Berotha guangdongana, Li & Aspöck & Aspöck & Liu, 2018

Li, Di, Aspöck, Horst, Aspöck, Ulrike & Liu, Xingyue, 2018, A review of the beaded lacewings (Neuroptera: Berothidae) from China, Zootaxa 4500 (2), pp. 235-257 : 243-244

Berotha guangdongana sp. nov.

( Figs. 7 , 24–26 )

Diagnosis. The new species is characterized by the male tergum 9 + ectoprocts rounded distally, the sternum 9 short, distinctly concaved posteriad; the complex of fused gonocoxites, gonapophyses and gonostyli 10 with distinct bristle-bow, reaching to segment 8 anteriorly.

Description. Male. Body length 8.2 mm; forewing length 12.0 mm, hindwing length 10.5 mm.

Head generally pale yellow with blackish brown spots. Compound eyes blackish brown. Antennae pale yellow with yellowish setae, but setae on scape and pedicel pale brown and longer than flagellum; scape and pedicel with blackish brown spots on distal margin; scape long and thick, length-width ratio approximately 5:1.

Prothorax generally pale yellow with blackish brown spots; setae yellow dorsally but dark brown ventrally; pronotum with dense blackish brown spots. Meso- and metathorax generally yellow, mesonotum with blackish brown spots medially, metanotum immaculate. Legs pale yellow with dark brown spots and brown setae. Forewing distinctly convex in pterostigmal area, and falcate on apex, slightly smoky brown, slightly darker along distal margin, with brown spots on branching points of longitudinal veins; pterostigma narrowly elongate, reddish brown, with hyaline parts at middle, paler on distal margin. Longitudinal veins pale yellow but paler on distal margin, interrupted by many brownish spots; crossveins brown. Hindwing slightly paler than forewing.

Abdomen yellow with blackish brown spots and pale yellow setae.

Male genitalia. Tergum 9 + ectoprocts subquadrate in lateral view. Trichobothria reduced. Sternum 9 short, slightly shorter than sternum 8, distinctly concaved posteriad. Gonocoxites 9 paired, rod-shaped proximally, with hook-like apex. Complex of fused gonocoxites, gonapophyses and gonostyli 10 (= paramere-mediuncus complex) with a basal sclerite and a short bow formed by bundled bristles, reaching to segment 8 anteriorly. Fused gonocoxites 11 (= gonarcus) forming an arched sclerite. Hypandrium internum subtriangular.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, China: Guangdong, Mt. Dinghushan Nature Reserve [23°16.592'N, 112°54.091'E], 36 m, 27. VI. 2017, light trap, Yisheng Zhao ( CAU).

Distribution. China (Guangdong).

Etymology. The new species is named after the Guangdong Province where it was discovered.

Remarks. This species appears to be closely related to B. bannana from Yunnan in having similar gonocoxites 9 of hook-like apex, the complex of fused gonocoxites, gonapophyses and gonostyli 10 (= paramere-mediuncus complex) of a short bristles-bow, the fused gonocoxites 11 (= gonarcus) of arched sclerite and the hypandrium internum subtriangular, but it can be distinguished from the latter species by the male sternum 9 posteriorly concaved. In B. bannana the male sternum 9 is posteriorly truncate.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Berotha guangdongana sp. nov., male, habitus photo. Scale bar: 5.0 mm.

FIGURES 24–26. Berotha guangdongana sp. nov. 24. Male genitalia, lateral view; 25. Male genitalia, ventral view; 26. Male, complex of gonocoxites 9 and gonocoxites 10, lateral view. e: ectoproct; gx9: gonocoxite 9; gx10: complex of fused gonocoxites, gonapophyses and gonostyli 10 (= paramere-mediuncus complex); gx11: gonocoxite 11 (= gonarcus); hi: hypandrium internum. S7–9: sternum 7–9; T7–9: tergum 7–9. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (Figs. 24–25); 0.2 mm (Fig. 26).