Xantholeon pallens Miller and Stange, 2012

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2012, The cave mouth antlions of Australia (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (250), pp. 1-65 : 38

Xantholeon pallens Miller and Stange , new species

( Figures 57, 58, 59, 91, 92)

Holotype male, Pilliga Nature Reserve, 34 km. north Coonobarabran , New South Wales, 3.XII.1989, R. Miller (reared) ( ANIC).

Diagnosis. Adult: femoral sense hair about as long as femur diameter; foreleg about equal in length to midleg which is shorter than hindleg.

Description. Holotype male: length of body 19 mm, forewing 25 mm, hindwing 24 mm. Coloration: general color pale brown with sublateral dark brown spots on clypeus; interantennal mark dark band below and above antennae; antenna pale with small dark brown spot at apices, club dark brown laterally; vertex with sublateral dark brown spot at middle; double brown spots posteriorly and sublaterally; pronotum pale brown with complex dark stripes at anterior, submedian sublateral areas ( Figure 57); wings as in Figure 58; abdomen pale brown with subanterior, medial and posterior brown bands, tergites VII to VIII with most of posterior margin dark brown. Chaetotaxy: most of body with short white setae; forecoxa posteriorly with elongate white bristles; femur and tibia with short setae (less than femur diameter), mostly white on femur and black on tibia; femoral sense hair about as long as femur diameter; ectoproct and sternite IX with elongate black setae. Structure: palpi not swollen; antenna with basal flagellomere longer than wide, others about as long as wide or wider than long distally, club moderately expanded with about 7 flagellomeres; vertex weakly raised; pronotum about as long as wide; foreleg about equal in length to midleg which is shorter than hindleg; hind basitarsus longer than distal tarsomere; hind basitarsus longer than distal tarsomere; tibial spurs extend to tarsomere II; abdomen shorter than wings; forewing slightly longer than hindwing; forewing with five presectoral crossveins, hindwing with one presectoral crossvein; hindwing posterior area higher than presectoral area.

Female: About as described for male except for the terminalia. Female posterior gonapophysis small, about as long as wide.

Larva: central dorsal head capsule with prominent submedian dark brown markings but not reaching to posterior area of head capsule ( Figure 92); mandible straw colored; body ( Figures 92, 93) with irregular light brown markings dorsally; mesothoracic spiracle borne on short stalk.

Variation: length of body 11 to 18 mm, forewing 22 to 27 mm, hindwing 21 to 26 mm. Femoral sense hair variable, sometimes indistinguishable, sometimes longer than diameter of femur.

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA. New South Wales: Pilliga Nature Reserve, 34 km. north Coonobarabran, New South Wales , 3.XII.1989, R. Miller (reared) (26m, 20f, AMSA; ANIC; FSCA; SAMA; TAMU) .

Discussion. Within the helmsi group, the short (sometimes absent) forefemoral sense hair is distinctive.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the very pale coloration of the species.