Gryposmylus pennyi, Winterton, Shaun L. & Wang, Yongjie, 2016

Winterton, Shaun L. & Wang, Yongjie, 2016, Revision of the genus Gryposmylus Krueger, 1913 (Neuroptera, Osmylidae) with a remarkable example of convergence in wing disruptive patterning, ZooKeys 617, pp. 31-45 : 38-41

Taxon classification Animalia Neuroptera Osmylidae

Gryposmylus pennyi sp. n. Figs 2, 3B, 4, 5, 6

Material examined.

Holotype male. VIETNAM: Ninh Binh Prov.: Cuc Phueng National Park, 390m, 20°21'03"N. 105°35'36"E [20°21.05', 105°35.6'], S.D. Gaimari, M. Hauser, Pham H.T., 26.iii.2012, ex. Mercury vapour light (California State Collection of Arthropods).

Paratype female. CHINA: Yunnan Prov.: Mengla, Wangtianshu, 4.V.2005, Xiaoshuan Bai (China Agricultural University Collection).

Diagnosis.

Head and body largely black with dark brown markings; forewing markings with distinct dark pattern, especially basally, and elongate band apically; hind wing with markings along posterior margin and in wing apex.

Description.

Forewing length: 16.0-16.5 mm; hind wing length: 13.0-13.5 mm. Head. Predominantly black; frons cream-white with black opposing chevrons; clypeus with two black spots; gena with black spot; palpi white with dark bands on each segment; vertex black with lateral eye margin and ocelli white; antennal scape black, white on anterior surface; pedicel black; flagellum cream-white with basal flagellomere black. Thorax. Prothorax slightly narrowed anteriorly, predominantly black, white laterally and with three white spots along posterior margin; posterior intersegmental membrane white; prothoracic pile erect and a mixture of black and white setae; mesoscutum and metascutum black; pleuron with white and black longitudinal stripes, legs white, tibiae dark brown basally and setae on tibiae and tarsi yellowish. Wings (Figs 3B, 4). Forewing costal area broad with crossveins mostly simple, admixed with some forked veins (variable between wings and individuals); wing venation brown with elongate setae on all veins on both surfaces of wings; wings hyaline with extensive dark brown markings arranged in a broad sigmoid pattern (Fig. 2), extensive markings in posterior region of forewing, along both gradate series and apically along distal Rs veins; pterostigma very dark; hind wing mostly hyaline, venation pale; dark markings and venation at wing base, along posterior margin gradate series and from pterostigma to wing apex. Abdomen. Uniformly black, with dark brown markings. Male genitalia (Fig. 5). Tergite 8 and sternite 8 quadrangular, sparsely distributed setae on sclerites and intersegmental membrane; tergite 9 relatively narrow, extending ventrally below level of ectoproct; sternite 9 subtriangular, fused partially to gonarcus laterally; ectoproct rounded with thickened area along posterolateral margin, callus cercus relatively large with ca. 45 setae; gonarcus as narrow arch medially, narrow entoprocessus extending posteriorly, reflexed dorsally and spatulate distally; gonarcus extending anteriorly as non-articulated rod-shaped apodemes (=baculum), gonarcus fused laterally to sternite 9 at junction of entoprocessus and gonarcus anterior apodeme; parameres narrow, arch-shaped with medial thickening dorsally; mediuncus curved with paired-flanges, connected membranously to medial arch of gonarcus. Female genitalia (Fig. 6). Tergite 8 large and subquadrate, sternite 8 as small and knob-like process, directed posteriorly, adjacent to tergite 9; tergite 9 narrow, extending ventrally to articulate with gonopophysis 9 + gonocoxite 9 (=gonapophysis lateralis); gonopophyses 9 and gonocoxite 9 closely associated; gonocoxite 9 elongate with a dark longitudinal band laterally, distally articulated with a relatively long stylus (=gonostylus 9); ectoproct rounded, callus cercus relatively large; spermathecae folded medially, expanded basally and connecting with a very long coiled spermathecal duct.

Comments.

Gryposmylus pennyi sp. n. is distributed in northern Vietnam and adjoining southern China. A specimen was also recently photographed from Sabah, Malaysia, with the image posted on social media website ‘Facebook’; the specimen was identified but it was not collected. Gryposmylus pennyi sp. n. has distinctive wing markings (Fig. 7A), which show a peculiar similarity to those wing markings of an unrelated chrysopid, Vieira leschenaulti from the Amazon region of South America (Fig. 7B). This is a dramatic example of convergent wing patterning in distantly related lace wings, presumably associated with disruptive camouflage patterning to break up the outline of the individual as it sits on the underside of leaves in dense forested habitats.

Etymology.

We have the great honour of naming this species after the Late Norman Penny (1946-2016). Norm was a wonderful colleague and excellent researcher of Neuroptera , with numerous publications on various lacewing families, especially on New World Chrysopidae .