Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber and Tauber, 2010

Tauber, Catherine, 2010, Revision of Neosuarius, a subgenus of Chrysopodes (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae), ZooKeys 44 (44), pp. 1-104 : 78-81

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.44.387
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3788340
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AC87E3-FFD5-5808-64F3-E40EC42DFF04
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber and Tauber, 2010
status

Treatment

Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber and Tauber, 2010 View in CoL

Figs 40c View Figure 40 , 41c, 56, 57c, 58, 59a, 64b

Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber and Tauber, 2010: 60 View in CoL [CAS, Holotype (by original designation): “ Ecuador, Galápagos Archipelago, Isla Santa Cruz, Table Mountain, 440 meters (D. Q. Cavagnaro)”].

Diagnosis. The three Chrysopodes species that are endemic to the Galápagos Islands – C. (Neosuarius) nigripilosus , C. (N.) nigricubitus and C. (N.) pecki – are distingished from the mainland species by their slightly smaller size (forewing length: 10.2–13.7 mm, vs. 13.9–16.7 for the mainland species), tan to brown bodies with mottled spots (not streaks) of dark brown; brown vertex, and brown to dark brown facial markings. The males have elongate, setose ducts (probably glandular) that originate within the gonosaccus (immediately below the mediuncus) and extend into the gonarcal region ( Fig. 58 View Figure 58 ; also see Fig. 10 in Tauber and Tauber 2010), and large, eversible pouches above the tip of S8+9 (Fig. 61c).

Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber and Tauber is one of two species of endemic Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) recently described from the Galápagos Archipelago [see C. (N.) nigripilosus ]. Currently it is known from two islands: Santa Cruz (Table Mountain and Horneman Farm) and Pinta (420’). In general appearance, the adults share many features with the more common species, C. (N.) nigripilosus ; i.e., they have small, robust, brownish bodies, similar head and wing markings.

The most distinguishing characteristic of N. nigricubitus is the suffusion of black or dark brown pigment (coloration) around several of the crossveins in the forewings, most notably the second intracubital crossvein ( Fig. 56 View Figure 56 ). This diffusion is absent from C. (N.) nigripilosus and much less marked in C. (N.) pecki ( Figs 60 View Figure 60 , 63 View Figure 63 ). The second intracubital crossvein is also arched, crassate and bears a large swelling that is absent from C. (N.) nigripilosus and much smaller in C. (N.) pecki . In addition, there are slight, but consistent differences between the species in the lengths of the pronotum and tergite 6; in C. (N.) nigricubitus , the pronotum is longer, the pronotal W: L ratio is higher, and L:W ratio of the T6 is longer than it is in C. (N.) nigripilosus , but it is shorter than that in C. (N.) pecki (see Table 2 in Tauber and Tauber 2010). Also, the abdominal sternites of the C. (N.) nigricubitus females are without brown markings ( Fig. 57c View Figure 57 ), whereas on C. (N.) nigripilosus (S5-S7) and C. (N.) pecki (S5) females they are present ( Figs 57b, d View Figure 57 ).

C. (N.) nigricubitus males have abdominal sclerotization and genitalia that are very similar to those of C. (N.) nigripilosus . However, there is one notable difference: unlike C. (N.) nigripilosus , in which the lateral arms of gonarcus are directed downward next to the mediuncus, in C. (N.) nigircubitus the gonarcal arms are spread widely, only the tips of the gonarcal arms bend downward, and the gonarcal structure is relatively flat in lateral view ( Fig. 58b View Figure 58 ). The female internal genital structures are very similar to those of C. (N.) nigripilosus and C. (N.) pecki ; i.e., the spermatheca is elongate and tubular; the spermathecal duct is short and lightly sclerotized; the bursa is large and leathery; the bursal glands are bulbous and they bear elongate accessory ducts ( Tauber and Tauber 2010). However, the external structure of the subgenitale distinguishes females of the three species (see Fig. 59 View Figure 59 ).

Description. Available in Tauber and Tauber (2010).

Larvae. Unknown.

Eggs. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown. Large grains of pollen were in the guts of some males and females. Adult specimens were collected in February, April and May.

Type material. Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber & Tauber. The holotype (a male) and 18 paratypes (6 males, 10 females, 2 unknown sex) from two localities on Santa Cruz Island are in the California Academy of Sciences. The holotype is labelled: (1) “ Galapagos Arch. / Isla SantaCruz / Table Mtn. 440M. / IV- 16–1964 ”; (2) “ D. Q. Cavagnaro / Collector ”; (3) “Image: C. A. Tauber / Table.M.#7 / head,thor,ab”; (4) “ HOLOTYPE ♁ / Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) / nigricubitus ; des. Tauber / & Tauber, 2010 ” [red]. Thirteen paratypes (3 males, 8 females, 2 unknown sex) have identical labels (1) and (2); some also carry label (3) “Image: C.A.Tauber …” ; all carry label (4) “ PARATYPE / Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) / nigricubitus ; det. Tauber / & Tauber. 2010” [yellow]. Five paratypes (3 males, 2 females) are from the second locality on Santa Cruz Island ; they bear the following labels: (1) “ Galapagos Arch. / Isla SantaCruz / HornemanFarm / 220M V-7–1964 ”; (2) “ D. Q. Cavagnaro / Collector ”; (3) “ PARATYPE / Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) / nigricubitus ; des. Tauber / & Tauber, 2010 ” [yellow].

There are an additional nine paratypes (4M, 5F) in the Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Brussels ( IRSNB). These specimens are in alcohol, and their printed labels read: (1) “ Ecuador, Galápagos, Pinta, western side of island, 420 m, 30/II/2000, L. Baert, K. Desender & J.-P. Maelfait, B.00/0100”; (2) “ PARATYPE / Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigricubitus Tauber & Tauber , des. 2010”.

Specimens examined. Type material only.

Known distribution. Endemic to the Galápagos Islands (known only from two localities on Santa Cruz Island).

Variation. The variation in the known specimens is slight. See Tables 1 and 2 in Tauber and Tauber (2010) for the ranges in head and body size and wing features.