Dicerapanorpa triclada ( Qian & Zhou, 2001 )

Wang, Ji-Shen, 2022, New and little-known species of the genus Dicerapanorpa from northwestern Yunnan, China (Mecoptera: Panorpidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 62 (1), pp. 1-13 : 8-9

Dicerapanorpa triclada ( Qian & Zhou, 2001)

( Figs 33–39 , 53)

Material examined. CHINA: Yඎඇඇൺඇ: 2 ♁♁ 3 ♀♀ ( DALU: CN- 99Di00004– CN 99Di00008), Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Mt. Cangshan, Huadianba, 2960 m, 7.vi.1999, leg. Ji-Shan Xu; 2 ♁♁ 2 ♀♀ ( DALU: CN 06Di00060– CN 06Di00063), same locality, 4.vi.2006, leg. Anonymous; 2 ♁♁ 2 ♀♀ ( DALU: CN 21Di00021– CN 21Di00024), Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Mt. Cangshan, subarid alpine meadow near Xiaohuadian, 25°52′49.13″N, 100°01′30.69″E, 3250 m, 2.vi.2021, leg. Ji-Shen Wang.

Emended diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the combination of the following characters: 1) head yellow with black spots on vertex ( Fig. 33 ); 2) wings with greatly reduced, spot-like pterostigmal band ( Fig. 33 ); in males, 3) abdomen mostly black ( Fig. 33 ); and in females, 4) medigynium with earlobe-like process on each side of main plate ( Fig. 39 ).

Redescription. Measurements (mm). Male: AtL 10.5–12.0, AbL 10.0–11.4, BL 13.0–16.0, FL 13.0–14.0,

FW 3.5–3.6, HL 12.0–13.0, HW 3.4–3.5. Female: AtL 12.0–13.2, AbL 8.0–11.5, BL 13.0–15.7, FL 13.8–14.5, FW 4.1–4.4, HL 12.5–13.4, HW 3.9–4.2.

Male. Head ( Figs 33, 35 ). Vertex yellow with large black spot on each side, and three smaller, blurred spots encircling each large one. Ocellar triangle enclosed by thick, arrow-shaped black pattern. Rostrum yellow, with two black frontal stripes.

Thorax ( Fig. 33 ). Pronotum with six black thick setae along each side of anterior margin. Meso- and metanotum black laterally, with broad yellow median stripe.

Wings ( Fig. 33 ). Membrane colorless and hyaline, with greatly reduced, spot-like pterostigmal band. Pterostigma light yellowish brown.

Abdomen ( Fig. 33 ). T2 and T3 black laterally, with indistinct yellow median stripe; T4 and T5 entirely black. A6 black with pair of divergent anal horns on dorsal apex. A7 and A8 greatly constricted at base, black.

Male genitalia ( Figs 36, 37 ). Genital bulb broadly oval, mostly black except for dark brown epandrium, hypandrium, gonostylus, and inner portion of gonocoxites. Epandrium broad, deeply emarginated terminally and forming pair of finger-like processes laterally. Hypandrium split into pair of long, stripe-like hypovalves. Hypovalve with row of long stout bristles along inner margin. Gonostylus shorter than gonocoxites, with well-developed, hook-like basal lobe and subtriangular middle tooth. Paramere trifurcate: ventral branch long; median branch nearly as long as ventral branch; dorsal branch longest, slightly shorter than twice length of middle branch and straight. Ventral valves of aedeagus greatly protruded, membranous with rounded apex.

Female. Habitus ( Fig. 34 ) similar to males. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 38 ) broad, with basal half rectangular and distal half greatly narrowed and subtriangular, and bearing long stout setae marginally in distal half. Medigynium ( Fig. 39 ) with main plate slightly broadening from base towards middle, and nearly parallel at lateral margins in distal half; earlobe-like process in middle of each side of main plate; posterior arms approximately 1/3 as long as main plate.

Distribution. China: Yunnan (Dali) ( Fig. 54 ).

Remarks. This species was originally described from an odd and unlocated place “Chadiantian (ĕĦffi)” in Mt. Cangshan and lacked further records. The author explored Mt. Cangshan in 2015–2020 but failed to rediscover this species. Fortunately, according to Drs Ji-Shan Xu and Zi-Zhong Yang’s photographs, memories and collections, the author confirmed that the type locality “Chadiantian” was erroneously transcribed from the handwritings of “Huadianba (AEĦ坝)” by Qංൺඇ & ZHඈඎ (2001). Literally meaning “flower-meadowland” in Chinese, “Huadianba” is an alpine grassland in the northern part of Mt. Cangshan with extensive farming and grazing activities.

In 2021, an attempt to rediscover this species was successful near Xiaohuadian (Lesser Huadianba), a higher alpine grassland east of Huadianba. Dicerapanorpa triclada inhabits an alpine, subarid, windy, and rocky meadow, perches on the leaves and twigs of Quercus guyavifolia shrubs (Figs 52, 53), and holds wings roof-like over abdomen (Fig. 53). By then (June 2), the locality was in a severe drought before the rain season, and no water sources were found nearby.

Figures

Figs 33–39. Dicerapanorpa triclada (Qian & Zhou, 2001). 33, 35–36 – male. 34, 38, 39 – female. 33, 34 – habitus, dorsal view. 35 – head and thorax, dorsal view. 36 – genital bulb, ventral view. 37 – right paramere, right-lateral view. 38 – subgenital plate, ventral view. 39 – medigynium, ventral view.

Fig. 54. Distribution of Dicerapanorpa spp. in Yunnan, China.