Cimbrochrysa major, Makarkin & Antell & Archibald, 2022

Makarkin, Vladimir N., Antell, Gwen S. & Archibald, S. Bruce, 2022, A revision of Chrysopidae (Neuroptera) from the late Eocene Florissant Formation Colorado, with description of new species, Zootaxa 5133 (3), pp. 301-345 : 315-320

Cimbrochrysa major sp. nov.

Figs 10–13

Type material. Female holotype FLFO 9819 a, b (part and counterpart), collected by Florissant National Monument staff in 2014; a nearly incomplete, well-preserved specimen in ventral aspect. Male paratype FLFO 4194a, b (part and counterpart), collected by Dan Riner in 1999; a complete specimen in lateral aspect with all four wings overlapping.

Type locality and horizon. USA: Colorado: Teller County: Florissant: Lower Shale unit of Evanoff et al. 2001 (precise collecting locality unknown); Eocene, late Priabonian; Florissant Formation.

Etymology. From the Latin, magnus, - a, - um (comparative major ), meaning “large (larger)”.

Diagnosis. May be distinguished from other species of the genus by ≥10 branches of RP [ C. americana sp. nov.: <10], and M forked clearly distad origin of RP [ C. moleriensis : at level of origin of RP].

Description. Holotype FLFO 9819. Female. Body 11.5 mm long. Head poorly preserved in ventral aspect; eyes 0.7 mm in diameter. Antennae incompletely preserved; scapus relatively large, 0.4 mm wide in ventral view.

Thorax poorly preserved. Legs covered with dense, short setae.

Abdomen relatively well preserved. Spermatheca appears small; spermathecal duct stout basally, pointed apically. Gonogoxites 9 elongate, wide in lateral view.

Forewing ca. 16.5–17 mm long, 6.2 mm wide (length to width ratio ca. 2.66–2.74). Costal space moderately broad, most dilated rather far proximad origin of RP. Subcostal veinlets simple; rather widely spaced proximad pterostigmal region, very densely spaced in pterostigmal region. Pterostigma indistinct. Sc long (apical part not preserved). Subcostal space narrow, distally appears broadened; subcostal crossveins not detected. RA ending on margin before wing apex; its veinlets not preserved. RA space moderately broad, apparently with 15 crossveins. RP originating relatively far from wing base (at ca. 0.24 of complete length). Anterior trace of RP zigzagged, apically closely approaching RA, with 15 branches (right wing), all forked once except two distal (right wing). Basal crossvein between R, M (1r-m) long, connecting RP, MA within im near fork of M. M dividing to MA, MP markedly distad origin of RP. MA forked distad Psc. MP zigzagged, deeply forked at Psc. Crossvein 1im relatively short. Im wide (length/width ratio 2.67–2.73), pentagonal. Psm relatively well developed, zigzagged. Crossvein 2m-cu nearly in middle of im (slightly in proximal portion). CuA probably with three simple branches. CuA continuing as welldeveloped Psc. CuP deeply forked, branches rather closely spaced; c1: c2 length ratio 0.48: 1 in left wing. A1, A2 arched, simple. A3 shallowly forked. Crossvein between A1, A2 rather long; crossvein between A2, A3 very long, oblique. Two gradate series of crossveins: inner series clearly sigmoid, with 14 crossveins distad MA; outer series slightly sigmoid, with 13 crossveins distad RP2.

Hind wing ca. 15.5 mm long, 4.9 mm wide. Costal space narrow. Preserved subcostal veinlets simple, widely spaced proximad pterostigmal region, dense in pterostigmal region. Pterostigma indistinct. Sc long. Subcostal space narrow, distally appears broadened; subcostal crossveins not detected. RA probably entering margin before wing apex; its veinlets not preserved. RA space relatively narrow proximally, gradually narrowing distad; with 13 crossveins. Anterior trace of RP zigzagged, with once forked 13 branches (three distal-most incompletely preserved). Proximal parts of RP, MA fused with each other for rather long distance. Psm well developed, slightly zigzagged. M dividing to MA, MP slightly distad origin of RP. Basal MA evenly curved; forked distad Psc. MP deeply forked at Psc. Proximal crossvein between MA, MP (1im) long. CuA fused with MP for short distance; pectinate, with two simple branches arising from CuA before fusion with MP. CuP deeply forked. Crossvein 2icu relatively short. A1, A2 incompletely preserved, apparently simple. Psc poorly developed, formed by MP, MA, basal branches of RP, connecting crossveins; continues to outer gradate series. Two gradate series of crossveins: inner clearly sigmoid, with 10 crossveins distad MA (crossvein between MA, RP1 lost (these veins approaching), between RP1, RP2 extremely short); outer slightly sigmoid, with 11 crossveins distad RP1.

Paratype FLFO 4194. Male. Body ca. 12.5 mm long. Head poorly preserved; eye ca. 0.7 mm in diameter; details of mouthparts not discernible. Antennae complete, nearly as long a forewing (ca. 15 mm long); scapus large, slightly elongate; pedicellus as long as wide (diameter); flagellum narrowed apically.

Thorax poorly preserved. Legs relatively well preserved; covered with dense, short setae.

Abdomen. Ectoproct probable short. 5th–7th sternites elongate, high in lateral view. 8th sternite shorter, lower; 9th sternite narrowed apically, with obtuse apex. 8th, 9th sternites appear fused, with suture between them clearly visible.

Forewing 15 mm long, 5.4 mm wide (length to width ratio 2.78). Costal space moderately broad, widest rather far proximad origin of RP. Subcostal veinlets simple; rather widely spaced proximad pterostigmal region, not preserved distad. Pterostigma indistinct. Distal part of Sc not preserved. Subcostal space relatively broad; basal subcostal crossvein slightly proximad origin olf RP. Apical part of RA not preserved. RA space moderately broad, with 13 crossveins. RP originating relatively far from wing base (at ca. 0.21 of complete length). Anterior trace of RP zigzagged, with 13 branches (left wing), once forked except three distal. Basal crossvein between R, M (1r-m) long, connecting RP, MA within im at proximal one-fifth. M dividing to MA, MP markedly distad origin of RP. MA forked distad Psc. MP zigzagged, deeply forked at Psc. Crossvein 1im relatively long. Im wide (length/width ratio 2.50), pentagonal. Psm relatively poorly developed, zigzagged. Crossvein 2m-cu nearly in middle of im. CuA probably with three simple branches. CuA continuing as well-developed Psc. CuP deeply forked; c1: c2 length ratio 0.49: 1 in right wing. A1, A2 arched, simple. Two gradate series of crossveins: inner series sigmoid, with 12 crossveins distad MA; outer series slightly sigmoid, with 11 crossveins distad RP2 (right wing).

Hind wing ca. 14 mm long, 4.5 mm wide. Costal space, subcostal veinlets, Sc, subcostal space not discernible. RA partially preserved; its veinlets not discernible. RA space relatively narrow; with 10 preserved crossveins. Anterior trace of RP zigzagged, with 12 branches, mostly forked once (three distal-most possibly simple, but incompletely preserved). Proximal parts of RP, MA fused for rather long distance. Psm well developed, zigzagged. MA forked distad Psc. MP deeply forked at Psc. Proximal crossvein between MA, MP (1im) long. CuA, MP fused for short distance (right wing), not fused (left wing); pectinate, with two simple branches arising from CuA before fusion with MP (right wing). CuP deeply forked. Crossvein 2icu short. A1, A2 incompletely preserved, simple. Psc poorly developed, formed by MP, MA, basal branches of RP, connecting crossveins; continues to outer gradate series. Two gradate series of crossveins: inner clearly sigmoid, with 11 crossveins distad MA (crossvein between MA, RP1 very short); outer slightly sigmoid, with 10 crossveins distad RP1.

Remarks. Specimen FLFO 4194 was reported as a lacewing by Lahmers (2011: p. 7, Fig. 1 ), and as ‘Chrysopidae’ by Penney & Jepson (2014: Fig. 87).

The venation of the holotype and paratype differs in many small details, but we consider these intraspecific variation. For example, in the paratype forewing, 1r-m is located slightly more distally and 2m-cu is markedly shorter, and in the holotype forewing, the inner gradate series of crossveins is arranged in a more broken line.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Archaeochrysa paranervis Adams, 1967, holotype UCM 4419. Scale bar = 3 mm.

FIGURE 10. Cimbrochrysa major sp. nov., holotype FLFO 9819 (female) as preserved. A, part (photograph taken with a polarized filter); B, counterpart; C, anterior part of body (ventral view); D, distal part of abdomen (ventral view). e, eye; gx9, gonocoxites 9; S7, seventh sternite; sc, scapus; sp, spermatheca; spd, spermathecal duct. Scale bars = 3 mm (A–C), 2 mm (D).

FIGURE 11. Wing venation drawings of Cimbrochrysa major sp. nov., holotype FLFO 9819 (female). A, left forewing; B, right forewing; C, right hind wings; D, left hind wing. Scale bar = 3 mm (all to scale).

FIGURE 12. Cimbrochrysa major sp. nov., paratype FLFO 4194 (male). A, part; B, counterpart (photographed with a polarized filter); C, anterior part of body (lateral view); D, distal part of abdomen. ect, ectoproct; S6–S9, sixth to ninth sternites. Scale bars = 3 mm (A, B), 2 mm (C, D).

FIGURE 13. Wing venation drawings of Cimbrochrysa major sp. nov., paratype FLFO 4194 (male). A, left forewing; B, right forewing; C, right hind wings; D, left hind wing. Scale bar = 3 mm (all to scale).