Purenleon oaxacae Miller and Stange, 2014

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2014, A revision of the genus Purenleon Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Nemoleontini), Insecta Mundi 2014 (384), pp. 1-67 : 18-20

Purenleon oaxacae Miller and Stange , new species

Figures 26–31 , 140–141

Holotype male, 27 miles south Matías Romero, Oaxaca, Mexico, 3.X.1986, reared, Miller and Stange ( FSCA).

Diagnosis. Pronotum longer than wide; basitarsus mostly pale brown except apically; forewing without serpentine dark brown stripe but with many scattered dark brown spots, costal cells not interconnected; paramere complex, non-sculptured, narrowing as small process (about twice as long as wide) toward gonarcus, below which a strongly sclerotized area, medially with short setae, below which abruptly expanded plate medially, posterior margin broadly rounded; female pregenitale short and triangular, about three times wider than long.

Holotype male. Length of body 24 mm, forewing 37 mm, hindwing 28 mm. Coloration: general coloration brown ( Fig. 27, 28 ); face pale brown with broad dark brown band below and between antennal fossae; mouthparts mostly pale brown except dark brown on apex of distal palpomere of labius and maxilla; antenna brown with pale brown at apices of scape and flagellomeres, pedicel narrowly pale brown above, dark brown ventrally; forecoxa mostly pale brown; tarsi mostly black colored except for pale brown basitarsus except apically; forewing without serpentine dark brown stripe but with many scattered dark brown spots; abdomen reddish brown with many pale brown areas mostly toward anterior end of tergites; pale brown on sternite IX and ectoproct. Chaetotaxy: pronotum with some long white lateral setae and few erect setae on disc; no erect bristles on mesonotum; thoracic pleura with many long white setae; forecoxa with many long white setae, especially posteriorly; leg bristles mostly black; forefemur and midfemur with many white, appressed setae lacking in hindfemur; midfemoral sense hair shorter than forefemoral sense hair which is about one-fourth as long as forefemur; abdomen with long white hair on sternite II, elsewhere on abdomen abundant but shorter. Structure: distal palpomere of labius weakly swollen; antenna moderately long and clavate with about 43 flagellomeres; basal flagellomeres about twice as long as wide, others broader than long; pronotum a little longer than wide measured along midline; hind basitarsus about seven times longer than median diameter, tibial spurs reach to apex of tarsomere II; foreleg basitarsus about four times longer than median diameter, tibial spurs reaching to apex of tarsomere II; forewing costal area gradually broadened near base, with few, usually no interconnected crossveins; male genitalia ( Fig. 30 ) with nearly straight gonarcus which has small process toward apex; paramere complex, non-sculptured, narrowing as small process (about twice as long as wide) toward gonarcus, below which a strongly sclerotized area, medially with short setae, below which abruptly expanded plate medially, posterior margin broadly rounded.

Female. Fig. 31 . About as described for male except female terminalia which has the ectoproct with short (nearly as long as wide) postventral lobe; posterior gonapophysis widely separated and arched near middle, about five times longer than median diameter, with longest setae laterally toward base; gonapophyseal plate long, narrowed apically; lateral gonapophysis about twice as long as broad with long, stout setate longer than gonapophysis; pregenitale narrow and transverse, about four times longer than wide with large circular area at middle; spermatheca short, circular C-shaped; posterior margin of sternite VIII with elongate setae submedially.

Larva. Fig. 140–141 . Coloration: ventral head capsule with six dark brown spots, submedial pair anteriorly, two close marks submedially at middle and dark brown spot sublateral near posterior margin. Chaetotaxy: mandible dorsally with scattered small dolichasters; dorsal head capsule with scattered small dolichasters, without prominent sublateral row of large dolichasters posterior to lateral tentorial suture; ventral head capsule medially with blunt-ended un-expanded setae abdomen ventrally with terminal digging setae in groups of four with pair closest to midline much shorter than outer two setae. Structure: mandible about as long as length of ventral head capsule; distance between mandibular teeth 1n and 3 about equal to that between base and tooth 1; mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle about as long as wide; abdominal spiracles not raised, quite flat and obscure.

Variation. Length of body ranges from about 23 to 25 mm, forewing 24 to 30 mm, hindwing 23 to 29 mm.

Biology. The larvae are found in rain protected in cuts into the stony walls of canyons. They live in decomposing rock dust with their legs anchored to stones. They live in zones of medium filtered light.

Types. 12 males, 4 females. 1 larva. October to March

MEXICO. Morelia: Yautepec, 26.III.1962, L. Stange (2m, FSCA). Oaxaca: 23 miles south Matías Romero, 3.X.1986, reared, R. Miller & L. Stange (1 larva, 10m, 4f, FSCA).

Discussion. The southern Mexican P. oaxacae appears to be most closely related to P. connexus differing in wing maculation, shape of male genitalia and female terminalia (posterior gonapophysis much shorter and pregenitale larger in P. oaxacae ).

Etymology. Named after the Mexican state of Oaxaca where the holotype was collected.

Figures

Figures 26–31. Purenleon oaxacae Miller and Stange, adult. 26) full dorsal view; 27) head and thorax; 28) lateral view; 29) wings; 30) male genitalia; 31) female terminalia, lateral view.

Figures 140–141. Purenleon oaxacae Miller and Stange, larva. 140) ventral view; 141) dorsal view. Figures 142–145. Purenleon aztecus Miller and Stange, larva. 142) dorsal view; 143) ventral view; 144) dorsal view of head; 145) ventral view of head. Figures 146–147. Purenleon bistictus (Hagen), larva. 146) dorsal view; 147) ventral view.