Froggattisca Esben-Petersen, 1915

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 9

Froggattisca Esben-Petersen

Froggattisca Esben-Petersen 1915: 64 . Type species: Froggattisca pulchella Esben-Petersen , by original designation.

= Adeloplectron Esben-Petersen 1923: 577 . Type species: Adeloplectron testaceum Esben-Petersen , by original designation.(after Stange 1976 ).

Further description: New 1985b: 63.

Diagnosis. Adult: pretarsal claws can close against ventral setae of distal tarsomere.

Description. Adult: body 13-23 mm, forewing 17-35 mm, hindwing 16-35 mm. Structure: distal tarsomere with ventral setae at least one-half length of tarsomere diameter; tibial spurs absent or very short (at most one-half length of basitarsus); pretarsal claws can close against ventral setae of distal tarsomere ( Figure 7); forefemur and usually midfemur with short sense hair, about as long as femur diameter; 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; male abdomen without hair pencils; Miller’s organ absent on sternite I.

Larva: mandibles not upturned; distance between base of mandible and basal mandibular tooth more than distance between mandibular teeth; antenna shorter than width of head; labial palpus longer than basal width of mandible; head capsule wider than long in dorsal view; mesoscutum without tuft of setae medially; anterior thoracic scolus much longer than wide; abdomen without scoli; ninth abdominal segment as long as wide.

Distribution. Only Australia.

Biology. The small larvae can be in different types of microhabitats as illustrated by our experiences in Kakadu National Park which is subject to massive floods forcing insects to higher ground. We found larvae living in the recessed, slightly rain protected, abandoned termite galleries on termite mounds. We found one first instar larva of F. testacea (Esben-Petersen) on a termite mound in Kakadu National Park. A second species, F. kakadu , was found in caves between layers of volcanic rock in small patches of finely decomposed leaf litter. A much larger species lives in white chalky material in a man made tunnel in wasp or bee crevices in the wall. Unfortunately this species was not reared. In all other areas Froggattisca larvae were only found in caves in Zone 2D and live in shallow dust on rock inclines (about 45 o). This restricted microhabitat is not used by the other larvae of antlions.

Discussion. Froggattisca Esben-Petersen is restricted to Australia where 7 species are recorded (New 1985) and we now recognize three additional species. We have reared five species. The larvae of F. tipularia (Gerstaecker) and F. anicis New as well as two undescribed species live in cave mouths or under rock overhangs in Zone 2D. Probably most species of Froggattisca live in caves but the larvae need to be found. Adults of F. testacea (Esben-Petersen) differ from the other species in having a “goitre” (large, dark colored postlabium sac) in the male which is unique in Australian species. Perhaps F. testacea should be placed back into the genus Adeloplectron Esben-Petersen. This type of structure has evolved independently in the North American Chaetoleon pusillus (Currie) and in the Old World genus Subgulina Krivokhatsky. The generic value of this character is questionable since Chaetoleon pusillus (Currie) (with goitre) and Chaetoleon pumilis (Burmeister) (without goitre) are extremely closely related. Similarly, the species of Subgulina are very similar to those of Maracanda (without goitre). Froggattisca is currently classified in the Dendroleontini based on adult characters (wing venation; female terminalia). However the larvae differ from those of other Dendroleontini larvae in not having upcurved mandibles nor the specialized setae at the middle of the mesoscutum. The development of the anterior gonapophysis in this genus is also highly variable, ranging from very large ( F. gemma ) to nearly absent ( F. anicis ). The genera Parvoleon New and Compsoleon Banks appear to be very close to Froggattisca , if not synonymous. New separates Froggattisca from Parvoleon because it does not have tibial spurs; however Froggattisca anicis New has minute tibial spurs similar to Parvoleon . New (1985) separates Compsoleon from Parvoleon and Froggattisca by not having the tibial claws opposable to distal tarsomere. However, in his description of Compsoleon bembicidis New he states that it does have opposable claws in contrast to the situation in his key to genera. Unfortunately the genus Compsoleon is known by only two specimens, both males, and this character can not be restudied at this time.