Purenleon imbellis (Banks)

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2014, A revision of the genus Purenleon Stange (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Nemoleontini), Insecta Mundi 2014 (384), pp. 1-67 : 42-43

Purenleon imbellis (Banks) Figures 88–91

Puren imbellis Banks 1941a: 102 . Holotype female, Port au Prince, Haiti, 20.XI., Smith (MCZC). Taxonomy. Stange 1970: 24 (in Psammoleon ); Stange 2002: 286 (in Purenleon ).

Further description. Miller and Stange 2011: 19.

Distribution. Hispaniola.

Diagnosis. Length of body 16 mm. (male) or 20 mm (female), forewing 19 (male) or 22 mm. (female), width about 5 mm; hindwing 20 mm (male) or 23 mm.(female), width about 4 mm. Coloration: head and thorax yellowish brown; dark brown interantennal mark truncate below antennae and dorsally extending nearly to verex but with a median pale yellowish spot; vertex with anterior row of velvety brown band, broken medially by thin slit, preceeded by pale spot; markings consisting of four almost connected black stripes, middle row consists of brown spots, posterior row consisting of pair of dark brown spots extending posteriorly; antenna pale brown on basal one-half with weak brown bases becoming dark apically, club dark brown; pronotum pale brown with median white line and lateral dark brown stripes laterally; abdomen brown with pale median line or spots that on tergite II is a line, elongately enlarged at middle and slightly enlarged posteriorly; tergite III with broad pale area at basse partly divided and followed by a line which is widened at tip; tergite IV with large pale brown spot at base which tapers toward tip; legs mostly pale brown, apices of femora dark brown, foretibia and midtibia mostly dark brown, hindtibia dark brown at apex only; tarsi mostly dark brown at base and apex; forewing with subcosta much interrupted with brown areas, radius with longer brown streaks, cubitus with more separated streaks; crossveins usually dark brown at ends; brown line from near end of anal vein and oblique brown line at rhegma. Chaetotaxy: pronotum with only short black setae; foretibia and midtibia with both white and black setae, hindtibia mostly with black setae; midfemoral sense hair shorter than forefemoral sense hair. Structure: distal palpomere of labius slightly swollen; pronotum about as long as broad; foretibial spurs extending nearly to base of distal tarsomere; hindtibial spurs about equal to basal two tarsomeres; forewing slightly shorter than hindwing; forewing costal area expands gradually from base, high with two series of cells reaching from near stigma to about origin of radial sector; CuA of hindwing ends before medial fork; male genitalia ( Fig. 90 ) with narrow, strongly curved gonarcus with broad mediuncus; paramere mostly broad plate which is strongly expanded laterally near middle, with minor scalloping; female terminalia ( Fig. 91 ) with ectoproct weakly produced apically with several elongate black setae that are about as long as ectoproct; lateral gonaophyses transverse, separate, with dense setae that are no longer than basal width of gonapophysis; posterior gonapophysis elongate, over six times longer than greatest diamer, strongly curved toward middle, with numerous elongate setae; gonapophyseal plate broadest near base of posterior gonaopoysis, becoming narrower toward middle; spermatheca elongate, sinuate, strongly curved apically; pregenitatel transverse, broadest at middle.

Material studied. 3 males, 4 females. June to November.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Monte Cristi: 9 miles north Villa Elisa, 4. VI.1986, Miller and Stange, at light (3m, 3f, FSCA

HAITI. Ouest: Port au Prince, 20.XI, Smith (1f, MCZC).

Discussion. The partially biareolate forewing costal area appears to be the best distinguishing character known for this species. This species resembles P. minor in size and coloration. Both have been collected in Monte Cristi province of the Dominican Republic where P. minor is found near the coast and P. imbellis more inland.

Figures

Figures 88–91. Purenleon imbellis (Banks), adult. 88) head and thorax; 89) wings; 90) male genitalia; 91) female terminalia, ventral view.