Libelloides ictericus (Charpentier, 1825)

Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2014, The Larvae of European Ascalaphidae (Neuroptera), Zootaxa 3796 (2), pp. 287-319 : 311

Libelloides ictericus (Charpentier, 1825)

( Fig. 14 )

As for other congeners, the first exhaustive description of the larvae of this species was realized by Rousset (1973) while older accounts are doubtful ( Xambeu 1903; Lacroix 1923).

Examined specimens. France. Hérault , 28 L3 laboratory-reared from a female collected at Saint Paul et Valmalle, VI.2011 (D. Badano) .

Description of 3 rd instar larva. Size (based on 28 specimens): BL 10.60 mm; HL 2.36 mm (2.15–2.56), HW 2.67 mm (2.38–2.95), ML 2.61 mm (2.42–2.94), HW/HL 1.13, ML/HL 1.10. General colouring greyish ochre mottled with brown, dorsal side with a median paler stripe, ventral side of the body pale mottled with grey; dorsal side of the head capsule dark brown, darker anteriorly and with paler areas on the sides, ventral side of the head brown with a darker anterior area on the mouthparts and with a pale marking on the labium, mandibles brown with paler teeth; legs with dark brown coxae and paler femora, tibiae and tarsi; setae of the body black. Head wider than long, dilated posteriorly; mandibles longer than the head capsule ( Fig. 14a ); interdental pseudo-teeth: (4–5)(2–3)(1) ( Fig. 14b ); external margin of the mandible with short setae. Pronotum brown with darker stripes; mesothoracic spiracles ochre with a dark apex. Abdominal spiracles dark brown; IX sternite completely pale without markings ( Fig. 14c ).

Bio-ecology. L. ictericus occurs in open arid environments with herbaceous vegetation. In southern France this ascalaphid is a typical lowland species, while in North Africa it can attain mountainous altitudes (H. Aspöck et al. 1980). The larvae live on the soil surface, hiding among herbs and rocks.

Distribution. Western Mediterranean faunal element known for North Africa, Iberian Peninsula and southern France.

Remarks. The larvae of L. ictericus differ from the other Libelloides species for the completely pale IX abdominal sternite. Moreover, most of the specimens of L. ictericus have 1 pseudo-tooth between the median and apical teeth in both mandibles while the frequency of this bristle in the other Libelloides species is significantly lower in both mandibles.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Libelloides ictericus (Charpentier, 1825), 3rd instar larva (France: Hérault, St. Paul et Valmalle). Dorsal (above), ventral (middle) and lateral (below) view; a–c: diagnostic characters, see species description.