Madachauliodes bicuspidatus Liu, Price & Hayashi

Liu, Xingyue, Price, Benjamin W., Hayashi, Fumio, Moor, Ferdinand De & Yang, Ding, 2014, Revision of the Megaloptera (Insecta: Neuropterida) of Madagascar, Zootaxa 3796 (2), pp. 320-336 : 324-327

Madachauliodes bicuspidatus Liu, Price & Hayashi , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 13–19 , 38 )

Diagnosis. The new species is characterized by a brownish head with indistinct vertexal scars, yellowish brown antennae, and the MA vein connecting to Rs on the hindwing. The genitalia of this species is characterized by the stout and straightly directed male ectoproct, the male tenth gonocoxite with median plate subquadrate and spinously produced on posterolateral corners, and the stout female ectoproct with posterodorsal corner slightly prominent.

Description. Male. Body length 22.3–31.5 mm; forewing length 30.5–37.6 mm, hindwing length 26.9–32.6 mm (n = 3).

Head mostly brown; clypeus medially blackish brown but laterally yellow, vertex medially with a pair of yellowish brown longitudinal scars; occiput dorsally with two pairs of yellowish brown scars. Compound eyes blackish brown; ocelli yellow, medially margined black. Antennae yellowish brown, flagellum with proximal 5–6 segments slightly paler. Mouthparts yellow; mandible with apex brown, maxillary palpi and entire labium also brown.

Prothorax pale brown, pronotum respectively with yellowish longitudinal stripes on medial and lateral portions of posterior half; meso- and metathorax brown, metanotum medially slightly paler. Legs yellow, densely setose; fore tibia with distal half brown, mid and hind tibiae with extreme apices brown; all tarsi brown; tarsal claw yellow with brownish tip. Wings ( Fig. 1 ) hyaline, pale smoky brown; pterostigmatic areas much darker. Forewing with numerous brownish spots, which are mainly along longitudinal veins, and with a darker marking across stem of 1A and anterior branch of 2A; markings on distal nygmata and branching point of CuA also darkened. Hindwing almost immaculate, distally with a few indistinct brownish spots along Rs. Veins dark brown. MA presents as an oblique veinlet distally connecting to Rs on hindwing.

Abdomen yellowish brown, each notum of 2nd–6th segments medially with an ovoid yellowish marking (visible only in specimens preserved in alcohol). Ninth tergum ( Fig. 13 ) subquadrate in dorsal view, with feebly convex anterior and feebly concave posterior margins. Ninth sternum ( Fig. 14 ) slightly shorter than ninth tergum, subquadrate in ventral view, with posterior margin arcuately incised. Ectoproct ( Figs. 13–15 ) nearly as long as ninth tergum, stout, straightly directed and gradually narrowed toward apex, posterolateral corner slightly prominent in dorsal view, inner portion bearing numerous small rhabdoid-shaped setae. Tenth gonocoxite ( Figs. 14–17 ) nearly as long as ¾ of ninth tergum, directed posteroventrad but posteriorly curved dorsad; lateral arm long, anteriorly narrowed and posteriorly rounded in ventral view; median plate subquadrate in ventral view, ventrally with a subtriangular projection subdistally, posterolateral corners spinously produced.

Female. Body length 28.8–34.6 mm; forewing length 37.2–43.1 mm, hindwing length 32.9–38.1 mm (n = 3).

Eighth gonocoxite ( Figs. 18–19 ) broadly subquadrate in ventral view, mostly strongly sclerotized, medially with a distinct longitudinal incision, posteriorly bilobed. Ninth gonocoxite ( Fig. 18 ) broad, nearly rectangular, with a stout gonostylus on posteroventral corner. Ectoproct ( Fig. 18 ) short and stout, with posterodorsal corner slightly prominent in lateral view.

Type materials. Holotype ♂, “ MADAGASCAR, [Betsiboka Region], Bassin: BETSIBOKA, Riv[er]: Ambatomisana, Local: Géranium-usine, Lat[itude]: 18:27:03 S, Long[itude]: 47:56:47 E, 8/11/[19]95, Piège lumineux soir [= light trap at night], P0534” ( MCZL). Paratypes: 1♂ 3♀, same data as holotype ( MCZL); 1♂, “ MADAGASCAR, [Betsiboka Region], Bassin: BETSIBOKA, Riv[er]: Affluent non nommé, Local: Plantation BLANC, Lat[itude]: 18:27:13 S, Long[itude]: 47:56:53 E, 31/10/[19]96, Piège lumineux soir [= light trap at night], P0632” ( MCZL).

Distribution. ( Fig. 38 ) Madagascar (Betsiboka).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from Latin bicuspidate, bicuspid, in reference to the median plate of the male tenth gonocoxite with both posterolateral corners spinously produced in the new species.

Remarks. The new species appears to be closely related to M. ranomafana in having a similar male ectoproct, which is short and stout with an obtuse apex, and the male tenth gonocoxite ventrally with a projection on median plate. However, the new species can be distinguished from M. ranomafana by the relatively longer male ectoproct and the male tenth gonocoxite with acutely pointed posterolateral corners and a subtriangular ventral projection. In M. ranomafana , the male ectoproct is much shorter than ninth tergum and the male tenth gonocoxite has rounded posterolateral corners and a plate-like ventral projection. The coloration of antennae is also different between the new species and M. ranomafana based on the specimens examined. In the new species, the antennae are generally yellowish brown, but in M. ranomafana they are bicolored with proximal half yellow and distal half dark. Nevertheless, this character may be verified to be variable intraspecifically when additional individuals are examined.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Habitus images of Madachauliodes spp. 1. M. bicuspidatus Liu, Price & Hayashi, sp. nov., holotype male; 2. M. ranomafana Penny, male; 3. M. torrentialis Paulian, male. Scale bars = 5.0 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 19. Madachauliodes bicuspidatus Liu, Price & Hayashi, sp. nov. 13. Male genitalia, dorsal view; 14. Male genitalia, ventral view; 15. Male genitalia, lateral view; 16. Male tenth gonocoxite, ventral view; 17. Male tenth gonocoxite, caudal view; 18. Female genitalia, lateral view; 19. Female eighth gonocoxite, ventral view. S 9: ninth sternum, T 8 - 9: eighth to ninth tergum, gx 8 - 10: eighth to tenth gonocoxite, gst 9: ninth gonostylus, c: cercus, e: ectoproct. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 38 – 39. Distribution maps of Megaloptera from Madagascar. 38. Madachauliodes species; 39 *. Haplosialis afra. Footnote: * The distribution, i. e. the type locality “ Condot ” of Haplosialis madegassa cannot be specifically located.