Cueta beieri Hölzel, 1969

Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2014, The larvae of European Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera), Zootaxa 3762 (1), pp. 1-71 : 44

Cueta beieri Hölzel, 1969

( Figs. 2C , 22 )

The larva of this species was only described by Willmann (1977).

Examined specimens. Greece. Rhodos , Kamiros, VII.2009 (D. Badano), 1 L3 and 3 L3 laboratory-reared to adults ; same locality XI.2010 ( R. A. Pantaleoni), 4 L1 laboratory-reared to L3. Rhodos, Kiotari, XI.2010 ( R. A. Pantaleoni), 2 L1 laboratory-reared to L3 .

Description of 3 rd instar larva. Size (based on 7 specimens): BL 8.67 mm; HL 2.10 mm (1.81–2.25), HW 1.71 mm (1.56–1.81), ML 1.92 mm (1.67–2.09), HW/HL 0.81, ML/HL 0.91. General colouring pale brown with a dark pattern, ventral side whitish with contrasting dark markings; head capsule brown with a darker area in proximity of the clypeo-labrum, lateral sides of the head dark brown, ventral side of the head pale, unmarked ( Fig. 22c ); mandibles brown with a dark apex; legs pale; setae of the body black. Head longer than wide; mandibles comparatively robust, slightly shorter than the head capsule ( Fig. 22b ); median and apical teeth spaced by setae ( Fig. 22a ); interdental mandibular setae: (~5)(3)(1–2)(0). Mesothoracic spiracles on a short black tubercle. VIII abdominal sternite equipped with large odontoid processes, posterior margin covered by relatively thin bristle-like digging setae; IX sternite with two pairs of large and stout digging setae and two rastra each bearing 4 digging setae with a large seta at their base ( Figs. 2C , 22d ).

Bio-ecology. C. beieri live in open xeric biotopes such as grassland and low scrublands. The larvae dig their pit traps in exposed conditions in loose and dry soil, often near obstacles such as rocks and roots.

Distribution. Reported from Greece, Anatolia and Middle East.

Remarks. Following Krivokhatsky (2011), C. beieri Hölzel, 1969 is a junior synonym of C. anomala Navás, 1915 . Further studies are needed to verify this statement, C. anomala was described from only one female collected in an undetermined locality of “ Persia ” and the diagnostic characters of the female of Cueta are of uncertain value. Therefore the synonymy of C. albanica Capra, 1945 (known from a single female) with C. anomala , as suggested by Krivokhatsky (2011), is also doubtful. Consequently, despite the proposed synonymies appear justifiable, the name C. beieri is retained here.

Figures

FIGURE 2. IX and VIII abdominal sternite of 3rd instar larvae of Palparini, Myrmecaelurini, Nesoleontini and Acanthaclisini. A, Palpares libelluloides; B, Myrmecaelurus trigrammus; C, Cueta beieri; D, Cueta lineosa; E, Acanthaclisis occitanica; F, Synclisis baetica. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 22. Cueta beieri Hölzel, 1969, 3rd instar larva (Greece: Rhodos, Kiotari). Dorsal (above), ventral (middle) and lateral (below) view; a–d: diagnostic characters, see species description.