Cerapanorpa Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016

Gao, Kai & Hua, Bao-Zhen, 2019, Revision of the genus Cerapanorpa (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) with descriptions of four new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 537, pp. 1-23 : 3-8

Genus Cerapanorpa Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016

Cerapanorpa Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016: 94 . Type species: Panorpa obtusa Cheng, 1949 .

Diagnosis

Cerapanorpa can be distinguished from other genera of Panorpidae by the following combination of characters: rostrum of adults slender; generally yellowish, brown and black frontally. Meso- and metanotum blackish brown to black. Wing membrane hyaline and held explanate V-shaped over abdomen at rest ( Fig. 1A ). Notal organ on T3 short and semicircular; postnotal organ on T4 small, barbshaped and pointed forward. T6 bearing a finger-like anal horn on posterior margin ( Fig. 1A ), T7 with a narrow groove on dorsal surface. Parameres differing in morphology, simple or seldom furcate, usually bearing spines along mesal margin ( Fig. 1C ). Aedeagus without aedeagal hamulus; ventral valves of aedeagus extremely short, membranous and transparent; dorsal valves elongated, curved ventrally and not bilobed, bearing a membranous dorsal process on its distal backside ( Fig. 1D ). Hypandrium (ninth sternum) almost completely represented by a pair of elongate hypovalves ( Fig. 1C ). Subgenital plate lingulate, slightly or deeply emarginate terminally, bearing long setae on distal portion. Medigynium of female extremely complicated, with a broad main plate, bearing a pair of separated dorsal basal plates on dorsal sides and membranous ventral basal plates on ventral sides ( Fig. 1E ).

Geographical distribution

Species of Cerapanorpa are exclusively restricted to the border between Palearctic and Oriental Regions in central China ( Fig. 2 ). Their distribution ranges principally include the Qinling Mountains, the Bashan Mountains, the Liupan Mountains, the Minshan Mountains, the Zhongtiao Mountains, Mount Qiaoshan, Mount Huanglongshan and the northeastern margin of the QTP. Amongst these mountainous regions, the Qinling Mountains have the highest diversity, with a total of ten described species. The type species C. obtusa is widely distributed in the western Qinling Mountains, the Liupan Mountains, Mount Qiaoshan, Mount Huanglongshan and the northeastern margin of the QTP. The second widespread species C. breviconis occurs widely in the Bashan Mountains, the western Qinling Mountains and the eastern Minshan Mountains. Other species are generally endemic to local limited range, present in a few sky islands in mountains.

Habitat

Species of Cerapanorpa are found in the central Chinese mountainous regions, with an altitude approximately from 1400 m to 2800 m. They generally live on the groundcover under broad-leaf forests ( Fig. 3A ), mixed forests ( Fig. 3B ), coniferous forests ( Fig. 3C ), and on the alpine shrub meadow ( Fig. 3D ). Their heterogenous microhabitats are universally cool or humid during their flight period.

Remarks

Gao et al. (2016) transferred P. acutipennis Hua, 1998 in northeastern China and four Japanese species, P. arakavae Miyaké, 1913 , P. cornigera MacLachlan, 1887 , P. fulvicaudaria Miyaké, 1910 and P. gokaensis Miyaké, 1910 to Cerapanorpa based mainly on the presence of a single anal horn on the posterior margin of T 6 in males, but neglected other morphological features. However, these species can be notably differentiated from the true species of Cerapanorpa by the following features ( Fig. 1B , F–H): rostrum short and thick (cf. rostrum slender); wings held roof-like ( Fig. 1B ) over the abdomen at rest (cf. explanate V-shaped ( Fig. 1A )); aedeagus with aedeagal hamulus and bilobed dorsal valves ( Fig. 1G ), whereas the true species of Cerapanorpa lack these features ( Fig. 1D ). Furthermore, a recent multilocus phylogenetic analysis and cytogenetic evidence ( Miao et al. 2019) also confirm that it is necessary to transfer these six species back to Panorpa .

It should be noted that P. galloisi Miyaké, 1911 was transferred to Cerapanorpa inadvertently by Gao et al. (2016) because it is not a valid species and had been synonymized with P. cornigera MacLachlan, 1887 by Penny & Byers (1979). Herein, we correct this unintentional error.

Panorpa horiensis Issiki, 1929 from Taiwan, China is also excluded in the amended Cerapanorpa . Gao et al. (2016) transferred P. horiensis to Cerapanorpa based only on the presence of a single anal horn on the posterior margin of T 6 in males. However, P. horiensis shows conspicuous difference with the Cerapanorpa species in appearance and genitalia. It can be easily distinguished from Cerapanorpa by the following features: vertex and occiput yellowish brown ( Fig. 4A ) (cf. blackish brown); A6 of male with a single reddish brown conical anal horn ( Fig. 4B ) (cf. yellowish brown finger-like anal horn); hypovalves of hypandrium broad ( Fig. 4C ) (cf. slender), with a few short stiff bristles on apex (cf. long bristles along inner margin); paramere stout and broad ( Fig. 4C ) (cf. slender); dorsal valves of aedeagus without outer apical process (cf. outer apical process unequal-sized). Hence, it is reasonable to transfer P. horiensis back to Panorpa .

A total of 19 valid species of Cerapanorpa are confirmed in this revisionary work. All species are distributed in the mountains of central China, including four new species: C. baimaensis sp. nov., C. xuebaodinga sp. nov., C. yanggashana sp. nov. from the Minshan Mountains, and C. taizishana sp. nov. from the northeastern margin of QTP ( Fig. 2 ).

Key to male species of Cerapanorpa (♂, modified from Gao et al. 2016)

(Male of C. bonis is unknown)

1. T5 with an anal horn on posterior margin ................................ C. bicornifera (Chou & Wang, 1981) – T5 without an anal horn on posterior margin ................................................................................... 2

2. Finger-like anal horn on T6 short and stout, at most 0.2 times as long as T6 .................................... ......................................................................................................... C. brevicornis (Hua & Li, 2007)

– Finger-like anal horn on T6 long, at least 0.3 times as long as T6 .................................................... 3

3. Paramere with thin stalk, then abruptly swollen into broad plate from middle portion, bearing long stout spines along inner margin ......................................................................................................... 4

– Paramere slightly broader than its stalk, with apical portion lanceolate or slightly curved, bearing fine spines along inner margin........................................................................................................... 6

4. Paramere quite short, only reaching the base of dorsal valves, quadrate plate above the stalk, with an L-shaped subapical branch ...................................................................... C. byersi (Hua & Li, 2007)

– Paramere palmate in the middle, without subapical branch ............................................................. 5

5. Paramere reaching posterior margin of gonocoxite, lanceolate at apex, with spines much longer than width at where they inserted; dorsal valve tapering towards apex ........... C. centralis (Tjeder, 1936)

– Paramere exceeding posterior margin of gonocoxite, curved medially at apex; dorsal valve not tapering towards apex ..................................................................................... C. baimaensis sp. nov.

6. Paramere generally linear, only slightly thicker than stalk, bearing a column of very short spines ...7 – Paramere broad and flat above the stalk, significantly broader than its stalk ................................... 9

7. Paramere curved almost at a right angle at base; wing membrane with conspicuous dark-brown markings; middle and hind legs with coxae and trochanters brownish black .................................... .............................................................................................................. C. reni (Chou & Wang, 1981)

– Paramere slightly curved apically; wing membrane hyaline, only with faint apical band or without markings; all legs with coxae and trochanters yellowish ................................................................. 8

8. Paramere yellowish brown and blunt apically, reaching middle of gonostylus, bearing spines along inner margin ...................................................................................... C. dubia (Chou & Wang, 1981)

– Paramere dark brown, reaching apex of gonocoxite, bearing a thorn at apex and spines on the dorsum ................................................................................... C. liupanshana Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016

9. Paramere sinuate or geniculate ....................................................................................................... 10 – Paramere straight lanceolate, or somewhat bending medially ........................................................ 15

10. Paramere strongly sinuate and curved posteriorly, with dense spines along inner margin .............11

– Paramere slightly sinuate or geniculate on apical portion; dorsal valves of aedeagus long, reaching apex of gonocoxite or longer .......................................................................................................... 12

11. Paramere nearly bow-shaped; dorsal valves of aedeagus with truncate apex and membranous apical process ........................................................................................... C. sinuata Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016

– Paramere hook-shaped; dorsal valves of aedeagus tapering toward apex and with large L-shaped apical process .................................................................................................... C. taizishana sp. nov.

12. Paramere columnar and slightly sinuate dorsally on apical portion; hypovalves of hypandrium slender and dramatically elongate, extending to base of gonostylus .......... C. yanggashana sp. nov.

– Paramere geniculate on apical portion; hypovalves of hypandrium extending over middle of gonocoxite ....................................................................................................................................... 13

13. Rostrum blackish brown to black; A6 entirely black; paramere bearing short ventral spines at apex ... ...................................................................................................... C. nanwutaina (Chou & Wang, 1981)

– Rostrum yellowish to reddish brown; paramere with comb-like long spines along medial margin ............................................................................................................................................. 14

14. Hypovalves slender, with sparse stout bristles along inner margins; dorsal valves of aedeagus brawny, slightly expanded apically .............................................................. C. xuebaodinga sp. nov.

– Hypovalves broad, with dense long bristles along inner margins; dorsal valves of aedeagus elongated and slender apically ..................................................................................... C. obtusa (Cheng, 1949)

15. Paramere extending to middle of gonostylus .................................................................................. 16 – Paramere extending nearly to apex of gonostylus or beyond ......................................................... 17

16. Wings only with faint indication pterostigma and apical band; hypovalve with a regular column of bristles on medial margin; paramere with spines from its middle length ........................................... .................................................................................................... C. funiushana (Hua & Chou, 1997)

– Wings with prominent pterostigmal band and apical band; hypovalve with bristles along medial margin; paramere bearing spines above its stalk ...... C. wangwushana (Huang, Hua & Shen, 2004)

17. Wings without markings; paramere extending beyond gonostylus, with spines shorter than the width at where they inserted along its medial margin ....................... C. protrudens Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016

– Wings with clear pterostigmal band and apical band; paramere nearly reaching apex of gonostylus, bearing spines longer than wide at where inserted along medial margin ........................................... .............................................................................................................. C. emarginata (Cheng, 1949)

Figures

Fig. 1. Comparisons of Cerapanorpa obtusa (Cheng, 1949) (A, C–E) in central China and Panorpa acutipennis Hua, 1998 (B, F–H) from Northeast Asia. A–B. Male live habitus. C, F. Male genital bulb in ventral view. D, G. Aedeagus in ventral view, arrow indicates the aedeagal hamulus. E, H. Female medigynium in ventral view. Abbreviations: aha = aedeagal hamulus; ax = axis; dv = dorsal valve; gcx = gonocoxite; gs = gonostylus; hv = hypovalve; lp = lateral process; mp = main plate; pa = posterior arm; vbp = ventral basal plate; vv = ventral valve. Scale bars: C, F = 0.5 mm; D–E, G–H = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 2. Species distribution range of the genus Cerapanorpa Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016 and localities of new species. The limit shown is an approximation defined by collecting localities for specimens of Cerapanorpa. Triangle, C. xuebaodinga sp. nov. Square, C. baimaensis sp. nov. Circle, C. yanggashana sp. nov. Diamond, C. taizishana sp. nov.

Fig. 3. The habitats of Cerapanorpa Gao, Ma & Hua, 2016. A. Broad-leaf forest in the Bashan Mountains. B. Mixed forest in the Minshan Mountains. C. Coniferous forest in eastern margin of the QTP. D. Alpine shrub meadow in the Bashan Mountains.

Fig. 4. Panorpa horiensis Issiki, 1929, male from Taiwan, China. A. Habitus in dorsal view. B. Abdomen in lateral view. C. Genital bulb in ventral view. Abbreviations: ae = aedeagus; ah = anal horn; gcx = gonocoxite; gs = gonostylus; hv = hypovalve; pm = paramere. Scale bars: A = 5 mm; B = 1 mm; C = 0.5 mm.