Nuvol umbrosus Navas [1916.??.??]

Tauber, Catherine A. & Sosa, Francisco, 2015, Rediscovery of Nuvolumbrosus Navas (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae, Leucochrysini): a redescription and discussion, ZooKeys 519, pp. 141-153 : 142-148

Taxon classification Animalia Neuroptera Chrysopidae

Nuvol umbrosus Navas [1916.??.??]

Nuvol umbrosus Brotéria ( Zoológica) 14: 14-35 (description). Navás 1929a: 860 (as " Newol " umbrosus , locality record); Navás 1929b: 319 (locality record); Penny 1977: 28 (species list); Brooks and Barnard 1990: 251 (taxonomy); Oswald 2013 (catalog listing).

Type.

The original description states that the type specimen was collected in "Rio de Janeiro, Febrero de 1912" and that it was retained in the Navás collection. The specimen is not reported to be in the Navás collection now (Monserrat 1995).

At some time, a neotype should be designated for this species. However, we are not doing so with either of the two extant specimens because: (1) They are both from the Amazonian region of Brazil, far removed from the type locality - the Atlantic Forest region of Rio de Janeiro. (2) Our specimens are both females; the sexes of the previously described species are unknown. (3) Our specimens both differ significantly from Navás’ illustration and description in aspects of the fore and hind wing venation (discussed below). Thus, until male and female specimens from near the type locality are available for comparison, we consider it prudent to withhold from designating a neotype.

Description.

General (Fig. 1): Body slender, yellowish or greenish brown, with elongate, slender antennae typical of leucochrysines, wings hyaline, marked with conspicuous brown to golden bands. Head (Figs 1, 2a, b, 3): Vertex yellowish green, with light reddish markings laterally, along eyes; surface slightly rough, somewhat raised posteriorly. Frons, clypeus white with lateral margins dark red; gena dark red. Labial palpus, maxillary palpus cream colored, without marks. Antenna cream colored, without markings. Scape elongate, relatively large, close mesally; flagellar segments (beyond basal section of flagellum) elongate, each with four swirls of robust, acute setae (Fig. 1b). Measurements: head width (dorsal) 1.7 mm, ratio of head width to eye width 2.0; distance between eyes (frontal) 0.78 mm; distance between tentorial pits 0.57 mm; length midantenna to midway between tentorial pits 0.53 mm; antenna length 31-35 mm; scape length 0.48 mm, width, 0.38 mm; basal two flagellomeres 0.1 mm long, 0.1 mm wide; flagellomeres at 1/3 distance to antennal tip 0.21 mm long, 0.07 mm wide. Thorax (Fig. 3c, d): Prothorax slightly wider than long (length 0.92 mm, width 1.27 mm), yellowish green mesally, with broad, red to brown longitudinal bands laterally, with elongate, golden setae laterally. Mesothorax, metathorax mostly yellowish green mesally, brown laterally, with fine golden setae dorsolaterally. Legs pale, without markings, with numerous light brown to amber setae; tarsal claws with broad, dilated base, deep narrow cleft (Fig. 1c).

Wings (Fig. 4): Forewing 14.8-15.8 mm long, 5.1-5.5 mm wide (at widest point); ratio of length: maximum width = 2.9:1. Costal area relatively narrow; tallest costal cell (#6-8) 0.8 mm tall, 1.4-1.8 times width, height 0.17-0.15 times width of wing (midwing). First intramedian cell ovate, height (along median arculus) 0.33 mm, width 2.5-2.6 times height, 0.65-0.66 times width of third median cell. First radial crossvein distal to origin of radial sector (Rs); radial area (between radius and Rs) with single row of 15 closed cells; tallest cell (#6-8) 1.3-1.5 times taller than wide. Base of subcosta, upper media, lower media slightly crassate, other longitudinal veins robust; 4 b cells (= cells beneath Rs, not including an inner gradate vein). Seven to nine discrete inner gradates in irregular pattern, outer gradates apparently aligned with distal vein lets in smooth, curved line paralleling margin of wing from tip of pseudomedia (Psm) to tip of Rs. Height of fourth gradate cell 2.9-3.9 times width. Six to seven b’ cells (cells beneath Psm after second intramedian cell). Four intracubital cells (three or four closed). Subcosta, radial sector forked apically; almost all other apical veins unforked. Membrane with four large, conspicuous yellow to brown marks; stigma with dark brown marks basally, distally. Veins mostly pale, except under markings. Hindwing 13.1-13.8 mm long, 4.1-4.3 mm wide. Six discrete inner gradates, outer gradates similar to those of forewing; 13-15 radial cells (counted from origin of radius, not false origin). Five large b cells (no small “t” cell); six b’ cells beyond second intramedian cell; two intracubital cells (one closed). Membrane with yellow to light brown marks, similar to those on forewing; stigma with single dark brown mark basally. Veins pale except near stigmal marking.

Male.

Unknown.

Female

(Figs 5-7): Abdomen with spiracles simple (Fig. 5e); callus cerci round, brown to black, heavily sclerotized (INPA specimen), located dorsally on T9+ect, with 28-32 trichobothria stemming from irregularly spaced sockets (Fig. 5c, f); ninth tergite (T9) and ectoproct fused, but invaginated distally (Fig. 5a); T9+ect completely divided dorsally by deep groove (Fig. 5d). Praegenitale absent. Colleterial complex (Fig. 6b) with elongate, delicate gland, apparently with scattered particles; reservoir sperical, with colliculate, membranous surface, extending apically only into ectoproct; transverse sclerite delicate, membranous, with small, elongate teeth. Spermathecal complex (Fig. 6a) simple; spermatheca pillbox-shaped with small to moderate, V-shaped invagination; spermathecal duct elongate (~2.5 –3× width of spermatheca), curvy, covered with fine, hair-like, glandular ducts throughout distal ~2/3 of duct, longest and most dense distally, becoming thinner to absent basally; velum small, connecting directly to bursal duct; bursal duct leathery, elongate, bent, extending posteriorly to bursa copulatrix; bursa membranous, with two narrow glands. Subgenitale (Fig. 7) large, leathery, almost as broad as tip of S7, composed of upper and lower sections extending distally from relatively deep fold at tip of S7, well beyond sternite; lower section triangular (ventral view), slightly concave, with paired distal lobes extending posteriorly as a knob (lateral view), lobes separated by small, mesal groove; upper section of subgenitale dense, especially laterally, slightly convex, folded above and connected basally to lower section.

Larvae.

Unknown.

Biology.

Unknown.

Variation.

Other than differences in color, the two Amazonian specimens examined are very similar to each other, and we are confident that they are conspecific. The coloration of the specimen from Amazonas (INPA) appears deeper than the one from Rondônia (USU) that might be slightly teneral.