Ungla adamsi Tauber

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 : 7-12

Ungla adamsi Tauber sp. n. Figs 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 144a

Holotype

(Figs 4a, c, 5d, e, f, 7, 9 b–e; labels: Fig. 144a). FSCA, male, Machu Picchu, 1/XII/1965, H. & M. Townes.

Etymology.

The species is named for Phillip A. Adams, an intense and talented contributor to systematics and evolutionary studies of Neuroptera . His publications, collection, and unpublished work on the lacewings of Latin America were of great help to this study, especially during the early stages. Indeed, Adams identified this species as new, thus the name " adamsi ". From his notes, it is clear that he, as did we, often found working with this genus to be perplexing.

Diagnosis.

Ungla adamsi , currently known only from the Andean archeological site of Machu Picchu, Peru, has several distinguishing features. Most notably, the males and females are strongly dimorphic in head markings and frontal modifications. In males the frons is enlarged and inflated above the clypeus, and it is marked with a prominent dark, central spot. Females also have a dark frontal spot, but in the female, the spot extends transversely towards the distal margin of the frons, forming a thick, inverted “V-shaped” mark. The female frons is not enlarged.

Ungla adamsi resembles three other Ungla species that have frontal spots and cream-colored flagella - U. stangei sp. n., U. favrei , and U. nigromaculifrons . However, none of these species express sexual dimorphism in the frons. Ungla adamsi also differs in that it lacks the features that distinguish the other three species. That is, it has diffuse reddish marks on the scape, not a distinct stripe like the one that typifies U. favrei . It has moderately sized forewings (<15 mm), with 7-8 gradate veins per series, not the very large wings that distinguish U. stangei ; and the veins on its hindwings are green, unlike the very dark transverse veins on the fore and hindwings of U. nigromaculifrons .

Description.

Head cream-colored with dark to light reddish black markings; vertex with anterior marking dark, prominent, separated or contiguous mesally, with diffuse coloration, not extending anteriorly toward antennal base; lateral marks on vertex diffuse, extending from anterior dark mark to base of vertex; dorsal fossa with small red stripe mesally (usually hidden by scapes); posterior parts of vertex unmarked; frons swollen distally (male), smooth distally (female), with large, prominent mesal mark, otherwise whitish (male), cream-colored with inverted V-shaped mark extending from mesal spot (female); gena, lateral margin of clypeus with black stripe throughout; tentorial pits amber-colored. Antenna: scape cream-colored, dorsum with diffuse, light reddish marks; pedicel amber or with amber-colored ring, flagellum cream-colored; maxillary palp with basal two segments pale, three distal segments black, articulations pale; labial palp with basal segment pale, distal two segments marked with black, articulation pale. Corner of cervix with large, dark brown to black mark.

Thorax with distinct longitudinal cream-colored stripe mesally. Prothorax with pair of broad, dark reddish brown stripes laterally; small transverse furrow in posterior region of segment, extending to pair of pale spots within sublateral stripe; setae mostly elongate, pale. Measurements: head width: 1.3 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.7-2.8: 1; prothorax width: 0.6-0.8 mm, length: 0.9-1.0 mm.

Forewing somewhat broad, apex broadly subacute to rounded, membrane clear, hyaline, with light to very light suffusion of brown surrounding gradate veins; stigma very slightly opaque; longitudinal veins green; transverse veins brown or marked with brown; forewing with veins robust to slender, not crassate; Rs straight; first intramedian cell ovate; basal inner gradate vein meeting Psm; gradate veins, subcostal crossveins below stigma dark brown, costal crossveins, R-Rs crossveins, intracubital crossveins marked with brown basally. Hindwing narrow, apex subacute, membrane clear, hyaline, without markings; venation green, except costal crossveins, subcostal crossvein with brown at least basally. Forewing 13.5-14.8 mm long, 4.5-4.8 mm wide [ratio (length to width), L: W = 3.0-3.1: 1]; height of tallest costal cell 0.9 mm (cell number 5); width of first intramedian cell 0.9-1.2 mm; 11-12 radial cells (closed cells between Radius and Radial sector); third gradate cell 1.7-1.8 mm long, 0.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.9-4.4: 1); fourth gradate cell 1.5-1.8 mm long, 0.4 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.6-4.2: 1); 4 Banksian cells, 4 b’ cells; 7 inner gradates, 7-8 outer gradates. Hindwing 12.3-13.4 mm long, 3.6-4.2 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.2-3.4: 1), 11-12 radial cells, 3 Banksian (b) cells, 4 b’ cells, 5-6 inner gradates, 7 outer gradates.

Male: Abdomen with large spiracles, elongate segments (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.14-0.18x length of sternite); T9+ect relatively long (~0.5 length of T7), with dorsal invagination moderately deep (~0.5 × dorsal length of T9+ect), margins of invagination almost straight, base rounded; dorsal margin of T9+ect straight basally, rounded distally, posterior margin of ectoproct slightly convex, without knob or extension; ventral margin convex (teneral) to straight (mature); dorsal apodeme extending along full ven tral margin of T9+ect, with three arms projecting dorsally (mature): first arm extending along posterior margin of segment, second arm contiguous with sclerotization around callus cerci, third arm extending dorsally distal to callus cerci; callus cerci large, slightly ovate, with discrete, well separated trichobothria. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion not detectible; ventral apodeme extending along dorsal margin for full length of A8; dor sum of S8+9 tapering gradually, then forming concave ledge at terminus; terminus blunt (lateral view), extending slightly beyond distal margin of T9+ect; setae slender, mostly long, simple, those along distolateral margin large, flanged. Subanal plate fairly large, triangular in shape, with ~9 setae of medium length. Gonarcus broadly arcuate, rounded mesally, with bridge relatively slender, arms elongate, narrow throughout (lateral view), extending straight downward from gonarcal bridge, margin rounded distally, mesal section with angular enlargement, distinct digitiform process extending posteriorly, inward; mediuncus with quadrate base closely attached to gonarcal bridge, narrow distally, with terminus spoon-shaped, slightly curved downward throughout (lateral view); gonosaccus bilobed, with lobes closely aligned, when unexpanded forming a triangular envelope around tip of mediuncus, when expanded consisting of two lobes, rounded dorsally, mesally, laterally, but flat distally; each lobe with large, dense patch of gonosetae arising from prominent setal bases facing inward when uneverted, outward when everted; gonosetae moderate length (shorter than length of mediuncus); hypandrium internum small, with two short, dense arms, with narrow, rounded junction.

Known distribution.

PERU: Department of Cuzco.

Specimens examined

(in addition to the holotype; all paratypes). Peru; Cuzco, Machu Picchu museum, 1,385 m., 11-14/VIII/1971 at light, C. & M. Vardy. B.M. 1971-533 (M, BMNH); Machu Picchu, 6/VIII/1971, B.V. Ridout, B.M.1971-, n. sp., F., det. P. Adams (F, BMNH); Machupicchu, nr. Cuzco, 5-8/VIII/1973, B. V. Ridout, B.M.1974-181 (M, BMNH); Machu Picchu, 28/XI/1965 (F, FSCA), 1/XII/1965, H. & M. Townes (2M, FSCA).