Euclimacia similis, Kaur & Pandher & Chandra & Dubey, 2021

Kaur, Simarjit, Pandher, Manpreet Singh, Chandra, Kailash & Dubey, Anil Kumar, 2021, Subfamily Mantispinae Enderlein, 1910 (Insecta: Neuroptera) in India, Zootaxa 5068 (3), pp. 355-377 : 359-360

7. Euclimacia similis sp. nov.

( Figs. 7–20 )

Holotype: Male, India: Madhya Pradesh: Karmajhiri, Seoni , 27.vii.2001 (M.L. Koshta), ( NZSI).

Diagnosis. On comparison with description of all the species given in the paper on Euclimacia from Indo- Australian fauna by Handschin (1961), this species is similar to E. flavocincta Stitz, 1913 , recorded from Solomon Island and E. metallica Esben-Peterson, 1917 , from Indonesia. Further this species is similar to an undescribed species of Euclimacia from Myanmar ( Burma) ( Ohl, 2011). However, in the undescribed species the prozona has a yellow ring and the pronotum is yellow in lateral view; pterothorax though not clear but appears to be yellow with lateral margins black; pleural region mostly yellow with black spots near sutures; foreleg femur outer surface mostly black with median yellow patch towards spines, mid and hind legs black with yellow patches at bases of femora and tibiae (visible in figure, Ohl, 2011). But in E. similis , prozona has sunset yellow transverse band, pronotum black in dorsal and lateral views; pterothorax mostly black, pleural region with sunset yellow spots near sutures; foreleg femora outer surface distal half black, proximal half sunset yellow with black spot just at base of major spine; mid and hind legs mostly dark brown to black except base of femora yellowish. Whereas in E. flavocincta black spot on suture between post and anteclypeus is absent, but two yellow dots on vertex are present; the prothorax is black, but the prozona has a wide yellow cross band, rear pit is also yellow, both reaching halfway against sternum; foreleg with black coxae, trochanter and femora reddish brown, femora outer and inner surface dark brown with reddish brown base; mid and hind legs reddish brown. Moreover, in E. metallica the head thorax and abdomen are uniformly black and some brown red spots, the mouth parts are dark brown reddish, the legs entirely black.

Description.

Body Length. 20 mm.

Head. ( Fig. 8 ) Frons and labrum yellow, black spot located on suture between post and anteclypeus. Vertex black, except bright yellow transverse band posterior to antenna, band sometimes medially partially connected. Mandibles yellowish brown. Palpi reddish brown. Scape and pedicel piceous; proximal flagellomeres dark to black, distally reddish yellow, symmetrical, 35-36 in number.

Thorax. ( Fig. 9–12 ) Black in color, prozona with sunset yellow broad tranverse band in dorsal and lateral views. Pronotum black more than 1.5 times as long as its width, irregularly wrinkled, pubscent, maculae conspicuous, dorsolaterally directed. Pterothorax black. Prescutum sunset yellow; scutum black, scutellum sunset yellow ( Fig. 11 ). Pleural region black, with yellow spots mainly near sutures ( Fig.12 ).

Legs. ( Figs. 12–13 ) Fore leg with small yellow band on coxa; trochanter brown; femora about 2.75 times as long as wide, inner surface black, proximal yellow mark separated medially by transverse black line originating from base of large spine; outer surface distal half black, basal half yellow with black spot (almost oval) just at base of large spine; tibia proximally yellow, more so dorsally than ventrally, distally black, with apex reddish black. Mid and hind legs mostly dark brown to black except bases of femora yellowish; tarsal claws brown, each with 6 teeth.

Wings. ( Fig. 15–16 ) Forewing: Length 23 mm. Pterostigma brown, elongate, narrow, apically expanded; membrane hyaline except base including M and Cu1 (CuA) and yellow longitudinal band in the anterior one third of wing including costal space, 1AP cell with asperous region yellow. Most veins dark brown, costal space with 15 crossveins. Four radial veins originating from Rs1 (rarp1), six from Rs2 (rarp2) and five from Rs3 (rarp3) cells. Hindwing: Length 18 mm. Reduced asperous region in 1AP, base hyaline, veins varying from brown to dark yellow, costal space with 14 crossveins. Four veins originating Rs1 (rarp1), five each from Rs2 (rarp2) and Rs3 (rarp3) cells.

Abdomen. Mostly black, with sunset yellow bands at distal ends of each segment.

Male genitalia. ( Figs.17–20 ) Ectoproct dark blackish brown, ovoid, covered with setae; ventromedian lobe medially directed, apex with prominent short and thick setae arranged in bunches. Sternite IX sub-pentagonal with apex slightly pointed in ventral view, smaller than ectoprocts. Gonarcus with median lobe pointed, broad at middle of lateral lobes in ventral view, apex rounded. Mediuncus widened at base. Gonocoxite IX rod shaped. Pseudopenis spine- like. Pseudopenal membrane triangular. Hypomeres present as a pair of lateral sclerites, pointed at the end.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. This species is named ‘similis’ due to its general resemblance with E. flavocincta Stitz.

Figures

FIGS. 7–16. Euclimacia similis sp. nov.: 7, habitus, dorsal view; 8, head, front view; 9, head and thorax, dorsal view; 10, head and thorax, lateral view; 11, pterothorax, dorsal view; 12, pterothorax lateral view showing pleural region; 13, foreleg, inner view; 14. foreleg, outer view

FIGS. 17–18. Euclimacia similis sp. nov.: 17, male genitalia, dorsal view; 18, sternite 9, ventral view.

FIGS. 19–20. Euclimacia similis sp. nov. 19, male genitalia, ventral view; 20, gonarcus, ventral view. (ect- ectoproct, g- gonarcus, gcx9- gonocoxite- 9, hpm- hypomere, med- mediuncus, psp- pseudopenis, ppm- pseudopenal membrane, vml- ventromedian lobe).