Nemia karrooa ( Péringuey, 1911 )

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 : 79-80

Nemia karrooa ( Péringuey, 1911)

( Figs 160 , 164 , 169 , 175 )

Nemoptera (Eretmoptera) karrooa Péringuey, 1911: 36 .

Nemopterella karrooa (Péringuey) : Navás 1912: 9.

Nemia karrooa (Péringuey) : Tjeder 1967: 448.

Etymology. Derived the common name of the various Pentzia species (karoo bushes), the dominant shrubs that characterise the Karoo biomes of South Africa, and in which N. karrooa is widespread.

Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province, Tulbagh , 33°16S 19°06E .

Type depository. SAMC .

Diagnosis. This species shares the distinct dark thoracic stripes of N. angulata and N. costalis ( Fig. 169 ). Nemia karrooa resembles N. costalis in having similar abdominal pubescence stripe patterns. It resembles N. angulata by the similar colouration of the forewing veins, costal membrane and subcostal and anal areas. It can be distinguished from the former species by having a slightly broader forewing with less acute apex ( Fig. 164 ), and from the latter by a much paler pterostigma and far less whitish pubescence on the thoracic pleurites.

Size (mm). Male: body length 12.3 (10.6–14.2); forewing 27.6 (24.4–30); hind wing 61.0 (58.8–69.9); antenna 25.5 (21.4– 28.5). Female: body length 13.2 (12.4–14.7); forewing 26.3 (25.6–27); hind wing 59.1 (58.3–60); antenna 17.8 (17–18.8). (N = 58).

Type material Examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. Holotype ♀, SAM–NEU–A001237, Tulbagh, R.Lightfoot 1910 (white handwritten label) / Nemoptera tulbaghia ♀ type, Py (white handwritten label) / Holotypus Nemoptera (Eretmoptera) karrooa Péringuey (red handwritten label) / Nemia karrooa Per. , det. Bo Tjeder 1966 (white printed label). ( SAMC).

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Northern Cape Province. 1♂, NEUR08895 , 9 Km W of Williston, 31°20’4’’S 20°50’52’’E, 10.xi.1998, J.G.H.Londt, 1080m, Karoo vegetation at foot of rocky ridge ; 1♂, NEUR01476 , Milddlepos , 32°54’S 20°14’E, 1120m, 16.xi.1990, M.W. Mansell, R.B.Miller, L.A.Stange ; 1♂, NEUR01480 , Ster- kfontein Farm, Williston Dist, 31°48’S 20°31’E, 1200m, 17.xi.1990, M.W. Mansell, R.B.Miller, L.A.Stange ; 1♀, NEUR01346 , Westdene Farm, Richmond District , 31°24’S 23°44’E, 1320m, 14.xii.1989, M.W.Mansell, Handnetted ; 1♂ 3♀, NEUR12586 , Kelkiewyn Farm, Calvinia District , 31°12’01’’S 19°41’33’’E, 22–23.x. 2013, 661m, C.H.Scholtz . 7♂ 3♀, NEUR118110 , same locality and collector, 25.x.2011, At light . 1♂ 5♀, NEUR09923 , same locality and collector, 1–3.xii.2008, At light. (All SANC) . Western Cape Province. 1♂, NEUR08894 , Prince Albert Dist, Tierberg Research Station , 33°08’S 22°17’E, 26.xii.1989, W.R.J.Dean / Collected at light ; 2♂, NEUR08893 , same locality and collector, x.1989 ; 1♂, NEUR02164 , same locality and collector, x.1990 ; 1♂ 1♀, NEUR02117 , Boonsteveld, 25 K. N Laingsburg [33°11’47’’S 20°51’39’’E], 10.xi.1985, M.D.Picker ; 5♂ 1♀, NEUR10118 , Oorlogskloof Farm, Klaarstroom District , 33°21’48’’S 22°43’34’’E, 897m, 21.xi.2008, At light, A.P.Marais ; 1♂, NEUR10119 , Oukloof Farm, Prince Albert District , 33°16’23’’S 22°08’12’’E, 745m, 22–23.xi.2008, At light, A.P.Marais ; 8♂ 7♀, NEUR09864 , Wamakerskraal Farm, Laingsburg District , 33°02’03’’S 21°35’36’’E, 350m, 11.x.2008, J.B.Ball, A.P.Mariais, Light. (All SANC) . 1♂, A001338, Klaarstroom, Prince Albert / Nemia karrooa Per. , det. Bo Tjeder 1966 ; 3♂, A001239, Dikbome , Merweville Koup, C.P / Nemia karrooa Per. , det. Bo Tjeder 1966 ; 1♂, A001240, Koup Siding, Laingsburg [33°11’47’’S 20°51’39’’E], C.P. / Nemia karrooa Per. , det. Bo Tjed- er. (All SAMC) .

Distribution and habitat. Nemia karrooa occurs in the Northern and Western Cape provinces, South Africa ( Fig. 175 ). Compared to other species in the genus, this species has a wide distribution. The range extends over the Fynbos, Succulent Karoo and Nama Karoo Biomes. The habitat consequently ranges from arid to semi-arid with different rainfall seasons and different vegetation cover according to biome type.

Remarks. The female holotype of N. karrooa was originally described by Péringuey (1911) and deposited in the South African Museum, Cape Town. When he examined the holotype Tjeder (1967), observed that it is labelled “ Nemoptera tulbaghia ♀./ type Per” with type locality “Tulbagh, R. Lightfoot 1910” instead of Nemoptera karrooa as Péringuey had named it in his paper. Tjeder assumed that the change in the species name from tulbaghia to karrooa may have been because Péringuey has been informed by Lightfoot (the collector of the species) that the type specimen had, in fact, been collected from Laingsburg in the Karoo region and not from Tulbagh, and Péringuey inadvertently did not change the label. Tjeder (1967) consequently amended the label to “ Holotypus, Nemoptera (Eretmoptera) karrooa Péringuey ” and then substituted the name Nemoptera with Nemia in his paper.

Figures

FIGURE 160. Nemia karrooa (Péringuey). Female holotype and associated labels. Photo: Simon van Noort (SAMC).

FIGURES 162–166. Nemia spp. Male forewings. 162, N. angulata (Westwood); 163, N. elongata Tjeder; 164, N. karrooa (Péringuey); 165, N. costalis (Westwood); 166, N. lata Tjeder.

FIGURES 169–170. Nemia spp. Thorax. 169, Nemia karrooa (Péringuey); 170, Nemia elongata Tjeder.

FIGURES 172–177. Distribution maps of Nemia spp. 172, N. angulata (Westwood); 173, N. costalis (Westwood); 174, N. elongata Tjeder; 175, N. karrooa (Péringuey); 176, N. lata Tjeder; 177, N. zebra Tjeder.