Myrmeleon gerlindae Hölzel, 1974

Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2014, The larvae of European Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera), Zootaxa 3762 (1), pp. 1-71 : 54

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3762.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:68E063AB-2C09-4FCA-8761-FBC73D562990

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5045637

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/314A4C26-9C4D-2A07-EFC1-5F71FC1559E9

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Myrmeleon gerlindae Hölzel, 1974
status

 

Myrmeleon gerlindae Hölzel, 1974 View in CoL

( Figs. 5B View FIGURE 5 , 6B View FIGURE 6 , 27 View FIGURE 27 )

The larva of this species is described for the first time, as the account by Hölzel (1974) actually refers to Myrmecaelurus trigrammus .

Examined specimens. Italy. Liguria, Bordighera (Imperia), Monte Nero , scrubland, VIII.2010 (D. Badano), 3 L3 . Sardinia, Alghero (Sassari), Capocaccia , coastal juniper thicket, VI.2010, 1 L3 and 1 L3 laboratory-reared to adult ; same locality, V.2012 (D. Badano), 11 L3 .

Description of 3 rd instar larva. Size (based on 15 specimens): BL 7.68 mm; HL 1.85 mm (1.58–2.00), HW 1.60 mm (1.44–1.73), ML 1.77 mm (1.62–1.92), HW/HL 0.86, ML/HL 0.96. General colouring dark brown with darker markings, ventrally paler with large dark areas; dorsal side of the head capsule with a pair of dark markings, lateral side of the head with large dark markings, ventral side of the head with an anterior pair of dark markings surrounding the gula and two median dark spots ( Figs. 5B View FIGURE 5 , 27c View FIGURE 27 ); mandibles pale brown; pro- and mesothoracic pair of legs pale, metathoracic legs with spotted coxae but unmarked femora ( Fig. 27d View FIGURE 27 ); setae of the body black. Head slightly longer then wide; mandibles as long as the head capsule ( Fig. 27a View FIGURE 27 ); interdental mandibular setae: (+6)(2– 3)(2–3)(1), dorsal side of the mandible covered by sparse short setae, ventral side with a sparse covering of short setae external to the maxilla, reaching the basal tooth and few isolated setae (or no one) disposed internal to the maxilla ( Figs. 5B View FIGURE 5 , 27b View FIGURE 27 ). IX abdominal sternite with an anterior row of digging setae composed by 4 setae divided in 2 groups and with two sessile rastra each bearing 4 digging setae ( Figs. 6B View FIGURE 6 , 27e View FIGURE 27 ).

Bio-ecology. This poorly known antlion is apparently an ecological vicariant of the closely related M. formicarius , replacing the latter in xeric biotopes. M. gerlindae is associated with arid woods and scrublands. The larvae build their pits in sheltered sites such as at the base of trees, under bushes or rock overhangs.

Distribution. M. gerlindae is a typical W-Mediterranean faunal element, reported for Morocco, Iberian Peninsula, southern France, Sardinia and western Liguria (north-west Italy).

Remarks. Mainly recognizable due to the pigmentation of legs.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Neuroptera

Family

Myrmeleontidae

Genus

Myrmeleon

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