Helicoconis (Helicoconis) tatricus, Vidlička, Ľubomír, 2014

Vidlička, Ľubomír, 2014, Description of Helicoconis tatricus sp. n. (Neuroptera, Coniopterygidae) from Slovakia (Central Europe) and key for determination of all Palaearctic species of subgenus Helicoconis, Zootaxa 3893 (3), pp. 438-444 : 439-442

Helicoconis (Helicoconis) tatricus sp. n.

(Figs. 1b–g, 2a)

Type material. Holotype ♂, in alcohol, Slovakia, Vyšné Hágy—Smrekovec (Tatras foothill), 49°7'20.34"N; 20°6'37.74"E, elev. ca 1159 m, Larici-Piceetum, 23 July 2009, Ľ. Vidlička & O. Majzlan leg. Type depository. Institute of Zoology SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Paratypes. 2 ♂ (one in alcohol, second in permanent microscope slides, Slovakia, Nová Polianka—Danielov dom (Tatras foothill), 49°7'15.60"N; 20°9'49.68"E, elev. ca 1059 m, Larici-Piceetum, 23 July 2009, Ľ. Vidlička & O. Majzlan leg., both specimens deposited at the Institute of Zoology SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Description. Head. Head dark brown with big yellow spot on the frons (Fig. 1b). Antennae pale, 26–27 segmented. Scapus and pedicel approximately one and a half times as long as broad; bigger than flagellar segments. First five flagellar segments equally long as broad; following 20 segments one and a half to two times as long as broad; terminal segment three times as long as broad.

Thorax. Thorax yellow with brown shoulder spots on meso- and metathorax. Sutures dark brown. Prothorax smaller than meso- and metathorax; front part of pronotum partly overlapping the vertex. Legs yellow to brownish; coxae and trochanters darker. Procoxae with dense long spines; mesocoxae only with a few long spines; and metacoxae without long spines. Tarsi consists of five tarsomeres; fourth tarsomere markedly bilobate; claws simple and symmetrical.

Wings (Fig. 1c). Forewings with two long median setae situated on both side of cross-vein rs-m. Two basal cross-veins between C and Sc only allusive. Length of forewing 3.35 mm; width 1.24 mm. Hindwing with allusive distal cross-vein between M3+4 and CuA1. Length of hindwing 3.00 mm; width 1.10 mm. Length/width ratio in both pairs of wings 2.7. Interpretation of the terminal ending of R1 as Sc2 has support in some stem representatives of the genus Conwentzia (Coniopterygidae) , where R1 ends prior to the wing margin and is substituted with terminal dichotomization of Sc ( Withycombe 1922). Nevertheless, in the present specimen, R1 is apparently not terminated and ends in the margin. Thus alternative interpretation of the terminal branch of R1 as “ R1+Sc2 ” is also possible, although not obligatory.

Abdomen. Abdomen yellowish; terminal part brown; sclerotized.

FIGURE 1. (a) Distribution of species from the subgenus Helicoconis in Europe and Asia. (b-g) Helicoconis tatricus sp. n.: (b) scheme of male head (pt—prothorax; f—frons; ce—compound eye; as—antennal socket), (c) drawing of male wings (C —costa; Sc —subcostal; R —radius; Rs —radial sector; R 1, R 2+3, R 4+5 —branches of radius; M —media; M 1+2, M 3+4 —branches of media; CuA 1, CuA 2 —branches of cubitus anterior; CuP —cubitus posterior; A —anal vein; sc-r, r-rs, rs-m, m-cu —cross-veins), (d) photo and drawing of male genitalia, lateral view (par—paramere, pen—penis), (e) left stylus, (f) left apophysis, (g) right stylus.

Male genitalia (Figs. 1d–g, 2a). Ninth abdominal segment ventrally broadest in basal half; taper on the caudal end. Ectoproct has a few long setae; lateral setae very long. Styli single, not bifurcated; apophyses short and wide (Fig. 1f). Under styli very long setae extending. Hypandrium is cordate, narrowly rounded; central part strongly sclerotized. Parameres very long, extending to seventh abdominal segment; posterior part consists of two separate rods; mesial rod short and unguiform (Figs. 1d, 2a). Two branches on anterior end of penis very long and closely abreast.

Etymology. The species name tatricus refers to the name of type locality.

Distribution. The new species is so far known only from the foothills of the Tatra Mountains (North Slovakia, Central Europe), a coniferous forest.

Differential diagnosis. H. tatricus sp. n. is easily distinguishable from other species of the subgenus Helicoconis by structure of the male genitalia. This species is different from H. lutea and H. hirtinervis due to simple, unfurcated styli, and from all the other Palaearctic species ( H. sengonca , H. eglini , H. premnata ) due to wide and short apophyses. The parameres in new species are very long, comparable solely with H. hirtinervis ; all other species have markedly shorter parameres. Conspicuously abbreviated and hamose-ended mesial rods on the caudal ends of parameres distinguish the new species from H. hirtinervis and H. eglini .