Ungla nigromaculifrons, Sosa, Francisco, 2015

Sosa, Francisco, 2015, First records of Ungla Navás (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from Venezuela, with descriptions of seven new species, Zootaxa 4018 (2), pp. 176-200 : 191-193

Ungla nigromaculifrons sp. nov.

( Figures 16–18 )

Holotype Male: VENEZUELA. Trujillo state: Boconó [9º14’N / 70º15’W, 1270 m], 20.vii.1974, F. Fernández. H [Hijo] & M. Gaiani Leg. Deposited in the MIZA.

Diagnosis. This species has a yellow head with a round, black spot on the frons, forewings with most crossveins black, and hindwings with longitudinal veins pale green, marked with black at attachments with transverse veins.

Description. Head. Golden yellow; vertex smooth, with pair of wide, dark reddish brown, crescent-shaped marks ( Fig. 16 A); frons with prominent, black, circular spot mesally; gena, basolateral margin of clypeus black. Maxillary, labial palpi black, with intersegmental areas golden yellow ( Fig. 16 B–C). Antenna ( Fig. 16 B–C): scape yellow, unmarked; pedicellus yellow, marked with black dorsolaterally; flagellum yellow, with pale bristles.

Thorax. Olive green, with broad red-wine-colored stripe laterally; mesonotum, metanotum unmarked; pleural, sternal areas, legs pale green ( Fig. 16 A–B). Wings ( Fig. 16 D): Forewings with longitudinal veins pale green, marked with black at attachments with transverse veins; crossveins black, inner, outer gradates arranged in parallel series; basal inner gradate not meeting Psm; hindwing with longitudinal, transverse veins pale green, marked with black at attachments; gradate veins black.

Abdomen. Dark green. Male terminalia: Only one male specimen, the holotype, was available, and much of its abdomen was lost. The following describes the parts that are associated with this specimen. T9+ect triangularshape, anterior margin rounded; callus cerci round, with ca. 30 trichobothria ( Fig. 17 A); S8+9 fused, with posterior margin slightly bilobed in ventral view ( Fig. 17 B). Male genitalia: Gonarcal bridge U-shaped; lateral apodemes ovate (lateral view), with bent, digitiform horn ( Fig.17 C–E); arcessus covered with dense black microtrichiae dorsally. Female terminalia ( Fig. 18 ): A1–8 with oval spiracles. T9+ect with posterior margin curved, with cleft beneath callus cerci; callus cerci round with ca. 30 trichobothria. S7 trapezoidal, slightly tapered distally, with dorsal margin sinuous; surface covered with dense, long setae; ratio of ventral margin length: anterior margin height ~ 2.4: 1. Spermatheca pillbox-shaped, ventral impression deep, spermathecal duct very long, ca. 3.9 times height of spermatheca and velum ( Fig. 18 C–D). Subgenitale rectangular, lobate dorsally, slightly extended basally ( Fig. 18 E).

Measurements (n=1). Head: width = 1.4 mm; eye width = 0.4 mm; Pronotum: length = 0.6 mm, width = 0.8 mm. Forewing: length = 12.8 mm, width = 4.5 mm, length/width ratio = 2.8:1; intramedian cell length = 0.8 mm;maximum height of costal area = 0.9 mm; five inner, seven outer gradates; hindwing: length = 11.2 mm, width = 3.6 mm, length/width ratio = 3: 1, five inner, six outer gradates.

Other material examined. Paratype: VENEZUELA, Mérida state, Méria city [8º37’N / 71º08’W, 1825 m], 20.vii.2010, F. Sosa & F. Díaz, Leg.( MJMO). Táchira state, El Zumbador, 2600 m, 25.ix.1966, 1♀, C. J. Rosales & J. Salcedo, Leg. ( MIZA).

Known geographical distribution. Venezuela (states of Mérida, Táchira, and Trujillo).

Species relationship. U. nigromaculifrons sp. nov. is similar to U. favrei sp. nov. Both species have head with golden coloration, genae and basolateral clypeus black; vertex with a pair of broad, cresent- shaped, brown marks, and pronotum with dark brown or reddish brown lateral marks, but U. nigromaculifrons sp. nov., has a prominent circular black mark on the frons and a forewing with most of its crossveings black, whereas in U. favrei , the face has red marks laterally, the frons has a small black spot, and most of crossveins on the forewing are pale.

Etymology. The name comes from the Latin words: nigro = black, maculi = spot, and frons = face; it refers to the rounded black spot on the frons.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Ungla nigromaculifrons sp. nov. External features, holotype ♂. A) Head and pronotum, dorsal. B) Head and pronotum, lateral. C) Head, frontal. D) Wings. Note the narrow im, and the basal inner gradate not meeting Psm (arrow). bsx = basal subcostal crossvein; ig = inner gradates; im = intramedian cell; og = outer gradates; Psc = pseucocubitus; Psm = pseudomedia; Rs = radial sector.

FIGURE 17. Ungla nigromaculifrons sp. nov. Male abdomen, holotype. A) Ninth tergite and ectoproct, lateral. B) Fused sternite 8 + 9, ventral; C) Gonarcal complex, dorso-frontal. D) Gonarcal complex, lateral. E) Gonarcal complex, frontal. ap-gs = lateral apodemes of gonarcus; ar = arcessus; cc = callus cerci; gs = gonarcus; gsac = gonosaccus; gst = gonosetae; h = horn of lateral apodeme of gonarcus.

FIGURE 18. Ungla nigromaculifrons sp. nov. Female abdomen, paratype. A) Abdomen, lateral. B) Callus cerci. Note the round shape. C) Spermathecal complex, lateral. D) Spermathecal complex, dorsolateral. E) Subgenitale; frontal. cc = callus cerci; g. l. = gonapophysis lateralis; S 7 = seventh sternite; sp = spermatheca; sp. d. = spermathecal duct; T 8 = eighth tergite; T 9 + ect = fused tergite 9 and ectoproct; v = velum; v. i. = ventral invagination.