Sialis sinensis Banks

Liu, Xingyue & Yang, Ding, 2006, Revision of the genus Sialis from Oriental China (Megaloptera: Sialidae), Zootaxa 1108, pp. 23-35 : 31-32

Sialis sinensis Banks ( Figs. 4 & 14–16 )

Sialis sinensis Banks, 1940: 179 ; Hayashi & Suda, 1995: 13.

Diagnosis. Body entirely black; genital plate with proximal portion slightly expanded laterally, median portion with pair of long lobes extended laterally, distal portion acutely ungulate and slightly incurved; female seventh sternite medially with a U­shaped notch on posterior margin.

Male. Forewing length 8–13 mm, hindwing length 7–11 mm.

Head black, vertex with many brownish stripes; antenna and compound eyes dark.

Thorax black with legs dark. Wings pale brown with forewings much darker on proximal half; veins dark.

Abdomen black. Ninth sternite narrow, widest medially. Terminal plate long, median portion much wider, apex slightly curved downward. Genital plate strongly sclerotized, anterior portion slightly expanded laterally, median portion with pair of long lobes extended laterally, distal portion acutely ungulate and slightly incurved. Lateral plate in lateral view subquadrate, dorsoposteriorly angulate; in ventral view nearly rounded.

Female. Forewings 13–15 mm, hindwings 11–13 mm.

Seventh sternite medially with a U­shaped notch on posterior margin. Eighth sternite wide, suboval, medially with posterior margin slightly produced and with a longitudinal shallow incision. Ventral membranous plate of ninth abdominal segment with medial portion distinctly narrowed, and with lateral portions suboval.

Materials examined. 1 ɗ, CHINA: Jiangxi, Jinggangshan, Ciping, 1979. IV.25, C.K. Yang ( CAU); 4 ɗɗ 3 ΨΨ, CHINA: Zhejiang, Qingyuan, Baishanzu, 800 m, 1994. IV.20, H. Wu ( CAU); 1 Ψ, CHINA: Sichuan, Chengdu, 1951 ( CAU); 15 ɗɗ 19 ΨΨ, CHINA: Fujian, Jianyang, Huangkeng, 270–600 m, 1960. III.26 /IV.18 ( IZCAS).

Distribution. China (Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Zhejiang); Japan.

Remarks. This species seems to be closely related to S. melania Nakahara in having a similar male ninth sternite and lateral plate, but can be easily separated from S. melania by its genital plate having a pair of additional lobes medially, while in S. melania these lobes are absent.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 6. Habitus photos of the Sialis species from Oriental China. 4. S. sinensis Banks. 5. S. versicoloris sp. nov. (Holotype). 6. S. versicoloris sp. nov. (Paratype).

FIGURES 14 – 16. Genitalia of Sialis sinensis Banks. 14. Male genitalia, lateral view. 15. Male genitalia, ventral view. 16. Female genitalia, ventral view. Scale lines: 0.5 mm.