Ungla confraterna (Banks, 1913)

Tauber, Catherine A., Sosa, Francisco, Albuquerque, Gilberto S. & Tauber, Maurice J., 2017, Revision of the Neotropical green lacewing genus Ungla (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae), ZooKeys 674, pp. 1-188 : 92-99

Ungla confraterna (Banks, 1913) Figs 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129

Chrysopa confraterna Banks, 1913. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 15: 140-141. "Chacra di Coris, Argentine, 26 February, 20 March". Penny 1977: 17 (list). Suarius confraternus (Banks), by Adams 1975: 171. Ungla confraterna (Banks), by Brooks and Barnard 1990: 276 (catalog); Freitas 2007: 415 (key to adults); Oswald 2015. Holotype (Figs 120, 121). MCZ, male (examined); holoytpe by monotypy. Body discolored but otherwise in good condition, bearing Banks’ type label. The type locality, Chacras de Coria, is in the northeastern region of Argentina: Province of Mendoza, Department of Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza (~900 m). The specimen is teneral and thus the abdomen still has most of the setae; however, the integument is torn in several places. The MCZ has a second specimen, from Peru, identified as this species by Banks, but it was not mentioned in the description. Unfortunately, its abdomen is missing. We suspect that it is a pale, somewhat faded specimen of U. siderocephala ; i.e., the U-shaped mark on its vertex is heavy, and each arm of the mark has a (thin) lateral extension to the eye - both characteristics of U. siderocephala .

Chrysopa scalai Navás, 1917. Physis, Rev. Soc. Arg. Cienc. Nat. 3:195-196; “Río Negro, Enero de 1916, Prof. A. SCALA leg. (Mus. de La Plata)". Stange 1967: 37 (catalog); Penny 1977: 20 (list); Brooks and Barnard 1990: 280 (list, as " ' Chrysopa ' incertae sedis"); González Olazo 1996: 381 (catalog); Oswald 2015 (catalog). syn n. Lectotype (Figs 122, 123). MLPA, male (examined). The type locality "Rio Negro" probably refers to the "Territorio del Rio Negro" which at the time of the collection was included within the Province of Patagonia. Today, Rio Negro is a separate province in the northern part of the Patagonian Region. Because Navás did not state how many specimens he had, and to preclude any confusion, the specimen that we photographed and that bears the number “3409” is hereby designated as the Chrysopa scalai lectotype (des. CAT). A red lectotype label has been applied to the specimen. Note: The specimen number (#3407) that González Olazo (1996: 381) reported for C. scalai is in error; it should read “3409”. We examined the specimen briefly during a visit to the MLPA, and subsequently examined the cleared abdomen in detail. The abdomen is in fairly good condition except that most of the setae are absent and the gonarcus is distorted. Support for synonymy. Although González Olazo placed an U. argentina identification label on the C. scalai type, he did not publish a synonymy (see González Olazo (1996: 381). Our examination of the lectotype showed that the specimen has significant differences that preclude a synonymy with U. argentina . Notably, the posterovental corner of the ectoproct has a small knob that protrudes posteriorly, the gonarcus is thin and bears a long process, and the mediuncus is long, narrow, and straight (without a sinuous dorsal margin). All of these features are characteristic of U. confraterna . The specimen also differs from C. chacranella in that the spiracles are not enlarged, and the wing venation has notable brown areas.

Chrysopa binaria Navás, 1923. Arxius Inst. Ciènc., Inst. Est. Catalans, Sec. Ciènc. ( “1919” b) 7: 191; “República Argentina: Alta Gracia ( Córdoba). 24-28 de gener, 17 de febrer de 1922. Atreta per la llum. Bruch (Col. m.)". Navás 1926: 108 (dist); Stange 1967: 31 (catalog); Penny 1977: 16 (list). Ungla binaria ( Navás), by Brooks and Barnard 1990: 240, 276 (tax, list); González Olazo 1996: 378 (catalog); Monserrat and Freitas 2005: 168-171 (redesc, larval desc, biol); Freitas 2007: 415 (key to adults); Reguilón 2010: 78-86 (larval desc, biol.); Tauber et al. 2014: supplementary material (list); Oswald 2015 (catalog). syn n. Lectotype (Fig. 124). MNHN, female (examined); lectotype designated by Legrand et al. (2008: 119). Note: Navás reported collection dates in 1922. However, the year on the lectotype label is not clear; Legrand et al. (2008) interpreted it as 1924 (probably an error). The type locality is in northern central Argentina: Province of Cordoba, Department of Santa Maria. In addition to the lectotype, there is at least one other type specimen; Stange (1967: 31) and González Olazo (1996: 378) reported a female type in the MACN. We have seen this specimen and we consider it to be a paralectotype (Fig. 125a, b); it is not missing its head as reported by Legrand et al. (2008: 119). Its locality label has been changed from the original, and it does not include a collection date. However, it bears an original determination label in Navás’ hand. Also, in the MACN, there is another specimen from the type locality, determined by the collector of the type specimen, C. Bruch (labels, Fig. 125c). It bears the same collection label (without date) as the paralectotype; we found no evidence that this specimen was seen by Navás, and we do not consider it to be part of the type series. Support for synonymy. The C. binaria type shares external and internal features, especially patterns of wing venation and coloration, head and body markings, with those of U. confraterna females. Also, we found nothing notable in the female abdomen or genitalia that would differentiate the species.

Diagnosis.

Externally, the dorsal head markings and largely green longitudinal veins marked with brown at intersections distinguish U. confraterna from most of the other small Argentinian species ( U. annulata , U. argentina , and U. chacranella ). Its lack of a prominent stripe on the gena and clypeal margin distinguishes it from U. elbergi . However, the most reliable characters for identifying any of these species are in the male abdomen and genitalia. For example, U. confraterna is notable because of the unique size of its abdominal spiracles (diameter ~ 0.08 mm, ~0.1 × length of segment) - slightly larger than those of most chrysopine adults, including U. argentina (diameter ~0.03 mm, ~0.03 × length of segment), and considerably smaller than those of the other small Argentinian species, all of which have spiracles with a diameter of> 0.15 mm,> 0.2 × length of segment. The shapes of its terminal segments and gonarcal complex are also distinctive.

Redescription.

Head cream-colored, with vertex smooth, often shiny; inverted U-shaped marking on vertex reddish brown, usually prominent, narrowing and sometimes separated mesally, not extending anteriorly to area between scapes; anteromesal margin of dorsal antennal fossa with reddish brown mark (sometimes pale); area between eyes and posterior half of vertex cream-colored, unmarked; frons cream-colored, with markings absent or light reddish brown stripe mesally, or reddish tinge along anterior margin; clypeus cream-colored to tan, with dark brown spot laterally; gena with brown mark not touching eyes, approaching clypeus; tentorial pits with light brown margins. Antenna with scape cream-colored to light tan, unmarked; pedicel cream-colored to tan, with distal ring of brown; flagellum cream-colored to light tan basally, becoming darker distally; maxillary palp with basal two segments pale, mesal two segments brown dorsally, laterally, distal segment brown; labial palp with basal segment pale, distal two segments with brown.

Prothorax relatively short, green mesally, with wide, brown, lateral stripes, thin, brown mesal stripe; transverse furrow in posterior region, not reaching lateral margins; with short, dark setae throughout. Mesothorax, metathorax yellowish brown with light brown markings. Measurements: head width: 1.2-1.3 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 1.7-2.3: 1; prothorax length: 0.4-0.6 mm; prothorax width: 0.9-1.1 mm.

Forewing, hindwing clear, hyaline, without fumose areas, with slender venation; stigma lightly opaque to clear, with four to five light to dark brown subcostal crossveins below stigma, area surrounding crossveins unmarked; longitudinal veins usually mostly green, with brown at intersections, sometimes with extensive brownish sections; transverse veins, crossveins mostly brown to golden brown. Forewing 10.3-12.4 mm long, 3.6-4.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.8-2.9:1); height of tallest costal cell 0.6-0.8 mm (cell number 6-8); length of first intramedian cell 0.7-1.0 mm; 9-12 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); 4 Banksian cells (b cells), 4 b’ cells; 3-6 inner gradates, 5-7 outer gradates. Hindwing 9.1-11.1 mm long, 3.0-3.7 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.0-3.2: 1), 9-11 radial cells, 3 Banksian (b) cells, 4 b’ cells, 2-5 inner gradates, 4-5 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with slightly enlarged spiracles (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.10 × length of sternite); T9+ectoproct short, with dorsal invagination shallow, extending approximately one half the distance to anterior margin of T9, lateral margins of invagination straight to slightly convex; dorsal margin rounded distally, with posteroventral margin extended distally in well defined knob; ventral margin lightly sclerotized beyond callus cerci; callus cerci large, ovate, circumference lightly sclerotized, sclerotization contiguous with that on ventral margin of ectoproct. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion not demarcated; setae on ventral surface relatively long, not dense; dorsal margin lightly sclerotized, except near base; terminus extended, upturned distally, flat, plate-like, well sclerotized, bearing numerous, large, flanged setae along dorsal margins and heavy, unflanged setae distomesally. Gonarcus with broad, flat bridge (posterior view), arms broad, rounded throughout, with digitiform process extending forward and mesally almost perpendicularly from arm (lateral view); mediuncus long, narrow, straight, with base containing two elongate rods; gonosaccus bilobed, with each lobe bearing single, discrete patch of large gonosetae well separated from opposite lobe, with gonosetae probably facing mesally when unexpanded; gonosetae arising from enlarged setal bases, interior ones slightly smaller than distal ones; hypandrium internum narrow, U-shaped, with hooked comes (Fig. 123d).

Variation.

Among the specimens we examined, there was variation in the depth and size of the reddish brown head markings. The body color of most specimens had faded. Also, there was considerable variation in the amount of brown coloration on the venation of the wings - from very little (almost as in U. chacranella ) to extensive (large sections of the longitudinal veins and all transverse veins brown or brownish).

Larvae, biology.

The larvae of U. confraterna (as Ungla binaria ) were described, and some notes on oviposition and development under laboratory conditions are available ( Monserrat and Freitas 2005, Reguilón 2010). However, the species identifications of the studied specimens have not been confirmed.

Known distribution.

ARGENTINA (north & central western to central eastern): Provinces of Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Córdoba, La Rioja, Mendoza, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, Tucumán.

Specimens studied

(in addition to types above). Argentina. Buenos Aires: Martínez, XII-1956 (1M, CAS). Catamarca: Santa Maria, 10-16-II-1972, R. Matthew (1M, 2F, UGCA); Rio Portrero, near Andalgalá, 15-II-1972, W. D. Duckworth (1M, 1F, USNM). La Rioja: Mascasin, XI-1961, F. H. Walz (1F, CAS); Santa Cruz, 1600m, 1-XII-2002, L. A. Stange (1M, 2F, FSCA); Patquia, 600 m, XII-1957 (2M, CAS). Mendoza: Rio Mendoza, 1600 m, 5-6-XII-1983, L. E. Pena (4M, 2F, CAS); 4 km. SW. Potrerillos, 18-XII-1973, C.M. & O.S. Flint (1M, 1F, 1?, USNM); Unknown locality (1M, IFML). Salta: Yacochuya cerca de Cafayate, 15-XII-1973, L. Stange (4M, 7F, FSCA); Alemania, 1-XI-2006, E. González Olazo (1?, IFML). San Juan: Iglesia, 4-XII-1983, L. E. Peña (1M, CAS). Tucumán: Amaicha del Valle, 29-31-XII-1965, H. & M. Townes (3M, FSCA).