Rectinerva Handschin

Snyman, Louwtjie P., Ohl, Michael, Mansell, Mervyn W. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2012, A revision and key to the genera of Afrotropical Mantispidae (Neuropterida, Neuroptera), with the description of a new genus, ZooKeys 184, pp. 67-93 : 78-79

Genus Rectinerva Handschin

Rectinerva Handschin 1959: 215. Type species: Rectinerva braconidiformis Handschin 1959: 221, by original designation.

Remarks.

Rectinerva is a monotypic genus. Only two female specimens have been collected, one being the holotype collected in 1933 (MRAC) the other collected in 1976 (MNHN) and described by Poivre (1985). The male remains undiscovered and sexual dimorphism therefore unknown.

Distribution.

Katanga (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Cameroon

Diagnosis.

Light red-brown. The antennal flagellae long slender and black, proximal half covered in prominent thick black setae (Fig. 4c). The anepimeron, anepisternum, katepimeron as well as katepisternum much lighter than the rest of the body, almost white (Fig. 4c). Three radial sector veins extending posteriad from radial cells 1-3. The wing colouration is unique among mantispids from the region (Fig. 2f).

Description.

Head: Head capsule light reddish-brown except for black tipped mandibles, vertex and pedicels. Scape light reddish-brown and pedicel black; flagellum long slender, black, proximal half covered in prominent thick black setae. Vertex medially raised in convex shape, visible in lateral view; raised vertex from antennal bases to posterior margin; black. Inner mandible margins lack black pigment. Eyes small; black to dark grey.

Thorax: Pronotum light reddish-brown; smooth; covered in light inconspicuous setae. Maculae inconspicuous; same colour as pronotum. Pterothorax uniform light red-brown; sutures inconspicuous and smooth; lacks deep clefts. Anepimeron, anepisternum, katepimeron as well as katepisternum lighter, almost white, conspicuous against the uniform light red-brown of the pteronota.

Wings (Fig. 2f): Both wings pigmented in banded formation with colours ranging from dark-brown to light red-brown. Pterostigma black and slightly concave in dorsal view. A single vein from radial cell 3 to the anterior wing margin (C). Radial cells broad, Radial cell 1 being the largest, radial cell 2 somewhat smaller and rectangular in shape with the radial cell 3 being the smallest. Lacks the hexagonal radial cell 4 found in other Afrotropical Mantispidae genera. Three radial sector veins extending in posterior direction from radial cells 1-3. Hind wing: Cua parallel with A2+Cup. Cua - A2+Cup crossvein not attenuated and close to posterior margin.

Legs: Raptorial legs uniformly light reddish-brown; coxal sulcus same colour and inconspicuous; tibia-tarsal joint and fist tarsal segment black; fore tarsal claw reduced to a single claw lacking an arolium. Mid- and hind pretarsal claws pectinate (5-6 teeth); median tooth longer than surrounding teeth; pointed; arolium present on mid and hind tarsi. The rest of the mid leg light red-brown. Femur of hind leg light red-brown as well as the proximal third of the tibia, distal two-thirds and tarsal segments black; pre-tarsus light red-brown with some dark brown at pretarsal-claw bases.

Genitalia: At the time of this study the macerated female genitalia (prepared by Ragner Hall in 1983) were missing.

Discussion.

Cercomantispa and Rectinerva form a group because of synapomorphies. The male of Rectinerva is not yet known, so the genitalia cannot be used as a morphological character and sexual dimorphism cannot be excluded. However, the antennae of both genera are quite long compared to other Afrotropical taxa, and the flagellomeres are black with the anterior surface of the scape and pedicel yellow (Fig. 4h). Furthermore, the pronota of members of both genera are very similar in structure, smooth and narrow posterior to the maculae (Figs 3c, d). The rectangular shape of the cell formed by the fusion of Aa+Cup and Cua is present in only Cercomantispa . However, the second cell between the Cup+Aa and the posterior wing margin of Rectinerva is quite similar in shape but lacks the fusion between Aa+Cup and Cua. In addition to these, the comparatively simple wing venation and reduced number of radial sector cross veins in both genera seems to confirm the close relationship (Figs 2d, f).