Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) bidentata, Sziráki, György, 2020

Sziráki, György, 2020, A Contribution To Knowledge Of The Genus Coniopteryx (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) In Madagascar, With Descriptions Of 18 New Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 66 (3), pp. 203-246 : 208-211

Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) bidentata sp. n.

( Figs 13–17)

Examined material – Holotype: male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Berenty Special Reserve, 8 km NW of Amboasary, 25°01’16” S, 46°18’20” E, 35 m. a.s.l., 4–15. IV. 2004, spiny forest, Malaise trap, leg.: I, FP & HH; deposited in the collection of CAS ; CASTYPE number: 20012. Paratypes: 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Forêt de Binara , 7.5 km SW of Daraina, 13°15’18”S, 49°37’00” E, 375 m a.s.l. , 1. XII. 2003, tropical dry forest, Malaise trap, leg.: F; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, 7 km N of Joffreville , 12°20’ S, 49°15’ E, 360 m a.s.l. , 20. III – 7. IV. 2001, dry forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Montagne d’Ambre National Park , 12°30’52” S, 49°10’53” E, 960 m a.s.l. , 26–29. I. 2001, Malaise trap, leg.: I, ES & HH; 1 male, same data but 19. III – 5. IV. 2001; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Montagne d’Ambre National Park , 12°31’13” S, 49°10’45” E, 1125 m a.s.l. , 29. I – 11. II. 2001, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 2 males, same data but 5–21. IV. 2001; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Montagne des Français , 12°18’08” S, 49°38’51” E, 150 m a.s.l. , 15. II – 6. III. 2001, along a forested limestone ridge, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, same data but 6–20. III. 2001; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Sakalava Beach , 12°15’46” S, 49°23’51” E, 10 m a.s.l. , 28. VIII – 12. IX. 2001, dwarf littoral forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, near to Isalo National Park , at a stream E of Interpretive Center, 22°37’36” S, 45°21’29” E, 750 m a.s.l. , 21–29. XII. 2001, open area, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, same data but 30. III – 7. IV. 2002; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, near to Isalo National Park , E of Interpretive Center, 22°37’36” S, 45°21’29” E, 885 m a.s.l. , 13–20. V . 2002 , dry stream bed, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, same data but 27. V – 4. VI . 2002 ; 1 male, same data but 22–30. VI . 2002 ; 1 male, same data but 3–10. X. 2002; 1 male, same data but 9–23. VIII. 2003; 1 male, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Belle Vue at Talatakely , 21°15’59” S, 47°25’13” E, 1200 m a.s.l. , 19–26. II. 2002, secondary tropical forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 2 males, Madagascar, Mahajanga Province, Ampijoroa National Park , 160 km N of Maevatana on RN 04, 16°19’10” S, 46°48’48” E, 43 m a.s.l. , 24–31. VIII. 2003, deciduous forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH, 1 male, same data but 7–14. IX. 2003; 1 male, same data but 14–22. IX. 2003; 2 males, same data but 22–28. IX. 2003; 2 males, Madagascar, Mahajanga Province, Baie de Bali National Park , 124 km NNW of Soala, 16°00’36” S, 45°15’54” E, 10 m a.s.l. , 26–30. XI. 2002, tropical dry forest, Malaise trap, leg.: F, G et al.; 2 males, Madagascar, Mahajanga Province, Mahovavy River , 6.2 km SE of Mitsinjo, 16°03’06” S, 45°54’30” E, 20 m a.s.l. , 1–5. XII. 2002, gallery forest, at light, leg.: F, G et al.; 1 male, Madagascar, Mahajanga Province, Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park , 10.6 km ESE of Antsalova, 19°42’34” S, 44°43’05” E, 150 m a.s.l. , 16–20. XI. 2001, tropical dry forest on tsingy, Malaise trap, leg.: F, G et al; 1 male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Andohahela National Park, Forêt d’Ambohibory, 1.7 km ENE of Tsimelahy, 36.1 km NW of Talagnaro , 24°55’48” S, 46°38’44” E, 300 m a.s.l. , 16–20. I. 2002, tropical dry forest, Malaise trap, leg.: F, G et al.; 2 males, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Berenty Special Reserve , 8 km NW of Amboasary, 25°00’24” S, 46°18’12” E, 85 m a.s.l. , 23–30. XI. 2002, gallery forest, Malaise trap, leg.: I, FP & HH; 1 male, same data but 26. I. – 5. II. 2003; 1 male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Cap Sainte Marie Special Reserve , 12.3 km W of Morowato, 25°34’54” S, 45°16’06” E, 200 m a.s.l. , 11–15. II. 2002, spiny forest, Malaise trap, leg.: F, G. et al.; 1 male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Ifaty, near Hotel Paradisia in costal dunes, 23°10’47” S, 43°37’01” E, 9 m a.s.l. , 26.V – 5. VI . 2002 , vegetation in sandy area, leg.: HH; 2 males, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Mikea Forest , NW of Manambo, 22°54’13” S, 43°28’32” E, 30 m a.s.l., 6–16. XII. 2001, dry deciduous forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Mikea Forest , NW of Manambo, 22°54’48” S, 43°28’56” E, 37 m a.s.l. , 10–21. VIII. 2003, spiny forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH; 1 male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, 16 km E of Sakahara, Zambitse Nature Reserve , 22°53’ S, 44°42’ E, 825 m a.s.l. , 20. IV. 1998, tropical forest on sand, Malaise trap, leg.: I & ES; 1 male, Madagascar, Tulear Province, Zambitse National Park , 22°50’25” S, 44°43’52” E, 825 m a.s.l. , 19–27. V . 2002 , deciduous spiny forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH. Majority of the paratypes are deposited in the collection of CAS, while 4 paratype specimens are housed in HNHM .

Description – Length of the body 1.1–1.6 mm. Head capsule and palpi without modifications, their colour light brown, but frons and vertex pale ochreous. Eyes moderately large, black. Antennae 0.7–1.0 mm, 23–27 segmented. Scape somewhat wider than long, pedicel slightly longer than wide, basal flagellar segments 2 times, median ones 1.6 times as wide as long. Antennal segments without projections. Ordinary hairs of flagellar segments situated rather irregularly. Setae moderately long. Scale-like hairs on the whole surface of the pedicel, in a dense whorl on the apical part of the majority of the flagellar segments, but irregularly on the 4–5 apical segments.

Thorax pale ochreous with very dark sutures, apodemes and shoulder spots. Length of the fore wing 1.2–1.7 mm, of hind wing1.0– 1.4 mm. Legs, wing membrane and veins brown. Pregenital part of abdomen whitish.

Male terminalia ( Figs 13–17) well sclerotized. Hypandrium about 1.5 times as high as long, processus terminalis approximately straight in lateral view. The latter sclerite without distinct median incision and ending in a hyaline strip, with irregular edge. There is a pair of distinctly sclerotized dorsal teeth near to the base of processus terminalis. Processus lateralis caudally acute, with several moderately long setae. Anterior apodeme of hypandrium narrowing ventrally, but complete. Gonarcus wide, styli branched, with long, acute posterior branches. Anterior branches of styli do not form a ventral belt below the parameres. (Only a very weak membraneous strip visible here.) Distal part of paramere bent upwards. Processus apicalis forming an acute dorsal projection, which is narrow either in lateral, or in caudal view. Processus ventralis present. Penis represented by a pair of rather short, slightly bent, caudally acute sclerite.

Remarks: Coniopteryx (C.) bidentata sp. n. belongs to Coniopteryx notata group sensu SZIRÁKI 2005, and it is rather close to the Coniopteryx (C.) madagascariensis Meinander, 1974 .

The main distinctive features of the new species are:

− processus terminalis of hypandrium without distinct median incision, but with an irregular hyaline caudal edge;

− a pair of dorsal teeth situated near to the base of processus terminalis, instead the sclerotized keel of C. madagascariensis ;

minalia, ventral view, 15 = male terminalia, caudal view, 16 = male internal genitalia, lateral view, 17 = male internal genitalia, ventral view. Abbreviation: pv = processus ventralis of paramere. Scales: 0.04 mm

− no transverse plate between the processus lateralis and dorsal inner structure(s) of hypandrium, while in C. madagascariensis it is present;

− paramere has processus ventralis, and bent dorsally;

− number of antennal segments only 23–27;

− basal flagellar segments 2 times, the median ones 1.6 times as wide as long.

Etymology: This new species was named after the inner teeth of the hypandrium.