Protohermes bellulus Banks

Liu, Xingyue, Hayashi, Fumio & Yang, Ding, 2013, The Protohermes dichrous species group (Megaloptera: Corydalidae), with description of two new species from eastern Malaysia, Zootaxa 3620 (4), pp. 501-517 : 503-506

Protohermes bellulus Banks

( Figs. 1 , 7–13 )

Protohermes bellulus Banks, 1931: 412 . Type locality: Malaysia (Sabah: Mt. Kinabalu).

Diagnosis. In appearance there are one pair of black markings on posterolateral portions of vertex and two pairs of black markings on pronotum, and the forewing has a darkened transverse band, which extends posteriorly to CuA vein, between proximal and median pale markings. Genitalia of this species are characterized by the male ninth sternum with a pair of slender digitiform posterior lobes and the male ectoproct, which narrowly connects with ninth tergum at base and distally curves dorsad.

Description. Male. Body length 18–21 mm; forewing length 28–36 mm, hindwing length 25–28 mm.

Head ( Fig. 1 ) yellow, vertex posterolaterally with a pair of small subquadrate black markings; post-ocular spine short and blunt. Compound eyes brown; ocelli yellow, medially margined black, lateral ocelli close to median ocellus. Antenna black with scape and pedicle yellow. Mouthparts yellow; mandible with distal half black.

Thorax ( Fig. 1 ) yellow; pronotum with two pairs of longitudinal black stripes near lateral margins, anterior pair of stripe much longer than posterior pair. Thoracic pilosity yellowish, much longer on meso- and metathorax. Legs yellow, with short dense yellowish setae; tarsi slightly brownish; tarsal claws pale reddish brown. Wings hyaline, with several yellowish markings. Forewing slightly brownish; proximally with one subtriangular marking, medially with several irregular markings usually fused with each other, and with one round marking (faded in holotype) at distal 1/3; all markings usually fused together along CuA; membrane between proximal and median markings darkened, posteriorly extending to CuA. Hindwing almost hyaline with marginal area slightly brownish. Veins mostly yellowish; forewing with costal crossveins and veins on dark regions brown to blackish brown; hindwing with veins on distal area brownish. Rs 7 to 9-branched, MA bifurcate; 6–8 crossveins between R and Rs; anterior branch of MP 4-branched, posterior branch of MP 2-branched.

Abdomen yellow. Ninth tergum ( Fig. 8 ) subtrapezoidal, with arcuately incised anterior margin and truncate posterior margin. Ninth sternum ( Fig. 9 ) medially short; posterior margin deeply and arcuately incised, forming a pair of slender digitiform posterior lobes. Ninth gonostylus ( Fig. 9 ) slender unguiform, directed posteroventrad in lateral view, with tip slightly curved. Ectoproct ( Figs. 8–10 ) slender band-like, extremely elongate, ~3.5 times as long as ninth tergum, distinctly incurved at proximal 1/4, with apex slightly narrowed and bended dorsad; base narrowly connected to ninth tergum without any inflation. Tenth gonocoxite ( Fig. 11 ) transversely wide, subtrapezoidal; lateral lobes digitiform, straightly directed posteriad.

Female. Body length 24–26 mm; forewing length 35–40 mm, hindwing length 32–33 mm.

Eighth gonocoxite ( Figs. 12–13 ) broad, in lateral view subtrapezoidal, posteriorly strongly produced; in ventral view posterior margin arcuate, feebly incised medially. Ninth gonocoxite ( Fig. 12 ) broad, posteriorly rounded and ventrally incised, with a small gonostylus. Ectoproct ( Fig. 12 ) short, with posterior margin medially incised, leaving digitiform dorsal and slightly shorter, bowl-shaped ventral lobes in lateral view.

Type materials. Lectotype 3, MALAYSIA: “B[ritish].N[orth]. Borneo, Mt. Kinabalu [6°05ʹN, 116°33ʹE], Lumu Lumu, 5500 ft [= 1676 m], 8.IV.1929 / Protohermes bellulus Bks [= Banks] type / Protohermes bellulus Bks [= Banks]. 3 LECTOTYPE, D.E. Kimmins det. 1969/Ex F.M.S. Museum. B.M.1955-354./ LECTOTYPE ” (BMNH). Paralectotypes: 13, “B.N. Borneo, Mt. Kinabalu, Marei Parei, 5000 ft [= 1524 m], 30.IV.1929 / PARALECTOTYPE ” (BMNH); 1ex, “B.N. Borneo, Mt. Kinabalu, Lumu Lumu, 5500 ft [= 1676 m], 6.IV.1929 /Ex F.M.S. Museum. B.M.1955-354./ PARALECTOTYPE ” (BMNH).

Additional materials. MALAYSIA: Sabah: 231Ƥ, Mt. Kinabalu, F. Hayashi (two males emerged from larvae in 6.X.1994 and 12.I.1997, one female emerged from larva in 18.VI.1996, HFIC); 13, Tenompok [5°52ʹN, 116°31ʹE], 1460 m, 26/ 31.I.1959, T.C. Maa (BPBM); 13, Mt. Kinabalu, Mesilau [5°59ʹN, 116°36ʹE], 2.II.1964. J. Smart (BMNH); 23, 25 km N[orth] Tambunan [5°40ʹN, 116°22ʹE], 1500 m, 3.IX.1983, G.F. Hevel & W.E. Steiner (USNM).

Distribution. Malaysia (Sabah).

Remarks. This species appears to be related to P. decolor , P. dichrous , and P. goodgeri sp. nov. by having similar prothoracic markings and broadened posterodorsally male tenth gonocoxite. However, it can be easily distinguished from the latter three species by the male ectoproct narrowly connected with ninth tergum. In P. decolor , P. d i c h ro u s, and P. goodgeri sp. nov. the male ectoproct is widely connected with ninth tergum by an inflated structure.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Adults of Protohermes spp. 1. P. bellulus Banks, male lectotype; 2. P. d e c o l o r Navás, male neotype; 3. P. dichrous (Brauer), male neotype; Scale bars: 5.0 mm.

FIGURES 7 – 13. Protohermes bellulus Banks. 7. Male head and prothorax, dorsal view; 8. Male genitalia, dorsal view; 9. Male genitalia, ventral view; 10. Male genitalia, lateral view; 11. Male tenth gonocoxite, ventral view; 12. Female genitalia, lateral view; 13. Female eighth gonocoxite, ventral view. c: cercus; e: ectoproct; gs 9: gonostylus 9; gx 8 – 9: eighth and ninth gonocoxite; S 9: ninth sternum, T 8 – 9: eighth and ninth tergum. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.