Syngenes dolichocercus Navás, 1914

Mansell, Mervyn W., 2018, Antlions of southern Africa: Syngenes Kolbe, 1897, with descriptions of two new species and comments on extra-limital taxa (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Acanthaclisini), Zootaxa 4497 (3), pp. 346-380 : 376-378

Syngenes dolichocercus Navás, 1914

Figs 82, 82a , 83, 83a, 86, 87

Syngenes dolichocercus Navás, 1914: 91 . 606.

Syngenes dolichocerus (!): Ábrahám & Doboz 2011: 114 (incorrect spelling). 15015.

Type Depository: MNHN. Holotype: female.

Type locality: Diego Suarez (12°25’S 49°20’E), Madagascar.

Diagnosis. The female holotype ( Fig. 82 ) has a curved streak in the apical third of the forewings and an indistinct mark at the anastomosis of CuA2 and A1 at the posterior margin. The costal area has numerous (>8) biaereolate cells from before the origin of Rs and an unbroken series of biaereolate cells from Rs to pterostigma. The abdomen is distinctly banded.

Distribution. Madagascar.

Comments: This species is very similar to S. maritimus but the holotype female has 9 biaereolate cells before Rs in each forewing, apparently distinguishing it from S. maritimus . Navás (1914) based the description of S. dolichocercus on two specimens: a female ( Fig. 82 ) labeled: “Museum Paris Madagascar Diego-Saurez [12°25’S 49°20’E], G. Grandidier, 1910 / Syngenes dolichocercus ♀, Nav. Navás, S.J. det./ TYPE ” (red label) ( Fig. 82a ); and a male (Fig. 83) labeled: “Museum Paris, Madagascar, A. Grandidier, 1867 / Syngenes dolichocercus Nav. P. Navas, S.J. det.” (Fig. 83a). These two specimens are also labelled: LECTOTYPE (red label), Syngenes dolichocerus Navas, 1914 , Lectotype, J. Legrand, Dec, 1992 (handwritten) ( Fig. 82a ) and LECTOTYPE (red label), Syngenes dolichocercus Navas, 1914 , Lectotype, design. Prost 2001 (handwritten) (Fig. 83a), respectively.

The female specimen that is labelled “ TYPE ” must be regarded as the holotype as intended by Navás (1914), also by his description “ area radiali partim ante sectorum biaereolata ” It is also the specimen specifically listed in the description of the species. The male specimen, mentioned in the original description, differs significantly from the female holotype by having fewer biaereolate cells before Rs and is clearly the same as specimens described by Needham (1911) from Aldabra Island as S. maritimus . If S. dolichocercus and S. maritimus are to be regarded as separate species then the two specimens in Navás’s (1914) type series are not conspecific. If further series of specimens reveal a continuum from fewer to more biaereolate cells in the costal areas, then S. dolichocercus would require synonymization with S. maritimus .

Furthermore, a specimen in MRAC labeled as a cotype of S. dolichocercus by Navás (1925) has no cotype status as it was designated by Navás only in 1925, eleven years after the original description S. dolichocercus . It is also from the African mainland (Kinda, DRC), and is the same as S. medialis .

Type material examined. Holotype ♀, photograph, as documented above; paratype ♂, photograph, as documented above.

Additional material examined. 1♀ Madagascar, Vadon , no further data (specimen in poor condition).

Figures

FIGURES 82, 82a, 83, 83a. Syngenes dolichocercus. 82, female Holotype; 82a, associated labels; 83, male Paratype; 83a, associated labels. Photos: A. Mantilleri (NMHN).