Synclisis japonica (Hagen, 1866)

Kim, Jiseung, Ahn, Neung-Ho & Kim, Sora, 2025, A taxonomic review of the family Myrmeleontidae Latreille (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontiformia) from the Korean peninsula, highlighting the conservation value of this family, ZooKeys 1262, pp. 97-174 : 97-174

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1262.163194
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:432F41EC-E4E2-4D90-B1DA-23027FBCCF62
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17818137
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/394B60CE-862D-5A2D-844E-42C24E11491A
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Synclisis japonica (Hagen, 1866)
status

Treatment

Synclisis japonica (Hagen, 1866) View in CoL

Figs 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 29 A View Figure 29 , 31 View Figure 31 , 35 A View Figure 35 , 36 G View Figure 36 , 37 A View Figure 37

Acanthaclisis japonica Hagen, 1866 a: 289 View in CoL . Type locality: Japan: Tokyo.

Heoclisis japonica (Hagen, 1866 a): Navás 1923 b: 13. View in CoL

Heoclisis sinensis Navás, 1923 b: 13 View in CoL . Type locality: China: eastern, “ Chen-Chia-Tchoueng ”.

Synclisis japonica (Hagen, 1866 a): Stange 2004: 359. View in CoL

Specimens examined.

[ JBNU] • 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Oeseonmi-ri , Onjeong-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea, 27. VII. 2022, J. S. Kim ; • 2 ♂ 5 ♀, Seopo-ri , Deokjeok-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon, Korea, 13. VIII. 2024, J. S. Kim ; • 4 ♂ 2 ♀, Gureom-ri , Deokjeok-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon, Korea, 14. VIII. 2024, J. S. Kim ; • 1 ♂, Gilgok-ri , Maehwa-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea, 28. VIII. 2024, J. S. Kim ; • 1 ♀, same locality, 7. IX. 2024, J. S. Kim ; • 5 larvae (1 st and 3 rd instar), Gureom-ri , Deokjeok-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon, Korea, 14. VIII. 2024, J. S. Kim .

Diagnosis.

Synclisis japonica is easily distinguished from the other Korean Myrmeleontidae species by its large body size and long wingspan. Thorax and legs are densely hairy. Tergite V and proximal half of tergite VI are densely covered with appressed shiny silver pubescence in male. In larvae, the orange area at the base of the mandible reaches the second tooth. The center of the clypeo-labrum lacks a median longitudinal black stripe. Abdominal sternite VIII has several large setae.

This species is similar to Synclisis kawaii ( Nakahara, 1913) from southern China in general appearance. The two species can be distinguished by differences in the Banksian line and the marking pattern of the pronotum. In S. japonica , the anterior and posterior Banksian lines on the forewings and hindwings are distinct, while they are indistinct in S. kawaii . Synclisis japonica has a distinct black stripe on the pronotum, whereas in S. kawaii , it is faint ( Sekimoto 2014).

Description.

Male, adult. Head (Fig. 3 B, C View Figure 3 ). Vertex slightly narrow, moderately raised, dark brown, densely covered with short black hairs, with sparse long white hairs anteriorly. Frons yellow, densely covered with long white hairs; clypeus yellow, with sparse dark brown hairs. Antenna dark brown, slightly long, with slightly defined club, densely covered with short black hairs; flagellum comprising ~ 45 flagellomeres, each flagellomere with a narrow distal yellow ring. Mouthparts yellowish brown; labrum yellowish brown, with hyaline brown hairs; maxillary palpus yellowish brown; labial palpus yellowish brown, much longer than maxillary palpus; 3 rd labial palpomere reddish brown.

Thorax (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ). Pronotum broad, approximately as long as broad, dark brown, with pairs of longitudinal yellowish brown stripes, densely covered with long black and white hairs. Mesonotum dark brown, with pairs of longitudinal yellowish brown stripes, densely covered with long black and white hairs. Metanotum dark brown, with pair of yellow spots in the middle, densely covered with long white hairs.

Legs. Yellowish brown, short. Coxae yellowish brown, densely covered with long white hairs. Femora yellowish brown, dark brown distally, densely covered with long white and black setae. Tibiae alternating yellowish brown and dark brown, densely covered with long white and black setae. Tibial spurs reddish brown, short, strongly curved, approximately as long as combined lengths of tarsomeres 1–3. Tarsi dark brown, tarsomere 5 approximately as long as combined lengths of tarsomeres 1–4. Claws reddish brown.

Wings (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ). With dark brown markings. Forewings veins and crossveins alternating pale yellow and dark brown; presectoral area with 8–10 crossveins; RP arising beyond CuA fork; CuP supporting one cell before fusing with 1 A; 2 A fused with 3 A; pterostigma yellowish white; anterior and posterior Banksian lines distinct. Hindwings shorter and narrower than forewings; presectoral area with 6–8 crossveins; RP arising beyond MP fork; pterostigma yellowish white; anterior and posterior Banksian lines distinct; male with pilula axillaris.

Abdomen (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ). Shorter than hindwing, grayish black, densely covered with short black hairs, tergite V and proximal half of tergite VI densely covered with shiny silver pubescence.

Genitalia (Fig. 3 D, E, H – K View Figure 3 ). Ectoproct triangular in lateral view, covered with long black setae. Sternite IX elongated, covered with long black setae. Gonarcus brown, triangular, with short lateral arm. Mediuncus well sclerotized, reddish brown, strongly hooked in lateral view. Parameres well sclerotized, dark brown, strongly hooked in lateral view.

Size. BL: 43.0– 49.7 mm; FWL: 50.7–54.8 mm; HWL: 45.1–49.6 mm.

Female, adult. Except terminalia, generally similar to male. Pilula axillaris absent. Shiny silver pubescence of tergite V and proximal half of tergite VI absent (Fig. 26 View Figure 26 ). Terminalia (Fig. 3 F, G View Figure 3 ): tergite VIII much wider than tergite IX; tergite IX narrow, triangular in lateral view; ectoproct semicircular in lateral view; lateral gonapophyses small, with long black setae; posterior gonapophyses long, curved, with long black setae; anterior gonapophyses absent; pregenital plate absent.

Size. BL: 39.5–45.4 mm; FWL: 49.6–58.5 mm; HWL: 43.7–52.9 mm.

Larva, 3 rd instar. General color yellowish white, with black markings (Fig. 4 A – C View Figure 4 ). Head rectangular, longer than wide, with a pair of large black markings, lateral and ventral sides unmarked; mandibles pale orange with a dark apex; interdental mandibular setae (0) (1–3) (1–3) (0); external setae short, restricted in proximal part (Fig. 4 D, E View Figure 4 ). Abdominal sternite VIII with black digging setae, thicker in proximity of the distal margin; abdominal sternite IX triangular, with black digging setae, caudal margin with large black setae (Fig. 4 F View Figure 4 ).

Size. BL: 18.9 mm; HL: 5.7 mm, HW: 4.2 mm, ML: 5.1 mm.

Biological notes.

Synclisis japonica occurs in areas with developed natural dunes along the west and east coasts of South Korea, excluding the south coast (Fig. 37 A View Figure 37 ) where adults mainly emerge from late July to early September. Larvae are mainly observed in well-preserved coastal dunes where Carex ( Cyperaceae ) grows (Fig. 36 G View Figure 36 ). They are ambush predators, concealing themselves in the sand of dunes. When they detect prey, they rapidly emerge from the sand and crawl forward to hunt. After capturing their prey, they crawl backward to burrow back into the sand, often leaving only the prey exposed on the dune’s surface. Larvae of various development stages are observed at the same time. Eggs were observed in same place where larvae were collected.

Distribution.

Korea, Japan, China, Russia ( Krivokhatsky 2011; Sekimoto 2014; Wang et al. 2018).

Remarks.

Synclisis japonica is the largest antlion species in Korea, first reported from Korea by Okamoto (1926).