Ungla elbergi 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 : 99

Ungla elbergi Tauber sp. n. Figs 130, 131, 132, 133

Holotype

(Figs 130d, f, 131b, 132a, b, d, e, 133a, c, e). EMEC, male; "R. A. - Tucumán, Tafi Viejo, Alpa Puyo, 15.08.98, Col. Núñez G." The specimen bears an ID label - " Ungla binaria . Det. C. Reguilón - G. Olazo". The right wing is torn and the genitalia are cleared, stained, and preserved in a vial with glycerine on the pin.

Etymology.

This species is named in memory of Professor Sanford S. Elberg (1913-2011), University of California, Berkeley. Dean Elberg was Professor of Bacteriology and Public Health and served for 17 years as Dean of the Graduate School. He was a remarkable researcher, teacher, administrator, and friend.

Diagnosis.

A prominent black stripe on the gena that extends from the base of the eyes through the entire gena and along the lateral margin of the clypeus of U. elbergi is unique among all the small Argentinian species of Ungla . In addition, the head markings, largely green longitudinal veins, and reddish brown to brown transverse veins also help to sort U. elbergi and U. confraterna from other Argentinian species. The most reliable species-specific characters are found in the male. The R and Rs veins of the forewing are heavy in males; the moderately enlarged abdominal spiracles (diameter of A7 spiracle: 0.11 mm,> 0.13 × length of segment) are larger than those of U. confraterna (diameter ~ 0.08 mm, ~0.1 × length of segment) and U. argentina (diameter ~0.03 mm, ~0.03 × length of segment), and yet considerably smaller than those of U. chacranella and U. annulata (diameter> 0.15-0.18 mm,> 0.2 × length of segment). The shape of the U. elbergi gonosaccus and the large number of gonosetae evenly distributed over the entire dorsal surface of the gonosaccus are also unique.

Description.

Head cream-colored, with vertex smooth, often shiny; inverted U-shaped marking on vertex reddish brown, prominent, narrowing mesally but contiguous, not extending anteriorly to area between scapes; anteromesal margin of dorsal antennal fossa pale or with reddish brown mark; area between eyes and posterior half of vertex cream-colored, unmarked; frons whitish to cream-colored, sometimes with transverse reddish band along anterior margin; other markings absent; clypeus cream-colored to tan, black laterally; gena with black stripe extending from base of eyes, along lateral margin of clypeus; tentorial pits cream-colored. Antenna with scape cream-colored to light tan, unmarked; pedicel cream-colored to tan, with distal ring of brown; flagellum cream-colored to light tan basally, becoming darker distally; maxillary palp with basal two segments pale, distal three segments dark brown to black, pale at junctions; labial palp with basal two segments pale, distal one dark brown to black.

Prothorax variable in length, green mesally, with wide, brown, lateral stripes, very thin, brown mesal stripe; transverse furrow slightly posterior to middle, reaching lateral margins; with pale, fine setae throughout. Mesothorax, metathorax yellow mesally, reddish brown laterally. Measurements: head width: 1.3 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.3-2.5: 1; prothorax length: 0.6-0.7 mm; prothorax width: 1.0 mm.

Forewing, hindwing clear, without fumose areas, with slender venation, except R, Rs, base of Cu crassate (male only); stigma lightly opaque, light tan, with five tan subcostal crossveins below, area surrounding crossveins unmarked; longitudinal veins mostly green, with brown at intersections; transverse veins, crossveins mostly brown to golden brown. Forewing 12.2-12.8 mm long, 4.2-4.3 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.9-3.0: 1); height of tallest costal cell 0.9 mm (cell number 5-6); length of first intramedian cell 0.8-0.9 mm; 10 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); 3-4 Banksian cells (b cells), 4 b’ cells; 3-4 inner gradates, 5-6 outer gradates. Hindwing 11.0-11.6 mm long, 3.5-3.6 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.1-3.2: 1), 10-11 radial cells, 2-4 Banksian (b) cells, 4 b’ cells, 3-4 inner gradates, 5-6 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with moderately enlarged spiracles (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.13 × length of sternite); T9+ectoproct short, dome-like, with dorsal invagination shallow, extending approximately one half the distance to anterior margin of T9, lateral margins of invagination straight to slightly convex; dorsal margin rounded distally, with posteroventral margin extended distally in well defined knob; ventral margin well sclerotized along entire length; callus cerci large, ovate, circumference lightly sclerotized, sclerotization contiguous with that on ventral margin of T9+ectoproct. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion not demarcated, but with distal tip well sclerotized (but not as heavily as that on U. confraterna ); setae on ventral surface short, numerous; dorsal margin heavily sclerotized throughout; terminus slightly extended distally, flat, scoop-like, bearing numerous, heavy, flanged setae along dorsal margins and heavy, unflanged setae distomesally; without the upturned tip of U. confraterna . Gonarcus with relatively flat, narrow bridge (dorsal, ventral views), arms extending downward, bowed in broad horseshoe shape; gonarcal arms narrow, rounded distally, with digitiform process extending forward and mesally at an acute angle from arm (lateral, dorsal views); mediuncus medium-length, narrow, convex dorsally, with base containing two elongate, juxtaposed rods; gonosaccus bilobed, with lobes contiguous and gonosetae in contiguous patch basally, lobes juxtaposed and with gonosetae in more discrete, separated patches distally; gonosetae all of somewhat similar size, arising from relatively small setal bases, probably facing mesally when lobes unexpanded, facing upward when lobes inflated; hypandrium internum narrow, broadly U-shaped, with comes faint.

Known distribution.

ARGENTINA (northwestern): Provinces of Jujuy, La Rioja, Tucumán.

Specimens studied

(in addition to holotype above, all paratypes). Argentina. Jujuy: Parque Nacional Calilagua, Mesadas de las Colmenas (1100m), 24/X/2006, E Gonzáles Olazo, G Sziráki (M, IFML). La Rioja: Santa Cruz, 1600 m, 1/XII/2002, L. A. Stange (1F, EMEC). Tucumán: Tafi Viejo, Alpo Puyo, 15/VIII/1998, Col. C. Reguilón (1M, FSCA), 23/V/1998, Col. Núñez G. (1F, FSCA).