Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) angusticauda, Sziraki, 2015

Sziráki, György, 2015, Identity Of Coniopteryx Madagascariensis Meinander, 1974 (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae), With Description Of Three New Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 61 (2), pp. 135-146 : 137-139

Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) angusticauda sp. n.

( Figs 2–7)

Coniopteryx (C.) madagascariensis sensu MeInandeR 1998, Figs 16 A-B, 17C.

Examinedmaterial – Holotype: male, Madagascar, FianarantsoaProvince , Ranomafana National Parc , Vohiparara, 21°13’34” S, 47°22’11” E, 1110 m. a.s.l., 4-12. II. 2002, mountainrainforest, Malaisetrap, leg.: HH; depositedinthecollectionofCAS. Paratype: male, Madagascar, FianarantsoaProvince, RanomafanaNationalPark, BelleVueatTalatakely, 21°15’59” S, 47°25’13” E, 1020 m. a.s.l., 21-28. I. 2002, secondary tropical forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; housedintheHungarianNaturalHistoryMuseum, Budapest .

Diagnosis: Smallbodiedconiopterygid, withflattenedprojectionbetweentheantennae. Firstflagellarsegmentwithaprominentsetoseoutgrowth. Processusterminalisnarrowevenatitsbaseandstronglytapering caudally, withasmallmedianincision.

Description: Length of the body 1.4–1.5 mm. Head capsule and palpi light brown. Theanterioredgeofvertexhasaprominent, laterallyflattenedprojection (asinMeIn- andeR 1998, Fig. 16A). Eyesmoderatelylarge, black. Antennae 0.9–1.1 mm, 28 segmented, darkbrown. Scapeaslongaswide, pedicelslightlylongerthanwide, basalflagellarseg- mentstwotimes, medianones 1.5 timesaswideaslong. Pedicelhasasmall, firstflagellar segmentaprominentoutgrowthapically, withrathershortsetae ( Fig. 2). Therelatively longordinaryhairsarearrangedinaratherirregularringonthebasalflagellarsegments andentirelyirregularlyontheapicalones. Scale-likehairssituatedonlargepartofthe surfaceofpedicelandinaratherthinapicalwhorlonflagellarsegments.

Legslightormediumbrown, largepartofthoraxpaleochreous, suturesandapodemesmediumbrown, shoulderspotsdarkbrown. Lengthofforewing 1.7–1.8 mm, of hindwing 1.4–1.6 mm. Wingmembraneandveinslightormediumbrown. Pregenitalpart of abdomen pale ochreous.

Maleterminalia ( Figs 3–7) wellsclerotized, darkbrown. Hypandriumslightlyhigher thanlonginlateralview. Processusterminalisnarrowevenatitsbaseandstronglytaper- ingcaudally, withasmallmedianincision. Awellsclerotized – incaudalviewreversed bell-shaped – innerstructureisconnectedtothedorsalsurfaceofhypandrium. Thisstructureisadoublecrest, withtwolaterallycurvedanteriorhorns. Thedorso-caudallydi- rectedprocessuslateralisratherlarge, withlongsetae. Anteriorapodemeofhypandrium ventrallystarightandnarrow, laterallywide, withahookonitsdorsalending. Gonar- cusdistinctlysclerotizedbutitsventralapodemeratherthin. Stylusforked; itslongouter branchdistinctlycurvedforwards. Innerbranchofstylusverybroad, withahole, and noventralbridgebetweenthetwoinnerbranches. Paramerelong; itsanteriorpartrather straight. Processusventralisstrong. Processusapicalismoderatelylarge, withanending curvedupwards, pointedinlateralview, andithasadorsalbroadeningsubapically. Besides, ventralpartofthecaudalplateofprocessusapicaliscontinuedforwardsinacrest bentslightlyinwards. Penisscleriteconsistsoftwodistinctlysclerotized, rathershort, bent andacuterods. Dorso-caudallyofpenisthereisamoderatelychitinized, saddle-shaped additionalsclerite.

pv = processusventralisofparamere, s = stylus. Scales: 0.04 mm.

Remarks: Coniopteryx (C.) angusticauda belongs to the Coniopteryx lobifrons

group sensu SZIRÁKI (2005), and because of the narrow and caudally tapering

processus terminalis, the structure of processus lateralis and the presence of an additional sclerite above the penis it resembles to Coniopteryx (C.) lobifrons

Murphy et Lee, 1971.

The main distinctive features of the new species are:

− the apical whorl of the scale-like hairs on the flagellar segments of antennae is thin;

− outer branch of the stylus long;

− processus ventralis of paramere strong;

− processus apicalis of paramere with a dorsally situated subapical broadening;

− additional sclerite above the penis saddle-shaped.

Etymology: The new species is named after the shape of the narrow and caudally tapering hypandrium.