Froggattisca kakadu Miller and Stange, 2012

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 11-12

Froggattisca kakadu Miller and Stange , new species

( Figures 4, 5, 73, 74)

Holotype female, Bandedilidji Walk, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, 13. IX. 2005, Miller & Stange , reared ( ANIC).

Diagnosis. Adult: foreleg shorter than hind leg; tibial spurs shorter than one-fourth length of hind basitarsus; wings without golden brown suffusion; male without goitre.

Description. Holotype female: length of body about 18 mm, forewing and hindwing about 22 mm.

Coloration: palpi, frons, and clypeus pale; large shiny dark brown interantennal mark; antenna mostly dark brown with apices of flagellomeres pale brown, club dark brown preceded by 3 whitish flagellomeres; vertex with nearly complete anterior dark band connected medially with complete middle transverse dark brown band; pronotum with median dark stripe, incomplete lateral band; scutellum with split median dark band; forecoxa pale brown with dark brown area laterally; forefemur mostly dark brown, midfemur and hindfemur mostly pale with dark stripe laterally and apex dark brown; tibia pale brown with short dark apex; tarsus mostly pale brown, weakly dark brown apically on tarsomeres; pretarsal claws light reddish; wings mostly unmarked ( Figure 4) except for small rhegmal spot and dark brown at pterostigma, no golden brown suffusion; abdomen with tergites and sternites mostly dark brown, often with pale posterior borders, separated by yellowish pleura. Chaetotaxy: forecoxa with several elongate white setae posteriorly; forefemoral sense hair about five times longer than femur diameter; midfemoral sense hair about three times as long as femoral diameter; forefemur with several elongate white setae on apical one-half; pronotum with long black setae; thorax with short white setae; abdomen with most tergal setae black, sternal setae mostly white; posterior gonapophysis with many black setae that are much longer than the gonapophysis. Structure: male without goitre; pronotum longer than wide; foreleg shorter than hindleg; femora shorter than tibia; tibial spurs vestigial, shorter than one fourth length of hind basitarsus; tarsus about one-half length of hindtibia; ectoproct with about 12 thickened black setae; anterior gonapophysis with about 8 thickened black setae; female posterior gonapophysis broad, about twice as long as greatest width.

Larva: Coloration: ventral head capsule prominently marked medially with dark brown submedian markings posteriorly with lateral dark brown spots; thorax and abdomen with conspicuous dark brown markings ventrally. Chaetotaxy: ventral head setae abundant with many dolichasters. Structure: mandible shorter than length of head capsule.

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA. Northern Territory: Bandedilidji Walk, Kakadu National Park, 13. IX. 2005, Miller & Stange , reared (2f paratypes, 1 larva, FSCA).

Discussion. Froggattisca kakadu has tibial spurs present but minute (shorter than one-fourth length of hind basitarsus) and the foreleg is shorter than hindleg. The larva was found in caves between layers of volcanic rock in small patches of finely decomposed leaf litter. The larva is distinguished from all other known cave Froggattisca species by the dolichasters present on the ventral side of the head. Also, the mandible is shorter than the length of the head capsule ( Figure 73).

Etymology. This species is named for the type locality, and is used as a noun in apposition.