Purenleon nunezi Miller and Stange, 2011

Miller, Robert B. & Stange, Lionel A., 2011, Antlions of Hispaniola (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), Insecta Mundi 2011 (182), pp. 1-28 : 20-24

Purenleon nunezi Miller and Stange , new species

( Figures 17, 18 )

Holotype male, El Capa, 17 km. northeast of Vallejuelo , San Juan Province, Dominican Republic, 27.V.1986, Miller and Stange ( FSCA).

Diagnosis. Pronotum without elongate white bristles at lateral margin (sometimes with black setae laterally which are shorter than those on forecoxa); midfemoral sense as long as that of forefemur, and about one-half as long as that of midfemur; basitarsus of hindleg about 3.0 times longer than greatest diameter, shorter than pretarsal claws which are shorter than tibial spurs which extend beyond apex of hind tarsomere II; forewing costal area without interconnected crossveins; female ectoproct upturned.

Description. Holotype male: body length 23 mm, forewing length 27 mm. Coloration dark brown; mouthparts pale brown with dark spot on stipes and lacinia; clypeus and labrum pale brown; large dark brown band under antennal bases, which fuses with smaller epicranial mark and encircles antennal bases laterally; anterior of row of dark brown scars consisting of dark brown sublateral band narrowly separating it from double dark brown spot at middle; middle row with broad submedial spot which is extended narrowly to posterior margin; antenna with scape pale brown with dark brown basal ring which is weak anteriorly, petiole with dark brown basal band interrupted anteriorly; flagellomeres with basal half or more dark brown, becoming nearly all dark brown before clava; pronotum dark brown with weak median pale stripe, pale brown area submedially in furrow, pale brown sublaterally at middle extending to anterior margin, pale area posterolaterally; nota mostly dark brown with dark spot sublaterally on prescutum, scattered irregular pale areas, venter nearly all pale brown; forecoxa pale brown with two small dark brown areas on posterior face; mera dark brown; forefemur with broad subbasal dark area and apical dark brown area, closing face mostly pale brown; other femora with dark brown mostly restricted to apical area; foretibia and midtibia with three dark brown rings, subbasally, near middle and apically; femora and tibiae with some dark brown spots, especially at setal bases; tarsus with tarsomeres III and IV mostly dark brown, distal tarsomere dark brown apically; wing membrane with prominent rhegmal and cubital streaks, white stigma preceded by dark brown spots; subcostal area with some dark brown streaking; hindwing without suffusion; wing veins with alternate dark and pale brown areas; abdomen with tergites mostly dark brown with double pale brown spot posteriorly on tergite I, reduced pale brown areas on tergite II, tergites III to VIII with prominent pale streak submedially from near base to near middle, weakly connected at middle on tergites III and IV; sternites and terminalia mostly pale brown. Chaetotaxy: pronotum and mesonotum without bristles, all setae shorter than those on forecoxa; forecoxa with a few elongate white bristles posteriorly nearly equal in length to greatest coxal diameter; midfemoral sense hair as long as forefemoral sense hair which is about 3/4 length of femur. Structure: forewing with costal cells simple, not interconnected, higher than wide above origin of radial sector; forewing vein CuP + 1A runs obliquely to hind margin along posterior fork of CuA at a point below origin of radial sector; midtibia slightly more swollen than foretibia; basitarsus of hindleg about 3.0 times longer than greatest diameter, shorter than pretarsal claws which are shorter than tibial spurs which extend beyond apex of hind tarsomere II; abdomen shorter than wings.

Female. About as in male except for terminalia. The ectoproct is upturned.

Larva. Head capsule light reddish; labial palpus longer than basal width of mandible; head much longer than wide ( Figure 36 ), with dolichasters; ventral head capsule ( Figure 37 ) with one pair of dark brown sublateral spots; mandible with several pale dolichasters on mesal margin near base; mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle.

Paratypes. Dominican Republic: Monte Cristi Province: 9 km. north Villa Elisa, 6.VI.1986, Miller and Stange (3m, 1f, FSCA, USNM) ; 17 km. south Monte Cristi, 2.X.1985, Woodruff and Stange , at blacklight (1m, 3f, FSCA) ; 3 km. north Villa Elisa, 17.VII.1986, Woodruff and Stange (1f, FSCA) . San Juan Province: El Capa, 17 km. northeast of Vallejuelo, 27.V.1986, Miller and Stange (10m, 25f FSCA) ; El Capa, 1 km. on road to Vallejuelo, 21.V.1985, Núñez, Woodruff and Stange (13m, 20f, FSCA) .

Discussion. This species can be distinguished from other Purenleon in Hispaniola except P. woodruffi by the complete lack of elongate bristle-like setae on the pronotum. The elongate midfemoral sense hair relates it to P. minor and P. woodruffi , which lack suffusion in the subcostal area. The hind basitarsus is about three times as long as middle diameter which is found also in P. minor but not in P. woodruffi which has the hind basitarsus about 2.5 times longer than middle diameter. The female terminalia are distinctive in P. nunezi . At El Capa after sunset, many dozens of adults began to fly and were concentrated in a small forest opening. This might have been a mating swarm. This has not be observed in other species of Purenleon . Also, at the El Capa locality three females were collected which have different wing markings ( Figure 18 ) than other specimens. In particular, the cubital stripe of most of the specimens is replaced by a large round dark brown spot. This might be a different species but male material is needed to resolve the problem. Larvae were found water deposited sand under rock overhangs in gullies.

Etymology. This species is named for the Dominican Republic entomologist, Carmelo Núñez, who assisted greatly in fieldwork.

Figures

Figures 15-18. Purenleon spp. 15) P. bistictus (Hagen), adult male. 16) P. minor (Banks), adult male. 17) P. nunezi Miller and Stange, adult male. 18) P. nunezi Miller and Stange, wing pattern variation.

Figures 32-37. Purenleon spp. larvae. 32-35) P. minor Banks. 32) Dorsal view. 33) Ventral view. 34) Close up of head. 35) Close up of apex of abdomen (ventral view). 36-37) Purenleon woodruffi Miller and Stange. 36) Dorsal view. 37) Ventral view.