Disparomitus yemenicus Hölzel, 2004

Michel, Bruno, 2019, Revision of the genus Disparomitus van der Weele, 1909 with descriptions of four new species (Neuroptera, Ascalaphidae), Zootaxa 4551 (1), pp. 1-39 : 28

Disparomitus yemenicus Hölzel, 2004

( Figs 78–83 )

Disparomitus yemenicus Hölzel, 2004: 220 , figs 13, 14, 45, 46.

Diagnosis. Disparomitus yemenicus is morphologically identical to D. transvaliensis , including the shape of gonarcus-parameres complex ( Figs 81, 82 ). Surprisingly, Hölzel (2004) indicates that D. yemenicus is close to D. simplex Kimmins, 1950 and that the latter species is distinguished by the brown colour of the subcostal field.

Remark. I retain D. yemenicus as a valid species only because of the geographical discontinuity that separates the populations of the African continent from that of the Arabian peninsula and I consider D. yemenicus and D. transvaliensis as vicariant species. However, it would be interesting to verify, by molecular analysis, if the thirty kilometres separating the two species at Bab el Mandeb strait is sufficient to distinguish them genetically.

Material examined (1 ♂, 1 ♀). Holotype ♂, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YEMEN, Jabal Burra , 14.881944/43.43441111, 25 km South-east of Banjil, alt. 600 m, 23.iv.1998, deutschen Entomologischen Expeditionen A. Bischof, J. Bittermann, M. Fibiger, H. Hacker, H. Peks, H.P. Schreier leg. ( NHMW) ( Fig. 78-82 ) . Paratype ♀, DEMOCRATIC REPBLIC OF YEMEN, 5 km North of Kamis Bani Sa’d , 15.227222/43.532778, alt. 600 m, 22.iv.1998, deutschen Entomologischen Expeditionen A. Bischof, J. Bittermann, M. Fibiger, H. Hacker, H. Peks, H.P. Schreier leg. ( NHMW) ( Fig. 83 ) .

Distribution. Known from the western region of the Republic of Yemen ( Fig. 139 ).

Figures

FIGURE 139. Known distibution of Disparomitus spp. (? = species recorded from the country without collection locality).

FIGURES 78–83. Disparomitus yemenicus Hölzel. 78. Holotype ♂, habitus and labels. 79. Id., base of abdomen, dv (photo NHMW). 80. Id., base of abdomen, left lv (photo NHMW). 81. Id., gonarcus-parameres complex, right lv. 82. Id., gonarcusparameres complex, cv. 83. Paratype ♀, habitus with labels.