Layahima wuzhishana ( Yang, 2002 )

Zheng, Yuchen & Liu, Xingyue, 2021, A spectacular new antlion species of the subfamily Dendroleontinae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) from Malaysia, Zoological Systematics 46 (4), pp. 289-299 : 294-296

Layahima wuzhishana ( Yang, 2002) ( Figs 2B , 3C–D , 4B, D, F, H, J, L , 5A–C )

Dendroleon wuzhishanus Yang, In Yang & Wang, 2002: 297 . Type locality: China, Hainan, Mt. Wuzhishan .

Layahima wuzhishanus: Wang et al., 2018: 65 .

Diagnosis. Body overall pale yellow. Antennae nearly four times as long as pronotum; vertex with a black transverse band anteriorly, a pair of large dark brown markings present medially and extending to lateral part, a pair of dark brown spots present medially; frons with a nearly pentagonal dark brown marking. Pronotum with a pair of curved dark brown stripes and some dark brown dots medially; mesonotum with a pair of tufts consisted of long black setae, and with a pair of long trapezoid dark brown stripes laterally. Tibial spurs long, barely curved. Abdominal terga 3–8 each with an arrow-shaped pale yellowish marking. Male sternum 9 pentagonal, basally narrow; median part of gonocoxites 11 prominent and wide in ventral view. Female anterior gonocoxites 8 absent; gonapophyses 8 sclerotized; digging setae on gonocoxites 9 blunt.

Redescription. Size. Head width 2.54–2.75 mm, forewing length 23.69–28.23 mm, hind wing length 20.36–26.42 mm.

Head. Vertex raised, covered with some short setae, a black transverse band present anteriorly, a transverse dark brown lines present medially, a pair of large dark brown markings present medially and extending to lateral part, and a pair of dark brown spots present posteromedially ( Fig. 3C ). Antennae nearly four times as long as pronotum; scape and pedicel generally pale yellow, covered with some short setae; non-intumescent part of flagellum generally pale yellow, each segment with a brown marking; intumescent part of flagellum generally black dorsally and pink ventrally. Frons with a nearly pentagonal dark brown marking ( Fig. 3D ). Clypeus pale yellow with a few setae. Labrum pale brown. Maxillary palpus generally pale yellow. Labial palpus pale brown, apical segment fusiform, with a brown marking. Mandibles pale yellowish brown with distal half dark brown.

Thorax ( Fig. 3C ). Pale yellow, with dark markings. Pronotum longer than wide, covered with some long black setae; a pair of curved dark brown stripes and some dark brown dots present medially, and a pair of longitudinal black stripe present laterally. Mesonotum covered with a pair of tufts consisted of long black setae anterolaterally; anterior part generally dark brown, laterally with a pair of long trapezoid dark brown stripes; mesoscutellum with a pair of black markings posteriorly. Metanotum generally dark brown. Pleurae with three black stripes.

Legs. Short, pale yellow, with dark markings. All femora covered with many short black setae; all tibiae covered with some long black setae; tibial spurs brown, elongate and barely curved; tarsomeres 1–4 generally brown; tarsomere 5 brown with distal half dark brown, and with a few short tapered setae ventrally. Foreleg: Coxa pale yellow, with a brown marking; femur generally pale yellow, dark brown dorsally; tibia generally pale yellow, an irregular brown marking present basally, distal part dark brown; tibial spurs reaching base of tarsomere 5. Midleg: Coxa generally pale yellow, brown basally; femur generally pale yellow, pale brown distally; tibia generally pale yellow, with some brown dots, distal part dark brown; tibial spurs reaching base of tarsomere 5. Hind leg: Coxa generally pale yellow, brown basally; femur generally yellow, pale brown distally; tibia generally pale yellow, basal 1/3 with a short transverse dark brown line, distal part dark brown; tibial spurs reaching tip of tarsomere 4; tarsomere 1 longer than that of fore- and midleg.

Wings ( Fig. 2B ). Long, distally rounded. Banksian lines absent. Male pilula axillaris absent. Pterostigma pale. Forewing slightly longer than hindwing. Veins dark brown alternating with pale. Forewing subcostal area with a series of discontinuous dark brown markings and dots; mediocubital area with some indistinct brown markings; rhegma present as two indistinct brown markings; base of cubital area with a brown spot; crossvein on posterior costal space mostly branched; RP origin align with CuA fork; presectoral area with four to five crossveins; RP with eight to nine branches. Hindwing generally transparent; subcostal area with a few indistinct brownish dots; presectoral area with one crossvein; RP origin basal to MP fork.

Abdomen. Terga 1–2 generally dark brown; terga 3–8 each with an arrow-shaped pale yellowish marking. Male genitalia: Tergum 8 subrectanglar in lateral view. Sternum 9 covered with some long setae, pentagonal, basally narrow ( Fig. 4B ). Gonocoxites 9 medially curved internally; posterior part present as a pair of elongate plates, apex strongly sclerotized and scaly ( Fig. 4F ). Gonocoxites 11 arrow-shaped, median part prominent and wide in ventral view ( Fig. 4F ). Gonapophyses 11 weakly developed. Ectoproct covered with some long setae, rounded in lateral view ( Fig. 4D ). Female genitalia: Sternum 7 covered with many long setae. Pregenital plate sclerotized and rounded, external part with a tiny triangular prominent ( Fig. 5B ). Anterior gonocoxites 8 absent; posterior gonocoxites 8 covered with many soft setae, thumb-shaped, depressed laterally ( Fig. 5B–C ). Gonapophyses 8 sclerotized, anterior part wider than posterior part ( Fig. 5B ). Gonocoxites 9 oval, covered with many blunt digging setae ( Fig. 5B ). Ectoproct covered with some long setae ( Fig. 5C ).

Material examined. Holotype. ♀, China: Hainan, Mt. Wuzhishan, Wuzhishan International Resort (800 m), 1 June 1997, Chikun Yang & Jiafang Cheng leg. ( CAU) . Additional material. 1♂, China: Hainan, Ledong County, Jianfengling, Mingfenggu (950m), 24–27 May 2020, Chao Wu leg. ( CAU) ; 1♂, China: Yunnan, Hekou County, Nanxi Town (132 m), 21 May 2009, Hu Li leg. ( CAU) ; 1♂, Vietnam: Cao Bang, Hoa An District, Deo Gao Lae (330m), 22 May 2012, Xingyue Liu leg. ( CAU) .

Distribution. China (Hainan, Yunnan); Vietnam (Cao Bang).

Remarks. It is worth noting that the female gonapophyses 8 of L. wuzhishana are sclerotized. However, in other members of Layahima with female records, the female gonapophyses 8 are absent. This unique female genital character of L. wuzhishana indicates that the interspecific phylogeny of Layahima requires further study. Unfortunately, the female of L. weiweii sp. nov. is unknown.

Figures

Figure 2. The Layahima wuzhishana species group, wings. A. L. weiweii sp. nov., male holotype. B. L. wuzhishana (Yang, 2002), male. Abbreviations: C—costa; Sc—subcosta; RA—radius anterior; RP—radius posterior; MA—media anterior; MP—media posterior; CuA—cubitus anterior; CuP—cubitus posterior; A—anal veins. Scale bars=10.0mm.

Figure 3. The Layahima wuzhishana species group. A. L. weiweii sp. nov., male holotype, head and thorax, dorsal view. B. L. weiweii sp. nov., male holotype, frons. C. L. wuzhishana (Yang, 2002), male, head and thorax, dorsal view. D. L. wuzhishana, male, frons. Red arrow indicates the tuft of long black setae on mesonotum. Scale bars=1.0mm.

Figure 4. The Layahima wuzhishana species group, male terminalia and genitalia. A, C, E, G, I, K. L. weiweii sp. nov. B, D, F, H, J, L. L. wuzhishana (Yang, 2002). A–B. Terminalia, ventral view. C–D. Terminalia, lateral view. E–F. Genitalia, ventral view. G–H. Genitalia, lateral view. I–J. Dorsal view. K–L. Genitalia, caudal view. Abbreviations: ect—ectoproct; gx—gonocoxites; gp—gonapophyses; S9—sternum 9. Scale bars=1.0mm.

Figure 5. Layahima wuzhishana (Yang, 2002), female holotype. A. Habitus, type label and collecting label. B. Female holotype, genitalia, ventral view. C. Female holotype, genitalia, ventral view. Abbreviations: ect—ectoproct; gx—gonocoxites; gp— gonapophyses; pp—pregenital plate; S—sternum. Scale bars: A=5.0mm; B–C=1.0mm.