Disparomitus lineatus, Michel, 2019

Michel, Bruno, 2019, Revision of the genus Disparomitus van der Weele, 1909 with descriptions of four new species (Neuroptera, Ascalaphidae), Zootaxa 4551 (1), pp. 1-39 : 21

Disparomitus lineatus n. sp.

( Figs 47–52 , 89 , 117–119 , 135, 136 )

Diagnosis. Wing length (mm): ♂ forewing 26–31, hind wing 21–25; ♀ forewing 26–31, hind wing 22–26. General colour yellow. Thorax with a wide black dorso-longitudinal stripe extending from pronotum to metascutellum ( Fig. 89 ). Shape of gonarcus-parameres complex characteristic ( Figs 117–119 ).

Description of male. Head. Genae light yellow to light pinkish. Face covered with white setae. Vertex brownish with white and grey setae. Thorax ( Fig. 89 ). Yellow with a wide dorso-longitudinal black stripe. Mesothoracic prescutum with two yellow markings of variable extent inside the black area. Mesoscutum variably darked on each side of the black area. Metascutellum of male with black erect setae slightly more slender than setae on abdominal tergites I and II. Lateral surface of thorax light brown to dark brown. Discal part of metathoracic anepimeron yellow. Ventral surface yellow. Legs. Yellow. Abdomen ( Figs 48–50 ). Abdominal tergites widely bordered laterally with dark brown, with a narrow brown dorso-longitudinal line. Tergites I and II with stout erect black setae. Tergite II strongly bulging in the anterior part ( Fig. 48 ). Sternites yellow with a wide longitudinal black stripe from sternite II. Ectoprocts of male brown ( Fig. 50 ). Male genitalia. Gonarcus-parameres complex as in figures 117–119. Gonarcus short. In lateral view, it is strongly narrowed forward and has a triangular shape.

Female. Same colour as male with abdominal tergite I slightly developed dorsally ( Figs 51, 52 ).

Material examined (18 ♂♂, 27 ♀♀). Holotype ♂, MALI, Farako , 11.2075/-5.45, (near the Farako falls), alt. 418 m, 14.iv.1996 , B. Michel leg. (Cirad-CBGP) ( Fig. 47 ). Paratypes. Same locality as holotype, 1 ♂ 07.iii.1998; 2 ♂♂ 28.iii.1997; 1 ♂ 11 ♀♀ 07.iv.1996; 7 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀ 08.iv.1996; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ 14.iv.1996, 2 ♀♀ 25.iv.1997 (all B. Michel leg., Cirad-CBGP). BURKINA FASO: 1 ♂ Bobo-Dioulasso , 11.164922/-4.305154, alt. 443 m ., 19.iii.2010, 09h 15 p. m, M. Akoudjin leg., light trap. 1 ♂ same locality, 22.iii.2010 , 08h 45 p. m., M. Akoudjin leg., light trap. 1 ♀ same locality and date, 09h 35 p. m., M. Akoudjin leg., light trap. 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Parc of W, 02.iv.2003 , J. Bouyer leg. 1 ♀ Parc W (without data), J. Bouyer leg. (all Cirad-CBGP). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO [ Congo Belge ] : 1 ♂ without collection locality, 02.iii.1951, II/ke/10, H. De Saeger leg., 1314 (MRAC). 1 ♀ 23.iii.1951, II/ db/4, H. De Saeger leg., 1439, both P.N.G., Mission H. De Saeger ( MRAC). MALI : 1 ♂ N’Golokouna (near Farako), 09.iv.1997 . 1 ♀ Natiékoura (about 20 km West of Sikasso, 11.322383/-5.698398, alt. 413 m, road to Bougouni), 22.v.1997 . 1 ♀ Pégnasso , 11.466667/-5.633333, alt. 350 m, 25.v.1998, (all B. Michel leg., Cirad- CBGP) . NIGERIA: 1 ♂ without collection locality, 26.ii.1958, J. Birket-Smith leg. (21–700 Hg ZMUC).

Distribution. West Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo. Without collection locality in the latter country ( Fig. 139 ).

Ecology and Behavior. Recorded from low density shrub savanna. During the day, adults rest on dry stems of plants ( Figs 133, 134 ) and fly away quickly to capture prey that passes within their reach. In West Africa, adults have been recorded during the dry season from end of February to end of May ( Michel & Cadet 2009).

Etymology. The epithet lineatus (from Latin, lined) refers to the black longitudinal stripe on thorax.

Figures

FIGURE 139. Known distibution of Disparomitus spp. (? = species recorded from the country without collection locality).

FIGURES 47–52. Disparomitus lineatus n. sp. 47. Holotype ♂, habitus and labels. 48. Id., base of abdomen, lv. 49. Id., base of abdomen, dv. 50. Id., extremity of abdomen, cv. 51. Female, habitus and labels. 52. Id., base of abdomen, lv.

FIGURES 84–95. Thorax and base of abdomen, dv. 84. D. abyssinicus. 85. D. bacillus. 86. D. brevistigma. 87. D. haullevillei (photo MRAC). 88. D. kimminsi (white arrow shows the black dot in the yellow marking). 89. D. lineatus. 90. D. schoutedeni (photo MRAC). 91. D. sellatus (photo MRAC). 92. D. simplex. 93. D. spatula. 94. D. transvaliensis. 95. D. caviceps.

FIGURES 114–132. Gonarcus-parameres complexes of Disparomitus spp. 114. D. kimminsi, dv. 115. Id., lv. 116. Id., cv. 117. D. lineatus, dv. 118. Id., lv, 119. Id., cv. 120. D. sellatus type, dv. 121. Id., lv. 122. Id., cv. 123. D. simplex type, dv. 124. Id., lv. 125. Id., cv. 126. D. spatula, dv. 127. Id., lv. 128. Id., cv. 129. D. longus lectotype, dv. 130. Id., cv. 131. Id., lv. 132. D. transvaliensis from South Africa, lv.

FIGURES 133–138. 133. Habitat of D. caviceps, Burkina Faso, Forêt du Mou, vii.2009, forest gallery. 134. D. caviceps ♂, 06.vi.2009, Burkina Faso, Forêt du Mou. 135. Habitat of D. lineatus, Mali, Farako Falls on 28.iii.1997, tree savana. 136. Id., grass savana. 137. Habitat of D. spatula, Mali, Natiékoura, iii.1998. 138. D. spatula ♀ resting on a lateritic stone. White arrows show the supports on which ascalaphids were collected.