Ungla steinbachi ( Navas , 1925) Navas, 1925

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 : 101-104

Ungla steinbachi ( Navas, 1925) comb. n. Figs 137, 138, 139

Chrysopa steinbachi Navás, 1925. Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles: 567-568. " 'N. Argentinien, Prov. Tucuman, 1100 m., I. Steinbach S. V.' Mus. Zool. de Berlin". Stange 1967: 37 (catalog); Penny 1977: 21 (list); Brooks and Barnard 1990: 280 (list, as " ' Chrysopa ' incertae sedis"); Oswald 2015 (catalog). Lectotype (Figs 137, 138a, 139). ZMB, female (examined). Specimen in good condition, but discolored with age; abdomen in vial with glycerin. Stange (1967) listed it as a holotype; however Navás did not mention how many specimens he had; thus the specimen in the ZMB is here designated as the lectotype (des. CAT). A red lectotype label has been applied to the specimen. Support for generic placement. Currently, this species is known only from the lectotype, which is a female. Here, we base its generic placement on several features that characterize Ungla species: vertex with U-shaped dorsal marks; dark markings on the terminal segments of the maxillary and labial palpi, and a basal inner gradate that does not meet the Psm. The female genitalia are also typical of Ungla species.

Diagnosis.

Ungla steinbachi is a pale-bodied Argentinian species known with certainty only from the type. It closely resembles U. chacranella in the following external features: vertex with small reddish mark, dark brown to black genal marks; antenna, including pedicel, pale, without dark ring; wings with rounded to subacute tips and with veins, including the crossveins and gradates, light green (an occasional anal vein may appear light brown to brown). However, three features lead us to recognize the two species as distinct from each other. First, the difference in size between the C. steinbachi type and the U. chacranella specimens that we studied is substantial; the forewings and hindwings of the C. steinbachi type are each more than 10% greater in length and width than those of the largest U. chacranella specimen we measured (For comparison, see Fig. 138). Second, the number of transverse veins is greater in the C. steinbachi type than in the U. chacranella specimens: radial cells in both the forewing and hindwing (13 versus a maximum of 12 in U. chacranella ), inner and outer gradate veins (one more each than the maximum found in U. chacranella ). Third, on the C. steinbachi type, the cells on either side of the inner gradate veins are longer and narrower than on the U. chacranella specimens.

We have seen only one other specimen, a somewhat discolored female from Jujuy Province that resembles the type of U. steinbachi in size and probable coloration of veins; however its pattern of venation differs considerably, and we cannot identify it with confidence. Given the small number of specimens (the type female) underlying our retention of U. steinbachi as a valid species separate from U. chacranella , we hope that additional pale-bodied Argentinian Ungla species will be collected and studied - especially in regard to the range and pattern of morphological variation.

Redescription.

Head: vertex smooth, slightly depressed mesally; inverted U-shaped marking on vertex reddish, large, probably joined mesally, not extending between scapes; anteromesal margin of dorsal antennal fossa dark reddish brown; area between eyes and posterior half of vertex probably reddish; frons cream-colored with broad reddish brown coloration along anterior margin; clypeus cream-colored to tan, reddish brown laterally; gena, posterolateral margin of the clypeus with dark brown stripe; tentorial pits with reddish brown marking. Antenna with scape cream-colored to light tan, perhaps with some reddish coloration dorsally; pedicel cream-colored to tan, without distal ring; flagellum cream-colored basally, becoming darker distally; maxillary palp with basal two segments pale, distal segments brown, articulations pale; labial palp with basal segment pale, distal two segments brown.

Prothorax wide, probably with pair of broad, brown, lateral stripes, thin, brown mesal stripe; transverse furrow in mesal region, not reaching lateral margins; with short to long, mostly pale setae throughout. Mesothorax, metathorax greenish with yellow mesally. Measurements: head width, 1.4 mm; ratio head width: eye width, 2.5: 1; prothoracic length, 0.8 mm; prothoracic width, 1.1 mm.

Forewing, hindwing clear, hyaline, without fumose areas, with slender venation; stigma lightly opaque, with five brown to dark brown subcostal crossveins below stigma; most veins of forewing cream-colored to light green, basal subcostal crossvein, base of Rs, base of M-Cu crossvein, branches of anal veins darkened, intersections of most veins, crossveins marked with small brown spot; veins of hindwing paler than those on forewing, mostly without brownish marks at intersections. Forewing 14.8 mm long, 5.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.8: 1); height of tallest costal cell 1.0 mm (cell number 6); width of first intramedian cell 1.0 mm; 13 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); third gradate cell 1.80 mm long, 0.44 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 4.06); fourth gradate cell 1.74 mm long, 0.40 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 4.39); 5 Banksian cells (b cells), 5 b’ cells; 7 inner gradates, 9 outer gradates. Hindwing 13.4 mm long, 4.7 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.9: 1), 13 radial cells, 4 Banksian (b) cells, 5 b’ cells, 7 inner gradates, 8 outer gradates.

Male. Unknown.

Female. See Fig. 139.

Variation.

The female specimen from Jujuy, Argentina, is similar in size to U. steinbachi (forewing 1.6 mm long, 5.2 mm wide), and it shares many features with this species. However, its forewing has fewer radial cells (n =11) and fewer gradates (inner = 4, outer = 7). Adams’ handprinted note on the specimen indicated that he considered it to be a species near " binaria " (now a synonym of U. confraterna ); we are uncertain.

Known distribution.

ARGENTINA: Provinces of Tucumán and possibly Jujuy.

Specimens examined

(in addition to the type): Argentina. Jujuy, no locality, 20/II/1955, Bought F. H. Walz, Phillip A. Adams Collection 1998 bequest to Calif. Acad. Sci. (F, CAS, identification tentative).