long, with a lateral view sinuous anterior part. Processus ventralis of paramere strong. Processus apicalis rather large, with a dorsal part pointed in lateral view, and with a large – in caudal view sharp – caudal angle. Dorsal part of processus apicalis in caudal view rounded dorsally. The penis sclerite consists of two moderately chitinized, slightly bent rods.

Remarks: Coniopteryx (C.) crenata sp. n. belongs to the Coniopteryx lobifrons group sensu SZIRÁKI (2005), and – because of the similar basic structure of hypandrium and paramere – it is close to Coniopteryx (C.) malgasensis Sziráki, 2015 .

lateral view, 26 = male terminalia, ventral view, 27 = male terminalia, caudal view, 28 = male internal genitalia, lateral view, 29 = male internal genitalia, ventral view. Scales: 0.04 mm

The main distinctive features of the new species are:

− outgrowth of the first flagellar segment well separated and extremely long;

− bases of some setae on processus lateralis extraordinarily large;

− median incision of processus terminalis of hypandrium deep;

− processus terminalis narrow and acute in lateral view;

− processus ventralis of paramere strong;

− dorsal part of processus apicalis rounded dorsally in caudal view.

Etymology: The new species is named after the crenated (almost toothed) caudal edge of processus lateralis of hypandrium.

Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) fianarantsoana sp. n.

( Figs 30–34)

Examined material – Holotype: male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, lower Vahiporara, 21°14’ S, 47°24’ E, 1000 m a.s.l., 23. IV. 1998, leg.: G, K, P, MR, JR, JS & U; deposited in the collection of CAS; CASTYPE number: 20015. Paratypes: 1 male, Madagascar, Antananarivo Province, 3 km NE of Andranomay, 11.5 km of Anjororobe , 18°28’ 24” S, 47°57’36” E, 1300 m a.s.l., 5–13. XII. 2000, mountain rain forest, Malaise trap, leg. F, G et al .; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Belle Vue at Talatakely , 21°15’59” S, 47°25’13” E, 1200 m a.s.l., 12–19. II. 2002, secondary tropical forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH ; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Jirama Water Works , 21°14’55” S, 47°27’08” E, 690 m a.s.l., 16. X – 8. XI. 2001, near to the river, Malaise trap, leg. HH ; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vahiporara , 21°13’34” S, 47°22’11” E, 1110 m. a.s.l., 4–12. II. 2002, mountain rainforest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH ; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vahiporara at broken bridge, 21°13’34” S, 47°22’11”, 1100 m a.s.l., 15–21. XII. 2001, mountain rain forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH ; 1 male, same data but 24. XII. 2001 – 2. I. 2002 ; 1 male, same data but 4–12. II. 2002. Five of the paratypes deposited in the collection of CAS, one is housed in HNHM. It should be mentioned that almost all of the examined specimens were in more or less poor condition, with somewhat softened sclerotization .

Description: Length of the body 1.5–1.8 mm. Head capsule and palpi pale ochreous. Anterior edge of vertex with a moderately large, laterally flattened projection between the antennae. The eyes seem to be variable in size, being moderately or very large. Antennae ( Fig. 30) light brown, 1.0– 1.2 mm, 27–32 segmented. Scape slightly wider than long, pedicel about 1.5 times longer than wide. Basal flagellar segments cca. two times as wide as long, while the median ones are rather variable: about 1.5–2 times wider than long. First flagellar segment basally has a small inner outgrowth consist of merged outstanding bases of moderately long setae, and there are some other setae with prominent bases around the regular seta. The latter group of setae is separated clearly from the basal outgrowth. Pedicel without any outgrowth. Regular setae are relatively short, and situated on prominent bases on 2–8 flagellar segments. Ordinary hairs are in an apical ring on the scape, in two somewhat irregular rings on pedicel, and situated rather irregularly on flagellar segments. Scale-like hairs are dispersed sparsely on large part of pedicel and on the basal half of the first flagellar segment, and arranged in a broad whorl on the apical half of the flagellomeres (including the first one).

Thorax, legs and pregenital part of abdomen pale ochreous. Shoulder spots and thoracal sutures and apodemes light or medium brown. Length of the fore wing 1.9–2.3 mm, of hind wing 1.4–1.6 mm. Wing membrane hyaline, or has a very light brownish tint.

Male terminalia ( Figs 31–34) of the examined specimens medium brown. Hypandrium in lateral view about as long as high. Apparent processus terminalis of hypandrium very short, pointed in lateral and rounded in ventral view. However, dorsally of this sclerite there is a paired hyaline, but distinctly sclerotized inner structure, which surely is homologous with the inner structure of some other species (e. g.: Coniopteryx (C.) auricularia ), but may contain also some parts of the original processus terminalis because of the well developed hairs on its surface. This inner structure in lateral view pointed or tapering, in ventral view rounded. (A small sharp unevenness – visible in lateral or in ventral view – may be present on it.) True median incision is absent, but there is a rounded „incision” between the two parts of the above mentioned inner structure. Processus lateralis prominent. Its setae rather short, with moderately developed bases. Anterior apodeme of hypandrium and ventral apodeme of gonarcus narrow. Stylus forked; its outer branch strongly curved forwards, in lateral view serrated finely and ending in 2–3 small teeth. The inner branches 34 = male internal genitalia, lateral view. Scales: 0.04 mm

of styli lobe-like in ventral or caudal view, and connected by a rather weak bridge below the parameres. Besides, a membraneous connecting belt situated dorsally of parameres. Paramere is rather long, and slightly bent. Processus apicalis of this sclerite moderately large; its dorsal ending hooked in lateral- and subtriangular in caudal view. Processus ventralis indistinct. Penis sclerite consists of two slightly bent rods.

Remarks: Coniopteryx (C.) fianarantsoana sp. n. belongs to the Coniopteryx lobifrons group sensu SZIRÁKI (2005), and – because of the similar arrangement of hypandrium (including the presence of a well developed inner structure)

and the similarity of paramere – it is close to Coniopteryx (C.) auricularia sp.

n.. Besides, because the rather similar construction of the inner structure of hypandrium C. fianarantsoana seems to be closely related to Coniopteryx (C.)

geniculata sp.n. Moreover, some important features of male genitalia resembles to Coniopteryx (C.) harinhalai sp. n. (see ahead).

Regarding C. auricularia the main distinctive features of Coniopteryx (C.)

fianarantsoana sp. n. are:

− basal outgrowth of the first flagellar segment small, and it appears as fused bases of setae;

− around the apically situated regular seta of the first flagellar segment there are some other setae with outstanding base. The basal and apical groups of setae are clearly separated;

− processus terminalis of hypandrium extremely short;

− inner structure of hypandrium is paired, in lateral view pointed or tapering sclerite;

− outer branch of stylus finely serrated, and endings in small teeth;

− inner branch of stylus lobe-like in lateral and in caudal view;

− there is not an, in ventral view U-shaped, additional sclerite around the penis (which present in C. auricularia );

− processus apicalis of paramere subtriangular in caudal view. (For separation from C. geniculata sp. n. and from C. harinhalai sp. n. see in the description of the latter species.)

Etymology: The new species is named after the Fianarantsoa Province, where the holotype and three of the four paratypes were collected.