Myrmeleon fasciatus (Navás, 1914)

Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2014, The larvae of European Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera), Zootaxa 3762 (1), pp. 1-71 : 62-65

Myrmeleon fasciatus (Navás, 1914)

( Figs. 5H , 6H , 33 )

The larva of this species has been exclusively described by Willmann (1977).

Examined specimens. Greece. Rhodos , Kiotari, rock overhang, VII.2009 (D. Badano), 1 L3 and 3 L3 laboratory-reared to adults; same locality, XI.2010 ( R. A. Pantaleoni), 19 L3. Rhodos, Kamiros, XI.2010, R. A. Pantaleoni, 8 L3; Rhodos, Kallitea, XI.2010, R. A. Pantaleoni, 3 L3 .

Description of 3 rd instar larva. Size (based on 31 specimens): BL 9.34 mm; HL 1.95 mm (1.70–2.20), HW 1.58 mm (1.37–1.77), ML 2.00 mm (1.76–2.10), HW/HL 0.81, ML/HL 1.03. General colouring pale ochre with few slightly faded markings, ventral side whitish without contrasting dark areas; head capsule pale with a slightly darker area on the clypeo-labrum, lateral and ventral sides of the head unmarked ( Figs. 5H , 33c ); mandibles pale; legs pale; setae of the body black. Head longer than wide; mandibles as long as the head capsule ( Fig. 33a ); interdental mandibular setae: (6)(2–3)(2–3)(1); dorsal side of the mandible covered by sparse short setae, ventral side of the mandible with a thick covering of short setae external to the maxilla reaching the apical tooth ( Figs. 5H , 33b ), few setae are disposed on ventral side of the mandible internally to the maxilla. IX abdominal sternite equipped with an anterior row of 4 digging setae and two rastra each bearing 4 setae of which the external pair is the longest ( Figs. 6H , 33d ).

Bio-ecology. M. fasciatus inhabits very warm and xeric biotopes, including deserts. The larvae build their pits in sheltered conditions, such as under overhangs and cavities of sedimentary rocks, with the presence of very fine detritus or sand.

Distribution. M. fasciatus is widely distributed in North Africa and Middle East, while its presence in Europe is limited to the Greek island of Rhodos.

Remarks. Unmistakable among European Myrmeleontini thanks to the pale body colouring devoid of a contrasting dark pattern.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Head of 3rd instar larvae of Myrmeleontini, ventral view; A, Myrmeleon formicarius; B, Myrmeleon gerlindae; C, Myrmeleon punicanus; D, Myrmeleon bore; E, Myrmeleon inconspicuus; F, Myrmeleon mariaemathildae; G, Myrmeleon hyalinus; H, Myrmeleon fasciatus; I, Euroleon nostras.

FIGURE 6. IX abdominal sternite of 3rd instar larvae of Myrmeleontini, ventral view; A, Myrmeleon gerlindae; B, Myrmeleon punicanus; C, Myrmeleon formicarius; D, Myrmeleon bore; E, Myrmeleon inconspicuus; F, Myrmeleon mariaemathildae; G, Myrmeleon hyalinus; H, Myrmeleon fasciatus; I, Euroleon nostras. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 33. Myrmeleon fasciatus (Navás, 1912), 3rd instar larva (Greece: Rhodos, Kiotari). Dorsal (above), ventral (middle) and lateral (below) view; a–d: diagnostic characters, see species description.