Ceraeochrysa melaenopareia Sosa and Freitas, 2010

Sosa, Francisco & Freitas, Sergio De, 2010, New Neotropical species of Ceraeochrysa Adams (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), Zootaxa 2562 (1), pp. 57-65 : 58-61

Ceraeochrysa melaenopareia Sosa and Freitas , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1, 2, 3 , 9–18 )

Description. Holotype. Male. Measurements. Head: width 1.6 mm; Pronotum: length 0.8 mm, width 1.1 mm. Forewing: length 13.9 mm, width 4.5 mm, length/width ratio = 3.1. Hindwing: length 12.7 mm, width 3.7 mm, length/width ratio = 3.52.

Head: Front, clypeus, labrum, maxillary and labial palpi golden yellow; gena and basal margin of clypeus black ( Fig. 1 ); vertex golden yellow. Scape yellow with a diffuse dorsolateral patch; pedicel with a black apical ring; flagellum with at least the first 10 flagellomeres black, rest of antenna becoming paler towards apex.

Thorax: Pronotum greenish yellow with a lateral red stripe on each side ( Fig. 2 ); meso- and metanota greenish yellow; pleura pale; legs pale green with yellow tarsi. Wing venation mostly green, except some crossveins dark. Forewing: longitudinal veins green; Crossveins: costal crossveins 4–14, Rs + Ma, r–m 1, radial crossveins 1–9 and series of gradates black; 3 inner and 6 outer gradates. Hindwing: longitudinal veins and crossveins green; 3 inner and 6 outer gradates ( Fig. 3 ).

Abdomen: Green, with or without rounded marks on the first five tergites; apodema of tergite 9 + ectoproct strongly sclerotized and with ventral projection below the base of the callus cerci, apex of this projection dilated at the ventral extremity; lateral genital atrium without scales field ( Figs. 9–10 ). Male genitalia: gonarcus very wide, square-shaped, dorsomedial hood wider than long with acute apex ( Figs. 11– 12 ); lateral arms not projected above the arc; two dorsolaterally inflated gonocornua of irregular margin projected posteriorly from gonarcus ( Figs. 13–14 ); arcessus membranous, basally with two dorsal inflated, horn-shaped lobes or processes, apex ventrally directed and laterally lobulated ( Fig. 14 ); gonosaccus with long gonosetae; gonocristae present. Gonapsis elongated and flattened, dilated and bifurcated apically ( Fig. 15 ).

FIGURES 4–6. Ceraeochrysa pittieri sp. nov. 4—Head and pronotum in dorsolateral view. 5—Head and pronotum in dorsal view. 6—Wings.

FIGURES 7–8. Ceraeochrysa torresi sp. nov. 7—Head and pronotum in dorsal view. 8—Wings.

Allotype. Female: Measurements. Head: width 1.7 mm; Pronotum: length 1.0 mm, width 1.2 mm. Forewing: length 14.1 mm, width 4.5 mm, length/width ratio = 3.1; 2 inner and 7 outer gradates. Hindwing: length 12.4 mm, width 3.7 mm, length/width ratio = 3.4; 2 inner and 6 outer gradates.

Morphological characteristics identical to those of the holotype.

Female genitalia: Bursa copulatrix long and narrow, with many folds ( Fig. 16 ); Subgenitalia longer than wide ( Fig. 17 ); spermatheca elongated with posterior extremity curved in J-shape, spermathecal gland long ( Fig. 18 ).

Males mean measurements. Head. Mean width 1.7 mm (range 1.6–1.7 mm). Pronotum: length 0.9 mm (range 0.8–0.9 mm), width 1.2 mm: (range 1.1–1.2 mm). Forewing: length 14.1 mm (range 13.9–14.3 mm), width 4.5 mm (range invariable), length/width ratio = 3.2 (range 3.1–3.2); 2–3 inner and 6–7 outer gradates. Hindwing: length 12.8 mm (range 12.7–12.8 mm), width 3.7 mm (range 3.6–3.7 mm), length/width ratio = 3.5 (range invariable); 3 inner and 7 outer gradates.

Females mean measurements. Head. Mean width 1.8 mm (range 1.7–1.9 mm). Pronotum: length 0.9 mm (range 0.8–1.0 mm), width 1.2 mm (range 1.2–1.3 mm). Forewing: length 15.4 mm (range 14.1–16.6 mm), width 4.9 mm (range 4.5–5.2 mm), length/width ratio = 3.1 (range 3.1–3.2); 2–4 inner and 7 outer gradates. Hindwing: length 13.5 mm (range 12.4–14.7 mm), width 4.2 mm (range 3.7–4.5 mm), length/width ratio = 3.2 (range 3.1 – 3.4); 2–3 inner and 6–7 outer gradates.

Etymology. From the Greek melan = black and pareia = cheek. Makes reference to the black coloring of the gena.

Discussion. Ceraeochrysa melaenopareia sp. nov., is related to the “ everes ” group of species. The group is characterized as such because the males have thick setae emerging as chalazae at the apex of sternite 8 + 9, plus a dorsal hood on the gonarcus and two inflated dorsolateral gonocornua with irregular margin projected posteriorly from the gonarcus. However, Ceraeochrysa melaenopareia sp. nov., may be distinguished by its uniquely black gena, gonarcus wide in square-shape and gonapsis elongated with the apex rounded and apically bifurcated. The specimens examined were collected in orchards of Citrus spp. , Annona muricata L, and with white light traps.

Material examinated (4m, 9f). Holotype, male: VENEZUELA. Lara: Pampero (10º 12’ N – 69º 17’ W, 648 m) , 7 II 2009, F. Sosa & J. Torres ( UCOB) . Allotype. Female: VENEZUELA. Lara: Pampero (10º 12’ N – 69º 17’ W, 648 m) , 04 II 2009, F. Sosa & J. Torres ( UCOB) . Paratypes (3m, 8f): VENEZUELA. Lara: Pampero (10º 12’ N – 69º 17’ W, 648 m) , 7 II 2009, 1m, F. Sosa & J. Torres ( UCOB) ; 14 VII 2007, 1m, 1f, J. Torres ( UCOB) ; XI 2008, 1f, J. Torres ( UCOB) ; 04 II 2009, 1f, F. Sosa & J. Torres ( UCOB) ; 01 II 2009, 2f, J. Torres ( UCOB) ; V 2009 , 1f, J. Torres ( UCOB); V 2009 , 1f, J. Torres ( MZSP); Tarabana (10º 01’ N – 69º 16’ W, 500 m) , 14 VII 2007, 1f, F. Sosa, J. Torres & F. Díaz ( MIZA) ; 08 VII 2007, 1f, F. Sosa & J. Torres ( UCOB) ; Duaca (10° 21’ N – 69° 05’ W, 554 m) , 04 II 2009, 1f, F. Sosa & J. Torres ( UCOB) .

Geographical distribution. VENEZUELA.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Ceraeochrysa melaenopareia sp. nov. 1—Head frontal view. 2—Head and pronotum in dorsal view. 3—Wings.

FIGURES 9–18. Male and female genitalia of Ceraeochrysa melaenopareia sp. nov. 9–15, male genitalia. 9, 10— Sternite 9 + ectoproct with genital complex. 11, 12—Gonarcus in dorsal view. 13, 14—Gonarcus in lateral view. 15— Gonapsis in dorsal view. 16–18, female genitalia. 16—Bursa copulatrix. 17—Sub-genitalia in frontal view. 18— Spermatheca. ar = Arcessus; dh = dorsal hood; dl = dorsal lobe; go = gonarcus; gco = gonocornua; la = lateral arm.