Ungla laufferi ( Navas , 1922)

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 : 43-46

Ungla laufferi ( Navas, 1922) Figs 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56

Chrysopa laufferi Navás, 1922. Rev. R. Acad. Cienc. exactas fis. nat. Madrid ( “1921”) 19: 260; "Colombia. Un ejemplar en mi colección, donativo de Don Jorge Lauffer, a quien me complazco en dedicar esta especie". Penny 1977: 19 (list); Oswald 2015 (catalog). Ceraeochrysa laufferi ( Navás), by Brooks and Barnard 1990: 269. Ungla laufferi ( Navás), by Legrand et al. 2008: 149; Freitas et al. 2009: 556 (removal from Ungla , return to Ceraeochrysa , redesc, tax); Tauber and Flint 2010: 57-58 (return to Ungla ); Oswald 2015 (catalog). Holotype (Figs 48, 49). MNHN, sex unknown (examined, abdomen missing); holotype by original designation (see Legrand et al. 2008: 149). The type locality is an unspecified location in Colombia.

Chrysopa aroguesina Navás, 1929. Rev. chil. Hist. nat. ( “1928”) 32: 110-111; "Ecuador: Azogues. Campos leg. Col. m". Penny 1977: 16 (list, as “azoguesina”, incorrect subsequent spelling); Poggi 1993: 424 (type, as C. “azoguesina”, incorrect subsequent spelling); Oswald 2015 (catalog). Ceraeochrysa aroguesina ( Navás), by Brooks and Barnard 1990: 268 (as C. “azoguesina”, incorrect subsequent spelling); Legrand et al. 2008: 115-116 (synonymy with C. laufferi ); Freitas et al. 2009: 556 (synonymy reversed); Tauber and Flint 2010: 57-58 (synonymy reinstated); Oswald 2015 (catalog). Lectotype (Figs 50, 51). MNHN, female (examined); lectotype designated by Legrand et al. (2008: 115-116). A paralectotype (examined, sex unknown, MSNG) is badly damaged (Fig. 52), but the features that are visible are similar to those of the lectotype. Both specimens were collected in Azogues, the capital city of Cañar Province (~2,500 m) in south-central Ecuador. Support for synonymy. See Tauber and Flint 2010: 57-58.

Diagnosis.

This species and U. stangei (see below) are the only two Ungla species known to have light green body color, a dorsal yellow stripe, and a pair of red spots or small, crescent-shaped marks on the vertex (in place of the inverted U-shaped mark that typifies most Ungla species). The wings of both species have slightly acute tips; the longitudinal and transverse veins are largely yellow to light green; most transverse veins are pale mesally with small brown marks at both ends where they intersect with longitudinal veins. The gradate veins, the first two r-m crossveins, and the last crossvein of the distal b’ cell are entirely brown and are bordered with brown suffusion.

Adults of U. laufferi can be distinguished from U. stangei by their smaller wing size (forewings = 13.5-15.9 mm, 11-13 radial cells, 6-7 inner gradate veins, 6-8 outer gradates), and 6-7 gradate cells that are long and narrow. Also, in the U. laufferi male, the S8+9 is elongate and its dorsal surface tapers evenly throughout the entire segment; the gonarcus is arcuate and has elongate gonarcal arms that extend downward from the gonarcal bridge (smoothly or slightly angled); they do not recurve markedly below the gonarcal bridge and gonosaccus.

Redescription.

Pale green, with dorsal surface mostly yellowish from vertex to tip of abdomen. Head with vertex raised, smooth, shiny, with pair of red to reddish brown spots or crescent shaped marks laterally; frons smooth, flat, with or without small mesal mark anteromesal to base of antennae; gena, lateral edge of clypeus with reddish to brownish stripe; maxillary palp with distal three segments dark brown, pale at articulations, basal segments unmarked; labial palp unmarked except tip of distal palpomere dark brown; antenna light yellow basally, becoming slightly brownish distally; scape, pedicel without marks. Prothorax length and width about equal, narrowing anteriorly, unmarked or slightly tinged with red. Legs yellow-green, with similarly colored setae; tarsus paler; base of claws strongly dilated. Measurements: head width: 1.2-1.4 mm; ratio head width: eye width: 2.2-2.4: 1; prothorax width: 0.9-1.0 mm, length: 0.6-0.7 mm.

Forewing, hindwing elongate, with broadly acute tips; membrane mostly clear, hyaline, with fumose areas around brown sections of transverse veins, gradate veins; stigma clear to slightly opaque; longitudinal veins mostly green; transverse veins with brown at most intersections; gradate veins, first two r-m crossveins, last crossvein of distal b’ cell entirely brown, with surrounding membrane suffused with brown. Forewing 13.5-15.9 mm long, 4.6-5.3 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 2.9-5.0: 1); height of tallest costal cell 0.8-1.2 mm (cell number 8-9); width of first intramedian cell 0.8-1.0 mm; 11-13 radial cells (closed cells between R and Rs); third gradate cell 1.9-2.2 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.8-5.0: 1); fourth gradate cell 1.9-2.4 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 4.6-5.5: 1); 4-5 Banksian cells (b cells), 4-5 b’ cells; 6-7 inner gradates, 6-8 outer gradates. Hindwing 12.0-14.4 mm long, 3.8-4.5 mm wide (ratio, L: W = 3.1-3.3: 1), 11-14 radial cells, 3-4 Banksian (b) cells, 4-5 b’ cells, 5-7 inner gradates, 3-8 outer gradates.

Male. Abdomen with small spiracles (e.g., A7: spiracle diameter ~0.02x length of sternite); T9+ectoproct relatively long (~2/3 × length of T7), with dorsal invagination shallow (~1/3 dorsal length of T9+ect), margins of invagination rounded throughout; dorsal margin of T9+ect rounded distally (above anus), often compressed, thus ap pearing straight (especially in teneral specimens); posterior margin of ectoproct relatively straight, posteroventral corner slightly extended distally, without knob; dorsal apodeme along ventral margin sinuous, with arms extending dorsally on each side of callus cerci; callus cerci large, ovate, margin unsclerotized at top. S8+9 fused, with line of fusion perceptible; dorsum tapering gently throughout, with margin slightly irregular; ventral apodeme on margin of S8 lightly, irregularly sclerotized, ventral apodeme on margin of S9 more densely sclerotized; terminus extended distally, but not beyond T9+ect, flat, distal margin upturned, plate-like, well sclerotized (setae mostly missing). Gonarcus U-shaped or slightly acute (probably teneral), with bridge slender, apodemes elongate, extending below bridge then bending posteriorly, with quadrate unarticulated process mesally; mediuncus relatively broad-based, with pair of straight, sclerotized rods, extending from base along sides of mediuncus, coalescing distally in rounded, down-turned beak; gonosaccus bilobed, each lobe with single, relatively sparse patch of gonosetae arising from enlarged setal bases, lobes evertible (setae extended) or withdrawn (patches of setae opposite each other); hypandrium internum V-shaped, with flat base, mature specimens: arms expanded, scalloped, comes hook-shaped.

Variation.

Among the specimens we examined, there was considerable variation in the size and depth of the reddish markings on the frons mesal to the eyes and below the base of the antenna. The specimens from the unknown type locality in Colombia, Azogues in south-central Ecuador, and Cajamarca in Peru had distinct markings, whereas the specimens from Cuenca, Huancavelica, and Matucana, Lima, in Peru, had no mark or only a speck of red on the frons mesal to the eyes.

Known distribution.

COLOMBIA (no locality). ECUADOR (south central): Provinces of Cañar, Huancavelica. PERU (central coast and north): Provinces of Lima, Cajamarca, Cuzco.

Specimens examined

(in addition to types above). ECUADOR. Huancavelica: Cuenca, 10-III-1965, L. E. Peña (2M, CAS). PERU. Cajamarca: shrubs on hillside, 1 mile S.W. of town, 26-VIII-1971, P. S & H. L. Broomfield, B. M.1971-486, Fertile valley in Andes, 8000 ft. (2M, BMNH); Cuzco, 23/XI/1965, H. & M. Townes (FSCA); Lima: Matucana, 2389 n., 28-30/VI/1974, C. Porter & L. Stange (5M, 1F, IFML; 5M, 2F, FSCA).