Italochrysa aequalis ( Walker, 1853 )

Hassan, Muhammad Asghar & Liu, Xingyue, 2022, The green lacewings of Pakistan (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a faunal review with new records of genera and species, Zootaxa 5180 (1), pp. 1-83 : 6-10

Italochrysa aequalis ( Walker, 1853)

( Figs 5–7 , 53 )

Chrysopa aequalis Walker, 1853: 266 . Type locality: Unknown.

Diagnosis and notes

Italochrysa aequalis is very similar to I. lefroyi by similar body characters and wing venation, but it can be differentiated only by the presence of dark bands on each femur (see further details under I. lefroyi ). Italochrysa aequalis has remained one of the least known lacewing species from the Indian subcontinent since its original description in 1853. However, this species has subsequently been recorded from China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines ( Yang 1997; Yang et al. 2005; Ghosh & Sen 1977; Oswald 2022).

Redescription

Measurements (2♂, 4♀). Forewing: length ♂ 19.5–20.0 mm, ♀ 19.5–20.7 mm, width ♂ 5.5 mm, ♀ 5.7–6.0 mm; hindwing: length ♂ 19.0 mm, ♀ 17.2–18.2 mm, width ♂ 5.0 mm, ♀ 5.0– 5.5 mm; body length: ♂ 11.6 mm, ♀ 10.0–11.0 mm.

Head ( Figs 6A–C ). Vertex moderately raised, unmarked, proximal 1/2 brownish orange, distal 1/2 pale yellow, rounded in frontal view. Postorbital sclerite unmarked. Frons yellow, with distinct epistomal suture. Clypeus yellow, with short yellow setae. Labrum brownish yellow, with short yellow setae. Genae yellow, unmarked. Maxillary and labial palpi brownish yellow, with short yellow setae. Antennae shorter than forewing length; scape unmarked, orange, slightly longer than width; pedicel unmarked, orange; flagellum dark brown, each flagellomere with five rings, with short dark brown setae.

Thorax ( Figs 6C–D ). Pronotum slightly wider than long (length 0.90–1.00 mm, width 1.60–2.00 mm), reddish brown with light yellow markings, proximally concave-shaped in dorsal view. Mesonotum dark brown with median yellow stripe; prescutum yellow, narrowly dark stripe around margins; mesoscutum yellow, laterally dark brown with a narrow yellow spot at wing base; metascutellum yellow, proximal 1/4 with dark brown stripe. Metanotum dark brown, medially with pale yellow stripe. Pleurite yellow, with dark brown stripes, covered with short yellow setae ( Fig. 6F ).

Legs ( Fig. 6F ). Pale yellow, except femora with a median dark spot, covered with short pale yellow setae. Foreleg: Coxae and trochanter dark brown; femur with a narrow dark spot at extreme base, and subdistally with a larger dark spot; tibia pale yellow, anterolaterally at proximal 2/3 with a narrow dark spot; tarsomeres brownish. Mid leg: Coxae and trochanter dark brown, slightly pale yellow at apex; femur pale yellow, subdistally with a larger dark spot; tibia pale yellow, anterolaterally at proximal 1/3 with brownish spot; tarsomeres brownish. Hind leg: Coxae dark brown, slightly pale yellow at apex; trochanter dark brown; femur with a large median dark brown spot; tibia pale yellow; tarsomeres brownish. Pretarsal claws with basal dilation, arcuated laterally ( Fig. 6E ).

Wings ( Figs 5A–B ). Veins brownish yellow, covered with short yellow setae. Forewing: Costal area relatively narrow at both ends, slightly wider at the longest subcostal veinlets (4–12). Subcostal area with seven to nine crossveins below pterostigma. Pterostigma pale brown. 18–20 radial cells (r cell). Six Banksian cells (b cell); six lower Banksian cells (b’ cell). Basal crossvein between Rs and M (r-m 1) oblique, meets after middle of im cell. Median arculus (m-cu2), Pseudomedia (Psm), and pseudocubitus (Psc) brownish yellow. Two series of gradates, both meeting psm; 11 inner gradates (ig) and 11–12 outer gradates (og). Two intramedian cells; first intramedian cell (im1) quadrate (length 0.90–2.00 mm). Second median cell (m2) is slightly longer than third median cell (m3). Three intracubital cells (two closed); first (icu1) is longer than second (icu2). Hindwing: Costal area relatively narrow at both ends. Subcostal area with eight crossveins below pterostigma. Pterostigma pale brown. 17 radial cells (r cell). Six Banksian cells (b cell); six lower Banksian cells (b’ cell). Pseudomedia (Psm) and pseudocubitus (Psc) brownish yellow. Two series of gradates; nine inner gradates and nine outer gradates.

Abdomen ( Figs 6C–D, F ). Tergum and sternum dark brown, covered with short yellow setae. Tergum and sternum of each pregenital segment distally with a narrow yellow stripe.

Male genitalia ( Figs 7A–B, E–I ). Tergum 8 (T8) quadrate in lateral view. T9+ectoproct reniform in lateral view, covered with brownish setae. Dorsal arm of apodeme (da) on T9+ectoproct transverse, pointed at apex; submarginal apodeme (sa) of S8+9 straight. Callus cerci (cc) oblong, with 39 trichobothria. S8+9 fused, without suture, quadrate in lateral view, distally with a dark protrusion of penguin-shaped; S8+9 shorter than T9+ectoproct in lateral view. Gonarcus (gon) short and broad, with lateral projections. A pair of long horn-shaped parameres (pa), distal portion slightly diverged and pointed. Arcessus (arc) quadrate. Hypandrium internum (hi) V-shaped. Comes (c) slender in dorsal view.

Female genitalia ( Figs 7C–D, J ). Tergum 8 (T8) quadrate in lateral view. T9+ectoproct rounded in lateral view. Sternum 7 (S7) trapezoidal in lateral view. Gonaphophyses lateralis (gl) oblong in lateral view. Callus cerci (cc) oblong, with 60 trichobothria. Subgenitale (sg) quadrate, bilobed distally, distinctly visible in lateral view. Spermatheca (sm) narrow, rounded, doughnut-shaped, with distinct median rounded invagination (inv).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Italochrysa aequalis (Walker). A. Male habitus; B. Female habitus. Scale bar: 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 6. Italochrysa aequalis (Walker). Male.A. Head, frontal view; B. Head and pronotum, lateral view; C. Dorsal habitus; D. Ventral habitus; E. Hind pretarsal claw; F. Lateral habitus. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.

FIGURE 7. Italochrysa aequalis (Walker). A. Male genitalia, lateral view; B. Same, ventral view; C. Female genitalia, lateral view; D. Same, ventral view. E. Close view of S8+9 distally, lateral view; F. Parameres, dorsal view; G. Same, ventral view; H. Hypandrium internum, dorsal view; I. Gonarcus and arcessus, ventral view; J. Subgenitale, ventral view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm (A– D). Abbreviations: arc = arcessus; c = comes; cc = callus cerci; da = dorsal arm of apodeme; gl = gonaphophyses lateralis; gon = gonarcus; hi = hypandrium internum; pa = parameres; S = sternum; S8+9 = fused eighth and ninth sterna; sa = submarginal apodeme; sg = subgenitale; T = tergum; T9+ect = fused ninth tergum and ectoproct.

FIGURE 53. Distribution map of the Italochrysa species from Pakistan.