Gymnocnemia variegata (Schneider, 1845)

Badano, Davide, Aspoeck, Horst & Aspoeck, Ulrike, 2017, Taxonomy and phylogeny of the genera Gymnocnemia Schneider, 1845, and Megistopus Rambur, 1842, with remarks on the systematization of the tribe Nemoleontini (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 64 (1), pp. 43-60 : 47

Gymnocnemia variegata (Schneider, 1845) Figs 1B, 2 A–C, 3A, 4B, 8 A–B, 9 A–B

Diagnosis.

Medium-sized antlion with a variegated habitus, with an alternating ochre and dark brown pattern. Forewing Rs at half the wing length with at least 8 crossveins. Thorax covered with outstanding black and white setae. Tibia without spurs. Tarsus shorter than tibia.

Variability.

(Based on examination of 7 males and 8 females, see Suppl. material 1)

Gymnocnemia variegata is a widely distributed but exceedingly localized species ranging from the Mediterranean to Central Asia (H. Aspöck and Hölzel 1996, H. Aspöck et al. 2001, Stange, 2004, Krivokhatsky 2011, Michel, 2013, Monserrat and Acevedo, 2013, Badano and Pantaleoni 2014, U. Aspöck et al. 2015, Kral and Devetak 2016). Despite a recent and exhaustive re-description ( Michel 2013), the variability of this myrmeleontid remains unstudied, potentially confusing its identification. Indeed, Gymnocnemia variegata is a highly variable species with distinct pale and dark morphs, differing in the dimension and shape of body markings. The pale morph is characterized by a sand-like body colour with relatively small brown markings. In this form, the vertex has small paired dots, while the pronotum is characterized by two pale spots per side and brown lateral margin (Fig. 2A). On the contrary, the dark morph has a darker tinge and the markings are much more contrasted and developed, resulting in an overall dark habitus. In particular, the pronotal markings blend with each other forming one dark brown stripe per side, while the brown marking on the lateral margin is larger and more evident (Fig. 2B). In exceptionally dark specimens, the dark markings on the vertex are fused in a transversal band, while the pronotum appears mostly dark with a very large stripe per side (Fig. 2C). The body pattern of the closely related Gymnocnemia editaerevayae falls in the variability range of Gymnocnemia variegata , thus the two species are best set apart on wing and genital characters (Fig. 2D) ( Michel 2013).