Furcatopanorpa Ma and Hua, 2011

Ma, Na & Hua, Bao-zhen, 2011, Furcatopanorpa, a new genus of Panorpidae (Mecoptera) from China, Journal of Natural History 45 (35 - 36), pp. 2247-2257 : 2249-2251

Furcatopanorpa Ma and Hua , gen. nov.

( Figures 1–8 )

Type species: Panorpa longihypovalva Hua and Cai, 2009 .

Diagnosis

The new genus is unique and recognizable by the following characters. (1) Wings are prominently longer than abdomen, and held roof-like over abdomen at rest ( Figure 1 ), quite different from other panorpids, which keep wings flat and separate in a V-shape at rest. (2) Segments VII and VIII of male are shortened and not constricted at the basal part; tergum III lacks a notal organ ( Figure 2 ). (3) Hypandrium is very short, with paired hypovalvae weakly sclerotized and extraordinarily elongated, extending well beyond apex of gonocoxites ( Figure 3 ). (4) Ventral paramere in male genitalia is distinctly twisted into an S-shape, distal part of which is concealed behind ventral lobe of dorsal paramere; dorsal paramere is extraordinarily developed with a mesally curved ventral lobe, a broad stout distal lobe, and a slender dorsal branch ( Figure 4 ). (5) Subgenital plate of female is deeply emarginated at apex ( Figure 5B ); axis of female genital plate is forked distally and main plate is twisted dorsally on either side, forming a pair of dorsal lobes; opening of spermathecal duct is located far away from the branching point ( Figure 6 ).

Etymology

The generic name Furcatopanorpa is derived from the Latin, furcatus (forked) and Panorpa (scorpionfly), referring to the forked axis of the female genital plate and its relation to the genus Panorpa , from which it is separated.

Description

Rostrum is long and slender. Three ocelli are arranged in a triangle on the vertex. Claws are serrate on inner margins. Wings are fully developed in both sexes, much longer than the abdomen; Sc terminates on costal margin near middle of wing, R 2 is bifurcated, vein 1A joins hind margin of wing far beyond the origin of Rs ( Figure 7 ). In males, tergum III is without notal organ; tergum VI lacks anal horn; segments VII and VIII are much shortened, not constricted at basal part ( Figure 2 ); epandrium is slightly emarginated at apex ( Figure 8D ); hypovalvae are extraordinarily long, extending well beyond apex of gonocoxites ( Figure 3 ); dorsal paramere bears complicated lobes, including a mesally curved ventral lobe, a broad distal lobe and a slender elongated dorsal branch ( Figure 4 ). In female, subgenital plate terminates in a deep V-shaped emargination ( Figure 5B ); axis of genital plate is bifurcated distally, and main plate is curved dorsad on either side into two broad dorsal lobes ( Figure 6 ).

Distribution

The oriental region ( China).

Figures

Figure 1. Male adult of Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva; photograph by B.Z. Hua at Taibai Co., Shaanxi on 29 August 2008.

Figure 2. Abdomen of the male adult, lateral view. cer, cercus; gcx, gonocoxite; gs, gonostylus; hv, hypovalva; s, spiracle (modified from Hua and Cai 2009).

Figure 3. Scanning electron micrograph of the male genitalia of Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva, ventral view, asterisk indicating the sex pheromone gland. dp, dorsal paramere; gcx, gonocoxite; gs, gonostylus; hv, hypovalva; hyp, hypandrium; vp, ventral paramere; vv, ventral valve of aedeagus. Scale bar 500 µm.

Figure 4. Scanning electron micrographs of the aedeagal complex of Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva. (A) Ventro-posterior view; (B) dorsal view. db, dorsal branch of dorsal paramere; dl, distal lobe of dorsal paramere; dp, dorsal paramere; dv, dorsal valve of aedeagus; vl, ventral lobe of dorsal paramere; vv, ventral valve of aedeagus. Scale bars 100 µm.

Figure 5. Scanning electron micrographs of the genitalia of the female Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva. (A) Magnification of the asterisk-marked region of Figure 6, showing the sculpturing part and spermathecal orifice; (B) subgenital plate of the female, ventral view, with the lateral sides slightly curved dorsad. spo, spermathecal orifice. Scale bars: A, 50 µm; B, 200 µm.

Figure 6. Scanning electron micrograph of the genital plate of female Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva, ventral view. ax, axis; mp, main plate; spo, spermathecal orifice. Scale bar 200 µm.

Figure 7. Right wings of male Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva. Scale bar 2 mm.

Figure 8. Scanning electron micrographs of the male genitalia of Furcatopanorpa longihypovalva. (A) Gonostylus, ventral view; (B) same, dorsal view; (C) distal part of hypovalva; (D) distal part of epandrium. cer, cercus; gcx, gonocoxite; gs, gonostylus. Scale bars: A, B, D, 100 µm; C, 20 µm.