Proneuronema damzeni, Makarkin & Wedmann, 2024

Makarkin, Vladimir N. & Wedmann, Sonja, 2024, A new species of Hemerobiidae (Neuroptera) from the late Eocene Rovno amber, Zootaxa 5538 (6), pp. 595-600 : 596-599

Proneuronema damzeni sp. nov.

Figs 1–3

Type material. Holotype: collection number MAIG 6804 (ex coll. Jonas Damzen JDC-10121R), deposited in the Museum of Amber Inclusions, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland. A complete specimen.

Type locality and horizon. Ukraine: Rovno region (precise locality unknown); late Eocene.

Etymology. From the surname of Jonas Damzen, a collector and examiner of amber.

Diagnosis. May be distinguished from the two other species of the genus by the following character states: larger size (forewing 7.3 mm long in the new species; 6.3–6.9 mm in P. minor ; 5.9 mm in P. sydorchukae ), forewing broader (length to width ratio 2.14 in the new species; 2.46 in P. sydorchukae ; 2.17–2.30 in P. minor ), and different forewing maculation (one spot at the third (‘inner’) gradate series in the new species; two in P. sydorchukae ; none in P. minor ).

Description. Head cuneiform with moderately large eyes. Frons and clypeus with scarce, relatively short setae; setae on vertex denser ( Fig. 2A ). Postocular lobe narrow. Labrum transverse, with rounded margin. Maxillary palpi 5-segmented; first and second segments short; third and fourth segments approximately twice longer; fifth (terminal) segment largest, fusiform, whole (additional sub-segment absent) ( Fig. 2B ). Labial palpi probably 3-segmented; terminal segment large, fusiform. Galea relatively large, with dense short setae apically; sclerotized finger-like apical process (digitus) not detected. Antennae moderately long; scapus relatively large; pedicellus slightly broader and twice as long as first flagellomeres.

Pronotum, mesonotum covered with dense relatively long setae. Pronotum saddle-shaped, with two large dorsal protrusions; lateral projections well developed, protruding more posteriorly than anteriorly. Mesonotum: presumed prescutum narrow, divided into two halves medially, probably fused with posterior margin of pronotum laterally; anterior part of mesoscutum (anteriad parapsidal sutures) triangular, divided in two by longitudinal median suture; posterior part of mesoscutum consisting of two lateral rounded convex lobes, strongly constricted medially; mesoscutellum posteriorly rounded.

Legs: Procoxa very long; profemur relatively narrow; protibia narrow; basiprotasus longest, fourth tarsomere shortest; first to fourth tarsomeres bear several bristles ventrally arranged in transverse row; claws narrow, acute, strongly curved; empodium large, broad, pad-like. Midleg resembles foreleg except with short, stout mesocoxa. Metacoxa short, stout; metafemur relatively narrow; metatibia long, slightly curved, thinner proximally and slightly swollen medially.

Forewing ovate, 7.3 mm long, 3.4 mm wide. Costal space broad. Most subcostal veinlets forked once including distal ones (except one in proximal portion, which is forked twice in both forewings); humeral veinlets strongly recurrent, with six branches (three simple, three forked once) in left wing, and five (two simple, four forked once) in right wing. Subcostal space moderately broad, with six crossveins (left wing): one basal, one intermediate, four distal (left wing). Posterior trace of RA distally simple with two once-forked veinlets (left wing); once forked with one simple and one once-forked veinlet (right wing). RA space (in this species between RA and ORB3) rather narrow with two crossveins belonging to third and fourth gradate series (left wing); three crossveins: one belongs to third gradate series and two closely spaced crossveins belongs to fourth gradate series (right wing). RP with three ORBs. ORB1 deeply forked once distad second gradate series; anterior branch of ORB1 deeply forked at third gradate series; posterior trace of ORB1 deeply forked proximad fourth gradate series. ORB2 forked distad fourth gradate series. ORB3 (RP proper) with four branches originating proximad fourth gradate series (of these, one deeply forked in left wing), forked distally once to three times. M basally not fused with R, forked distad origin of ORB1. MA and MP deeply forked between third and fourth gradate series; each branch shallowly forked once. CuA with five (left wings) pectinate branches, forked distally one to three times. CuP deeply forked, both branches shallowly forked once. A1 rather deeply forked, slightly proximad mid-point; anterior branch pectinately forked with four short simple branches; posterior branch twice forked. A2 deeply forked, proximad mid-point. A3 forked near its origin. Four gradate series of crossveins present: First (basal) series consists of six crossveins, from Sc to A3 (crossvein 1r-m absent); second series of four crossveins from ORB1 to CuP; third (“inner”) series consists of nine crossveins, from RA to CuA; fourth (“outer”) series complete, consisting of 24 (left wing) from RA to A1. Three folds clearly discernible: between posterior trace of ORB1, M/MA (radiomedial flexion line or medial flexion line); between Cu/CuP, A1 (cubitoanal flexion line or claval flexion line); and between A1, A2 rather (intra-anal flexion line). Fold between M, Cu (mediocubital flexion line) indistinct. Wing membrane fuscous with distinct dark brown spot at intracubital crossvein in third gradate series.

Hind wings mostly and abdomen completely not visible, covered by forewings.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Proneuronema damzeni sp. nov., holotype MAIG 6804. A, left side; B, right side. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Proneuronema damzeni sp. nov., holotype MAIG 6804. A, head and thorax, latero-dorsal view; B, head, frontal view. amsc, anterior part of mesoscutum; ga, galea; lbr, labrum; mp, maxillary palp; mscl, mesoscutellum; pmsc, posterior part of mesoscutum; prn, pronotum; psc, prescutum. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Forewing venation of Proneuronema damzeni sp. nov., holotype MAIG 6804 (left wing converted to standard view, with the apex to the right). Scale bar = 1 mm.