Palaeochrysa stricta Scudder, 1890

Makarkin, Vladimir N., Antell, Gwen S. & Archibald, S. Bruce, 2022, A revision of Chrysopidae (Neuroptera) from the late Eocene Florissant Formation Colorado, with description of new species, Zootaxa 5133 (3), pp. 301-345 : 330-333

Palaeochrysa stricta Scudder, 1890

Figs 21 , 22

Palaeochrysa stricta Scudder, 1890: 166 ; Pl. 14, Figs 13 , 14 ; Scudder 1891: 355; Handlirsch 1906–1908 [1907]: 909; Cockerell 1908a: 90; Cockerell 1909a: 78; Cockerell 1909b: 219; Carpenter 1935: 262, 263; Laurentiaux 1953: 480; Schlüter 1984: 4; Martins-Neto & Vulcano 1989: 189, 190; Séméria & Nel 1990: 30; Meyer 2003: 208; Nel et al. 2005: 67; Makarkin & Archibald 2013: 143; Archibald & Makarkin 2015: 361, Fig. 2C ; Archibald & Makarkin 2017: 399.

Paleochrysa [sic] stricta: Adams 1967: 231 , Figs 38, 39; Schlüter 1982: 261.

Type material. Holotype MCZ 242a, b (Scudder’s numbers 1738, 7340). Four nearly complete wings partially overlapping, associated with poorly preserved remnants of the thorax.

Verbatim label data [typed]: (1) “Mus. Comparative Zoölogy, Cambridge / No. 242 / Palaeochrysa stricta Scud. / Florissant Miocene”; (2) [handwritten]: “242ab type Palaeochrysa stricta Scud. / Florissant / Neuroptera : Chrysopidae ”. The specimen has red and black ink writing on the rock that says “7982 / 243”, and a red paper label glued to the rock that says “ Type.”. Part and counterpart have red and black ink writing on the rocks that say “1738 / 242a” and “1740 / 242b”, respectively, and red paper labels glued to the rock that say “ Type.”. Both coated with Canada balsam .

Type locality and horizon. USA: Colorado: Teller County: Florissant (precise collecting locality unknown); Eocene , late Priabonian ; Florissant Formation .

Redescription. Forewing 15.5 mm long, 5.1 wide (length to width ratio 3.04). Costal space moderately broad; widest some proximad origin of RP. Subcostal veinlets simple; rather widely spaced in proximal half, becoming gradually dense spaced distad. Pterostigma indistinct. Sc long, distal part not discernible. Subcostal space moderately narrow; subcostal crossveins not preserved. Distal part of RA not preserved. RA space broad, with 13 preserved rather widely spaced crossveins. RP originating relatively far from wing base (at ca. 0.24 of complete length). Anterior trace of RP somewhat zigzagged, with 13 branches; at least two distal-most branches simple, other probably forked. Basal crossvein between RP, M (1r-m) rather short, connecting anterior trace of RP, MA within im at proximal one-thirds of its length. M not fused with R basally, curved inward; dividing to MA, MP slightly distad origin of RP. MA, MP zigzagged, each deeply forked at Psc. Crossvein between MA, MP (1im) relatively short. Im narrow, elongate (length/width ratio 3.40–3.90). Psm well developed, slightly zigzagged. Crossvein 2m-cu connected CuA, im at nearly proximal one-sevenths of its length. CuA probably with three simple branches. CuA continuing into well developed, only slightly zigzagged Psc, which continues to outer gradate series of crossveins. CuP deeply forked, branches rather widely spaced; 1icu located far from origin of CuP; 2icu connecting CuA, anterior branch of CuP. 1c: 2c length ratio 0.44:1 (right wing). Basal part of CuA, A1 closely approaching for short distance; crossvein between them not detected. A1 arched, simple. A2 zigzagged, simple. Crossvein between A2, A3 long. A3 not preserved. Two gradate series of crossveins: inner series arranged in strongly broken line, shifted anteriad at termination of Psm (about 2/3 wing length), with 13 crossveins distad MA; outer series arranged in slightly broken line, with nine crossveins distad RP2.

Hind wing ca. 13.5 mm long, 3.8 mm wide. Costal space narrow, widest at level of origin of RP. Subcostal veinlets simple proximad pterostigmal region, rather widely spaced. Pterostigma indistinct. Distal part of Sc not discernible. Subcostal space narrow proximally, appears dilated distad; subcostal crossveins not detected. RA long (distal-most part poorly preserved). RA space rather broad, with 13 crossveins. RP originating close to wing base (at ca. 0.12 length). Anterior trace of RP slightly zigzagged proximally, strongly zigzagged distally; with 12 forked branches, one (left wing) or two (right wing) distal-most branches simple. Proximal parts of RP, MA fused for long distance. Psm well developed, slightly zigzagged. M dividing to MA, MP far distad origin of RP. MA basally oblique, crossvein-like; distally strongly zigzagged, forked apically (at Psc in right wing; distad Psc in left wing). MP slightly zigzagged; fused with CuA for rather short distance; forked distally (at Psc in right wing; distad Psc in left wing). Proximal crossvein between MA, MP (1im) rather long. Crossvein 1m-cu not discernible. CuA pectinate, with three branches; one branch forked (right wing). CuP basally perpendicular to Cu, simple. A1 incompletely preserved, probably fused or closely approximated with CuA for some distance. A2, A3 not preserved. Psc well preserved, zigzagged. Two gradate series of crossveins: inner series arranged in strongly broken line, shifted anterior at termination of Psm, with 11 (right wing) or 12 (left wing) crossveins distad MA; outer series arranged in smooth line, with 10 crossveins distad RP2.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Wing venation drawings of Archaeochrysa paranervis Adams, 1967, holotype UCM 4419. A, forewing; B, hind wing (fused veins in red). Scale bar = 3 mm (both to scale).

FIGURE 13. Wing venation drawings of Cimbrochrysa major sp. nov., paratype FLFO 4194 (male). A, left forewing; B, right forewing; C, right hind wings; D, left hind wing. Scale bar = 3 mm (all to scale).

FIGURE 14. Lithochrysa wickhami (Cockerell, 1914), holotype MCZ 4499 (male?). A, specimen; B, right forewing; C, left forewing; D, right hind wing; E, left hind wing; F, end of abdomen. All converted to standard view, with apex to the right. s, unknown structure, Scale bars = 3 mm (A; B–E to scales), 1 mm (F).

FIGURE 21. Palaeochrysa stricta Scudder, 1890, holotype MCZ 242. A, part; B, counterpart. Scale bars = 3 mm.

FIGURE 22. Wing venation of Palaeochrysa stricta Scudder, 1890, holotype MCZ 242.A, left forewing; B, right forewing; C, right hind wings; D, left hind wing. Scale bar = 3 mm (all to scale).