Gymnocnemia mirabilis ( Hoelzel , 1980) Hoelzel, 1980

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 : 47-48

Gymnocnemia mirabilis ( Hoelzel, 1980) comb. n. Figs 1 C–D, 2E, 3B, 4A, 6A, 7 C–D

Megistopus mirabilis Hölzel, 1980 (ODescr): H. Aspöck and Hölzel 1996 (List), H. Aspöck et al. 2001 (Cat), Stange 2004 (Cat).

Diagnosis.

Small-sized antlion with a variegated habitus, with an alternating ochre and dark brown pattern. Wing venation sparse. Forewing Rs at half the wing length, with few crossveins. Thorax and prothoracic leg covered with prominent white setae. Tarsus exceptionally elongated, longer than tibia.

Examined specimens.

Oman 18.VIII.1988 / Wadi Bani Kharus / Al Misra / Megistopus J. Ebejer, 1 ♀ (NHMW). Oman: JABAL SHAMS / 23°14'N, 57°14'E 1900M / 3Jul95 BSKule, 4 ♀, 1 ex. (NHMW); OMAN: Jabal Shams / Wadi Dar Sawda, 1865 m / 23°14'N, 57°12'E, 20.X.95 / to light, MD Gallagher, 1 ♀ (NHMW).

Redescription.

Colouration. Vertex ochre dorsally and darker anteriorly. Frons dark brown. Clypeus dark brown with the ventral margin ochre. Labrum brown. Genae light brown. Maxillary and labial palpi ochre (Fig. 3B). Antennae light brown with dark brown scape and pedicel, basal antennomeres darker. Pronotum ochre, dorsal side with two dark brown stripes connected with the dark lateral margins (Fig. 2E). Mesonotum ochre medially, dark brown laterally; mesoscutellum with paired dark markings. Metanotum dark brown with a median, light brown stripe (Fig. 6A). Prothoracic leg ochre, femur and tibia dotted, tarsus ochre (Fig. 1C). Mesothoracic leg ochre, femur with parallel dark stripes, tibia dotted with the internal side dark brown. Metathoracic leg ochre, femur with a distal dark marking, tibia dotted. Wings hyaline, venation brown with alternating pale dashes. Pterostigma whitish, proximally with a faint brown marking. Forewing gradates with a faint dark marking. Cubital mark very faint (Fig. 4A). Abdomen with a variegated dark brown and ochre pattern, tergites dark brown with a dorsal ochre marking, sternites brown.

Dimensions (based on 5 specimens). Average body length 14.62 mm (min-max 14.02-15.23); forewing length 18.06 mm (16.66-18.25), ratio width/length 0.23; hind wing length 17.05 mm (15.39-19.04), ratio width/length 0.21.

Head. Vertex with a slightly raised transversal ridge (Fig. 2E). Labial palpi with distal palpomere fusiform, palpimacula elliptical. Antenna clavate. Antennal chaetotaxy constituted by short black setae.

Thorax. Pronotum slightly longer than wide. Pronotum and mesonotum covered with white outstanding setae (Fig. 2E). Legs very long and slender. Tarsus of pro-, meso- and metathoracic legs much longer than tibia (Fig. 1C). Tibial spur present, minute, less than half the length of first tarsomere. Femur and tibia of prothoracic leg covered with white outstanding setae, similar to those on thorax, arranged in a comb-like row (Fig. 1C). Tarsus of prothoracic leg, one and a half time as long as tibia.

Wings. Relatively narrow with an acute apex (Figs 4A, 6A). Venation relatively sparse. Forewing with 7-8 presectoral crossveins. Radius sector arising at half of forewing length, distinctly distal to Cubital fork. Rs with few, well-spaced crossveins (4-6). Branches of the Cubital fork divergent. CuP + 1A gently converging with wing margin but not abruptly. Hind wing with 1 presectoral crossvein (Figs 4A, 6A).

Female genitalia. As for genus. Gonocoxite 7 relatively large and sclerotized, tooth-like in shape. Gonocoxites 8 covered with thin black setae. Gonapophyses 8 narrow, ribbon-like. Ectoproct with a short ventrocaudal projection, ventral side covered with stout setae.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

The species was originally described from a single specimen found in the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt). The examined specimens are the first records of this species from Oman and the Arabian Peninsula, which significantly expands the known area of distribution (Fig. 12).