Afroptera olivacea ( Tjeder, 1967 ) Abdalla & Mansell & Sole, 2019

Abdalla, Ishtiag H., Mansell, Mervyn W. & Sole, Catherine L., 2019, Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species, Zootaxa 4635 (1), pp. 1-89 : 58-59

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E1AC3BD4-6FCB-49F9-8069-624760C2CAF7
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DBDF51-A760-FF8A-FF0D-F8DB371C598E
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Afroptera olivacea ( Tjeder, 1967 )
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Afroptera olivacea ( Tjeder, 1967) comb. nov.

( Figs 109 View FIGURES 107–110 , 119 View FIGURES 115–122 , 153 View FIGURES 153–154 )

Synonymy

Nemopterella olivacea Tjeder, 1967: 482 View in CoL .

Etymology. Unknown, probably from the Latin word olea (olive) for the olivaceous colour of the thoracic pubescence.

Type locality. South Africa, Northern Cape Province. Schmidts Drift , 28°42’01’’S 24°03’ 27’’E GoogleMaps .

Type depository. TMSA .

Diagnosis. Afroptera olivacea is immediately recognisable by the dense olivaceous scale-like microtrichia on the thorax.

Size (mm). Female: body length 10.6 (10.3–10.9); forewing 20.7 (20.6–20.8); hind wing 44.2 (43.8–44.5); antenna 11.3 (10.7–11.7). (N = 2)

Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Northern Cape Province. Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 109 View FIGURES 107–110 ), TMSA02071 View Materials , HOLOTYPE, Neu 096 Nemopterella olivacea Tjeder (red printed label) / Schmidts Drift [28°42’01’’S 24°03’27’’E], 1.X.1954, G.van Son (white handwritten label) / Holotypus ♂, Nemopterella olivacea Tjed., Bo Tjeder 1966 (red handwritten label). ( TMSA) .

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Northern Cape Province. 2♀, TMSA00748 View Materials , Schmidts Drift [28°42’01’’S 24°03’27’’E], 1.x.1954, [G.van Son] / Nemopterella olivacea Tjeder, 1967 , Det. M.W.Mansell 2013. ( TMSA) GoogleMaps .

Distribution and habitat. This species is endemic to the Northern Cape Province of South Africa ( Fig. 153 View FIGURES 153–154 ). It is only known from one locality in the Eastern Kalahari Bushveld vegetation unit in the Savanna Biome (Northern Cape). The habitat is dry, with well-drained shallow, stony soil and angular rocks, predominantly covered by the Schmidtsdrif Thornveld vegetation type, which mainly comprises Acacia mellifera and A. tortilis trees. The area receives low late summer / early autumn rains with very dry winter ( Mucina & Rutherford 2006).

Afroptera papio ( Tjeder, 1967) comb. nov.

( Figs 128 View FIGURES 127–128 , 137 View FIGURES 133–140 , 155 View FIGURES 155–156 )

Synonymy

Nemopterella papio Tjeder, 1967: 476 View in CoL .

Etymology. Named after the well-known South African primate, Papio ursinus, the “chacma” or “ Cape baboon”; “bobbejaan” or “baviaan” in Afrikaans, the name of the type locality, Baviaanskop, Namaqualand, South Africa.

Type locality. South Africa, Northern Cape Province. Baviaans Kop , 28°56’06’’S 17°49’28’’E GoogleMaps .

Type depository. SAMC .

Diagnosis. Afroptera papio could be confused with A. sabuleti but differs by having shorter antennae and white pubescence on the prescutum, instead of the black hairs as in A. sabuleti .

Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Northern Cape Province. Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 128 View FIGURES 127–128 ), SAMC00173 View Materials / SAM–NEU–A001254 / Baviaans Kop, [28°56’06’’S 17°49’28’’E] near Jackalswater, Namaqualand, [Sept. 1939], [R.Smithers] (white handwritten label) / Holotypus ♂ Nemopterella papio Tjed., Bo Tjeder 1966 (red handwritten label). ( SAMC) .

Distribution and habitat. This species is known only by the male holotype from the Northern Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 155 View FIGURES 155–156 ). The record is from the Richtersveld Bioregion of the Succulent Karoo Biome ( Mucina & Rutherford 2006). The species seems to occur in montane habitats, represented by the Umdaus Mountains Succulent Shrubland vegetation type where the main constituents are succulent trees, shrubs and herbs. The area receives mainly winter rains with an average of 100–200 mm per year.

Remarks. The species is known only by the male holotype.