Panorpa dali Wang, 2021

Wang, Ji-Shen & Gong, You-Jing, 2021, Taxonomy of the Panorpaguttata group (Mecoptera: Panorpidae), withdescriptions of fourteen new species from China, Zootaxa 4981 (2), pp. 241-274 : 250-252

Panorpa dali Wang , sp. n.

( Figs 6 & 7 )

Etymology. The new species is named after the Dali Kingdom (973–1253 AD), situated in the modern Yunnan Province. The name also indicates Dali City, where the new species was discovered. Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Panorpa kunmingensis Fu & Hua, 2009 in the speckled wing markings, but can be differentiated from the latter by the following characters: 1) body smaller with male BL of 8.3 mm and FW of 8.8 mm, approximately (cf. with BL and FW usually exceeding 10.0 mm); 2) forewings with more reduced apical band (cf. usually well-developed); in males, 3) A6 with only very shallow emargination (cf. with deep V-shaped emargination); 4) paramere with ventral branch approximately 3/4 length of dorsal branch (cf. shorter than half length of dorsal branch); and in females, 5) medigynium with posterior arms shorter than main plate (cf. longer).

Type series. CHINA: Yunnan: Dali: Holotype ♂ (CN20Pa00094), Mt. Cangshan, eastern slope of the Orchid Peak , 2550 m, 25°43’30’’ N 100°06’25’’ E, 11.viii.2020, leg. Ji-Shen Wang; paratypes 2♂ 3♀ (CN20Pa00095–CN-20Pa00099), same data.

Measurements. Male: AtL 8.0– 8.2 mm, AbL 5.8–6.0 mm, BL 8.0– 8.3 mm, FL 8.8–8.9 mm, FW 1.8–1.9 mm, HL 8.0– 8.1 mm, HW 1.7–1.8 mm; Female: AbL 4.8–5.0 mm, BL 7.0– 7.3 mm, FL 9.0– 9.8 mm, FW 1.9–2.0 mm, HL 8.0–9.0 mm, HW 1.9–2.0 mm.

Description-male. Head. Vertex, occiput and rostrum yellowish brown. Ocellar triangle enclosed by blurred dark spot.

Wings. Narrow in shape. Membrane hyaline and tinged with light yellowish brown, markings brown. Forewing with apical and pterostigmal bands greatly reduced into several small spots; basal band reduced to small spot above CuP; marginal and basal spots absent; 1A ending beyond level of ORs; and two cross-veins between 1A and 2A. Hindwings similar to forewings but lacking any markings.

Abdomen. T1–T5 dark brown, with pale, thin, and continuous median stripe extending from T1 to T4. A6 yellowish brown, cylindrical, with very shallow emargination at dorsal apex. A7 and A8 yellowish brown, A7 nearly cylindrical, A8 slightly longer than A7, constricted basally and beveled apically.

Male genitalia. Genital bulb yellowish brown, oval. Epandrium extending beyond middle of gonostylus, slightly tapering towards apex, with deep U-shaped terminal emargination and forming two parallel finger-like processes. Hypandrium Y-shaped and approximately 3/4 as long as gonocoxites, with long basal stalk and splitting into pair of hypovalves in distal 2/5. Hypovalves narrow, divergent at base and bending inwards at apex, with sparse long bristles along inner margin. Gonostyli shorter than half length of gonocoxites, greatly incurvated on outer margin, with disc-shaped basal lobe and subtriangular median tooth. Parameres bifurcated, with ventral branch slender and approximately 3/4 as long as lobate dorsal branch; dorsal branch bearing row of long stout bristles on inner margin. Ventral aedeagal valves membranous, rounded, and covered with numerous microtrichia; dorsal processes slender, greatly elongated, slightly convergent, and with longitudinal groove.

Description-female. Similar to males in general appearance, but with denser markings. In forewings, pterostigmal band often denser than that of males.

Female genitalia. Subgenital plate oblong with rounded apex and sparse long setae on distal margin. Medigynium slender, with main plate broadest at basal 1/3 and approximately half as long as axis; posterior arms short, acute and approximately half as long as main plate; apodemes of axis greatly divergent at base.

Distribution. CHINA: Yunnan: Dali (Mt. Cangshan) ( Fig. 2 ).

Notes. With minimum male FL of 8.8 mm and female FL of 9.0 mm, this species is likely the tiniest scorpionfly reported from the Old World. It is approximately the same size as the tiniest Nearctic scorpionfly, Panorpa sentosa Byers, 1997 with minimum male FL of 8.7 mm ( Byers, 1997). This species coinhabits with Panorpa nanzhao Wang , sp. n. in the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Distribution of 23 species in the Panorpa guttata group.

FIGURE 6. Panorpa dali Wang, sp. n. A, C–H. Male; B, I & J. Female. A & B. Habitus, dorsal view; C. Head, frontal view; D. Abdomen, left-lateral view; E. A6–A8, dorsal view; F. Left gonostylus, ventral view; G. Aedeagal complex, ventral view; H. Genital bulb, ventral view; I. Subgenital plate, ventral view; J. Medigynium, ventral view.

FIGURE 7. Panorpa dali Wang, sp. n. A female resting on the collector’s forefinger.