Ungla nigromaculifrons Sosa, 2015

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 : 52-55

Ungla nigromaculifrons Sosa, 2015 Figs 64, 65, 66, 67, 143f

Ungla nigromaculifrons Sosa, 2015. Zootaxa 4018 (2): 191-193; "VENEZUELA. Trujillo state: Boconó [9°14'N / 70°15'W, 1270 m], 20.vii.1974, F. Fernández. H [Hijo] & M. Gaiani Leg. Deposited in the MIZA." Holotype. MIZA, male. For images of the type see Sosa (2015); for labels, see Fig. 143f here. Much of the abdomen of the holotype is lost; the original description illustrates the structures that are present: T9+ect (lateral), S8+9 (ventral) and parts of the gonarcus.

Diagnosis.

This species is distinguished by a golden yellow head and a round, black spot on the frons, and dark wing venation. It differs from other species that have a prominent black frontal spot and cream-colored antennae ( U. stangei , U. favrei , and U. adamsi ) in that the scape is tinged with red, but otherwise unmarked (distinct stripe in U. favrei ), the wings are smaller and with at most 4 to 8 gradate veins per series (8 to 11 for U. stangei ), the clypeus and frons do not exhibit sexual dimorphism (male clypeus swollen and female frons with transverse marking in U. adamsi ), and finally the hindwing has dark veins (unlike all the other species).

Redescription.

Head: As described by Sosa (2015). Maxillary palp with basal two segments cream-colored, distal three segments entirely black, intersections cream-colored; labial palp with basal segment pale, distal two entirely black. Thorax: Prothorax with transverse furrow in the posterior section of segment, marked with narrow, dark red transverse stripe extending almost to center of segment; setae long, golden. Mesonotum, metanotum green mesally, with pair of broad, dark red stripes laterally. Measurements: head width: 1.5 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.1-2.2: 1; prothorax width: 0.8-1.1 mm, length: 0.6-1.0 mm.

Forewing, hindwing with moderate width. Forewing with rounded apex, hindwing with apex slightly acute; venation not heavy, very slight swelling at furcation of Cu; stigma lightly marked with brown or pale, with four to five brown subcostal crossveins below; longitudinal veins light green, marked with brown at attachments with transverse veins, crossveins; gradates dark brown to black; narrow covering of dark pigmentation on membrane adjacent to dark veins; gradates in parallel series; basal inner gradate sometimes meeting Psm. Forewing 12.8-15.5 mm long, 4.5-5.3 mm wide, (ratio, L: W = 2.9: 1); height of tallest costal cell 0.9-1.1 mm (cell number 6-7); length of first intramedian cell 0.8-1.1 mm; 11 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); third gradate cell 1.4-1.6 mm long, 0.6 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.6-3.0: 1); fourth gradate cell 1.5 mm long, 0.5 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.8: 1); 3-4 Banksian cells (b cells), 4 b’ cells; 5-6 inner gradates, 7-8 outer gradates. Hindwing 11.2-13.9 mm long, 4.3-4.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.0-3.2: 1), 10-11 radial cells, 3 Banksian (b) cells, 4 b’ cells, 4-5 inner gradates, 6-7 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with small spiracles (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.05 × length of sternite); A7-A9 with numerous setae, those extending from pleural region robust; without microtholi; T9+ectoproct relatively long (~0.5 × length of T7), with dorsal invagi nation deep (~0.5 × dorsal length of T9+ect), margins of invagination almost straight, base rounded; dorsal margin of T9+ect (above anus) straight with acute angle at tip; posterior margin of ectoproct straight throughout; ventral margin of T9+ect straight, with sclerotized, curved apodeme, contiguous with sclerotization around callus cerci, posterior corner of apodeme slightly bent mesally in small, rounded corner; posteroventral corner of T9+ect appearing angular (lateral view); callus cerci large, ovate, with entire margin well sclerotized. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion faintly perceptible; dorsal margin with heavy apodeme extending along entire length of segment; dorsal margin gradually sloping ventrally from base of segment approximately to level of callus cerci, then bending to flat terminal plate; terminus extending distally, well beyond tip of T9+ect, heavily sclerotized, distal edge of plate turned up slightly, flat in posterior view; terminal setae on extreme upper layer of posterodorsal margin of S8+9 enlarged, with small, flange-like protrusions basally. Gonarcus arcuate, with slight V-shape (frontal, caudal views); bridge robust, moderately wide, rounded throughout; arms elongate, extending backwards away from mediuncus, rounded distally, mesal section with digiti form process extending posteriorly toward gonosaccus; mediuncus with moderately wide base, paired internal rods flared basally, distally, adjacent mesally; dorsal surface of mediuncus smooth, slightly depressed distally, with short, rounded (blunt) beak distally; gonosaccus bilobed, each lobe large, with large, dense patch of gonosetae; gonosetae robust, arising from enlarged setal bases; hypandrium internum not found.

Female. See Sosa (2015).

Known distribution.

COLOMBIA (central): Department of Colombia. VENEZUELA (northeastern): States of Trujillo, Táchira, Mérida, Lara.

Specimens examined

[in addition to those listed by Sosa (2015)]. Colombia. Cundinamarca: Chía, 30.vi.1998, M. Pérez (1M, USNM). Venezuela. Táchira: Quebrada Los Mirtos, 8 km S El Cobre, 7°58.593'N, 72°04.515'W, el. 2400 m, 22.iv.1995, Holzenthal, Cressa, Gutic (1M, 1F, UMSP); Mérida: 9 km NE Mérida, Valle Grande, 15.vii.1991, C. Porter & L. Stange (1F, FSCA); Tabay, 2,200 m, 31.iv.1981, H. K. Townes (1?, FSCA); Lara: Cubiro, 6.v.1981, H. K. Townes (1F, FSCA).

In the original description of U. nigromaculifrons , a specimen from Lara State in Venezuela was reported as a paratype ( Sosa: 2015); we now believe that this specimen was misidentified. It is a species that resembles U. bolivari (see above).