Ungla diazi Sosa, 2015

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 : 29-33

Ungla diazi Sosa, 2015 Figs 31, 32, 33, 34, 143c

Ungla diazi Sosa, 2015. Zootaxa 4018 (2): 180-183; "VENEZUELA. Lara state: P. N. [Parque Nacional] Yacambú, El Blanquito, 1463 m, 9.70649°N / 69.57608°W, 28. iv– 4.v.2003, J. Clavijo, R. Briceño, A. Chacón & Q. Árias Leg. [project S1-2000000479]. Deposited in the MIZA." Holotype. MIZA, male. For images of the type see Sosa (2015); for labels, see Fig. 143c here.

Diagnosis.

Ungla diazi is typified by (i) a yellow flagellum marked with black ventrolaterally, (ii) scape unmarked dorsally, except sometimes with a small to large mark distolaterally on the ventral surface, and (iii) gena cream-colored to golden below the eyes, with a black spot on the pleurostomal margin. The spiracles on the male abdomen are not enlarged, and sternites S4-S6 are densely covered with microsetae.

The marking on the distolateral corner of the ventral surface of the scape varies from absent (some Venezuelan specimens) to large, dark and shiny (Bolivian specimens). Indeed the dorsal head markings of the Bolivian population are so dark and shiny that they appear similar to U. banksi and U. quchapampa . Hand-written labels on some specimens of U. diazi from Bolivia indicate that Adams too thought the species was related to U. banksi (then known as Nothochrysa tibialis ). In addition to the traits above, U. diazi adults can be distinguished from U. banksi by their more elongate wings and lighter brown veins, largely lacking suffusion. They can be differentiated from U. quchapampa by their lack of a large marking on the frons.

Redescription.

Head golden to cream-colored, with vertex smooth, shiny; curved marking on vertex dark brown to black, large, prominent, broadly connected mesally, extending anteriorly to antennal fossae, but not between scapes; area between eyes and vertex unmarked; frons unmarked; gena with brown mark distally, not touching eyes, continuing along lateral margin of clypeus, but not reaching tip; tentorial pits with light brown margins. Antenna with scape golden to cream-colored, ventral surface with large, dark brown to black mark distolaterally; pedicel with brown ring; flagellum cream-colored to light tan dorsally, dark brown to black ventrally; maxillary palp with basal two segments pale, distal three segments dark brown; labial palp with basal segment pale, distal two segments with dark brown.

Prothorax cream-colored mesally, with wide, shiny, dark brown, lateral stripes, very thin, brown mesal line; transverse furrow shallow, in posterior region, ending laterally in slightly lightened circular area within dark lateral stripe; dorsal surface apparently with waxy covering, with fine pale setae dorsally, darker, heavier setae laterally. Mesothorax, metathorax cream-colored to tan mesally, marked with light brown to brown laterally. Legs pale, cream-colored, without marks. Measurements: head width: 1.4-1.5 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.5-2.7: 1; prothorax width: 1.1-1.2 mm, length: 0.5-0.7 mm.

Forewing, hindwing rounded apically; membrane clear, largely without fumose areas. Forewing with veins uninflated, except basal section of Psc slightly crassate (male & female); stigma lightly opaque, with four to five, tan to brown subcostal crossveins below stigma, small area surrounding crossveins sometimes marked with brown; longitudinal veins mostly light tan; transverse veins slightly darker, especially costal, distal radial crossveins, anal veins, all usually without suffusion, occasionally light suffusion around anal veins. Hindwing venation pale. Forewing 12.1-14.7 mm long, 4.1-5.1 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.9-3.0: 1), height of tallest costal cell 0.8-1.1 mm (cell number 5-6); length of first intramedian cell 0.8-1.0 mm; 10-11 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); 4 Banksian cells (b cells), 4 b’ cells; 4-6 inner gradates, 6-7 outer gradates. Hindwing 10.7-13.1 mm long, 3.3-4.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.0-3.1: 1), 10-11 radial cells, 3-4 Banksian (b) cells, 3-4 b’ cells, 3-6 inner gradates, 5-7 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with unenlarged spiracles (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.05x length of sternite); subanal plate large, with ~ten robust setae; T9+ectoproct short, with dorsal invagination shallow, extending approximately one half the distance to anterior margin of T9, lateral margins of invagination slightly convex; dorsal margin of segment rounded distally, with posteroventral margin extended distally in husky, rounded knob; ventral margin sclerotized well beyond callus cerci; callus cerci large, oblong, with ~ 30-36 robust microtrichia; circumference sclerotized, sclerotization contiguous with that on ventral margin of ectoproct, with narrow band of light sclerotization extending dorsally from dorsal margin of callus cerci to top of T9+ect. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion well demarcated; S9 considerably more heavily sclerotized than S8; dorsal margin lightly sclerotized, including basally; terminus up-turned posteriorly, not extending distally far beyond T9+ect, with setae slightly enlarged, but not flanged. Gonarcus with bridge robust, very slightly angled mesally, arms slender in lateral view, flared, with digitiform process slender; mediuncus long, narrow, slightly rounded dorsally (lateral view); bilobed gonosaccus, each lobe with single, large patch of large gonosetae probably facing mesally when unexpanded; gonosetae arising from bulbous setal bases, dorsal ones slightly smaller than ventral ones; hypandrium internum robust, broadly V-shaped, with lightly sclerotized, U-shaped comes.

Female. See Sosa (2015).

Variation.

The darkness and sizes of the head and appendage markings on this species show considerable variability. Dorsal head markings range from faint, diffuse to dark, shiny brown or black. The basal flagellomeres range from entirely pale, to light brown on ventral and lateral surfaces only, to shiny dark brown or black on all surfaces.

Known distribution.

BOLIVIA: Department of Cochabamba. VENEZUELA: States of Aragua, Lara.

Specimens examined

[in addition to those listed by Sosa (2015)]. Bolivia. Cochabamba Carrasco, Siberia, 1850 m, F. Walz, XII/1962 (3F, CAS), XII/1962-I/1963 (11F, 1M, CAS), X/1963 (1M, 9F, CAS). Venezuela. Aragua: Rancho Grande, 1100m, 24-31/X/1966, S. S. & W. D. Duckworth (2M, 2F, USNM), 14/VI/1967, 25/VI/1967, 4/VI/1967, 5/VII/1967, 1/VIII/1967, 5/VIII/1967, 15/VIII/1967, R. W. Poole (1M, 5F, CUIC), 10-21/II/1969, Duckworth & Dietz (3F, USNM); Henri Pittier Nat. Park, Rancho Grande Bio. Station, white light, 1100 m, 24/I/1996, J. & A. Skevington (1F, DEBU).