Agadirius, Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2012

Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2012, Agadirius trojani gen. et sp. nov.: a new owlfly (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae) from Morocco, Zootaxa 3270, pp. 51-57 : 52

Agadirius gen. nov.

Type species: Agadirius trojani sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Relatively small, blackish, hairy with predominantly black marked hind wings ( Fig. 1 ); wings oval in shape with sparse venation; pterostigmata short; apical area with two rows of cells; anal area normally developed; ectoproct without projections.

Description. Head broader than the thorax; genae hairless; vertex narrower than one eye in dorsal view; eyes large, divided by a transverse furrow; antennae hairless, a little shorter than the forewing. Wings with relatively sparse venation; forewing elongated, narrow, noticeably longer than the hind wing; pterostigma distinct, divided by a single cross vein; apical area beyond the vein Sc+R with few, large cells, disposed in two rows; sector of the radius with few cross veins (5) between the latter and the radius; Cu2+1A reaching Cu1a origin from Cu1; hind wing oval, heavily marked, Cu2 and 1A long, reaching Rs origin from R; anal area normally extended (Fig. 4A). Thorax hairy; legs short and slender. Abdomen hairy, shorter than wing (albeit only slightly shorter than the hind wing). Male ectoproct simple, without projections ( Fig. 2 ); sternite IX cuneiform ( Fig. 3 D); gonarcus thin and curved; paramere elongated, tubular; pelta present; pulvini small, slightly protruding, with short gonosetae ( Figs. 3 A, B).

Female unknown.

Etymology. The new genus is named in honor of the Moroccan city of Agadir, capital of the region of Souss–Massa–Draâ where the species was collected. Gender is masculine.

Comments. The new genus belongs to the subfamily Ascalaphinae (split eyed owlflies); the scale-like ectoproct and the shape of the genitalia is consistent with the tribe Ascalaphini as defined by Tjeder and Hansson (1992). This tribe is not well delimited because it is based both on plesiomorphic characteristics, as also underlined by the same authors, and on a study of only Afrotropical taxa. Tjeder and Hansson (1992) considered the tribe equivalent to the tribe Suhpalacsini van der Weele, 1909. The situation is even more complicated by the homonymy between Ascalaphini sensu Tjeder and Hansson, 1992 and Ascalaphini Lefèbvre 1842 sensu van der Weele (1909).

Puer Lefèbvre, 1842 is the only genus superficially similar to Agadirius gen. nov. and is traditionally, but erroneously, included in the tribe Ascalaphini Lefèbvre sensu van der Weele (1909), as also stated by U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck (1987). In fact, both its external and internal genitalia are similar to those of the genus Ascalaphus . It is evident that a tribal revision of Ascalaphidae is needed.

The genitalia of the genera Agadirius gen. nov. and Puer show a plesiomorphic, simplified configuration, characterized by the absence of valuable diagnostic features. However, the difference in wing shape and venation are remarkable and comparable to that observed at genus level throughout the family Ascalaphidae . The forewing of Agadirius gen. nov. is characterized by sparse venation, the cross veins are relatively few and sparse and the cells are large; four branches originating from Rs; Cu2+1A just reach Cu1a origin from Cu1. The hind wing of Agadirius is oval in shape, reaching its maximum depth at the same height of the origin of Rs from R; the costal area is straight with 13 cross veins between C and Sc; 1A runs far from the edge of the wing, is slightly curved towards it and has long, curved anal cross veins (Fig. 4A). In Puer the forewing appears relatively narrow due to the almost straight posterior edge with a slightly pronounced axillary lobe; much denser venation; five branches originating from Rs; Cu2+1A well exceeding Cu1a origin from Cu1. The hind wing of the latter genus is a peculiar shape, reaching its maximum depth after the origin of Rs from R; the costal area is sinuous, narrower in the middle, with less than 10 cross veins; 1A is very close to the wing margin, runs parallel to it and to Cu2 for much of its length and has very short anal cross veins (Fig. 4B). Moreover the pterostigma of A. trojani is divided by a single cross vein while in Puer it is divided by two or three cross veins The wings of Puer appear to be highly distinctive with the posterior straight margin of the forewing corresponds well with the sinuous shape of the costa of the hind wings; this may be linked to flight dynamics. On the other hand, Agadirius is characterized by a much more typical wing shape and venation, despite some modifications due to small dimensions.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Agadirius trojani gen. et sp. nov., habitus of the male holotypus.

FIGURES 2 & 3. 2. Agadirius trojani gen. et sp. nov., male abdomen in situ, lateral view. 3. Agadirius trojani gen. et sp. nov., A, male genitalia, lateral view; B, male genitalia everted, lateral view; C, male genitalia, dorsal view; D, male genitalia, ventral view. Ectoproct (ep), parameres (pa), gonarcus (gs), pulvini (pv).