Froggattisca tipularia (Gerstaecker)

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 13-14

Froggattisca tipularia (Gerstaecker)

( Figures 8, 9, 75, 76)

Gymnocnemia tipularia Gerstaecker 1885: 102 . Holotype, Peak Downs (EMAU).

Taxonomy: Esben-Petersen 1917: 206 (in Austrogymnocnemia ); New 1985b: 68 (in Froggattisca ). Further description: Esben-Petersen 1923: 580, figure 6 (photo wings); New 1985b: 68, figures 943-952 (pronotum; wings; male, female terminalia, male genitalia).

Description. Adult: length of body 16 to 19 mm; forewing 18 to 21 mm, hindwing 17 to 20 mm. Coloration: predominantly dark brown; antenna mostly dark brown anteriorly with pale apices, mostly pale posteriorly with pale brown apices; palpi, labrum and clypeus pale brown; frons broadly black; vertex with narrow anterior ivory band; predominantly dark brown posteriorly; pronotum with anterior midline pale brown, with anterior pale brown spot usually linked with more elongate posterior streak laterally; pretarsal claws mostly black; wings venation dark brown where shaded, otherwise mainly pale brown; markings dark grayish brown ( Figure 8) without golden brown suffusion; abdomen with slender black median line flanked by two yellow spots on each tergite; legs predominantly pale brown, apex and sides of femur dark brown, tibia faintly darkened at base, more so at apex; tarsus mostly dark brown. Chaetotaxy: pronotum with many long white setae; mesonotum with many long white setae and several outstanding black setae; setae on ventral side of distal tarsomere expanded apically; female lateral gonopophysis with about 8 to 12 thickened setae. Structure: antenna long and slender; vertex rounded; male without goitre; pronotum longer than wide; legs long and slender, distal tarsomere longer than basitarsus; tibial spurs absent; pretarsal claws straight; female ectoproct not ornamented; female anterior and lateral gonapophysis at most as long as their greatest width; posterior gonapophysis long, curved, not markedly expanded; small anterior membranous lobe at base of posterior gonapophysis; pregenital plate transverse, triangular in profile; spermatheca short, rather sinuous; male genitalia with broad gonarcus, strongly twisted ventrally at anterior margin; mediuncus broad and strongly hooked ventrally; parameres broad, hooked and tapered posteriorly.

Distribution. New South Wales; Northern Territory; Queensland.

New records. AUSTRALIA. Northern Territory: Kuyunba Nature Reserve, near Pine Gap Satellite Station southwest Alice Springs , 20.XI.1989, R. Miller, reared (3m, 3f, 1 larva, FSCA; USMB) ; Kings Canyon, 19.IX.2005, Miller & Stange , reared (2m, 1f, l larva, FSCA) . Queensland: Burro Ridge, White Mountains National Park , 7.XI.2005, Miller & Stange (2m, 1f, FSCA) ; 30 km. west Pentland , 11.XII.1998, R. Miller, reared (1m, FSCA) .

Discussion. This is the only known cave mouth dwelling species of Froggattisca that lacks the tibial spurs. Also, the larva is quite different in lacking setae on the ventral side of the head capsule.

Glenoleon Banks

Glenoleon Banks 1913: 223 . Type species: Glenoleon pulchellus Rambur , by original designation. Further description: New 1985b: 31.

Diagnosis. Adult: pretarsal claws not opposable to ventral surface of distal tarsomere; tibial spurs present; Miller’s organ present. Larva with stalked mesoscutal setal hairs.

Description. Adult: body 9-30 mm, forewing 11- 38 mm, hindwing 10- 34 mm. Structure: antenna with distinct club; distal tarsomere with ventral setae at least one-half length of tarsomere diameter; tibial spurs well developed; pretarsal claws can not close against ventral setae of distal tarsomere; forefemur and usually midfemur with short sense hair, about as long as femur diameter; wings narrow to very broad; hindwing about as long as forewing; forewing vein 2A runs in a fairly even curve toward 3A; hindwing vein CuA connected by crossveins to posterior fork of MP2 or not reaching fork; hindwing with l or 2 presectoral crossveins; Miller’s organ absent on sternite I; male abdomen without hair pencils; male without postventral lobe; female terminalia variable; posterior gonapophysis very short to very long, sometimes with apical digging setae.

Larva: labial palpus longer than basal width of mandible; mesoscutum with tuft of setae medially.

Distribution. Only Australia.

Biology. Very little is known of the biology of this genus. Many species of large dendroleontine larvae were found at the bases of trees but unfortunately not reared or confirmed. Glenoleon pulchellus lives in Zone 1 which is made up of substrate originating in the cave or rock overhang and is exposed to the sun, high temperatures, and rainfall. Species in this zone can handle outside conditions, but may prefer the specialized substrate originating from the cave. The fact that only one specimen was found of this species suggests that it was an unusual find and that the larvae prefer living outside of the cave area. A possible species of Glenoleon was found in Zone 3 living by itself in deep bat guano and dermestid skins. The large larvae were active but found only once (1989) in the cave at Slaty Creek, Queensland. Possibly because the microhabitat changed more to sand after the dermestids and bats left creating a microhabitat preferred by the Heoclisis larvae and possibly shunned by the Glenoleon larvae.

Discussion. This genus contains thirty-one described species restricted to Australia and New Guinea. There is considerable variation in the genus and further studies may lead to further generic separations. The following species is one of the commonest in Australia.