Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker, 1894)

Hassan, Muhammad Asghar, Akhtar, Saleem, Zheng, Yuchen & Liu, Xingyue, 2023, Taxonomic notes on the antlion tribe Palparini Banks (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) from Pakistan, Zootaxa 5256 (6), pp. 565-588 : 580-585

Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker, 1894)

( Figs 12–16 )

Palpares solidus Gerstaecker, [1894] 1893: 113 . Type locality: Mesopotamia (Mardin). Holotype female.

Palpares klapaleki Navás, 1912a: 53 . Type locality: Iran. Holotype male. After Hölzel, 1972: 7.

Palpares zugmayeri Navás, 1912c: 55 . Type locality: Pakistan (Baluchistan). Holotype female. After Hölzel, 1972: 7.

Palpares validus Navás, 1927: 12 . Type locality: Afghanistan (Kabul). No type designation (female). After Hölzel, 1972: 7.

Palpares solidus validus Navás, 1928: 28 . Type locality: Afghanistan (Kabul). No type designation (male and female). After Hölzel, 1972: 7.

Diagnosis. Large species (forewing length 56.0– 56.5 mm) with distinctive wing markings ( Fig. 13A–B ). Hindwing with two subapical markings, connected at middle, reaching at hind margin. Labial palp large, palpimacula clavate, sensory slit 1/3 of terminal labial palpomere, reaching apex ( Fig. 14D–F ). Antenna brownish yellow, scape with short black setae ( Fig. 14G ). Thorax brownish, without distinct marking, covered with long white setae ( Fig. 14A ); pronotum covered with long brownish setae ( Fig. 14C ). Legs brownish, covered with black setae; tibial spurs brownish, nearly equal to Ta3 ( Fig. 14H ). Ectoprocts cylindrical, moderately curved at base, as long as tergite 8 ( Fig. 15C ), with two stout black spines at base of ectoprocts ( Fig. 15D ); gonocoxites 9, paired but widely separated with each other, with acute apex and acutely tapering basal projection ( Fig. 15E–G ).

Measurement (♁n=1, ♀ n=1). Forewing length ♁ 56.0 mm, ♀ 56.5 mm, width ♁ 16.3 mm, ♀ 15.7 mm; hindwing length ♁ 52.5 mm, ♀ 53.0 mm, width ♁ 15.4 mm, ♀ 15.0 mm; body length ♁ 65.0 mm, ♀ 44.0 mm.

Redescription. Head wider than prothorax ( Fig. 14B–C ). Face yellow covered with short white setae. Frons brownish yellow.Vertex brownish, dome-shaped, with distinct median longitudinal suture, median brownish marking present, anterolateral margins covered with short white setae. Eyes large, greater than hemispherical.Antenna longer than head width, brownish yellow, scape with short black setae ( Fig. 14G ). Clypeus and labrum yellow. Maxillary and labial palps brownish. Labial palp large, palpimacula clavate, covered with short brownish setae, as long as 1/4 of terminal labial palpomere, sensory slit reaching apex ( Fig. 14D–F ).

Thorax ( Fig. 14A ). Prothorax short, much broader than long, brownish, covered with long brownish setae. Meso- and metathorax brownish, with indistinct median yellowish stripes, prominent yellow spots on posterolateral margins of metascutum; meso- and metathorax covered with long white setae.

Wings ( Fig. 13A–B ). Narrow at base, wider towards apex; veins mainly covered with short black setae; forewing slightly longer than hindwing.

Forewing. Costal, apical and hind margins with many irregular brown markings, particularly on anal region; two distinct pale brown markings originated from R, present at middle; first marking linear, crossing middle of cubital fork; second marking quadrate, crossing middle of cubital fork. Longitudinal veins brownish yellow; Sc with alternating yellow and brown sections; Rs and MA yellow, except slightly brownish at markings; cubital fork dark brown, anterior fork with alternating brown and yellow sections, posterior cubital fork brownish. Rs arises just beyond cubital fork; six presectoral crossveins, basal three crossveins biaereolated.

Hindwing. Five prominent pale brown markings; basal marking divided, anterior marking circular at cubital fork, posterior marking circular or linear at Rv; second, third and fourth markings originated from R; second marking irregular, quadrate or narrower at base, wider at hind margin; third and fourth marking connected at middle, reaching at hind margin; apical margin of wing with distinct brown marking. Longitudinal veins yellow, brownish at markings. Rs arises at the same level to MP fork; three presectoral crossveins, basal crossvein biaereolated. Pilula axillaris dark brown.

Legs ( Fig. 14H ). Brownish, densely covered with short white and long black setae; coxa with long white setae; tibial spurs feebly curved, nearly equal to Ta3.

Abdomen ( Fig. 12A–B ). Brownish yellow, shorter than hindwing; T1 and T2 with dense greyish yellow setae, T3 with mixed black and white setae, terga 3–8 with short black setae; lateral margins of T1–T3, ventral sides of T1 and T2 with white setae.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 15C–G ). Tergite 9 subquadrate; sternite 9 with round apex; ectoprocts yellowish brown, cylindrical, moderately curved at base, as long as tergite 8, with two stout black spines at base of ectoprocts; gonocoxites 9 paired and widely separated with each other, with acute apex and acutely tapering basal projection; gonarcal bulla present.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 15A–B ). Tergite 9 subquadrate; ectoprocts rounded bearing stout fossorial spines on ventral half; gonocoxites 8 rounded with long black setae; gonocoxites 9 triangular with stout fossorial spines.

Material examined. PAKISTAN. Balochistan province. District Nushki , 1♀, 26.viii.2000, PMNH ( C# 29738 ) , leg. K.J. Beig ( PMNH) ; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. District Khyber, Jumrud , 1♁, 19.x.1949, leg. N.A. Aslam ( NIM) .

Bibliography. Navás (1912c: 55) described Palpares zugmayeri from Pasni, Mekran, Baluchistan based on a female specimen (probably single individual) and provided the morphological description and illustration of dorsal habitus. Hölzel (1972) synonymized Palpares zugmayeri with Parapalpares solidus . Iqbal & Yousuf (1990: 56; 1997) listed this species as Palpares solidus from Faisalabad, and provided the identification key, redescription and distribution data in Pakistan. Stange (2004: 65) and Hassan et al. (2019: 515) included this species in their catalogue.

Distribution. Pakistan. Balochistan province, District Gwadar, Pasni; Punjab province, District Rawalpindi;— Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan ( Navás 1912c; Hölzel 1972; Iqbal & Yousuf 1990; Stange 2004; El Hamouly et al. 2019; Hassan et al. 2019; Oswald 2021).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker). A. Male habitus; B. Female habitus. Scale bar: 10 mm.

FIGURE 13. Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker). A. Male right fore and hindwing; B. Female right fore and hindwing. Scale bar: 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 14. Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker).A. Thorax, dorsal view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Head and pronotum, dorsal view; D. Labial palp, lateral view; E. Palpimacula, lateral view; F. Same, dorsal view; G. Antenna, lateral view; H. Lateral habitus. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.

FIGURE 15. Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker).A. Female genitalia, lateral view; B. Female genitalia, ventral view; C. Male genitalia, lateral view; D. Male genitalia, ventral view; E. Gonocoxites gx 9 + gx 11, dorsal view; F. Gonocoxites gx 9 + gx 11, ventral view; G. Gonocoxites gx 9 + gx 11, lateral view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 16. Regional distribution map of Parapalpares solidus (Gerstaecker) in Pakistan.