Afroptera, Abdalla & Mansell & Sole, 2019

Abdalla, Ishtiag H., Mansell, Mervyn W. & Sole, Catherine L., 2019, Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species, Zootaxa 4635 (1), pp. 1-89 : 23-24

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E1AC3BD4-6FCB-49F9-8069-624760C2CAF7
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DBDF51-A74F-FFA7-FF0D-F93F31E55812
treatment provided by	Plazi (2019-07-15 06:57:36, last updated 2024-11-29 10:47:19)
scientific name	Afroptera
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Key to males of Afroptera species

1. Forewings without emargination before apex, apex rounded ( Figs 81 View FIGURES 79–86 , 134 View FIGURES 133–140 , 148, 149 View FIGURES 146–149 )................................ 2 - Forewings with slight or shallow emargination before apex, apex acute or sub-acute..............................….5 2. Small species (body length ≤ 8 mm, Figs 125 View FIGURES 125–126 , 130 View FIGURES 129–130 ).......................................................... 3 - Large species (body length ≥ 9 mm, Fig. 150)............................................................... 4 3. Pronotum and mesonotum with distinct mid and lateral stripes ( Fig. 100............................. A View FIGURES 96–101 . parva (Tjeder) - Pronotum unstriped, mesonotum lacking the mid stripe ( Fig. 101 View FIGURES 96–101 ).................................. A. exigua (Tjeder) 4. Prescutum with black hairs ( Fig. 52 View FIGURES 50–53 ), thorax unstriped.......................................... A. koranna sp. nov. - Prescutum with white hairs ( Fig. 97 View FIGURES 96–101 ), thorax with three stripes................................... A. remifera (Tjeder)

5. Species extremely pruinose, body unstriped ( Figs 43 View FIGURE 43 , 44, 113)................................................. 6

- Species slightly pruinose or without pruinose body, body stripes distinct or appearing as faint brown shading.............8

6. Species with greyish body appearance ( Fig. 113 View FIGURES 111–114 )............................................. A. pruinosa (Tjeder)

- Species with whitish body appearance ( Figs 43 View FIGURE 43 , 44)...........................................................7

7. Prescutum and mesonotum with white pubescence ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 46–49 ), antennae whitish yellow proximally and darker distally, short not reaching pterostigma ( Figs 43 View FIGURE 43 , 80 View FIGURES 79–86 ), forewings with slight emargination before the apex, pterostigma long ( Fig. 80 View FIGURES 79–86 )................................................................................................ A. alba sp. nov.

- Prescutum and mesonotum with black pubescence ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 46–49 ), antennae yellow, long reaching pterostigma (Figs 44, 82), forewings with shallow emargination before apex, pterostigma short ( Fig. 82 View FIGURES 79–86 )............................ A. balli sp. nov.

8. Small species (hindwing length <49 mm, Figs 106 View FIGURE 106 , 107, 110 View FIGURES 107–110 )...................................................9

- Large species (hindwing length ≥ 49 mm).................................................................11

9. Antennae long reaching beyond pterostigma ( Figs 85 View FIGURES 79–86 , 106 View FIGURE 106 ), forewings elongate, tapering towards apex with acute tip ( Fig. 85 View FIGURES 79–86 )................................................................................... A. maraisi sp. nov.

- Antennae short not reaching pterostigma ( Fig. 110 View FIGURES 107–110 ), forewings broad with short rounded apex ( Figs 117, 120 View FIGURES 115–122 )............10

10. Head with yellowish brown vertex and rounded yellowish spots near eye margins ( Fig. 142 View FIGURES 141–145 ), prescutum with white pubescence ( Fig. 105 View FIGURES 102–105 ), antennae whitish yellow, apical segment very long much longer than penultimate segments ( Figs 63 View FIGURES 56–66 , 110 View FIGURES 107–110 ), hind wings with dark area shorter than white apical area ( Fig. 110 View FIGURES 107–110 ).................................... A. apicalis (Tjeder)

- Head with reddish vertex without yellowish spots near the eye margins ( Fig. 141 View FIGURES 141–145 ), prescutum with black pubescence ( Fig. 103 View FIGURES 102–105 ), antennae pale brown, apical segment large, approximately same length as penultimate segment ( Fig. 65 View FIGURES 56–66 ), hind wing dark area as long as white apical area ( Fig. 107 View FIGURES 107–110 )..................................................... A. aequabilis (Tjeder)

11. Forewings elongate, with distinctly elongate rounded apex ( Figs 79, 86 View FIGURES 79–86 )..........................................12

- Forewings elongate or broad, with acute, or sub-acute apex................................................... 13

12. Prescutum with long dense white hair on disc ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 46–49 )........................................... A. acuta sp. nov.

- Prescutum with long sparse black hair on disc ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 46–49 )........................................... A. folia sp. nov.

13. Prescutum with white pubescence ( Figs 92, 93 View FIGURES 90–95 , 96, 99 View FIGURES 96–101 )....................................................... 14

- Prescutum with black pubescence ( Figs 50 View FIGURES 50–53 , 90, 91, 94, 95 View FIGURES 90–95 , 98 View FIGURES 96–101 , 102 View FIGURES 102–105 )............................................ 21

14. With white pubescence on abdominal tergites and sternites ( Fig. 147 View FIGURES 146–149 )........................................... 15

- With white pubescence on abdominal tergites and black hairs on sternites ( Fig. 146 View FIGURES 146–149 ).................... A. bitis (Tjeder)

15. Species with light grey thorax ( Figs 51 View FIGURES 50–53 , 92, 93 View FIGURES 90–95 )............................................................. 16

- Species with yellow or yellowish brown thorax............................................................. 18

16. Vertex strongly concave, without yellow hind margin ( Fig.143 View FIGURES 141–145 )................................. A. brinkmani sp. nov.

- Vertex not concave, with yellow hind margin ( Fig. 144 View FIGURES 141–145 )...................................................... 17

17. Pronotum dark shaded only centrally, lateral stripes on mesonotum faintly indicated ( Fig. 92 View FIGURES 90–95 ), hind wings dark area as long as white apical area ( Fig. 111 View FIGURES 111–114 ).............................................................. .. A. munroi (Tjeder) View in CoL

- Pronotum and mesonotum with distinct mid and lateral stripes ( Fig. 93 View FIGURES 90–95 ), dark area of hind wing much shorter than white apical area ( Fig. 108 View FIGURES 107–110 )...................................................................... A. longicornis (Tjeder)

18. Forewings broad ( Figs 127 View FIGURES 127–128 , 135 View FIGURES 133–140 )............................................................ A. lanata (Tjeder)

- Forewings elongate ( Figs 137, 138, 139 View FIGURES 133–140 ).................................................................. 19

19. Head uniformly reddish yellow, antennae reddish yellow ( Fig. 131 View FIGURES 131–132 )............................................ 20

- Head pale yellowish brown, antennae yellowish ( Fig. 123 View FIGURES 123–124 ).................................... A. segregata (Tjeder)

20. Forewings with broad, short rounded apex and very slight emargination before apex ( Figs 131 View FIGURES 131–132 , 139 View FIGURES 133–140 ), the hind wing dark area approximaly as long as white apical area ( Fig. 131 View FIGURES 131–132 ).......................................... A. peringueyi (Tjeder)

- Forewings with short, narrow rounded apex and slight emargination before the apex ( Figs 128 View FIGURES 127–128 , 137 View FIGURES 133–140 ), the hind wing dark area shorter than white apical area ( Fig. 128 View FIGURES 127–128 )..................................................... .. A. papio (Tjeder)

21. Abdomen with white hairs on dorsum and venter........................................................... 22

- Abdomen with white hairs on dorsum and black hairs on venter................................................24

22. Antennae yellow proximally dark distally, pronotum only with mid stripe ( Fig. 109 View FIGURES 107–110 )................ .. A. olivacea (Tjeder)

- Antennae whitish yellow, pronotum with distinct mid and two lateral stripes......................................23

23. Forewings very broad with short rounded tip ( Fig. 133 View FIGURES 133–140 )........................................ A. dyscrita (Tjeder)

- Forewings falcate, with sub-acute tip....................................................... A. leptocera (Navás)

24. Antennae long reaching beyond pterostigma ( Figs 54 View FIGURE 54 , 112 View FIGURES 111–114 )....................................................25

- Antennae short not reaching pterostigma ( Fig. 126 View FIGURES 125–126 ).......................................................... 27

25. Mid and lateral stripes of pronotum and mesonotum of thorax distinct ( Figs 90, 91, 94 View FIGURES 90–95 , 98 View FIGURES 96–101 ).......................... 26

- Mid and lateral stripes on pronotum abbreviated to brown spots, mid stripe on prescutum appears as faint brown shading ( Fig. 50 View FIGURES 50–53 )................................................................................. A. cylindrata sp. nov.

26. Vertex with pair of yellow spots near eye margins ( Fig. 145 View FIGURES 141–145 )................................ ... A. nigrosetosa (Tjeder)

- Vertex without pair of yellow spots near eye margins........................................... A. sabuleti (Tjeder)

27. Forewings broad ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 133–140 )................................................................ A. obtusa (Tjeder)

- Forewings elongate ( Fig. 140 View FIGURES 133–140 ).............................................................. A. pilosa (Tjeder)

Figures

FIGURE 43. Afroptera alba Mansell & Abdalla sp. nov., habitus. Forewing length = 22.4 mm.

FIGURE 54. Afroptera cylindrata Abdalla & Mansell sp. nov., habitus. Forewing length = 22.6 mm.

FIGURE 106. Afroptera maraisi sp. nov., male habitus. Forewing length = 22.8 mm.

FIGURES 79–86. Afroptera spp. Forewings of the males. 79, A. acuta sp. nov.; 80, A. alba sp. nov.; 81, A. koranna sp. nov.; 82, A. balli sp. nov.; 83, A. cylindrata sp. nov.; 84, A. brinkmani sp. nov.; 85, A. maraisi sp. nov.; 86, A. folia sp. nov. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURES 133–140. Afroptera spp. Male holotypes: forewings. 133, A. dyscrita (Tjeder); 134, A. exigua (Tjeder); 135, A. lanata (Tjeder); 136, A. obtusa (Tjeder); 137, A. papio (Tjeder); 138, A. segregata (Tjeder); 139, A. peringueyi (Tjeder); 140, A. pilosa (Tjeder).

FIGURES 146–149. 146, Abdomen of A. bitis with white pubescence on dorsum and black on venter; 147, Abdomen of A. munroi with white pubescence on dorsum and venter; 148, Forewing of A. parva; 149, Forewing of A. remifera.

FIGURES 125–126. Afroptera spp and their associated labels. 125, Paratype ♂, A. parva (Tjeder); 126, Holotype ♂, A. obtusa (Tjeder). Photos: Simon van Noort (SAMC).

FIGURES 129–130. Holotypes of Afroptera spp and their associated labels. 129, A. dyscrita (Tjeder) ♂; 130, A. exigua (Tjeder) ♂. Photos: Simon van Noort (SAMC).

FIGURES 96–101. Afroptera spp. Thorax. 96, A. segregata (Tjeder); 97, A. remifera (Tjeder) 98, A. pilosa (Tjeder); 99, A. peringueyi (Tjeder); 100, A. parva (Tjeder); 101, A. exigua (Tjeder).

FIGURES 50–53. Thorax of Afroptera spp. 50, A. cylindrata sp. nov; 51, A. brinkmani sp. nov; 52, A. koranna sp. nov.; 53, A. maraisi sp. nov.

FIGURES 111–114. Holotypes of Afroptera spp with their associated labels. 111, A. munroi (Tjeder) ♂; 112, A. nigrosetosa (Tjeder) ♂; 113, A. pruinosa (Tjeder) ♂; 114, A. sabuleti (Tjeder) ♂.

FIGURES 46–49. Thorax of Afroptera spp. 46, A. folia sp. nov; 47, A. acuta sp. nov; 48, A. alba sp. nov; 49, A. balli sp. nov.

FIGURES 107–110. Holotypes of Afroptera spp with their associated labels. 107, A. aequabilis (Tjeder) ♂; 108, A. longicornis (Tjeder) ♂; 109, A. olivacea (Tjeder) ♂; 110, A. apicalis (Tjeder) ♂.

FIGURES 115–122. Afroptera spp. Male forewings. 115, A. longicornis (Tjeder); 116, A. munroi (Tjeder); 117, A. aequabilis (Tjeder); 118, A. sabuleti (Tjeder); 119, A. olivacea (Tjeder); 120, A. apicalis (Tjeder); 121, A. pruinosa (Tjeder); 122, A. nigrosetosa (Tjeder). Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURES 141–145. Afroptera spp. Vertex of Head. 141, A. aequabilis; 142, A. apicalis; 143, A. brinkmani; 144, A. munroi; 145, A. nigrosetosa.

FIGURES 102–105. Afroptera spp. Thorax. 102, A. dyscrita (Tjeder); 103, A. aequabilis (Tjeder); 104, A. bitis (Tjeder); 105, A. apicalis (Tjeder).

FIGURES 56–66.Antennae of Afroptera spp. 56, A. acuta sp. nov.; 57, A. alba sp. nov.; 58, A. koranna sp. nov.; 59, A. folia sp. nov.; 60, A. cylindrata sp. nov.; 61, A. balli sp. nov.; 62, A. maraisi sp. nov.; 63, A. apicalis (Tjeder); 64, A. bitis (Tjeder); 65, A. aequabilis (Tjeder); 66, A. brinkmani sp. nov.

FIGURES 90–95. Afroptera spp. Thorax. 90, A. sabuleti (Tjeder); 91, A. nigrosetosa (Tjeder); 92, A. munroi (Tjeder); 93, A. longicornis (Tjeder); 94, A. obtusa (Tjeder); 95, A. leptocera (Navás).

FIGURES 127–128. Holotypes of Afroptera spp and their associated labels. 127, A. lanata (Tjeder) ♂; 128, A. papio (Tjeder) ♂. Photos: Simon van Noort (SAMC).

FIGURES 131–132. Holotypes of Afroptera spp and their associated labels. 131, A. peringueyi (Tjeder) ♂; 132, A. pilosa (Tjeder) ♂. Photos: Simon van Noort (SAMC).

FIGURES 123–124. Afroptera spp. 123, A. segregata (Tjeder), male holotype and associated labels; 124, A. remifera (Westwood), habitus ♀ and associated labels. Photos: Simon van Noort (SAMC).