Disparomitus brevistigma ( Esben-Petersen, 1931 ) Michel, 2019

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 : 9-12

Disparomitus brevistigma ( Esben-Petersen, 1931) n. comb.

( Figs 17–23 , 86 , 103–105 )

Encyoposis brevistigma Esben-Petersen, 1931: 89 , figs 1, 2.

Diagnosis. Wing length (mm): ♂ forewing 33–34, hind wing 27–28; ♀ forewing 35–37, hind wing 30–31. General colour yelow with brown and black markings ( Figs 17 , 22, 23 ). Mesoscutellum with a transverse black marking not interrupted in the middle and more or less tapered at both ends, below the approximately horseshoe-shaped anterior black marking ( Figs 22 , 86 ). Abdominal tergites of same yellow colour with a narrow longitudinal dorsal black line and laterally bordered with black. Slits of abdominal tergites bordered with black and clearly visible ( Fig. 19 ).

Redescription. Head. Face yellow with white setae. Vertex slightly darker than face with grey setae. Thorax ( Figs 18 , 22 , 86 ). Pronotum brown. Mesonotum: prescutum brown, yellow laterally; mesoscutum brown or brown and black dorsally, yellow laterally. Scutellum with anterior part dark brown and two black triangular markings delimiting an approximately square area sometimes divided by a thin longitudinal black line. The anterior dark area sometimes black. Posterior part yellow with a transverse brown line tapered at both extremities, this line may be reduced to a central mark with very fine lateral markings or not tapered. Metanotum: scutellum yellow with erect stout black setae ( Fig. 20 ). Side of thorax yellow with the anepisternum, basisternite and kaepisternum darker than the rest of thorax or sclerites, bordered widely with brown ( Fig. 18 ). Legs yellow with brown longitudinal lines on femora and tibiae, these lines can be partially or completely erased ( Fig. 18 ). Forewings. Veins brown with the sub-costal vein lighter in colour. Wing membrane sometimes slightly darkened between the sub-costal and the radial veins. Abdomen ( Figs 19–21 ). In male, first tergite with stout black setae. Second tergite flat dorsally with thin long erect setae, bordered with black. Third tergite with a dorsal longitudinal black line; lateral margins and scars widely bordered with black. Tergites II and III with minute black spines laterally. Sternite III yellow with a longitudinal black line forked posteriously; the lateral margin variably bordered with black. Ectoprocts with a brown basal arched marking and a discal brown spot. Male genitalia. Gonarcus-parameres complex as in figures103–105.

Material examined (9 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀). Holotype ♀ of Encyoposis brevistigma Esben-Petersen , ANGOLA, Santo Amaro, -12.716667/15.866667, alt. 1725 m, Mission scientifique suisse 1928–29 (MHNC) ( Fig. 22 ). Ex Syntype ♀ of Disparomitus abyssinicus van der Weele , ZIMBABWE [Rhodesia], without collection locality, labelled by van der Weele as type of Disparoposis abyssinica (genus name unpublished and unavailable). This specimen was considered by van der Weele as the female of Disparomitus abyssinicus , (94 46 NHMUK) ( Fig. 23 ). Additional

material. ANGOLA: 2 ♀♀ Lunda (probably Luanda), 8.839988/13.289437, alt. 80 m, ix.?, Mission scientifique suisse 1932–33 ( MHNC) . DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2 ♂♂ Lubumbashi [Elisabethville], - 11.687603/27.502617, alt. 1243 m, 02.ix.1952, Ch. Seydel leg., Disparomitus brevistigma det. Tjeder 1970 (N 5041, IRSNB I.G. 20.340) . ETHIOPIA: 1 ♂ Dilla , 6.410556/38.310278, alt. 1570 m, 10.iv.1948, K.M. Guichard leg. ( NHMUK 1948–248 ) . KENYA: 1♀ Mtwapa Creek (region of Mombasa), -3.935/39.7025, alt. 3 m, K. Col. , iv. 1950, E.Pinhey leg., F.C. Fraser Bequest., Disparomitus bacillus det. Kimmins ( NHMUK 1 963-234) . 1♀ Shimba Hills National Park (33 km South of Mombasa), iii.1941, van Someren leg., Disparomitus horvathi det. Kimmins, COM. INST. ENT. COLL. No 11280, V.G.L. van Someren Collection ( NHMUK 1959–468 ) . 1♂ Thika ( Nairobi K.C.), -1.038757/37.083375, alt. 1500 m, iii.1950, E. Pinhey leg., F.C. Fraser Bequest, Disparomitus bacillus det. Fraser ( NHMUK 1963–234 ) . MALAWI: 1 ♂ 5 km from Thazima Gate Nyika National Park Boundary North Malawi , -10.766666/33.53333, alt. 1700 m, 01.x.2002, R. Murphy leg. ( SANC NEUR12217 ) . UGANDA: 1 ♀ Kampala, 0.346340/32.582549, alt. 1189 m, coll. Esben-Petersen, det. Tjeder 1975. ( ZMUC) . 1♀ Region of Karamoja , 2.830874/34.153195, alt.> 1000 m, iv.1950, T.H.E. Jackson leg., F.C. Fraser Bequest., Disparomitus bacillus det. Fraser ( NHMUK 1963–234 ) . ZIMBABWE [Rhodesia]: 1 ♂ Harare [ Salisbury ], -17.825166/ 31.03351, alt. 1488 m, Nov. 1879 ( NHMUK) . ZAMBIA: 1 ♂ North West Province of Kabompo Gorge , - 12.083333/25.16666, 09.ix.2003, A.J. Gardiner leg. ( SANC NEUR12216 ) ( Fig. 17 ).

Distribution. Widespread from Angola to Southern Ethiopia, bypassing the Congo Basin ( Fig. 139 ).

Figures

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

FIGURES 17–21. Disparomitus brevistigma Esben-Petersen. 17. Male from Zambia, habitus and labels. 18. Id., thorax, lv. 19. Id., base of abdomen, dv, arrow shows the black marked slit. 20. Id., lv. 21. Id., first abdominal tergite, cv. (aes = anepisternum, aem = anepimeron, bst = basisternite, kem = katepimeron, kes = katepisternum).

FIGURES 22–23. 22. Holotype ♀ of Disparomitus brevistigma Esben-Petersen, habitus, labels and mesoscutellum (photo MHNC). 23. Syntype ♀ of Disparomitus abyssinica van der Weele, habitus and labels.

FIGURES 84–95. Thorax and base of abdomen, dv. 84. D. abyssinicus. 85. D. bacillus. 86. D. brevistigma. 87. D. haullevillei (photo MRAC). 88. D. kimminsi (white arrow shows the black dot in the yellow marking). 89. D. lineatus. 90. D. schoutedeni (photo MRAC). 91. D. sellatus (photo MRAC). 92. D. simplex. 93. D. spatula. 94. D. transvaliensis. 95. D. caviceps.

FIGURES 96–113. Gonarcus-parameres complexes of Disparomitus spp. 96. D. abyssinicus type, dv. 97. Id., lv. 98. Id., cv. 99. Suphalasca bacillus type, dv. 100. Id., lv. 101. Id., cv. 102. D. bacillus from Ivory Coast, dv. 103. D. brevistigma from Democratic Republic of Congo, dv, 104. Id., lv. 105. Id., cv. 106. D. caviceps, dv. 107. Id., lv. 108. Id., cv. 109. D. citernii, dv. 110. Id., lv. 111. D. haullevillei, dv. 112. Id., lv. 113. Id., cv. (c = carina of paramere; g = gonarcus; p = paramere).