Dendroleon speciosus Banks

Stange, Lionel A., 2008, A new species of the genus Dendroleon Brauer from Mexico (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (54), pp. 1-9 : 6-7

Dendroleon speciosus Banks

(Figure 1)

Dendroleon speciosus Banks 1905: 7 . Holotype female, Boulder , Colorado, U.S.A. (MCZC).

Further description. Banks 1927: 8, figure 41 (base fore wing); Stange 1970: 37, figure 15 (female terminalia); 1980: 3, figure 13 (female terminalia).

Diagnosis. Fore wing with anterior margin evenly curved, costal area at point of coalescing of subcostal and radial veins somewhat lower or subequal than at middle of wings (Fig. 1); hind wing not falcate; mid femur mostly pale yellow, usually with subapical fuscous ring.

Material studied (all west of 100 o Meridian). U.S.A. Arizona: Box Canyon , Pima County, III.23.1985, REARED, R. Miller and L. Stange (1f, FSCA) ; 25 miles southeast Flagstaff , VII.28.1975, Menke and Pulawski (1f, FSCA) ; Madera Canyon Santa Rita Mts. , VII.25.1957, A. Lewis (1f, FSCA) ; Portal, IX.2.1974, H. Townes (1m, 2ff, FSCA) . California: Barton Flats, San Bernardino Mts. , VIII.12.1958, C. Henne (1f, FSCA) ; Julian , San Diego County, VII.22.1961, F. Williams (1f, FSCA) ; Quincy , Plumas County, VIII.7.1962, N. Pini (1m, FSCA) ; Pinnacles National Monument , San Benito County, A. Menke (1f, FSCA) ; 3 miles south Railroad Flat , Calaveras County, 2900', VIII.5.1968, E. Linsley (1f, FSCA) ; Redding , Shasta County, IX.15.1983, REARED, R. Miller (5 larvae, FSCA) ; Sagehen Creek, Nevada County , VII.12.1972, Goodpasture (1f, FSCA) ; Strawberry , Tuolumne County VIII.13.1960, T. Gantenbein (1m, 1f, FSCA) . Idaho: Stanley , VIII.5.1978, H.Townes (1f, FSCA) . Nevada: Topaz Lake , Douglas County, VIII.17.1950. D. Palmquist (1f, FSCA) . Oregon: Green Springs , Jackson County, VIII.27.1961, J. Buckett (1f, FSCA) .

Biology. The larvae have been found in northern California living in tree holes of pine or oak below 600 m elevation and on small rain and snow protected rock shelves at higher elevations. In both habitats they are in fine organic matter with their legs holding onto a solid substrate. Larvae have also been found in houses near the forest. In one case larvae were found living on top of a basement refrigerator covered with dust. Adult females use substrate testing with the end of their abdomen to determine suitability of egg deposition sites before coating eggs with fine material and leaving them on the surface. The females of this species appear to be unique in the family studied so far in that they die shortly after laying their eggs instead of continuing to feed and developing more eggs (Miller 1990).