Australeon manselli (New & Matsura, 1993)

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 41-42

Australeon manselli (New and Matsura), new combination

Callistoleon manselli New and Matsura 1993: 93, figures 1-9 (wings, male, female terminalia, male genitalia, spermatheca). Holotype female, Carnarvon , Queensland, Australia (reared) ( ANIC).

Biology: Mansell 1988: 351-356, figures 1-6 (pitfall traps as C. illustris ); Matsura and Kitching 1993: 77- 84.

Description. Adult: body length 26 to 29 mm, forewing length 26 to 33 mm, hindwing length 26 to 32 mm. Coloration: vertex black, slightly paler along central length of epicranial sutures; posterior onehalf of frons black, anterior one-half of frons and remainder of face tawny orange, central region pale gray; abdomen dark gray to black; wings with pale venation except subcosta dark brown at origins of costal crossveins and where enclosed in dark brown spots; spots variable, not reaching margins, generally distributed along radial area, cubital area and posterior area at middle; with small dark spots at rhegma and pterostigma; hindwing with dark brown spots mainly at pterostigma and rhegma; wings weakly fumose posteriorly. Chaetotaxy: female ectoproct with 3-4 thickened setae; lateral gonapophysis with about 8 long, moderately thickened setae; anterior gonapophysis with about 8 long moderately thickened setae that are as long as gonapophysis. Structure: pronotum broader than long; legs moderately sturdy, tibial spurs reach beyond tarsomere II; wings moderately broad; female with ectoproct ventrally lobed; lateral gonapophysis not conspicuously broad; posterior gonapophysis long, slender; anterior gonapophysis about as broad as lateral gonapophysis; male with broad ectoproct, sternite IX tapered; genitalia with broad gonarcus, apex transverse, mediuncus shallow; parameres with strong anterior flange, heavily sclerotized along inner and ventral sides.

Distribution. Queensland.

Discussion. The anterior region of the frons is pale yellow in A. manselli in contrast to the dark brown anterior frons of A. illustris . Also, the wings appear to be broader in A. manselli than in A. illustris . Australeon manselli has been found only at Carnarvon in Queensland.