Ungla argentina ( Navas , 1911)

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 : 83-85

Ungla argentina ( Navas, 1911) Figs 102, 103, 104, 105, 106

Hypochrysa argentina Navás, 1911. Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles 35 (pt. 2): 275; "Chaco de Santiago del Estero. Bords da Rio Salado, env. d’Icaño. E.-R. Wagner, septembre, 1903". Navás 1913: 93 (tax). Chrysopa argentina ( Navás), by Tjeder 1966: 247. Adams 1967: 221 (tax); Stange 1967: 31 (catalog); Tjeder 1971: 113 (redescr, tax); Penny 1977: 16 (list). Suarius argentinus ( Navás), by Adams 1975: 169 (redesc). Adams and Penny 1985: 436 (discussion); Adams and Penny 1986: 121 (tax); Oswald 2015 (catalog). Ungla argentina ( Navás), by Brooks and Barnard 1990: 241, 276. González Olazo 1996: 378, 381 (tax), Monserrat and Freitas 2005: 165-168 (redesc, larval desc, biol); Freitas 2007: 415 (key to adults); Legrand et al. 2008: 115 (type); Tauber et al. 2014: supplementary material (list); Oswald 2015 (cat alog). Lectotype (Fig. 102). MNHN, female (examined), designated by Tjeder (1971: 112-113; also see Legrand et al. 2008: 115), Oswald (2015). Type locality: The type was collected on the banks of Rio Salado, near Icaño, on the eastern edge of the northern Argentinian province of Santiago del Estero. Rio Salado is a tributary of Rio Paraná. The term “Chaco” in "Chaco de Santiago del Estero" has several possible meanings; here it probably refers to the lowland part of the Chaco region that was acquired by the province of Santiago del Estero. The specimen has its right antenna and posterior right wing missing; the abdomen is permanently mounted between two small discs, and the internal features are difficult to see clearly. Synonyms. At one time or another, seven species names were synonymyzed with U. argentina . However, at this time, none of the synonymies are confirmed. One ( Ungla annulata Navás) is a valid biological entity and is treated above. Two of the names [ Cintameva lurida Navás and Chrysopa plesia Navás] are junior synonyms of species other than U. argentina ; they are treated under U. annulata and U. chacranella , respectively. The final four ( Chrysopa venulosa Navás, C. graciana Navás, C. nervulosa Navás, and C. coronata Navás) are considered species inquirenda, and are discussed at the end of the article.

Diagnosis.

The lectotype of Hypochrysa argentina expresses a set of external characters that we concluded are typical for the species: wings with membrane somewhat shiny to slightly dull, veins robust; both longitudinal veins and transverse veins marked alternately with white (or cream-color) and black (or dark brown); gradate veins dark with prominent fumose marks on surrounding membrane; dorsum of head (vertex) brown, with relatively weak, inverted U-shaped marking, with paired darker brown markings extending anteriorly from the vertex, between the scapes, onto the frons and around the lower margins of the antennal fossae. The U. argentina male abdomen has small, unmodified spiracles; the mediuncus is relatively short and slightly sinuous dorsally; gonosetae are present in a single patch on the upper and outer surfaces of each lobe of the bilobed gonosaccus; and setae at the tip of S8+9 are simple, i.e., they are not flanged.

Redescription.

Head: vertex light brown to brown, with U-shaped marking prominent to somewhat obscured, brown coloration extending anteriorly between the scapes, usually to the frons, forming an X-shaped frontal marking below antennal fossae; antennal fossa with large, dark brown mark extending around dorsal margin, between antennae, and around frontal margin; gena, lateral margin of clypeus with dark brown stripe. Antenna cream-colored; scape with diffuse, brown, longitudinal mark or marks; pedicel mostly brown; flagellum tinged with brown. Basal two labial palpomeres pale, distal three brown; membrane between palpomeres cream-colored; distal maxillary palpomere light brown, basal two cream-colored to tan.

Prothorax with brown, longitudinal stripes sublaterally, laterally; transverse furrow in posterior region, not reaching lateral margins; short, dark setae throughout. Mesothorax, metathorax with lighter, more diffuse brown markings. Measurements: head width: 1.3-1.4 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.4-2.6: 1; prothorax width: 1.0 mm; prothorax length: 0.5-0.7 mm.

Forewing, hindwing moderately narrow, with well-rounded apices, robust venation; alar membrane clear, with light to dark brown suffusion adjacent to dark veins; stigma usually light brown, cloudy to opaque, with three to four black crossveins below, surrounded by dark brown fumose to solid marks; longitudinal and transverse veins with alternate creamy and dark markings (usually dark brown at intersections with crossveins and cream-colored between intersections); gradate veins, crossveins dark. Forewing 8.6-11.1 mm long, 2.8-3.8 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.9-3.1: 1); height of tallest costal cell 0.6-0.8 mm (cell number 5-6); first intramedian cell ovate, 0.6-0.8 mm long; 8-9 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); third gradate cell 0.6-1.2 mm long, 0.3-0.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 1.8-3.5: 1); fourth gradate cell 0.8-0.9 mm long, 0.3 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.6-2.9: 1); 3-4 Banksian cells (b cells), 4 b’ cells; 2-4 inner gradates, 3-5 outer gradates. Hindwing 7.7-9.7 mm long, 2.3-3.1 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.1-3.3: 1), 8-9 radial cells, 3 b (Banksian) cells, 4 b’ cells, 2-4 inner gradates, 3-5 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with spiracles small (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.04x length of sternite); T9+ectoproct short, rounded posteriorly, with dorsal invagination deep, almost reaching anterior margin of T9, lateral margins of invagination straight to convex; callus cerci large, ovate, entire margin lightly sclerotized, sclerotization extending distally along posteroventral margin of segment; subanal plate small, delicate, with patch of one to eight irregularly placed setae. S8, S9 fused, fusion demarcated; dorsal margin with light sclerotization anteriorly, heavier throughout terminal ~1/5th of S8+9; terminal setae slightly robust, otherwise unmodified. Gonarcus with bridge slender, lateral apodemes slightly expanded, blunt, process on sides of lateral apodemes curved smoothly, perpendicularly (lateral view) and slightly inward (frontal view) from gonarcal arm; mediuncus long, narrow, with dorsal margin slightly bowed; gonosaccus distinctly bilobed, each lobe with large patch of robust gonosetae on enlarged bases - anterobasal gonosetae smaller, shorter, on smaller bases than posterodistal gonosetae; hypandrium internum U-shaped with arms bending outward distally, comes elongate, irregular.

Female. Spermatheca round, pillbox-shaped, velum obscured, invagination present but size not clear, spermathecal duct with U-shaped bend and curve; subgenitale with short knob-like protrusion.

Variation.

The clarity of the alternate white and dark markings on the wing veins is quite variable; white areas are often dull. Similarly, the size, shape, and prominence of the head and facial marks can also vary; occasionally the paired brown frontal marks are absent, but the mark on the vertex usually extends anteriorly between the scapes and onto the top of the frons.

We examined one particularly small male specimen (Argentina: La Rioja, Guadacol, 1-3 December 1983, Luis F. Pena, CAS) that, based on abdominal features, we believe is U. argentina . However, it expresses very unusual features: extensive regions of white on the transverse veins, many R-Rs crossveins missing (especially on the hindwing), and the presence of only one series of gradate veins (the distal series) on the hindwing. This specimen remains an enigma.

Larvae and biology.

Monserrat and Freitas (2005) reported on some aspects of the developmental cycle and the third instar; most notably, they stated that the third instar carries debris, and eggs are laid in clusters. Unfortunately, voucher specimens for their study are not available. Thus, we cannot confirm the species identification for the report. Interestingly, the authors did not mention enlarged spiracles on the male abdomen (thus, this character could be consistent with U. argentina ). However, the report does not indicate that there were markings on the forewing longitudinal veins that are typical of U. argentina . Thus, the identification of their specimens remains unconfirmed.

Known distribution.

ARGENTINA (northwest to central east): Provinces of Buenos Aires ( Monserrat and Freitas 2005), Catamarca, La Rioja, Salta, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán.

Specimens studied

(in addition to type). Argentina. Catamarca: Andalgalá, 24-XII-1971, D. J. Brothers, at light (1M, 1F, SEMC); Ruta 46, 12 Km. O de Andalgalá, 28-III-2005, J. Torréns y P. Fidalgo, at light (1F, FSCA). La Rioja: Famatina, 23-XI-1975, L. Stange (1F, IFML); Guadacol, 1-3-XII-1983, L. E. Pena (1M, 6F, CAS); Patquia, 600 m, XII-1957 (1F, CAS). Salta: Cafayate, 1.I.1972, D. J. Brothers, at light (1F, SEMC). Santiago del Estero: Choya, 9 - XI-1961 (1F, CAS); El Pinto, XII-1956 (2F, CAS); Fernandes, II-1957 (5F, 1M, CAS). Tucumán: Amaicha, L. Stange, 20-XI-1966 (1M, FSCA); 11 km. W. Las Cejas, 15-VIII - 22-IX-1963, L. Stange (1M, FSCA).