Wesmaelius dissectus, Zhao & Tian & Liu, 2017

Zhao, Yang, Tian, Yanlin & Liu, Zhiqi, 2017, New data on brown lacewing genus Wesmaelius Krüger, 1922 from China (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae), with a key to Chinese species, Zootaxa 4273 (1), pp. 19-30 : 21-24

Wesmaelius dissectus sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 4–11 )

Diagnosis. Head yellowish-brown with all the areas before the antennae dark brown except the clypeus; small brown spots present in the vertex and densely covered with long bristles. Forewing and hind wing oval with outer margin slightly pointed; forewing with sagittal stripes and sparse brown spots present along the Cu and 3m-cu. Male: anteroventral edge of ectoproct developed into stout arm, ended flat with small teeth covered the margin; terminal lobe of parabaculum separated from four fifth and supraapophyseal plate laterally splayed outwards.

Measurements. Forewing length 8.3–9.5 mm, width 3.1–4.0 mm. Hind wing length 7.5–8.2 mm, width 2.6– 3.2 mm. Body length 5.2–6.0 mm.

Description. Head. Yellowish-brown. All the areas before the antennae dark brown except the clypeus, small brown spots present in the vertex and densely covered with long bristles. Antennae amber, brown spot present in the ventral scape, with more than fifty segments. Eyes black with a metallic luster.

Thorax. Yellowish-brown, with brown longitudinal stripes along both sides. Legs yellowish-brown, with a brown spot present at the apical tibiae.

Wings ( Fig. 1 ). Forewing oval, yellowish-brown, hyaline with sagittal stripes and sparse brown spots present along the Cu vein and 3m-cu. Veins brown with transparent intervals, except the crossveins of gradate series all brown. Anterior radial trace bearing 3 ORB’s; ORB3 forked into 4 branches, with 2 r–rs. M simple with 2 branches. CuA forked into 6 braches after the inner gradate series and CuP simple. Four gradate series, inner gradate series 3 crossveins; middle 7; outer 7 and cubitus 3. Hind wing oval, pale yellowish-brown, hyaline and immaculate. Veins brown and transparent, with Rs and M slightly lighter and Cu slightly darker. Rs with 4 branches, with 2 r–rs. M forked into 2 branches. CuA 5 branches and CuP simple. Two gradate series, inner gradate series 2 crossveins; and outer 7.

Male terminalia ( Fig. 4 ). 8th tergite trapezoidal, posteroventral edge declining and not include the spiraculae. 9th tergite rectangle from lateral view. Ectoproct developed with anteroventral edge developed into stout arm, bend inward but not intersected, ended flat with small teeth covered the margin. Mediuncus of gonarcus ( Fig. 5–6 ) broadened basally, tapering distally and bend downwards; intrahemigonarcus ovoid and extrahemigonarcus subtriangular from dorsal view with paramediuncus triangular. Terminal lobe of parabaculum ( Fig. 7–8 ) separated from four-fifths, bend inwards and tapering distally; supraapophyseal plate laterally splayed. Hypandrium internum ( Fig. 9 ) approximate trapezoidal from ventral view with both sides slightly curled.

Female terminalia ( Fig. 10–11 ). Lateral of 9th tergite extended sidewards. gonapophyses laterales developed, hind margin obviously exceed the hind margin of ectoproct, approximate elongated from ventral view. Ectoproct ovoid. Subgenitale elongated into stripe, slightly expanded at both ends and contracted in the middle, gonapophyses posteriors consist of two lamella respectively, subtriangular and semi-circular from ventral view.

Distribution. China (Sichuan)

Material examined. CHINA: Holotype, 1♂, Sichuan province, Dujiangyan city, Qingchengshan town, Qingcheng Mountains . 1.v.1978, Fasheng Li ( CAU). Paratypes, 2 ♂ 1 ♀, Sichuan province, Chengdu city, Dayi county . 3.v.1978, Fasheng Li (CAU).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the special parabaculum, with the terminal lobe deeply forked, which separated from four-fifths.

Remarks. This new species is different from other species by the special parabaculum with the terminal lobe separated from four-fifths. Although it is similar to the W. helanensis in forewing pattern, it can be easily distinguished by the color of head and the shape of anteroventral edge of ectoproct. This species is also similar to W. transsylvanicus and W. subnebulosus , it can be distinguished from W. subnebulosus by the conspicuous cubitus gradate series in forewing while in W. subnebulosus the cubitus gradate series is inconspicuous. As for W. transsylvanicus , the 8th tergite approximate trapezoid from lateral view, the hind margin of 9th sternite curved upwards and the anteroventral edge of ectoproct ended with obvious brush-like protrusion while in W. dissectus the posteroventral margin of 8th tergite extended downward obviously, the 9th sternite trapezoid from lateral view and the anteroventral edge of ectoproct developed into stout arm, ended flat with small teeth covered the margin.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Wings. 1. W. dissectus sp. nov.

FIGURES 4 – 11. W. dissectus sp. nov. 4. Male terminalia, lateral view; 5. Gonarcus, dorsal view; 6. Ditto, lateral view; 7. Parabaculum, lateral view; 8. Ditto, dorsal view; 9. Hypandrium internum, ventral view. 10. Female terminalia, lateral view; 11. Ditto, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.