Ungla stangei Tauber

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 : 71-75

Ungla stangei Tauber sp. n. Figs 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 144f

Holotype

(Figs 88 a–e, 90d, 92d, 144f). CAS, male. Bolivia, La Paz, Rio Zongo, 3200 m, 24-30/XI/1984, L. E. Pena.

Etymology.

The species is named for Lionel A. Stange, a life-long student of the systematics and natural history of myrmeleontoid Neuroptera , an enthusiastic, generous collector of Neuropteran specimens, colleague, and friend.

Diagnosis.

Like U. laufferi (above), adults of this species are recognized by their light green body color, yellow longitudinal stripe dorsally, and distinctive pair of red spots on the vertex in place of the inverted U-shaped mark that typifies most Ungla species. Despite the similarities of the two species, U. stangei is distinguished by several notable external features: (1) larger wings (forewing length = 17.1-17.6 mm, versus 13.5-15.9 mm in U. laufferi ), (2) wings with a greater number of gradate cells, all of which are long and narrow (n = 9-10 gradate cells; third gradate cell 2.23-2.74 mm long; fourth gradate cell 2.39-2.74 mm long), versus a smaller number of gradate cells, all of which are shorter and wider in U. laufferi (n = 6-7 gradate cells; third gradate cell 1.88 -2.22 mm long; fourth gradate cell 1.86-2.36 mm long), (3) heavy setation on the pleural region of the terminal abdominal segments (A7, A8+9) ( U. stangei : dense covering of elongate setae arising from enlarged setal bases; U. laufferi : a sparse covering of long setae arising from small setal bases).

The three male specimens of U. stangei that we examined appeared somewhat teneral. In all three, the abdomen and genitalia were soft, flexible, and very lightly sclerotized; the arms of the gonarcus were elongate and flexible - extending fully around and below the gonosaccus; and the mediuncus was broad, rounded, and somewhat soft at the base. We are hesitant to ascribe taxonomic significance to these features.

Description.

Head yellow to whitish cream-colored with red to reddish black markings; vertex smooth, often shiny, with inverted U-shaped marking reduced to two anterolateral red spots; fossae, posterior parts of vertex, area between antennae unmarked; frons cream-colored, with dark red markings laterally between base of antenna and margin of eyes, small to large red mesal spot between base of antennae and clypeus; clypeus with dark red mark on lateral margin; tentorial pits amber-colored; gena with reddish black to black stripe. Antenna with scape, pedicel, flagellum cream-colored, un marked; maxillary palp with basal two segments pale, three distal segments black with articulations pale; labial palp with basal segment pale, distal two segments with black.

Thorax green, with distinct longitudinal yellow stripe mesally; prothorax with transverse furrow in central region of segment, extending almost to lateral margins; setae mostly elongate, pale. Measurements: head width: 1.5-1.6 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.3-2.8: 1; prothorax width: 1.0-1.1 mm, length: 0.8 mm.

Forewing, hindwing elongate, with acute tips; membrane mostly clear, hyaline, with brown, fumose areas around brown veins or brown markings on veins; stigma clear to slightly opaque; longitudinal veins mostly green; transverse veins mostly green, with brown at intersections; gradate veins, r-m crossveins, distal crossveins of most b’ cells entirely brown. Forewing 16.0-17.6 mm long, 5.0-6.0 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.9-3.0: 1); height of tallest costal cell 1.3-1.5 mm (cell number 5-6); width of first intramedian cell 0.9-1.0 mm; 14-18 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); third gradate cell 2.2-2.7 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 4.8-5.5: 1); fourth gradate cell 2.4-2.7 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 5.1-6.0: 1); 3-4 Banksian cells (b cells), 5-6 b’ cells; 9-12 inner gradates, 9-11 outer gradates. Hindwing 15.1-15.7 mm long, 4.8-5.0 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.1: 1), 8-16 radial cells, 3-4 Banksian (b) cells, 5-6 b’ cells, 10-11 inner gradates, 8-10 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with small spiracles (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.03 × length of sternite); T9+ectoproct relatively long (~half length of T7), with dorsal invagination moderately deep (~0.4x dorsal length of T9+ect), margins of invagination almost straight, base rounded; dorsal margin of T9+ect rounded distally (above anus), often compressed, thus appearing straight; posterior margin of ectoproct relatively straight, posteroventral corner slightly extended distally, with small knob; ventral margin lightly sclerotized except anteriorly; callus cerci large, ovate, margin sclerotized on sides and bottom, not top; sclerotization contiguous with that on ventral margin of ectoproct. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion perceptible; dorsum tapering abruptly to shallow platform at ¾ distance to tip of segment, dorsal margin fairly regular; terminus concave to flat, extended distally, but not beyond T9+ect, flat, distal margin upturned, heavily sclerotized, with distal projection ventrally; setae simple (without flanges), slender, mostly long. Gonarcus (teneral) circular, with bridge slender, arms elongate, curving in complete circle below bridge, mesal section probably with process extending posteriorly; mediuncus rounded, hollow basally, extending distally or downward to blunt, curved hook; bilobed gonosaccus, each lobe with single patch of large gonosetae probably facing mesally; gonosetae arising from enlarged setal bases; hypandrium internum not found.

Known distribution.

BOLIVIA: State of La Paz. ECUADOR: Province of Pichincha. PERU: Province of Andahuaylas. All localities at ~3000 meters elevation.

Specimens examined

(in addition to holotype). 4M, 1F, one without abdomen, all with same data as holotype (all paratypes, CAS). Ecuador. Pichincha: near Quito, 20-VII-1989, L. Stange & R. Miller (1F, paratype, FSCA). Peru. Andahuaylas: 5 mi. N. of Andahuaylas, 7-III-1951, Ross & Michelbacher (1M, paratype, CAS).

Variation.

The specimens from Bolivia and Ecuador vary somewhat in the depth of coloration in their markings and in the size of their wings, but all exhibit all of the markings mentioned in the description. In comparison, the marks on the sole specimen from Peru are light, and its wings are slightly shorter; most notably, it appears to lack a marking on the frons. We suspect that the natural coloration of this specimen has faded; but, we cannot exclude the possibility of individual variation or a pale colored population. This specimen is the only male that is not teneral.