Ceraeochrysa tacanensis Cancino-Lopez & Contreras-Ramos

Cancino-Lopez, Rodolfo J. & Contreras-Ramos, Atilano, 2019, A new species of Ceraeochrysa Adams (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae), with a key to the species from Mexico, ZooKeys 888, pp. 95-104 : 95

Ceraeochrysa tacanensis Cancino-Lopez & Contreras-Ramos sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2 , 3

Material examined

(20 males, 11 females). Holotype (male): MEXICO: Chiapas, Cacahoatán, Ej[ido] Benito Juárez El Plan, 15°05'27.18"N, 92°08'51.06"W, 1479 m, 17.ii.2018, Cancino-López & Luna-Luna, light trap [genitalia dissected] (CNIN). Allotype: MEXICO: Chiapas, Unión Juárez, Cantón Chiquihuites, 15°05'46.26"N, 92°05'56.46"W, 2072 m, 16.iv.2018, Cancino-López & Luna-Luna, light trap [genitalia dissected] (CNIN). Paratypes: MEXICO: Chiapas, Cacahoatán, Ej[ido] Benito Juárez El Plan, 15°05'27.18"N, 92°08'51.06"W, 1479 m, 17.ii.2018, Cancino-López & Luna-Luna, light trap, 1 male, 1 female [genitalia dissected] (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'13.02"N, 92°08'55.2"W, 1430 m, 16.iii.2018, 2 males [one with genitalia dissected] (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'53.28"N, 92°08'29.88"W, 1705 m, 16.iii.2018, Cancino-López, 1 female, entomological net (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'36.48"N, 92°08'43.92"W, 1553 m, 12.viii.2018, 2 males (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'37.74"N, 92°08'43.26"W, 1572 m, 1 male (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'27.18"N, 92°08'51.06"W, 1479 m, 20.ix.2018, Cancino-López & Luna-Luna, 1 female, light trap (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'41.94"N, 92°08'41.52"W, 1577 m, 06.x.2018, Cancino-López, 1 female, entomological net (NMNH); same data but, 15°05'34.98"N, 92°08'45.42"W, 1541 m, 07.xi.2018, 1 female (NMNH); same data but, 15°05'40.98"N, 92°08'40.8"W, 1567 m, 08.xii.2018, 2 males (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'36.54"N, 92°08'43.8"W, 1549 m, 1 male (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'37.44"N, 92°08'43.68"W, 1564 m, 08.i.2019, 1 male (NMNH); same data but, 15°05'35.22"N, 92°08'44.76"W, 1533 m, 1 male (NMNH); same data but, 15°05'45.66"N, 92°08'40.5"W, 1582 m, 10.i.2019, 1 male, 1 female (ECO-TAP-E). MEXICO: Chiapas, Unión Juárez, Cantón Chiquihuites, 15°05'54.42"N, 92°05'57.96"W, 2157 m, 19.ii.2018, Cancino-López & Luna-Luna, 1 male [genitalia dissected], light trap (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'46.26"N, 92°05'56.46"W, 2076 m, 16.iv.2018, 1 male (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'43.74"N, 92°05'57.6"W, 2060 m, 14.v.2018, 3 males (CNIN); same data but, 15°05'43.79"N, 92°05'57.6"W, 2081 m, 10.ix.2018, 1 male, 1 female (NMNH); same data but, 15°05'43.79"N, 92°05'57.6"W, 08.x.2018, 1 male (CNIN); same data but, 15°06'9.06"N, 92°06'18.42"W, 2430 m, 19.xi.2018, Cancino-López, 1 male, entomological net (NMNH); same data but, Almaraz-Hernández, 1 female (NMNH); same data but, 15°05'43.79"N, 92°05'57.6"W, 2081 m, 14.i.2019, Cancino-López & Luna-Luna, 1 male, light trap (CNIN).

Diagnosis.

This species has marks on the pronotum (a discontinuous red lateral stripe) and on the meso- and metanota (two anterior reddish black spots on each) ( Fig. 1B ) and on the abdominal tergites (orange to dark-brown lateral elongate marks) ( Fig. 1D ); forewing has the posterior branches of the cubital vein swollen, darkened and edged with dark on the membrane; last tarsal segments are darkened ( Fig. 1A ). The gonosaccus basally bears gonosetae ( Fig. 3A ); the arcessus is very long, narrow, straight, with curved apical point ( Fig. 3B ); the gonapsis is elongate, its basal section extends internally from the base of gonosaccus and is slightly upturned, terminating anteriorly in a smoothly rounded apex ( Fig. 3E ), the distal section extends externally and terminates dorsally with microteeth ( Fig. 3D ); a membranous sac between apices of gonapsis and sternite 9 bears a field of well-developed gonocristae ( Fig. 3A ).

Description.

Measurements, mean (range) (n = 20). Male. Head: width 1.3 mm (1.2-1.4 mm). Pronotum: length 0.85 mm (0.7-1 mm), width 0.6 mm (0.4-0.8 mm). Forewing: length 11.7 mm (10-13.4 mm); 4-6 inner and 5-7 outer gradate veins. Hindwing: length 10.2 mm (8.8-11.6 mm); 3-5 inner and 4-6 outer gradate veins. Female (n = 11). Head: width 1.2 mm (1.1-1.3 mm). Pronotum: length 10 mm (0.9-1.1 mm), width 0.95 mm (0.9-1 mm). Forewing: length 12.4 mm (11.9-12.9 mm); 5-6 inner and 7 outer gradate veins. Hindwing: length 13.5 mm (10.2-11.9 mm); five or six inner and six or seven outer gradate veins.

Head. Front mainly pale (rarely with one brown, irregular transverse-stripe), vertex, clypeus, labrum, gena, maxillary, and labial palpi pale ( Fig. 1C ). Scape pale with lateral red stripe and pedicel pale with posterior-lateral red spot; flagellum pale, with 85-90 flagellomeres (n = 31).

Thorax. Pronotum greenish with a discontinuous red lateral stripe on each side and a medial, longitudinal yellow band; meso- and metanota greenish, each with a medial, longitudinal yellow band and two anterior reddish-black spots ( Fig. 1A ), and sometimes with two posterior red or orange spots; pleura pale green. Legs: pale green with yellow tarsi, except one or two dark-brown apical tarsomeres ( Fig. 1C ). Forewings: venation mostly green, but some crossveins dark; dark markings at apex of 1A, posterior cubitus, and Cua-Cup crossveins form a distinct chevron-shaped mark ( Fig. 1D ); four to six inner and five to seven outer gradate veins. Hindwing: venation green, with apical section of radius dark; three to five inner and four to six outer gradate veins, all green.

Abdomen. Green, with dorsal, longitudinal yellow band; tergites with orange to dark-brown lateral elongate marks at posterior margin ( Fig. 1D ). Male apodeme slightly sclerotized and thin, without ventral lobe ( Fig. 3A ).

Male genitalia. Gonarcus thick with wide and elongate lateral plates ( Fig. 3C ); entoprocessus elongate, with evenly tapering tips ( Fig. 3B ); gonocornus lacking. Arcessus very long, narrow, straight, with downward curved apical point ( Fig. 3B ). Gonosaccus basally with gonosetae ( Fig. 3A ). Gonapsis elongate, extending from base of gonosaccus, slightly upturned, terminating internally in a smoothly rounded apex ( Fig. 3E ), with sclerotized microteeth on dorsal side ( Fig. 3D ); membranous sac between apices of gonapsis and sternite 9 with a field of well-developed gonocristae ( Fig. 3A ).

Female. Similar to holotype. Female genitalia. Female subgenitalia as wide as long, with rounded apex and narrow medial notch ( Fig. 3G ); spermatheca well sclerotized, with vela broad basally and strongly arched apically; spermathecal duct slightly sinuous before entering oviduct; ventral impression conspicuous ( Fig. 3F ).

Variation.

Lateral stripes of pronotum are variable, for instance whether they are continuous or interrupted ( Fig. 2A, B ), thickened or narrow ( Fig. 2C, D ), pale or dark red ( Fig. 2E, F ); also, dorsolateral marks of the abdomen are generally orange, but may be reddish brown.

Etymology.

This species is named after the Tacaná Volcano, located in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, where the specimens were collected.

Ecology.

This species is presently known from cloud forest (1,430-1,705 m a.s.l.) and mixed oak-cloud forest (2,060-2,430 m a.s.l), and with similar collecting techniques and collecting effort, it was not found at lower (661-1,393 m a.s.l.) or higher (2,884-3,246 m a.s.l) elevation collecting sites. Specimens were found on Alinus sp., Quercus sp., and Saurauia sp., and were collected from February through May, August through December 2018, and January 2019.

Figures

Figure 1. Ceraeochrysa tacanensis sp. nov. A habitus, lateral B head and thorax, dorsal C head, frontal D abdomen, lateral.

Figure 2. Ceraeochrysa tacanensis sp. nov., stripe variation on pronotum A discontinuous B interrupted C thickened D narrow E pale red F dark red.

Figure 3. Ceraeochrysa tacanensis sp. nov. genitalia: A male terminalia, lateral B gonarcal complex, lateral C gonarcal complex, dorsal D gonapsis, dorsal E gonapsis, lateral F spermathecal complex, dorsolateral G female subgenitalia, frontal. Abbreviations: ap, apex of gonapsis; apo, male apodeme; ar, arcessus; cc, callus cerci; ent, entoprocessus; gc, gonocristae; go, gonarcus; gon, gonapsis; gst, gonosetae; la, lateral arms; mt, microteeth on gonapsis; sp, spermatheca; sp. d., spermathecal duct; v, vela; vi, ventral impression.