Neoconis szirakii Sarmiento-Cordero & Contreras-Ramos, 2019

Sarmiento-Cordero, Mariza Araceli & Contreras-Ramos, Atilano, 2019, Two new species and a key to the dustywings of Mexico (Neuroptera, Coniopterygidae), Zootaxa 4671 (1), pp. 551-563 : 553-554

Neoconis szirakii Sarmiento-Cordero & Contreras-Ramos , sp. n.

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( Fig. 1 )

Material examined. Holotype: Male, 80% alcohol and glycerine: MEXICO, Jalisco, El Limón, San Buenaventura , 19º 47’ 0.614” N, 104º 03’ 0.324” W, 720 m, 09.ii.1997, blacklight trap 1, S. Zaragoza, F. Noguera, E. González, E. Ramírez ( CNIN).

Paratype. Colima, Tecomán, Tecolapa , 18º 58’ 44.3” N, 103º 50’ 25” W, 88 m, 04-05.iii.2014, yellow pan trap, Mexican lime trees, J.M. Rodríguez, J. Morfín, B. Rodríguez, 1 male ( CIE) .

Diagnosis. Male abdominal segment IX with a wide, sclerotized process, with a pair of long claw-like inner projections underneath, appearing ventrally joined to distal end of each paramere and curved upwards; penis slightly longer than parameres, with obtuse distal end passing margin of segment IX; stylus apically hooked, with a small median protuberance of subtriangular shape.

Description (n = 2). Adult male. Head. Head capsule brown, eyes black. Antenna 27–28 segmented, scape and pedicel each nearly 1.5 times longer than wide, flagellar segments slightly longer than wide, pale brown, scape and pedicel darker, flagellum with ordinary hairs. Thorax. Dark to pale brown. Legs pale brown, femur slightly darker. Wings. Elongate; forewing length 2.6–2.8 mm, hindwing length 2.3–2.7 mm. Membrane grayish to pale brown, semi-translucent, forewing with pattern of brown round-oval spots between veins along margin, pair of diffuse spots on Rs at both sides of radial crossvein, and spot at M on M-Cu 1 crossvein ( Figs. 1A, B ). Hindwing unpatterned. Male genitalia. Tergite IX, sternite IX, and ectoproct fused, their limits undefined, ectoproct less sclerotized ( Figs. 1G, I ); segment IX with well-developed anterior apodeme ( Fig. 1G ). A wide, sclerotized process with hairs and small spine in middle of segment IX, underneath a pair of long claw-like inner projections apparently joined ventrally to each distal end of parameres, spines directed dorsally ( Figs. 1F, M, J, K ). Ventromedian process simple, with two ventrolateral smaller processes, all with tufts of long, dorsally curved hairs. Penis tubular, hollow, slightly longer than parameres ( Figs. 1C, D, E ), open dorsally at both ends; obtuse distal end slightly passing margin of segment IX ( Fig. 1H ), anterior ends slightly pointed; slightly curved downwards in lateral view. Parameres long, rod-like, joined posteriorly to stylus. Stylus apically hooked, with a small, subtriangular ventromedian protuberance ( Figs. 1L, M ).

Comments. The male genitalia of the new species are similar to Neoconis inexpectata Meinander 1972 , but the distribution of spines differs. There is one spine on the lateral process of the new species and the rest appear joined to the distal end of the parameres, while in N. inexpectata spines completely join the process of segment IX. Also, the forewing of N. szirakii , new species, is patterned, while the forewing of N. inexpectata lacks markings. The holotype, an older specimen, has slightly faded.

Habitat. Tropical dry forest (Jalisco) and Mexican lime orchard (Colima).

Phenology. February, March.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Dr. György Sziráki, Hungarian Natural History Museum, for his important contribution to the knowledge of the family Coniopterygidae .

Distribution. Known only from the western Mexican states of Colima and Jalisco.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neoconis szirakii sp. n., male. (A, B) habitus, dorsal; (C, D, E) genitalia, dorsal; (F, G) genitalia, lateral; (H) genitalia, ventral; (I, J, K) genitalia, caudal; (L) internal genitalia, ventrolateral; (M) internal genitalia, lateral. A = holotype.